PhillupJane
Member
I've fooled around with various methods of germination throughout the years and tbh most of them are garbage and lead to stunted plants! I've also noticed that a plant stunted from birth will never be as big as a plant that was never stunted! It will try to catch up but will remain in the other plants shadows, as long as the genetics and environment are the same. The beginning of their life makes a big difference in vigor.
My tested method is similar to good ol mother natures, just with an advantage! You can directly sew seeds and recieve much better results then the all too common paper towel method! The taproot travels up to 4" before it even breaks soil naturally and I want the first thing for my root to touch to be the medium! For that same reason we should use taller pots to start! We all know how sensitive those fine root hairs are and we all know how vulnerable a baby seedling is, so why go through the trouble to disrupt the delicate root system?
To give the natural system a jumpstart simply soak seeds for 12 hours prior to imitate the rains that would normally be needed to set germination in motion. I usually wait for the first seed to pop and show its little white tail then I know the rest are about to pop. Sinking to the bottom also helps indicate that they are good and ready, but I like to add a splash of h202 so I know there's oxygen available in the water soak, and sometimes with h202 the seeds will float when they're still good. When seeds crack open in water they dont reach out (like in when in a paper towel), and the disruption to the root zone is minimal if you are careful.
As far as which way the seed is facing, I've also experimented with that. All directions will still work as long as it is humid enough(even just setting the seed on top with no soil covering it), but I find it's best to make the least work needed for them to get going fast so what I've settled with is putting a tiny depression in the medium(about 1/8 - 1/4") and place the seed in with the pointed side down(the side the root emerges from) and sprinkling a pinch of moist soil on top of that.
I have found it is best when filling a pot for germination to saturate the bottom inch or two, then fill with moist(but not wet) soil and saturate the edges of the pot in a circle, and the immediate area of the sewn seed but not much! This ensures there is adequate moisture for the seedling to start and encourages strong roots that must reach to find water as well as helping prevent damping off due to the majority of the pot being only moist.
If you are not already doing this, I encourage you to try it out!
My tested method is similar to good ol mother natures, just with an advantage! You can directly sew seeds and recieve much better results then the all too common paper towel method! The taproot travels up to 4" before it even breaks soil naturally and I want the first thing for my root to touch to be the medium! For that same reason we should use taller pots to start! We all know how sensitive those fine root hairs are and we all know how vulnerable a baby seedling is, so why go through the trouble to disrupt the delicate root system?
To give the natural system a jumpstart simply soak seeds for 12 hours prior to imitate the rains that would normally be needed to set germination in motion. I usually wait for the first seed to pop and show its little white tail then I know the rest are about to pop. Sinking to the bottom also helps indicate that they are good and ready, but I like to add a splash of h202 so I know there's oxygen available in the water soak, and sometimes with h202 the seeds will float when they're still good. When seeds crack open in water they dont reach out (like in when in a paper towel), and the disruption to the root zone is minimal if you are careful.
As far as which way the seed is facing, I've also experimented with that. All directions will still work as long as it is humid enough(even just setting the seed on top with no soil covering it), but I find it's best to make the least work needed for them to get going fast so what I've settled with is putting a tiny depression in the medium(about 1/8 - 1/4") and place the seed in with the pointed side down(the side the root emerges from) and sprinkling a pinch of moist soil on top of that.
I have found it is best when filling a pot for germination to saturate the bottom inch or two, then fill with moist(but not wet) soil and saturate the edges of the pot in a circle, and the immediate area of the sewn seed but not much! This ensures there is adequate moisture for the seedling to start and encourages strong roots that must reach to find water as well as helping prevent damping off due to the majority of the pot being only moist.
If you are not already doing this, I encourage you to try it out!
I also germinate in big ol' plastic storage bins. Keeps in enough of the moisture, but still has some air. With the lid over top, you retain some of that mat's heat, and if you're on a cement floor, it provides isolation from the cold. I've lined a few with white paper for when I put in some low wattage lights once they break the surface. I've done it that way for years for herbs, flowers & vegetables.