Questions tagged [germination]

Germination is the name of the process by which a plant starts growing from a seed.

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42 votes
5 answers
27k views

How do I encourage lawn seeds to germinate successfully?

I'm trying to repair some patches in my lawn with grass seeds, but I can't seem to get the seeds to germinate. Is there anything that can be done to encourage germination? In addition, the weather ...
Paul Turner's user avatar
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30 votes
7 answers
1k views

How is an Avocado plant started?

I find ourselves buying one or two Avocados twice a week. It's one of these things that I've been wanting to do for a long time: grow an avacado plant. What is the ideal climate or exposure to ...
chrisjlee's user avatar
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21 votes
1 answer
10k views

How do I start an oak tree from an acorn?

I have a lot of acorns on my lawn from a red oak tree. I would like to start a new tree from an acorn and I was wondering what I can do to ensure success. What should I look for in an acorn, for ...
uncle brad's user avatar
20 votes
4 answers
13k views

Can jalapeños be grown from pickled jalapeño seeds?

I bought a bottle of pickled jalapeno today, and I see there are seeds inside them. It is hard for my local area to acquire jalapeno seeds, so I am wondering if it is possible to grow jalapenos from ...
lamwaiman1988's user avatar
19 votes
4 answers
9k views

Is condensation on my seed tray an issue?

I'm growing some seedlings in a tray that has a plastic lid. The sun causes moisture to condense on the lid. I was wondering: is this counter-productive, as the condensation then blocks the sun?
Dan's user avatar
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18 votes
3 answers
4k views

Heeding "use by" dates on seed packets?

Generally seed packets have some kind of expiry date on them. I've got "sow by" dates on my packets of Suttons seeds and "best before" on Unwins. Is it worth sowing seeds which have passed their ...
Tea Drinker's user avatar
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18 votes
3 answers
55k views

Do seeds from fresh tomatoes need to completely dry before they will sprout?

I have been growing cherry tomatoes for about four years now. My method is hardly scientific. I throw the bad fruit on the ground and let them germinate the next year. Last year I got some different ...
CJ Dennis's user avatar
  • 435
18 votes
3 answers
23k views

How can I effectively grow plants from peach, nectarine or plum pits?

I have a few plum, nectarine, and peach pits from locally grown fruit and I'd like to try growing them, mostly indoors in pots. I'd also like to try one or two outside. What's the best way to go about ...
Sarah's user avatar
  • 729
17 votes
6 answers
8k views

Is it possible to grow a mango plant in the Phoenix climate?

I've been wanting to plant a mango seed; though I live in Phoenix, Arizona. Firstly, would a mango seed actually grow in my area? Secondly, I'm pretty new to any kind of plant life. So, does anyone ...
James Litewski's user avatar
17 votes
2 answers
260 views

What is a good method for extracting the earliest-viable seeds from young pumpkins?

I am in need of a good strategy to extract the earliest-possible batch of seeds from an upcoming batch of white pumpkins (I may have a few available within a month). My main uncertainty is at what ...
Brian Webster's user avatar
17 votes
1 answer
912 views

How do I grow better Tabasco-type (C.frutescens) peppers?

Virtually all cultivated peppers are C.annuum, and I've had a lot of success growing these from seed. (I also usually buy 3-4 plants locally each year but selection is usually very limited) I soak ...
winwaed's user avatar
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16 votes
4 answers
7k views

Do potatoes produce seeds that you can store and/or replant?

Do potatoes produce seeds (specifically La Ratte potato) and how do you harvest them? Although I don't fully understand, I am aware that "seed potatoes" are a thing and can be used to grow a ...
at0micV3n0m's user avatar
16 votes
6 answers
4k views

How do I encourage pepper seeds to germinate?

In the past 2 months, I tried to germinate some pepper seeds, but all of them failed. I used some tiny pots to contain the soil (don't know more about it; just black soil in general) and the planted ...
lamwaiman1988's user avatar
16 votes
4 answers
1k views

Do vegetable seeds have a shelf life?

I bought vegetable seeds a few years back. I tried planting them this year but am having mixed results (very few are sprouting). Do seeds have a shelf life/expiration after which they will not ...
JStorage's user avatar
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16 votes
2 answers
3k views

Do peat pots slow down the development of seedlings?

To prevent root disturbance when planting out, I usually sow my sweet corn in peat pots which I then put in the propagator. As soon as the seed germinates, I grow the seedlings on for two to three ...
Mancuniensis's user avatar
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16 votes
3 answers
447 views

Is there a fast-growing, inexpensive privacy plant that can be started in winter?

