Germination Ideas, Tips & Guides

Last year I tried to grow agretti (Salsola soda), sharing seeds with friends and what agretti growing advice I could find. It all adds up to one thing – agretti is not the easiest plant to grow. You need fresh seed, and even then germination rates are poor.

Sowing seeds is often the first gardening task of the year, and a favoured way of propagating plants because it’s very cost-effective. It’s the first stage in many plants’ lives and seeds want to grow, it’s their reason for being. And yet some gardeners are intimidated by seed sowing and avoid it where possible and others struggle to grow plants from seed successfully in peat-free compost. So I’m going to begin The Peat-Free Diet with a look at what happens when we sow seeds, the best way to go about it, and how to achieve a good success rate.

Seeds can be one of the biggest expenses in a garden, and if you spend time tracking down heirloom or unusual varieties then they may also be very precious. Many gardeners sow seeds indoors, or in pots and trays, to ensure a higher rate of germination than you would expect in the open soil, but even doing this does not always ensure successful germination.

This year I took part in a Garden Organic experiment to see whether quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) can be successfully grown in UK gardens. Two varieties of seed were supplied by Real Seeds – Rainbow and Temuco. They’re a tender crop, and I sowed my seeds at the end of April and planted them out at the end of May. Germination was excellent.

Everywhere I go lately, I seem to be tripping over the idea of allelopathy. The amaranths in the picture above might look like pretty, harmless and useful plants – but they’re hiding a darker secret. During our class field trip to the Eden Project in December I discovered that they produce chemicals that can inhibit the growth of other plants nearby. This is allelopathy – chemical warfare that gives plants a competitive edge over their neighbours.

If there’s a plant that’s destined to explode onto the Grow Your Own scene this year, then it has to be agretti (Salsola soda). Agretti got good press last year as being a vegetable sought-after by chefs; it didn’t hurt that seed was in short supply! Suppliers have taken note, however, and there are plenty more sources this year.

Why sow seeds indoors?

Seed viability

While I have been writing The Peat-Free Diet I have also been conducting some small experiments on the side. One of those was on seed germination and seedling development in different growing mediums. It was time to sow some more seeds for plants later in the year, so I sowed two identical batches of seeds – one in 100% coir compost with no additives and one in a 50/50 mix (by volume) of coir compost and vermiculite.

Arabidopsis thaliana is Thale cress, a small, short-lived and promiscuous brassica that was – until recently – mostly known as a common weed. These days, it plays a vital role in plant science. It is sometimes referred to as the “white mouse” of botany because it is used as a model plant that plays the same role as the ubiquitous laboratory mouse. Arabidopsis was the first plant to have its genome (DNA) sequenced, and is easily mutated. It has been widely used in laboratories since the 1980s, and so – of course – has been sent into space. A lot.

In August this year, I talked about a new experiment that ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet was about to start on International Space Station (ISS). “Graines d’Eklo” involved a specially-designed growing capsule, containing its own light source and a growing medium made of coir (coconut fibre) and vermiculite with a slow-release fertiliser.

This is a pigweed seedling that came up in a field that was disked recently. Pigweed, also known as Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri), is one of the most aggressive weeds that farmers battle.

Don’t like waiting? Want to grow fresh homegrown leafy greens in no time in limited space? Start these Fast-Growing Leafy Green Vegetables You Can Harvest in Just 15 Days. These taste delicious in salads and many dishes!

Not all seeds are created equal, and some can be tricky to germinate. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a novice, these Simple Seed Germination Tips To Grow Every Seed will help ensure that every seed you plant has the best chance of growing into a healthy, robust plant.

Growing Tomatoes from Tomato Slices is the easiest way to have your own specimens. The best part is, you can do it from store brought tomatoes and then relish fresh harvest right at your home!

Some seed needs a period of moist cold ‘to break dormancy’ and awaken them into germination and growth.

Seeds are self sown when seeds germinate and grow without the help of a gardener. The majority of plants grow, flower, get pollinated then set seeds. If seeds are then distributed naturally from the plant they are self sown.

Late winter and unseasonal snow has left many garden soils cold and inhospitable. Spring is the time for new root growth and annual plants and vegetables need the best start possible. Vegetables and ornamental plants need a bit of warmth to get established and growing away. Clay soils is traditionally slow to warm through as they hold a bulk of water.

You only need subtle shade changes to achieve a striking effect with well chosen plants. Good companions complement one another in a range of ways.

My Datura last year were a perfect white when in flower and I collected fresh seed in good quantity. I couldn’t keep the plants frost free so they died. Unfortunately none of the seed have germinated so I am without these large trumpet shaped flowers. I was nearly tempted to buy this pink plant for the green house but resisted to spend the money on something more practical like a new Hoe.

Flush with cash reserves and a conservative spending policy, poor gardeners and horticultural workers should be able to feel some comfort. In a recent mailing I was solicited to donate £25, £50 or £100 in addition to supporting the (expensive) product catalogue. This request wont germinate and bear fruit with me until they are more down to earth and do more for the horticultural workers and families.

