MY 5 SEED GERMINATION TIPS

Even though I am still ordering seeds, I am beginning to sow some that need an early start. At this point in the process, I need to organize seeds by the germination requirements, or I risk missing an important date, such as, when to remove a tray of Cuphea seeds from the fridge, or when to subject Tropaeolum seeds to 40º temperatures.

Even though I started ordering seeds in late December, there are still many to be ordered, but suddenly it’s March 1st, and I am a little late with my seed sowing, so it’s time to catch up. I did sow some little treasures in January and February that needed a good, head start such as  pink heirloom Italian Cardoon, some snapdragons and even some florist Gloxinia ( Sinningia speciosa), which are so hard to find anymore. Along with some onions, heirloom red celery and leeks, that’s about it for seeds sown by Matt so far. Most of these need warm soil temperatures (above 80º F) in which to germinate well, but now that they are all up nd growing, I’ve relocated them to the cooler greenhouse, which makes room under my lighting system for more trays.

Click below for my list:

Here is my seed organization process:

1. ORGANIZE SEED PACKETS AS YOU GET THEM

 As orders arrive via the mailman, I create bundles of packets organized by sowing date. Tomatoes go all all together with a rubber band, so that I can keep track of how many I have ordered ( I already have doubles), Peppers and Eggplant, all together as these must be sown earlier, cucumber and beans, bundled together, as they will be sown directly into the garden once the soil temperature reached 60º in June. Annuals, greenhouse shrubs and plant, perennials, South African seeds, each are organized by sowing date or temperature requirements.( Cuphea species for example, may each need a different germination regimen, some require heat, others, a pre-chill dry in the fridge, others, may need a damp chill for 2 weeks, a brief warm period, and then cold again ). I say this only to remind you all that a seed packet may not provide all of the information you may need. Which leads me to my second bit of advice:

Sweet peas are best when started early, if you live in the north, they should be started in bright, cold windows in February and pinched, in zones 7 and higher, they could be sown in the autumn outdoors, and allowed to grow slowly.

2. DO YOUR OWN HOMEWORK ( it can be fun)

Check out this new podcast by Joseph Tychonievich entitled Grow ALL the Plants, A Podcast, which he calls MAKING THE CUT – where he interviews Riz Reyes, Debra Prinzing and myself where I share ideas on how I like to create a cut flower garden.

Try to find the most accurate sourced for information available. This means, university sites, research papers, plant society journals, forums and chat groups but always with an eye on who is providing the information. 

Vegetable seed – I highly recommend the seed site Johnny’s Selected Seeds. Just go to the site, and then look growing details.  The folks at Johnny’s provide excellent details about each vegetable, especially germination temperatures, and timing. 

Annual and Biennial seed – I recommend my go-to bible – the late Wayne Winterrowd’s, ANNUALS and TENDER PLANTS for NORTH AMERICAN GARDENS (2004, Random House). This 500 page book is out of print, but worth investing in if you can still find one. I even bought a back-up copy in case mine becomes damaged. It’s that good. Few photos, but an excellent source for the history of each plant, and how to grow it well. I have no ideas why this book isn’t on everyones book shelf.

Perennial seed –I like the seed guide provided by the German seed company Jelitto Seeds (it’s on-line, but you can get it printed if you order seeds from them). 

For most all other seeds, ( this is the geeky part), I go with the document that most serious garden enthusiast all know about ( but which most keep secretly stashed). It’s called SEED GERMINATION, THEORY AND PRACTICE by Norman C. Deno which provided details on germination rates, temperatures and stratification techniques for 145 plant families, and 805 Genera, and 2500 species. it is a treasure, if you can find a copy, and although a bit technical, it is a must-have if you are seriously into plants. You can explore this thread on Daves Garden to see if any of the sources are still active for this document, some say that it is now available as a free download, others, as a $20 mail order item. I will admit that I prefer my $20. copy, as it is a hard copy, which somehow makes it easier to reference.

I would love to know what other sources you have on your book shelf.

Acacia tree seeds being subjected to a stratification method that involves boiling water, and a three day soak.

3. Follow Directions like a Nuclear Scientist

I always say STARTING SEEDS IS A SCIENCE, NOT A CRAFT, I’ll start by saying – If it works for you – go with it, we all learn as we garden, after all, that’s more than half the fun of gardening. But the science part, may help you get better results. For example, you may start your lettuce under lights, but did you know that lettuce seed planted out in the garden in March in Zone 5, might beat that lettuce that you started indoors? Lettuce germinates better and produces better roots if subjected to near freezing temperatures. It’s always helpful to see what the experts have to say. We all can improve.

5. Be inspired, Be Confident, You can do it!