I live in a flatshare, in a room on the ground floor (first floor for North Americans). To prevent people from looking into our rooms all the time (there's a parking lot in front), we have outdoor ...
Pekka's user avatar
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16 votes
2 answers
2k views

What is in seed starting soil that justifies wearing gloves while handling?

I was adding miracle-gro seed starting soil to paper pots with my daughter a few months ago and was a little leery about letting her touch the stuff (let alone breathe it in). What's in it that is ...
Peter Turner's user avatar
  • 9,171
14 votes
1 answer
548 views

How can I grow my own sweet potato starts?

I have always used pre-grown sweet potato slips, but since the source of sweet potatoes I have been using is unreliable, I am looking for how to grow my own in fairly large quantities. How should I ...
J. Musser's user avatar
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13 votes
5 answers
2k views

What is the best way to germinating seeds in compost?

So far, I had germinated my seeds using the paper bag approach. I must say that it was quite successful. Having said that, I have an almost-zero success rate when I try to germinating seeds directly ...
kidra.pazzo's user avatar
  • 1,181
13 votes
2 answers
5k views

How can I speed up germination of habanero chili pepper?

I planted some habanero seeds a week ago. Most of the websites said it need 2 weeks to 3 weeks to germinate. What is the best condition for its germination? I am in Hong Kong and having a 29 degree ...
lamwaiman1988's user avatar
13 votes
1 answer
1k views

How long does it take to start sweet potato slips?

@Om Patange asked this in a comment on this sweet potato question and I'm curious about the answer: How long does each step [in starting sweet potato slips] take? I ask to know how long before ...
bstpierre's user avatar
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12 votes
1 answer
4k views

What are the advantages and disadvantages of using soil blocks?

I recently read a book that suggests using soil blocks for starting seeds. What are the advantages and disadvantages of soil blocks over the more popular seed starting methods? I am mainly interested ...
jeffreywrichards's user avatar
12 votes
2 answers
398 views

Questions about soil block usage

I got a catalog from Johnny's seeds the other day and saw their soil block makers. I've been looking into them and I'm thinking about trying them to start my garden plants this year as an experiment. ...
Dalton's user avatar
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12 votes
1 answer
5k views

Can I grow a cherry tree from seed without stratification?

I'm going to grow a cherry tree from a seed. It's not that easy though and I need some time and patience. I have experience with pine tree and orange, though these are quite easy trees to grow ...
rush's user avatar
  • 223
12 votes
1 answer
2k views

How can I grow maple trees from seeds?

I have a mature maple tree in my yard. Every year it drops seeds which start growing in the most inconvenient of places, like my gutters. Next season I would like to actively cultivate these seeds and ...
Freiheit's user avatar
  • 590
12 votes
1 answer
180 views

When to plant chili seeds in the UK?

When is the best time to start germinating my chili seeds (various varieties) in order to make the most of next years growing season? I think I started too late this year and my crop has suffered. I ...
Dan's user avatar
  • 4,351
11 votes
3 answers
4k views

Does the garlic clove need to grow pointed end up?

Is it important that the clove for garlic is pointed end up, or can it grow just as good on its side, and look a little funny?
black thumb's user avatar
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11 votes
1 answer
7k views

How do I save lilac seeds?

I know it's possible, because that's how people come out with new hybrids, but how does one go about saving the seeds of a lilac? Specifically, I have the straight species of Syringa vulgaris, and ...
J. Musser's user avatar
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10 votes
4 answers
9k views

What is a good source for free or inexpensive nursery pots?

Are there free (or low cost) sources for nursery pots? Presumably nurseries reuse them. I'd like to get a few dozen in varying sizes for starting vegetables.
kmm's user avatar
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10 votes
2 answers
2k views

Can I simultaneously kill off grass and sow wildflower seed?

I'm planing on establishing a fairly large area - 1000 sq ft - as a sort of wildflower meadow. The area is currently lawn with pretty good quality soil. I live in Asheville, NC zone 6. Here is my ...
Tyler K.'s user avatar
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10 votes
2 answers
1k views

How long do coffee seeds require to germinate?

I bought some seeds of coffee to grow a plant in my living-room. I put them between a couple of paper towels and I wet them. Then I covered them with a dish, so that light cannot affect them, and I ...
Starnuto di topo's user avatar
9 votes
5 answers
10k views

Is using tomato slices really viable for starting seedlings?

This seems to be doing the rounds lately. I saw it on pinterest last night. Basically you take a slice of a ripe tomato, place it on some potting mix and then cover it. 10 days later you get tomato ...
Graham Chiu's user avatar
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9 votes
2 answers
145 views

What is 'Allelopathy'?