March 11th and today I have finished harvesting my Leeks from last year. St Davids day whose symbol is the Leek is celebrated on March 1st every year so I am a bit behind the times. I have also sown the 4th and last batch of this years seeds for indoor germination. I may try some direct into the ground in early April.

I have previously posted about snapdragons in 2011, 2016 and  2015

Growing Spinach in Containers is the best way to enjoy a homegrown harvest in a limited space like a windowsill or a balcony. This nutritious leafy green is not difficult if you know all the tips on How to Grow Spinach in Pots!

Zinnias are easy to grow. They are half-hardy annuals, so need to be sown in the protection of a greenhouse or a propagator on a bright house windowsill in mid to late spring. Once they’re large enough to handle, prick them out individually and grow on before transplanting outdoors when all risk of frost has passed.

Common chickweed is a low, spreading, winter annual weed that germinates when we receive lots of cool, wet weather. Its leaves are opposite each other, smooth and elliptical in shape. It is tolerant of a variety of conditions and thrives in moist, shady locations. This weed can produce seeds five weeks after germination and will continue to produce seeds for months. Each common chickweed plant can produce over 800 seeds and the seeds can lay dormant in soil for up to 10 years. Even once the weed is uprooted, it can continue to produce seeds and can even reestablish itself, if left on the ground.

Henbit (Lamium amplexicaule) is a winter annual, broadleaf weed. It germinates in the fall and actively starts to grow in the cool spring weather when adequate soil moisture is present. Henbit is related to ornamental Lamium and is a member of the mint family. Its purple flowers serve as an early source of nectar and pollen for honeybees and bumblebees.

Common cats-ear (Hypochaeris radicata) is a perennial weed. Its name comes from the dense hairs that cover the leaves. It looks very similar to dandelions, but its leaves are not as deeply notched. It also produces yellow flowers and puffball seed-heads very similar to dandelions. Common cats-ear flowers throughout the summer and most heavily in September. Common cats-ear is native to Europe and Northern Asia and can become quite a problem in thin, open areas. The first step in maintaining a thick, healthy lawn is ensuring that you have selected the best grass for your landscape. For more information on the characteristics of different turfgrasses, please see HGIC 1223, Turfgrasses for the Carolinas.

It’s late summer and crabgrass weeds have invaded some lawns. Unfortunately, crabgrass is very difficult to control with most herbicides once it develops a few tillers or branches. There are several species of crabgrass (Digitaria spp.): tropical crabgrass, smooth crabgrass, India crabgrass, large crabgrass, Southern crabgrass, and blanket crabgrass. All of them are summer annuals that germinate primarily in spring, grow during the summer, set seeds, and then die with the first frost.

A writer for a popular gardening magazine reached out to me recently and asked what my favorite garden tools for homeowners and small hobby farmers were. Of course, this is an impossible question to answer in just one blog post, so I have compiled my favorite weed management tools for you.

Many gardeners have a collection of seed packets that contain seeds that didn’t make it into the garden in years past. Before purchasing more seed, check the stock of any seed still on hand from past seasons. Even when stored properly in a cool, dry location, seed longevity varies by species. Corn, lettuce, onion, impatiens, and pansy seeds, for instance, can be short-lived, losing viability after one or two years. Even though some of the seeds may still germinate, the germination rate declines, decreasing the likelihood of healthy seedling vigor. An easy test can be performed to see if the seed will still germinate.

That bright green, grassy weed in your lawn this month could be annual bluegrass. It is a cool-season, annual weed that grows in moist and compacted soils and even in shady locations. It is a prolific seed producer even when mowed at low heights, with each plant producing over 350 seeds. The first step to getting this weed under control in home lawns is to irrigate the lawn properly. Always apply deep but infrequent irrigation to lawns during periods of inadequate rainfall. This will encourage the turfgrass to have a deeper, more robust root system and help it compete with the annual bluegrass for moisture. Wait until the lawn begins to show symptoms of drought stress before irrigating, especially in the early fall. Annual bluegrass seeds germinate in autumn when soil temperatures drop below 70 °F. Limiting soil moisture near the soil surface reduces the germination rate of annual bluegrass seeds in the lawn.

The majority of the weeds in the landscape now are winter annuals and will die back in early summer due to warmer weather. These weed seeds germinate in fall and early winter. As weeds mature, they become harder to kill and require more applications of herbicide to achieve results. Now, it may be challenging to get them under control with a post-emergent herbicide. Once we get into March, it is more economical to plan to manage them better next year. An ideal time to treat those winter weeds with post-emergent herbicide sprays is right around Thanksgiving.

Yellow woodsorrel, also commonly called oxalis, is a perennial weed that grows throughout the year. It is often confused with clover; both have trifoliate leaves. Oxalis flowers have five petals, and the leaves are divided into three partly-folded, heart-shaped lobes.

Gardeners toss around the term deadheading when discussing flowering, but what does it mean? Deadheading is pruning to remove older, faded flowers from a plant. But why is this technique beneficial to the plant and useful to gardeners?

It still feels like summer, but it is already time to start thinking about winter weed control. Annual winter weeds germinate late summer through fall and slowly grow during the winter months. They flower and produce seeds in late winter and early spring. Luckily, there are a few practices that can limit winter weeds.