Easy Seed Germination

Seed germination is a fascinating process. Seeing a tiny seedling emerge from a dry, wrinkled seed and watching its growth and transformation, is observing the mystery of life unfolding. The first sign of seed germination is the absorption of water -- lots of water. This activates an enzyme; respiration increases and plant cells are duplicated. Soon the embryo becomes too large, the seed coat bursts open and the growing plant emerges. The tip of the root is the first thing to emerge and it's first for good reason. It will anchor the seed in place, and allow the embryo to absorb water and nutrients from the surrounding soil.

A seed certainly looks dead. It does not seem to move, to grow, nor do anything. In fact, even with biochemical tests for the metabolic processes we associate with life (respiration, etc.) the rate of these processes is so slow that it would be difficult to determine whether there really was anything alive in a seed. When you look at a seed you are looking at the seed coat. As people wear coats for protection from foul weather, seed coats perform much the same function. They provide protection against entry of parasites, against mechanical injury and, in some seeds, against unfavorably high or low temperatures.

Inside the seed coat is the embryo, an immature plant with all the parts of the adult plant. A close look shows leaves and a root -- they may be tiny but they are the beginnings of a plant. The seed's embryo leaves are called the "cotyledons." The seed is filled with "endosperm," food that will nourish the embryo during its early stages of development.

Indeed if a seed is not allowed to germinate (sprout) within some certain length of time, the embryo inside will die. Each species of seed has a certain length of viability. Some maple species have seeds that need to sprout within two weeks of being dispersed, or they die. Some seeds of Lotus plants are known to be up to 2000 years old and still can be germinated. Assuming the seed is still viable, the embryo inside the seed coat needs something to get its metabolism activated to start the embryo growing. The process of getting a seed to germinate can be simple or complicated, but using MegaGro for seed germination can greatly improve your results.

Seed Germination Products:

Our seed germination products can make germinating your favorite seeds as easy as dropping them in a pouch. You'll see better germination with almost any seeds, even the most difficult.

$39.95 SpeedSprout® 5 lb. Tub SpeedSprout is the fastest and easiest way to germinate seeds. Specially designed to germinate seeds and then to be used in the soil, as well. Simply add seeds to SpeedSprout. When they start to germinate scoop seeds, along with SpeedSprout into soil. Can germinate over 6,000 seeds! 5 lbs - $39.95

$14.95 MegaGro Concentrate Takes the guesswork out of using gibberellins for seed germination. Make your own germination solutions. Great for large-scale seed germination or seeds requiring soaking. Size Yield Treats 16 oz 20 gallons 10,000 sq ft 32 oz 40 gallons 20,000 sq ft 1 gallon 160 gallons 2 acres 16 oz - $14.95 32 oz - $49.95 1 gallon - $99.95 - BEST VALUE!

Seed Germination Tip - Seeds with bigger amounts of endosperm can feed the embryo plant longer, while it works its way toward light. Therefore, big seeds can usually be planted deeper.

Seed Germination Tip - Seeds must absorb water to get germination going. Therefore, pre-soaking seeds may speed up the process.

Seed Germination Tip - Available water is important to the newly emerged root. Therefore, you should plant seeds a little deeper in the middle of summer, when the top of the soil dries out quickly.

Seed Germination - Seeds Lacking True Dormancy

Common vegetable garden seeds generally lack any kind of dormancy. The seeds are ready to sprout. All they need is some moisture to start growing, and temperature warm enough to allow them to grow. Seeds taken from the wild, however, are frequently endowed with deeper forms of dormancy.

Seed Germination - Seeds With Truly Dormant Embryos

Some seeds need special treatment or conditions of light, temperature, moisture, etc. to germinate. Seed dormancy is very complex, but it protects that living plant material until conditions are right for it to emerge and grow. There are several mechanisms that permit seeds to be truly dormant. Using MegaGro for seed germination can help overcome these mechanisms and help germinate even the most difficult seeds.

Thick Seed Coat

Many kinds of seeds have very thick seed coats. These obviously keep water out of the seed, so the embryo cannot get the water needed to activate its metabolism and start growing. The lotus seeds are an example of this. An outstanding example from the northern temperate zone is the Kentucky coffee tree (Gymnocladus dioica). The seed coat is perhaps two millimeters thick! Seeds with thick seed coats require some process to weaken the seed coat. In some species this might mean pounding along a river, wave action along the coast, or animal digestion to abrade the thick seed coat. The process of weakening the thick seed coat to initiate seed germination is called scarification.

Inhibitors Present

Many plant species invest chemicals in the developing seeds, and these chemicals inhibit the development of the embryos. They keep the embryos dormant. Obviously the seed must have some way to eliminate these chemicals before they can sprout.

Seed Germination - Soil Temperature

With the first warm days of spring, gardeners are anxious to get their vegetable seed in the ground. Unfortunately, it is not the air temperature, but the soil temperature that controls seed germination. We have to wait for the soil temperature to reach the optimum for a specific crop if we hope to get a good stand of vigorous seedlings.

Seed Germination Tip - Planting at Minimum Temperature for Germination Means It Will Take Longer

Some books give minimum temperatures for germination. This is the lowest temperature at which germination will occur for that seed, but the length of time for germination will be much longer than at optimum temperatures. Seed can be planted when the soil temperature reaches minimum level for that seed on the assumption that the temperature will continue to rise and germination will proceed at a rapid rate. Planting at a lower temperature results in greatly reduced germination. Some crops require fluctuating temperatures that may be on a daily or seasonal basis. In addition, temperature is interrelated with light in certain crops. For example, celery requires temperatures below 50F to germinate if held in the dark at a constant temperature, but even in diffused light, will germinate at 70F; and with a 10-degree day/night fluctuation, will germinate at an 85F day temperature.

