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How To Make Sure Seeds Germinate

January 26, 2017 by Sara 4 Comments

Ever been disappointed by seeds that fail? Here’s how to make sure seeds germinate and save time too.

How To make sure seeds germinate

 

When it comes to gardening, the old tried and tested methods are always the best. My Father-In-law was a great gardener, and I often find myself relying on his wise and thrifty tips in my own garden. It’s important not to rush into things, as it’s often all about the preparation,  and try not to cut corners in your eagerness to get going.

So although this tip does speed up the germination process, you do have to start a few days before you want to actually start sowing the seeds. This method works particularly well with larger seeds that have tough skins, and take a while to rehydrate before they activate.

How to make sure seeds germinate

 

How To Make Sure Seeds Germinate

  • Start off by soaking them for a few hours or over-night to give them a head start and then drain off almost all of the water, leaving behind just enough to keep them moist.
  • Put them in a sealed plastic bag, or tupperware and to make sure they remain damp, you can place them on a soggy piece of kitchen paper.
  • Leave them somewhere warm but not hot,  a bright window sill is perfect.
  • After a couple of days, you’ll notice the seeds will swell a bit and their skins start to wrinkle and loosen. Soon after, the first signs of baby roots start to emerge.
  • Keep them moist and make sure they don’t dry out, and when the roots are about an inch long they’re ready to pot up.
  • Some of the seeds will be quicker than others, so allow a few more days for the slow coaches to catch up, but discard the ones which remain inert, at least you didn’t waste your time and patience on them!
  • This way you only sow the seeds that have already germinated, and the little seedlings are much quicker to get established too, as they can’t wait to get growing.
  • Once the seeds have produced their starting root, just place them lightly into some potting soil, with the root facing downwards. Try to handle them with care, any damage to the root at this stage could stop it developing into a healthy plant.
  • This method is best for peas, mange tout, french beans, runner beans, sweetcorn, pumpkins and squash or any  seeds that are quite substantial.  With the pumpkin and squash seeds, just soak them until they start to plump up, but it’s not necessary to actually wait to see the root, they’re happier getting into the soil as soon as possible.

How to make sure seeds germinate

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Filed Under: Gardening Tagged With: French Beans, Grow your own veg, Sowing Seeds, Sprouting

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Comments

  1. Karen says

    May 2, 2016 at 1:54 am

    Thanks for sharing at Let’s Get Real Friday Link Party. Can’t wait to plant our garden.

    Reply
  2. Bradleigh@WideMeadow says

    April 29, 2016 at 12:42 pm

    I’m going to try this… I’m new to gardening, and my poor plants are going to need all the help they can get! Thanks for linking up! 🙂

    Reply
  3. Janet Vinyard says

    April 26, 2016 at 7:12 pm

    Hi Sara, Interesting post! Do you know if this technique also works with seeds for flowering plants? Thanks in advance. Blessings, Janet

    Reply
    • Sara says

      April 27, 2016 at 9:43 am

      Hi Janet, I wouldn’t bother with smaller seeds as they would be too fiddly to handle, but it works well with sweet peas. Although it’s a good way of testing seeds if you’re not sure whether they are still viable. You can try just a few in a little dish on some soggy kitchen paper to check that they are still good for sowing.

      Reply

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Hi, I’m Sara

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