When dealing with cover crops, green manures, and in other things I see the term 'Allelopathy', especially regarding replanting an area. What does this term mean?
J. Musser's user avatar
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9 votes
2 answers
260 views

Does keeping lettuce seeds in an open package affect their viability?

When we open a package of lettuce seeds and use some of the seeds, then keep the remaining seeds in their package at room temperature, does it affect their viability?
Sidra Rahman's user avatar
9 votes
2 answers
930 views

How viable will 5 year old or 25 year old bush bean seeds be?

My Grandfather bred a bush bean for my Grandma. They've been gone for years, but I would like to try and keep the breed alive for heirloom purposes. I've got two sources of seeds, 1 source is about ...
thomasw_lrd's user avatar
9 votes
1 answer
274 views

What vegetable seeds should be planted right now?

I have a few outdoors vegetable boxes and live in the San Francisco Bay Area. To get a head start for the growing season, I would like to start by planting seeds indoors using a heating mat. What ...
JStorage's user avatar
  • 7,914
9 votes
1 answer
3k views

Do seeds require light indoors to germinate?

In general, do most seeds require/do better with bright light when germinating indoors? I am trying to germinate a variety of seeds indoors (basil, chives, spinach, pepper) and am curious if no ...
WienerDog's user avatar
  • 2,204
9 votes
1 answer
641 views

Do dead bamboo limbs run the risk of seeding a garden bed?

I have these three bags, along with two more waiting for curbside pickup of yard waste to start back up. I am also about to dig a garden bed for a bunch of pepper plants. Although I don't anticipate ...
mfg's user avatar
  • 2,302
8 votes
3 answers
6k views

Starting seeds in egg cartons

I'm in my second year of trying a vegetable garden, and last year I started planting way too late. This year, I want to start some plants indoors so that I can transplant them outdoors earlier. I've ...
k_vssy's user avatar
  • 83
8 votes
1 answer
723 views

Disagreeing info on growing black pine from seed

I recently came to possess a bonsai starter kit, and among the contents were some black pine seeds. The booklet included with the kit instructs me to prepare these seeds by soaking them in water for 3-...
Rav Cone's user avatar
8 votes
3 answers
1k views

Carrot & Beetroot seeds not sprouting

I planted carrot and beetroot seeds outdoors (UK) nearly 2 months ago. Only a few seeds have sprouted, out of two full packets (probably 30+ seeds of each type). The seeds were planted into freshly ...
Matt's user avatar
  • 211
8 votes
1 answer
1k views

Can I make my own seed raising mix?

From what I understand there is something in seed raising mix that increases the chance of germination and I guess the rest is stuff that helps feed a seedling. What is there in seed raising mix that ...
going's user avatar
  • 6,372
8 votes
1 answer
3k views

Will sunflower seeds that have been left out all winter germinate?

I forgot to remove a large sunflower before winter and after the snow hit I was unable to get to it. The seeds were left in the head all winter but the plant is high enough that it wasn't buried in ...
OrganicLawnDIY's user avatar
8 votes
1 answer
2k views

Can I start Cannabis sativa out of edible husked seeds bought in grocery store

Recently I bought in grocery store edible husked Cannabis sativa seeds Can I start a plant out of eadible husked seeds? If no then why? I'm asking if a plant will actually start out of husked seeds, ...
Marian Paździoch's user avatar
8 votes
1 answer
408 views

How do you grow a Lotus flower from seed?

I have a Lotus flower seed and have kept it in water for the last 5 or 6 days. I saw that it has started to open up. What should I do next? I saw on the paper packaging that it is called "Nelumbo ...
Shade's user avatar
  • 183
8 votes
1 answer
81 views

Timing to move indoor vegetable seedlings to 4" pots

I have started some vegetable seeds indoors (SF/Bay Area) in small 1"x1" pods. The seeds have sprouted but not sure when is a good time to move them to 4" indoor pots before planting them in the ...
JStorage's user avatar
  • 7,914
8 votes
2 answers
158 views

How do I start tree seeds?

I've got some thornless honeylocust seeds (about 20). They've been stratified, and I'm ready to plant, but I'm not sure what the best approach is. I haven't started trees from seed before. Will they ...
bstpierre's user avatar
  • 41.6k
8 votes
2 answers
358 views

What are some tips on growing strawberries from seed?

I have a reasonable amount of practice growing things from seed but I recently spread a whole packet of strawberry seed at the right depth and didn't get a single sprouter. I'm hoping to get some pro-...
going's user avatar
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