Sow Your Own
(Page 4 of 6)
January/February 2008
Tina Marie Wilcox and Susan Belsinger
If the seeds have been removed from wet fruit, wash them in water. Place them on a screen or clean cloth until they are dry – they will stick to paper.
RELATED CONTENT
Missouri garden offers summer exhibitions and more...
Americans love to putter with plant-filled pots....
Citizen support is key to helping National Wildlife Refuge System maintain lands....
For 10 years, the Missouri Botanical Garden has collected and recycled more than 300 tons of waste....
Federally mandated wellness policy leads charge to add outdoor activities and experiences to childr...
Keep cleaned and dry seeds in a labeled jar stored in a cool, dry place or in the freezer (see “A case for conditioning” below). For small amounts, put seed in small paper envelopes, label and place in the jar.
It is also helpful to write down as much information as you know about the plant on the seed packet or in a garden journal. Give both botanical and common names and plant family. Describe the type of plant: annual, biennial or perennial; its size; type of fruit, leaf and bloom. State growing conditions such as sun or shade, and soil type such as clay, loam, or sand. State where and when seed were collected. Note uses if you know them: medicinal, culinary, fragrance; and warnings, if necessary. Add any history that you have.
Planting the next season is pretty straightforward for most seed, but some require special treatment before they will germinate effectively.
A case for conditioning
When you consider that it is in a plant species’ best interest to keep seed from germinating in the wrong place at the wrong time, it should come as no surprise that some seeds need to be processed by the environment before they will germinate efficiently. For example, cherry pits are much more likely to germinate after passing through a bird’s gut and spending a winter on the ground. When you collect your own seeds, it is helpful to know how to condition them for optimal germination.
Most vegetable, herb and flower seed that home gardeners grow require a period of drying before they will germinate. When ripe seed is collected, cleaned, dried and stored, it undergoes chemical changes that prepare it for germination in as little as one month. For best results and a higher germination rate, home gardeners should attempt to plant dry seeds within a year of collecting.
Seeds embedded in fruit pulp must be washed and cleaned before use. Generally, the pulp contains germination inhibitors that are infused through the seed coat. Once the pulp is removed from apple, grape, lemon, sweet pepper, squash and tomato seeds, they will germinate immediately without a drying period.
If the pulp is particularly oily, use a mild liquid detergent to clean the seeds. In many cases, seeds embedded within a fruit require additional treatment for germination.
Extremely hard-coated seed such as those of the morning glory (Ipomoea species) will lie dormant in ideal conditions, unless it has been previously made permeable (scarified). The solution for the home gardener is to nick the seed’s coat with an abrasive so that it can imbibe water and hydrate the embryo.
Page:
<< Previous 1 |
2 |
3 | 4 |
5 |
6 |
Next >>