Starting Plants from Seed

Sounds like a lot of work to me! Not really, and seed propagation is a very cost effective way to
obtain a large number of plants or plants that you cannot purchase locally. Look first for locally
sourced seeds as these will be better adapted to your region, and therefore more vigorous, hardy and
more resistant to stress, insects and diseases. It can also be very satisfying and a fun thing to do.
Where can I find a good selection? Seeds can be obtained from catalogues, nurseries, supermarkets,
your own saved seeds, friends and seed exchanges such as a Seedy Saturday event. Choose seeds of
perennial plants that suit your climate (hardiness zone) unless you plan to keep them as a houseplant
or use as an annual. If you must have seeds from your neighbours prized plant, please no fence
hopping; requesting some seeds is a better idea and they will most likely be happy to share.

Where should I keep my leftover seeds? When storing saved

seeds it is best to use small metal cans with lids, screw top glass
or plastic jars, and envelopes stored in plastic bags. Make sure to
label the contents with the variety name and any cultural
information available. Store your seeds in a dry, cool area. The
refrigerator is a great option keeping the seeds at a constant 4
degrees.

Are old seeds still good, or do I have to buy new ones each
year? If the seeds you have are older than a year, the viability of
the seed may have decreased. A test can be done just prior to
sowing the seeds. Fill a jar or other suitable container with water,
leaving room at the top. Place the seeds you want to test in the
water, replace the lid and shake the contents a few times, then
stand the container up and let the contents settle. The seeds that
fall to the bottom are viable seeds, while the ones floating on top
are hollow. If the seeds that you have done the viability test on do not require being soaked for
scarification, they will need to be sown immediately in the media. Seeds may also be started between
two damp paper towels, once the seeds primary root (radical) appears, the seeds need to be sown in
the growing medium.

Do I need to do anything special to get them to sprout? To germinate seeds we need to duplicate
the natural environment (cultural requirements) that the seed would have germinated at in the wild.
Seed preparations, growing medium, seed depth, light, shade, oxygen and moisture are all factors in
successful seed germination. While the majority of seeds can be started by planting in the soil-less
medium or directly in the garden, some seeds require scarification or stratification to break
dormancy.
Scarification removes or abrades the hard outer coat of the seed, allowing moisture to penetrate and
hydrate the seed to start germination. Methods include:

Placing seeds between two sheets of medium grit sandpaper and rolling gently to abrade the
seed coat. Baptisia (False indigo), Asparagus and Ipomoea (Morning Glory) germinate well
with this method.
Nicking the seed coat with a pocket knife. Lupin seeds benefit from this treatment.
Hot water scarification, which is placing seeds in a cup & covering them with hot (170-200
degrees) but not boiling water. This method is used for Peas, Beans, Nasturtium and Parsley.

Stratification is the simulation of natural winter conditions, a dormant cold stage required for
germination by temperate seeds including such native plants as Asclepias incarnate (Swamp
Milkweed) and Podophyllum peltatum (Mayapple). Methods include:

Plant seeds in a pot and bury it for the winter in a sheltered spot in the flower bed. When you
see the seedlings sprouting, transplant them to their final home.
Place seeds in a plastic bag with moistened medium and refrigerate for the required time,
usually two months.

Do I need to buy special containers? Think outside of the regular seed starting flats, and consider
recycling empty containers. Any container can be used as long as there are drainage holes in the
bottom, or the container is a material that allows drainage holes to be added. Used yogurt, berry,
sour crme and lettuce containers work well. Some containers are not suitable for seed starting. Egg
cartons are too small, peat pots wick moisture away from the growing medium, and peat pellets are
too confining, requiring labour intensive re-potting. Previously used pots or recycled containers
should be cleaned with 10 parts water to one part bleach solution to kill any bacteria and fungal
spores that can cause diseases such as damping-off. If your plants develop damping-off, all the plant
material including the media needs to be thrown out.

