Do you need to start them indoors? Can they germinate directly in the soil? Can you plant seeds without germinating? These are all excellent questions typically asked by new gardeners.
And they are reasonable too. We hear so many vocabulary words thrown at us when we start learning how to grow things that it can all be confusing. You can plant seeds without germinating them first. Seed germination is the process of seed growing into a plant. In gardening, we typically refer to germination as the process of taking a seed to a sprout.
Usually, we are looking at germination to tell us that the seeds we are using are viable. It can take a lot of work to grow flowers and vegetables. Even before the seed is ever planted beds have to be prepped, soil prepared or amended and weeds removed.
Then there is seed selection and deciding when to plant. After all of that work, what if your plants never grow? How will you know if it was the seed or something else? If you want to germinate seeds directly into your soil, there are a few steps you should take and a few caveats you should be aware of.
Your soil should be nicely tilled and loose so that your seedling can easily establish a root system as it emerges. You may want to ammend your soil to make sure it has all of the nutrients your seedling will need to thrive.
The best way to know what your soil needs is to test it. A soil test meter, like this one , is a great way to check the pH of the soil. First, mix 1 cup of water with 1 teaspoon of cornstarch. Let the mix come to a boil and start to thicken. Pour the mix into a shallow bowl, a pie plate, works well too. Spread the seeds evenly over the gel and cover with plastic wrap.
Place the bowl in a warm place near a window for some indirect sunlight. As soon as the seeds start to sprout roots, it is time to plant them. If you are up for a little adventure, there is one more method of planting you can use with the gel.
Pour the gel mixture into a zip top plastic bag. Pour the seeds into the gel and mix around to distribute the seeds evenly. Once seeds start to germinate take the bag outside and get ready to plant. To begin soaking your seeds, place them in a shallow bowl. Alternatively, consider placing the seeds into a plastic baggie.
Put enough water in the bag to keep the seeds moist. Once the seeds and water are in the bag, seal it. You can also allow seeds to rest between two wet paper towels; ensure to keep them constantly moist. You can go with just water, or you can choose more acidic liquids like coffee or vinegar mixed with water.
Also, if you warm the water the seeds soak in, this can speed up the germination process. Be sure the water is lukewarm and not hot, or it will cook them. You should allow the seeds to soak in the liquid for approximately 12 hours. Before soaking your seeds be sure to check the weather. Make sure you have a good day to plant after the seeds are finished soaking.
If you leave them waiting around to plant, they could easily begin to mold or rot. Scarification is a process where the seeds are scraped to remove the outer layer. This will allow the outside of the seed to breakdown faster when soaking. Hopefully this will help you make an educated decision on whether soaking seeds is worth the added effort when planting your garden.
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