Seed Germination Tip - High Temperatures Can Be Problems, Too

While many experienced gardeners have come to recognize this minimum temperature limit in the spring (often by trial and error), it remains difficult to understand that soil temperature is equally important in the summer when high temperature can cause dormancy, even death of seeds. The upper limits of soil temperatures for vegetable seed survival range between 86F and 104F. No crops tested at 113F survived more than 24 hours. Even when seeds do germinate in high temperature soil, the seedlings may die from the heat. The impact of excessively high temperature is not limited exclusively to soil temperature. Seed stored at high temperatures, such as in a car with all the windows closed on a late spring or summer day, may result in slow, erratic germination or in poor development of the seedlings. The home gardener who wishes to get off to an early and vigorous start has several options at hand. Seed may be pre-germinated indoors to overcome the soil temperature problem, and then planted outside as long as the air temperature remains high enough to avoid frost or cold damage.

Seed Germination Tip - Raise Soil Temperature by Using Black and Clear Plastic

The outdoor soil temperature may be manipulated by covering the ground first with black plastic, and then clear plastic with an air layer between formed by a series of thin strips of wood. The clear plastic traps solar heat, the black plastic absorbs it, and the air layer insulates and reduces loss due to convection and radiation. A good soil thermometer is important so you can see when the soil has warmed sufficiently to allow planting of the seed.

Seed Germination Tip - A successful garden begins with the selection and use of high quality seed of adapted superior varieties. Start by purchasing seed from a reputable seed company. Save records of your seed orders, so if you do have a complaint you can contact the sales company. Saving records of your seed orders is also useful for keeping track of the varieties you planted.

Seed Germination - Storing Seed

Often crop seed is left over in a package after planting. This excess seed can be saved for next year's garden, usually with little loss in germination. Seed stored for more than one year, however, will require additional care to insure high germination for future use. Storage temperature, relative humidity and seed moisture are the important factors in determining how long seed can be stored without loss of germination. The storage life of seed also varies greatly with species. In general, longer seed storage life is obtained when seeds are kept dry and at low temperatures. Let seeds air-dry for several weeks before storing. Do this when the relative humidity is low and the air temperatures are warm. Spreading the seed out in direct sunlight for 6 to 8 hours works well, as long as the seed temperature does not generally exceed 100°F. Drying the seed in shade is usually better. The dry seed should be placed in packages and stored in moisture-proof containers. Containers such as sealed cans or jars with airtight caps work satisfactorily. Storage temperatures between 35°F and 50°F are satisfactory when the moisture content of the seed is low.

An alternate method of keeping seeds dry is to place them in a sealed jar with calcium chloride, silica gel or powdered milk. These substances should not touch the seed. These products absorb moisture from the seeds. Use enough of the product or replace it as needed so that the moisture absorbed from the seed will produce no visible change in the product used. Beans, peas and okra may develop "hard" seeds if their moisture content is reduced to 7 percent or below. This seed will not germinate satisfactorily. "Hard" seed will germinate better if exposed to a humid environment for several weeks before planting.

Seed Germination - Testing Old Seeds

It is a good practice to check seed, which has been stored for more than one year for germination. If germination is poor, discard it and buy fresh seed. Late winter is the time of the year to dig out those old seed packets and see if the seed is still good. You may use up a whole packet of beans, carrots or lettuce in one year, but usually there are enough seeds of tomatoes, cucumbers, squash and peppers to last for several years. Whether leftover seeds will germinate (sprout) and grow depends on how old they are and how they have been stored. With proper storage conditions, the average useful life of some common vegetable seed is much longer than some others.

If you keep your seeds cool and dry, they will last longer, but can you be sure that they are still good? If they are, you can save yourself some money. Before you order your new seed, do a germination test on any seeds more than just one year old.

To test for seed germination, place a counted number of seeds between paper towels, strips of soft muslin or blotting paper in a container. Label each "lot" of seed with the variety name. Moisten the seeds, and cover the container to prevent the seeds from drying out. Hold at a temperature of 70 to 75 °F. Remove and count the seeds as they germinate. Make your final count at the end of two to three weeks, when all the seeds have had ample time to germinate.

An alternative simple method of testing seed germination:

1. Put exactly ten seeds on top of a damp, folded paper towel.

2. Put the towel and seeds into a plastic sandwich bag and seal.

3. Label the container with the date and seed variety being tested.

4. Leave at room temperature for a week or so. (Leave parsley, carrot and celery longer; they're slow.)

5. Count the number of seeds that sprout:

a. 10 = 100% or perfect germination

b. 9 = 90% or excellent

c. 8 = 80% or good

d. 6-7 = 60-70% or poor -- sow more thickly

e. 5 or less = 50% or less -- throw the seed out!

Seed with low germination rates may still be safe for planting if they are sown at higher rates than usual. Also remember that weakly sprouting seeds have a high mortality rate when planted in the soil.

Seed Germination Tip - Germination conditions should be optimum when the seed is planted outdoors in the garden or indoors for transplants. This will not only increase germination percentage for older seed but will also insure high germination for fresh seed.

By following these seed germination tips and using MegaGro, you can ensure a healthy crop from your seeds.

Seed Germination