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Seed Germination Tips
This is a fantastic way to make Seeds Germinate Quickly.. I call it the coffee filter/Baggie tip.
I use this method with hard shelled seeds:
1) With masking tape and a Sharpie waterproof marker, mark a zip lock baggie with seed type,
date, and any info about germ temps/stratifying/light required.
2) Wet a coffee filter, then squeeze out excess moisture so it is just damp, not wet.
3) Imagining it as a pie, sow your seeds on 1/4 of the pie, then fold filter in half, then in half
again. Your seeds should have one layer of filter on one side, three layers on the other.
4) Place the folded filter into the zip lock back, blow a little air in the baggie, then seal, leaving
it just slightly puffed, not completely flat.
5) Place in warm place to germinate or in a covered container in the fridge for cold start, and
wait....
Check baggies every few days, and re moisten as needed. Even if one doesn't appear to need
re moistening, don't let them go over a week without opening them up for some fresh air. For
seeds that need light, keep them with the single layer of filter up, and in bright light, though
not direct sunlight. If they need dark, put in a drawer or cupboard Below are other good tips
but I prefer this one. On hard shelled seeds such as Morning Glory, Pride Of Bar. And other
hard seeds wait for a few days so roots can form then plant. I get almost 100% germination
on all my seeds with this method! See Photos below of this method. The seeds are Pink Pride
Of Barbados.
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Other Germination Tips
Soak: Some seeds take a long time to absorb all The water they need to germinate. This
Process can be speeded up by soaking Them in water overnight. Do not soak seeds for more
than 24 hours, unless it is specifically recommended on the packet.
Nick, chip, or scarify: Seeds like sweet peas and morning glory have hard seed coats that
block the uptake of water into the embryo. To speed germination, you need make a tiny hole
in the seed coat. This is done either by nicking the surface of the seed with fingernail clippers
(much safer than using a knife), or by rubbing the seed against a piece of sandpaper. Be
careful not to damage the embryo by removing too much of the seed coat. It's best to nick or
scarify the seed on a side away from the growing point. For example, the growing point on a
morning glory seed is the pointed tip, so scarify it on the rounded side.
Even without nicking, some seeds will still sprout. So if you don't want to nick all the seeds,
just soak them overnight, plant the ones that swell, then nick the remaining seeds and soak
them again.
Refrigerate, per-chill, or stratify: Some seeds like columbine and penstemon germinate best
after a period of cold and wet that simulates the winter season. The easiest way to stratify
seeds is to sow them into their pots, water them, cover the pots with plastic, then place them
in the fridge for the recommended amount of time
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