Seeds are meant to germinate when they're moist, and hibernate when they're dry. That's why it's important to dry your seeds after you harvest them. Open-air drying is the best way, and there are several methods for creating just the right conditions for perfect seed drying, using ordinary household items.
Seeds need to be moderately moist to sprout. Seed germination is highly dependent on watering. Too dry and they won't get the message to sprout, too wet and they will rot in the dirt.
For seeds to germinate, you need to keep the growing soil damp but not too wet. Learning how to water seedlings is pivotal for success. Many seed starters cover the container to keep soil moist until seeds germinate. Once seeds sprout, do not miss a watering.
In most cases, yes. Dehydration by itself does not significantly deteriorate pepper seeds viability. In fact, that's how most people store their seeds for future use.
As a general rule of thumb, your seeds will sprout even if you don't soak your seeds before planting, but with soaking, the germination time decreases, and the germination rate increases. Seeds that have a continual flow of moisture to uptake have much higher chances of success.
In a bowl, cover your seeds with warm water and leave to soak for 6-24 hours. Smaller seeds and those with thinner coats need the shorter time, and larger seeds with thicker coats need the longer period. Some seeds will naturally float, and some will stay below the surface.
Lack Of Water
Water helps to start the process of cell expansion within the seed, which eventually leads to sprouting. Seeds that don't receive enough water will be unable to break out of dormancy and ultimately die. While trying to germinate seeds, the key to success is to keep the soil moist, not too dry or wet.
Yes! Even seeds that are thousands of years old can germinate. But proper pre-treatment is essential, and the older the seed, the less energy it has left in storage.
We now know that some seeds have a very long lifespan, and can sometimes germinate after multiple decades or even centuries! It may therefore be possible to regenerate species that are no longer found in nature, from still-living fragments of seeds that have been found...
Light is not necessary for a seed to germinate, no. The majority of seeds grow most effectively in the dark. Light, which is essential for seedling growth, may actually hinder the germination process. The three primary and necessary conditions for a seed to germinate are water, oxygen, and temperature.
All seeds need water, oxygen, and proper temperature in order to germinate. Some seeds require proper light also. Some germinate better in full light while others require darkness to germinate. When a seed is exposed to the proper conditions, water and oxygen are taken in through the seed coat.
Many seeds germinate much quicker in paper towels (versus seeds that are started in soil). The heat, moisture, and controlled conditions inside a plastic baggie help them germinate in only a few days (or less, depending on the seed).
There is no scientific evidence that feeding plants sugar water is conducive to plant health, on the contrary, it can harm your plants and even kill them.
The truth is seeds don't expire. They lose viability if stored improperly. While most seed companies will tell you to replace seeds every 2-3 years, those seeds will keep for decades and will germinate when planted if kept in a cool, dark, and dry place.
Yes, seeds are very much alive! At least the seeds that we use to grow food are alive. Seeds can die if they're not properly cared for, if they get too hot or cold or wet. But under the right conditions, they're just dormant.
Both under watering and over watering could cause seeds not to get enough oxygen for germination. Under watering may have caused problems with the coating not breaking down. Over watering may have caused the soil to become waterlogged and compacted. Compactions makes it more difficult for oxygen to get through.
The broken seeds will not be able to grow into plants since they cannot mature or germinate. If the embryo of the seed gets damaged, it won't be able to provide nourishment to the young plant and there will be no chance of seed germination.
Too cold and they'll be very slow to sprout and too hot will also reduce the speed of germination. Far too cold or hot and they'll just fail. Academic research carried out in the USA has charted these temperature ranges for a number of vegetables.
The seeds you shouldn't soak include: carrots, lettuce, radish, celery, turnips, and spinach. Listen to Cathy Isom's This Land of Ours program here.
Like most things in gardening, there are always exceptions to this rule of 2-3 seeds per hole. If you're planting large seeds like cucumbers, melons, or pumpkins, you should only use one seed per hole. However, you can still plant seeds close together and then thin them out once they've established themselves.