Testing Seed Germination
How long does it take seeds to germinate? There is a way to know when this will occur fairly easily by testing seed germination and how long it takes seeds to germinate. Having the exact knowledge of when a seed will germinate is important for a variety of reasons, the most important reasons are to save you time, energy, and money.
What Issues Can a Germination Table Solve?
1.) Saves Time & Money
Let’s say you planted radish and carrot seed on the same date in your garden. In four days the radish seedling popped up and after 12 days you have no carrot seedlings and you decided that the seed must have been bad and bought more and planted it. Only to find two days later the first carrot seed you sowed emerges.
If you would have tested the seed and had a germination table, you wouldn’t have planted the second round of seed until after 18 days had past saving you both money and time.
2.) If Previous Years Seed Is Good
Another reason to test sprouting times is on the previous year’s seed to see if it is worth planting or not. With each passing year, the seed loses a certain percentage of the seed that will sprout. In small garden areas where you can overseed and thin out easily, this doesn’t really make a large difference. In large garden plots and in the case of farm field plantings, it would matter greatly.
3.) Large Seed Plantings
When a person is planting a small seed, they tend to overplant and thin out any plantings needed. If you have a large seed like corn that is spaced just so far apart and in rows, it would be more important to test the seed for the percentage of seed that would sprout. In the case of say, 70% of corn seed coming up would get you a passing grade in school, but wouldn’t make the cut for growing corn seed.
4.) Which Seed Company You Like To Purchase From
Testing sprouting times and the percentages of seed that sprout will also give you a good idea make which seed companies you would prefer to spend money on. I’d rather spend 50 cents more per seed packet, get quality seed, and have faith will sprout quickly and evenly through my little science experiments.
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How To Test Seed Germination
Testing your seed is easy.
Step 1
Take 12 seeds from the same seed packet and place them on a wet paper towel inside of a zip-top bag. Leave the zip-top open for air circulation.
A.) Choose The Largest Plumpest Seeds To Plant
Pick strong seeds from the package of seed when planting your flowers and vegetables. The food source for the seed is contained in the two halves of the seed. By choosing the largest, plumpest seeds we are providing the greatest amount of food for the plantlet and giving the plant the strongest start we can to grow.
B.) Larger is Really Better
From large seeds grow the strongest plants.
Step 2
Label the bag with the type of seed, brand, and date that you placed the seeds in the bag. Watch the seeds carefully making sure that the paper toweling stays moist.
Step 3
Place the seed bag in a warm place near an indirect sun source. My kitchen table – seems to be the perfect resting place for this purpose. Perhaps yours is too.
Step 4
When the seeds sprout mark the date on the bag. Transfer all the information into a notebook for when you are ready to plant the seeds.
Step 5
Plant the seedlings in containers until you are ready to plant them in the ground.
Additional Posts
Deciding on a Garden Type
Choosing a Location For Your Garden
Prepping An Area For a Garden
Elements to Good Garden Soil
Test Your Garden Soil For Lead
Fish Pellets as Fertilizer
Use Less Soil in Your Planting Containers
Growing Herbs
Closing
By creating a germination table and testing seed germination you will save time and money by understanding if your old seed will sprout, the time it takes to sprout any of your vegetables, and which company you will prefer to purchase your seed from.
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