5 hours ago
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Many of our minds will soon – if they haven’t already – turn towards sowing seeds. While germination appears to happen willy-nilly in the wild, this process requires a certain set of factors to take place. Different seeds require different conditions, and knowing what your seeds need will mean more successfully germinate and fewer are wasted.
To an unimaginative eye, a seed looks inert. Yet they are packed with genetic information and biological processes poised to unfold. All it takes is the right configuration of signals and stimuli from the environment to let them know it’s time to dare to grow.
The most obvious prerequisite for (most) germination is water. While watering freshly sown seeds seems simple, it is this that causes the coat to swell and break open, and the enzymes within to activate. Too much water and the seed rots before this can happen; too little and it remains dormant.
Some seeds, such as okra and peas, have an especially hard seed coat, which can be circumvented through scarification. By “damaging” the coat by nicking it (carefully) with a sharp knife or rubbing it with sandpaper, a grower can ensure water can find its way underneath. Alternatively, you can soak seeds in warm water for 24 hours before sowing.
The other main consideration for germination is temperature. Plenty of new gardeners – myself included – underestimate its impact when sowing seeds. Most have an optimal range, outside of which they will not sprout. If you have sown your aubergines and chillies already, it’s likely you placed them in a propagator or on a heat mat, as they need an environment that’s comfortably around 21C. Although it’s possible to convince them to germinate at lower temperatures, the results are less reliable. Similarly, some seeds won’t germinate if it is too hot – for example, lettuce germination will get more erratic the closer it gets to 30C.
Seeds from plants that flower, drop their seed to overwinter and sprout the following spring have evolved to expect a period of wintry weather before they germinate. So if you’re growing chamomile, parsley or coriander, then cold stratification – mimicking winter for your seeds – could lead to better germination. This can be as simple as putting them in the fridge, either in seed packets or in moist kitchen paper in a plastic bag, and storing them for between a couple of weeks and a couple of months, depending on their needs.
This is all a bit like GCSE science, I know. But getting acquainted with what your seeds need to wake up may lead to the best veg your patch has ever seen.