Whats the dirt on dirt? A soil-less mix or seed starter will give your seeds the best chance for
success. They do not contain weed seeds, soil borne disease or fungus spores. They will be a light, airy
soil able to absorb and hold moisture but also well drained. Garden soil is usually too heavy and may
have weed seeds and diseases. Used potting soil can be sterilized to avoid damping-off disease and
reused. To sterilize, place soil in an ovenproof container in a 150 to180F oven for 30 minutes. Moisten
the growing medium prior to planting your seeds, using room temperature, chlorine and salt free
water for the best results. If you use city water, fill watering cans one to two days prior to let the
chlorine dissipate. Softened water should be avoided. Moisten the media just enough so it is damp;
you do not want to be able to squeeze a handful and have water drip. Fill the container, leaving space
for the depth of the covered seed and water to collect on the surface. Lightly tamp the container to
settle the soil by holding the container a few inches above a solid surface and dropping gently a
couple of times.
Lets Get Going! Now you are ready to plant your seeds. Sow seeds to the required depth, and be
sure to label the contents. There are a few things that can be done at this stage to help deter
damping-off diseases. A top dressing of sand, vermiculite, clean aquarium gravel, chicken or turkey
grit will help to keep the emerging seedlings drier. Cinnamon has a natural anti-fungal, antibacterial
property and can be sprinkled over the growing media after sowing.
Maintain a moist but not wet environment until the seeds have germinated by covering the planted
containers with clear plastic wrap, a pain of glass, etc. and water with a spray bottle to avoid
disturbing the seeds. Most seeds will germinate at temperatures between 15 and 25 degrees C (60-75
F). Heat can be supplied by heat cables or plant starter heat pads placed below the seed trays, heating
the soil and not the air. Once the seedlings have emerged, remove the cover allowing air to circulate
and turn off the heat source if used. The ambient temperature can be reduced to 16 C. At higher
temperatures the plants may bolt and elongate.

Healthy seedling on the left, damping-off infected seedling on the right.

Theyre up! What now? To avoid and deter damping-off diseases, damage and knocking seedlings
over, avoid watering from above. Water your seedlings from below by placing started containers in a
water tight container, add water up to half the height of the seedling container, let sit for 5-10
minutes or until the media is moist again, then let drain. Watering with room temperature camomile
tea or garlic water also may help deter damping-off as they are anti-fungal and antibacterial.
Encourage ventilation around seedlings with a fan to mimic a breeze. This will not only help maintain
a drier condition, another deterrent to damping-off, but also helps to strengthen the seedlings. If you
dont have a fan, gently brush over the tops of the plants every day with clean hands.

Good light is imperative for strong healthy seedlings. Plants become tall and spindly with insufficient
light. Use a greenhouse, sunny window sill, artificial growing lights or cool fluorescent lights. Plants in
a window sill will need to be rotated every day to prevent the plants from bending towards the light.
Artificial or fluorescent light should be 5-10 cm (2-4) above the seedling tops as this type of light is
much weaker than natural sun light. Move the lights up as the plants grow. Set the timer for 14-18
hours of artificial light per day.
Seeds contain enough stored nutrient to germinate and for early growth. The cotyledons or seed
leaves (two for dicotyledonous, one for monocotyledonous plants) and endosperm provide a source
of food for growth. Seed leaves are usually rounded and do not resemble the true leaves. Start
fertilizing when the first true leaves
appear. Use a
balanced fertilizer at half the
recommended
strength, every second watering or twice
a week.

Weathers getting warm! When you are a week

away from placing plants in the ground, container,
etc. start hardening off the plants. Seedlings need to
slowly adapt to the outdoor environment before
planting in the garden to prevent shock. The first
day, place them outside in partial sun for 1 hour. The
second day, place them outside for 2 hours. Increase
the time the plants are outside by one hour each
day. Continue this for at least a week and slowly
move the plants into full sun or the required light.
Yours plants are now ready for their new home.
The information given in this article is general. Seeds purchased through catalogues, supermarkets,
nurseries, etc. will come with germination information on the packaging. If you have purchased or
received seeds without cultural requirements, you will need to do some research to obtain the
correct propagation information for that genus/variety. Starting your own plants from seed is
rewarding, inexpensive and is a great activity for children. Have fun!
The fact that I can plant a seed and it becomes a flower, share a bit of knowledge and it becomes
anothers, smile at someone and receive a smile in return, are to me continual spiritual exercises.
Leo Buscaglia

Prepared by Grey County Master Gardeners for use by home gardeners & community groups.
For other use, please email greycountymg@gmail.com March 15/2016 RB