Day 3 - Germination
Today, I turned on the light for about 5 hours this evening to help warm them up. Since there is not change in the growth, I am going to talk about germination.
Seed germination occurs when the dormancy ends and active growth begins. Four things are required for a seed to germinate: moisture, oxygen, temperature and light.
For most annual seeds to germinate, the temperature should be 70 - 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Perennials can germinate from 60 - 65 degrees. This does not mean the air temperature, but the temperature of the soil. The best way to keep it at these temperatures would get some kind of heating pad. I do not have anything like this, so I hope they are warm enough.
If not enough water is present, germination may not begin, however there can be too much water also. Make sure to water the soil before planting the seeds. You can tell when there is enough moisture when you can squeeze a handful and it holds it's shape, but can be easily broken apart. It is a good idea after you plant the seeds to mist the soil lightly and then cover with the germination sheet.
A lot of seeds germinate in darkness, but some need light to germinate. I am growing snapdragons and impatiens, which both need light. I wanted to spend the first couple of days of germination in darkness and tomorrow I will begin to keep the light on.
Some other things to look at will be depth of planting and timing. Most seeds should be planted at a depth of about two times their diameter. If they are extremely small like mine, you can place them on the surface. You can check the seed packet of when to plant. Make sure to find out when the average last frost date will be for your area.
Hopefully this helps your understand the initial growing process better! The photos I added where ones I took this past year from my garden. The top is Crocus, I always know when spring is here, the are one of the first flowers to bloom. The middle are some really beautiful tulips and bloomed really early also. The bottom is a Peony Tree I have. This will get about 4 feet tall. I bought it not knowing what color the flowers would be, I made a great choice!
Check back tomorrow, I will be talking about what to do after the plants start to germinate. Enjoy!
Seed germination occurs when the dormancy ends and active growth begins. Four things are required for a seed to germinate: moisture, oxygen, temperature and light.
For most annual seeds to germinate, the temperature should be 70 - 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Perennials can germinate from 60 - 65 degrees. This does not mean the air temperature, but the temperature of the soil. The best way to keep it at these temperatures would get some kind of heating pad. I do not have anything like this, so I hope they are warm enough.
If not enough water is present, germination may not begin, however there can be too much water also. Make sure to water the soil before planting the seeds. You can tell when there is enough moisture when you can squeeze a handful and it holds it's shape, but can be easily broken apart. It is a good idea after you plant the seeds to mist the soil lightly and then cover with the germination sheet.
A lot of seeds germinate in darkness, but some need light to germinate. I am growing snapdragons and impatiens, which both need light. I wanted to spend the first couple of days of germination in darkness and tomorrow I will begin to keep the light on.
Some other things to look at will be depth of planting and timing. Most seeds should be planted at a depth of about two times their diameter. If they are extremely small like mine, you can place them on the surface. You can check the seed packet of when to plant. Make sure to find out when the average last frost date will be for your area.
Hopefully this helps your understand the initial growing process better! The photos I added where ones I took this past year from my garden. The top is Crocus, I always know when spring is here, the are one of the first flowers to bloom. The middle are some really beautiful tulips and bloomed really early also. The bottom is a Peony Tree I have. This will get about 4 feet tall. I bought it not knowing what color the flowers would be, I made a great choice!
Check back tomorrow, I will be talking about what to do after the plants start to germinate. Enjoy!
Very interesting! I love gardening, but I have never had any luck starting the seeds indoors. My soil/ seedlings usually mold and die before it's time to transfer them outdoors. Maybe I watered them too much, or left them in the dark for too long? I am interested to see how yours turn out, especially with that fancy light :)
ReplyDelete- Heidi Cook