Seed Sowing made Easy, by Joann Darling

Basic seed sowing for the home gardener--
Having the right tools collected can take the mystery out of seed starting--
Joann Darling is adjunct faculty at Vermont Center for Intergrative Herbalism and program coordinator for Good Food Food Medicine teaching adults and children how to grow their own food and herbal remedies.

1. Seed Sowing How to Successfully Germinate Seeds

2. Many inexperienced gardeners think that the steps for how to germinate seeds are the same for all seeds. This is not the case. Knowing what’s the best way to germinate seeds depends on what you’re trying to grow, and how to successfully germinate seeds varies greatly. Lets begin with an explanation for different terminology that might be used when you find the directions for seed germination that specifically apply to your seeds.

3. Viability – When talking about seed germination, viability will refer to the chance that the seed will be able to germinate. Some seeds can sit for years and still have a high viability. Other seeds, though, may lose viability within hours of being removed from the fruit. Dormancy – Some seeds need to have a certain amount of rest time before they can be germinated. A seed’s period of dormancy sometimes also coincides with a stratification process. Stratification – Oftentimes when someone refers to stratification, they are referring to the process of cold treating a seed in order to break its dormancy, but on a broader level, stratification can also refer to any process used to help a seed germinate. Forms of stratification can include exposure to acid (artificially or within the stomach of an animal), scratching the seed coat or cold treatment. Terms Related to How to Germinate Seeds

4. Terms Related to How to Germinate Seeds Cold treatment – Some seeds need to be exposed to a certain period of cold in order to break their dormancy. The temperature and length of cold needed to complete the cold treatment will vary depending on the seed variety. Scarification – This refers to the process of literally damaging the seed coat. Some seeds are so well protected by their seed coat that the seedling is not able to break through it on its own. Sandpaper, knives or other methods can be used to nick the seed coat to allow a place where the seedling can break through the seed coat. Pre-soaking – Like scarification, pre-soaking [2] helps to soften the seed coat of the plant, which both speeds up germination and increases the viability of the seeds planted. Many seeds, even if it is not stated in their steps of seed germination, will benefit from pre-soaking. Light needed germination – While many seeds need to be placed under the soil in order to germinate, there are some that actually need light in order to germinate. Burying these seeds below the soil will keep them from germinating.

5. Scarification - seed coat scratching

6. Seed packet information -- many times everything you need to know about the seeds you’re planting can be found on the packet they come in. Also check the seed supplies website and catalogue for additional growing information

7. Gather your seed starting supplies List : Seeds Seed trays and domes Watering can Plant markers and pen Seed starting mix ( your recipes or a ready made blend) Seaweed plant fertilizer Willow water Vermiculite, perlite, charcoal, sand, peat moss

8. Making your own germinating mix? Materials Needed: Perlite -- Expanded volcanic rock granules. Sterile, inert, and light; retains moisture but drains freely. Medium / course grades aid in drainage and aeration. Vermiculite -- Expanded and airblown mica. Similar to perlite but can hold more water and less air, aids in drainage and aeration. Available in several grades, fine grades work well for a finishing covering over seeds ( will not become impermeable when dry) Peat Moss -- Stable, long lasting well-aerated and moisture retentive, low in nutrients, hard to rewet when dry, for light weight short term mixes. Sand -- Fine sand helps with drainage and aeration in seed soil mix; course sand gives more open texture to rooting media. C harcoal -- Will add in reducing pathogens like alga and fungi. Works fantastic in root cutting mixes.

9. Peat Moss Perlite Vermiculite Charcoal

10. All purpose blend -- my recipe 2 pt Perlite 1 pt Fine grade vermiculite 1 pt Peat 1/16 pt charcoal (found in garden centers) *Adjust with sand/coarse perlite/vermiculite to plant species

11. SEAWEED for your plant! A truly remarkable phenomenon is that seaweed grows in the ocean and accumulates potassium and not sodium! Seaweed has been used by plant growers for centuries, but beneficial results has only recently been attributed to naturally occuring growth regulators and micronutrients. Seaweed is not a food, rather it’s classified as a “ bio-stimulant ” Seaweed contains natural growth regulators. The major being auxins, cytokines , indoles, and hormones. Seaweed stimulates beneficial soil microbial activity, particularly in soil around the feeder roots resulting in larger root mass where beneficial fungi and bacteria known as “mycorrhizae” exist. This area of the soil is known as the "rhizosphere." The rhizosphere activity improves the plants ability to form healthier, stronger roots.

12. Cy tokinins are hormones that promote growth by speeding up the process of cell division making seaweed extract of value in treating tissue cultures. When they are applied to foliage the leaves rejuvenate stimulating photosynthesis. Auxins, also hormones, occur in the roots and stems during cell division. They move to areas of cell elongation where they allow the walls of cells to stretch. Auxins actually give fruits and vegetables a naturally longer shelf life. This is known as delaying senescense: the deterioration of cells and tissues that results in rotting. Gibberellins are other important plant-growth hormones; more than 50 kinds are known. They control the elongation of stems, and they cause the germination of some grass seeds by initiating the production of enzymes that break down starch into sugars to nourish the plant embryo. Hundreds of research reports have been written about seaweed and the micronutrients and growth regulators contained within them. There are various methods used to identify the individual organic and inorganic compounds present in seaweed. In recent years the results of scientific research provided evidence that seaweeds contain more than 70 microelements and is considerably higher than it is in terrestrial plants. Farmers and gardeners should not become too involved in the science of why seaweed produces the results which have been demonstrated over decades of scientific research, field observations, and practical experience.

13. Willow Tea -- natural rooting hormone Leaf cuttings and stem cuttings are both ways of propagating plants and cuttings will be far more likely to form roots and grow if you use rooting hormones to encourage this. The active ingredient in commercial rooting hormones is Indolebutyric Acid (IBA), a natural plant hormone. All varieties of Willow (Salix spp.) contain IBA.

14. How to make the tea: Collect willow twigs that look fresh and green, use young more vibrant cutting. Remove leaves if present. Place right side up as found on the tree (direction is important since rhizocaline - catalyst to promoting root formation travels down the stem of any cutting). Place twigs in a clean glass container to which warm water has been added, cover with a plastic bag and steep for 24hrs. Store in fridge or use right away.

15. Mixing and filling trays Wet your mix -- it should be moist all over with no dry clumps -- liquid seaweed should be added to water (this will aid germination).

16. Fill trays with moist mix tamping and smoothing as you go. What you want is a solid bed to sow your seeds. Water in once filled.

17. Plant your seeds , cover with fine vermiculite or your soilless mix i f instructed (some seeds need light for germination and should not be covered). Your mix should be moist and will not need watering, in fact dumping water on the seeds will only displace them and possibly wash them out of your trays. Label your trays (species/varieties and date) Be patient and attentive, soon you’ll have sprouting seeds! Congratulation!