Go To Seed

 

 

 

Hints:

Temperature: The temperatures aren't set in stone, as most annuals should pop up at any temperatures between 70 and 80 degrees, while some tropicals will prefer the higher end of that range. Perennials and hardy annuals, which tend to like cooler conditions, usually will sprout at any temperatures between 60 and 70 degrees.

Moisture: To keep the seed starting mix moist for your seeds, cover their containers with plastic wrap until the seeds begin to sprout. Use aluminum foil instead for those which prefer darkness for germination.

Chipping or Sanding Seeds: These processes are only ncessary for seeds that have very hard coats, which water won't penetrate. To protect your fingers, hold each seed between the "jaws" of needle-nose pliers on top of a cutting board as you nick it with the tip of a utility knife. To sand the seed instead, rub it against an emery board or sandpaper until you break through the seed coat.

Soaking Seeds: You easily can soak seeds overnight in Styrofoam cups, writing the name of each seed on the side of its cup. If you need to heat the soak-ing water to a certain temperature, use a candy thermometer to measure that temper-ature. Otherwise, use lukewarm (room temperature) water.

Gibberellic Acid: If you need to use gibberellic acid, dissolve a 100 mg packet of the white powder in about 1/2 cup of water overnight. Then add an equal amount of water to the mix to make a 500 ppm solution, which is best for most species, before soaking your seeds in the solution overnight.

Smoke Treatment: For seeds that require smoke treatment, add 1 teaspoon commercial smoke flavoring to every 3 tablespoons of water you are using. For the best results, find a flavoring that contains only smoke and water in its ingredients list.

Cold or Warm Treatment: When seeds need to be kept damp and either warm or cold for a certain number of months, fold a paper towel into a card shape. After writing the name of the seeds and the date on front of the "card" with an indelible marker, soak the paper towel in water, squeeze out the excess water, and place the seeds inside the card.

You can keep several such cards inside a folded-over sandwich bag to help preserve their moisture.

Keep in mind that, when a seed begins to sprout inside the towels, the first thing to emerge usually is a radicle (main root). So, if you pot up the seed at that point, be sure that you position it with the root underground and lower than the seed from which it is protruding.

 

A
C
E
G
I
K
M
N

 

Plants Beginning with T

Tabebuia (trumpet tree): The seeds must be fresh to germinate well. Remove the wings from the seeds and plant them standing upright in damp and sterile seed-starting mix, with their tips barely protruding from that mix. Keep their container at 77 to 82 degees (25 to 28 degrees Celsius) until the seeds sprout in 3 to 6 weeks.

Tacca (bat flower): Soak the seeds overnight before sowing them 1/16 inch deep in damp and sterile seed starting mix. Keep their container at 80 to 86 degrees (27 to 30 degrees Celsius) until the seeds sprout, which can take 1 to 9 months.

Tagetes (marigold): Sow the seeds in damp and sterile seed-starting mix, barely covering the seeds with that mix. Keep the container at 70 degrees Fahrenheit (21 degrees Celsius) until the seeds sprout, usually in 3 days.

Talinum: Press the seeds into damp and sterile seed starting mix, but don't cover them with that mix. Place their container in a protected location, such as a cold frame, outdoors in late autumn. They should sprout in 70 days or so.

Tanacetum (feverfew): Press the seeds into the surface of damp and sterile seed-starting mix, but don’t cover them with the mix. Place their containers under the center of a grow light at 70 degrees Fahrenheit (21 degrees Celsius) and the seeds should sprout in 10 to 14 days.

Taxodium (bald cypress): Soak the seeds in ethyl alcohol for 5 mintues to help remove resin from them. Then place the seeds in a damp paper towel inside a baggie in your refrigerator for 3 months before sowing them 1/4 inch deep in damp and sterile seed starting mix.

If you don't wish to keep them in your refrigerator, you can sow them in late autumn and place their container in a protected location, such as a cold frame, outdoors. They should sprout when the weather warms in spring.

Tecomaria (cape honeysuckle): Remove the wings from the seeds and plant them standing upright in damp and sterile seed-starting mix, with their tips barely protruding from that mix. Keep the container at 72 to 77 degrees (22 to 25 degrees Celsius) until the seeds sprout in 3 to 6 weeks.

Telekia (ox-eye daisy): Press the seeds into the surface of damp and sterile seed-starting mix, but don’t cover them with the mix. Place their containers under the center of a grow light at 68 degrees (20 degrees Celsius) until the seeds sprout, usually in about 6 days.

Telopea (waratah): Sow the seeds in damp and sterilized cactus and citrus potting mix, barely covering the seeds with that mix. Keep the container at 68 to 73 degrees (20 to 23 degees Celsius) until the seeds sprout in 4 to 6 weeks.

Thermophylla (Dahlberg daisy): Press the seeds into the surface of damp and sterile seed-starting mix, but don’t cover them with the mix. Place their containers under the center of a grow light at 68 degrees (20 degrees Celsius) until the seeds sprout, usually in about 10 days.  

Thunbergia (clockvine): Sow the seeds in damp and sterile seed-starting mix, barely covering the seeds with that mix.  Keep the container at 70 degrees Fahrenheit (21 degrees Celsius) until the seeds sprout, usually in 10 to 16 days.

Tiarella (foamflower): Press the seeds into the surface of damp and sterile seed-starting mix, but don’t cover them with the mix. Place their containers under the center of a grow light at 68 degrees (20 degrees Celsius) until the seeds sprout, usually in about 18 days. 

Tibouchina (princess flower): Press the seeds into the surface of damp and sterile seed-starting mix, but don’t cover them with the mix. Place their containers under the center of a grow light at 72 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit (22 to 25 degrees Celsius) and the seeds should sprout within 3 to 6 weeks.

Tigridia (tiger flower): Sow the seeds 1/16-inch (1.5 mm) deep in damp and sterile seed-starting mix. Keep their container at 68 degrees (20 degrees Celsius) until the seeds sprout, usually in 18 days or so.

Tomato: Sow the seeds in damp and sterile seed-starting mix, barely covering them with that mix. Keep their container at 70 degrees Fahrenheit (21 degrees Celsius) until the seeds sprout, usually in 4 or 5 days.

Torenia (wishbone flower): Press the seeds into the surface of damp and sterile seed-starting mix, but don’t cover them with the mix. Place their containers under the center of a grow light at 70 degrees Fahrenheit (21 degrees Celsius) and the seeds should sprout in 5 to 15 days.

Trachelium (throatwort): Press the seeds into the surface of damp and sterile seed-starting mix, but don’t cover them with the mix. Place their containers under the center of a grow light at 68 degrees (20 degrees Celsius) until the seeds sprout, usually in 8 days or so.

Tricyrtis (toad lily): Sow the seeds 1/8-inch (3 mm) deep in damp and sterile seed-starting mix. Keep their container at 68 degrees (20 degrees Celsius) until the seeds sprout in 15 days or so.

Trollius (globeflower): Seeds must be fresh to germinate well. Press those seeds into the surface of damp and sterile seed-starting mix, but don’t cover them with the mix. Keep the container in a bright location at 50 degrees (10 degrees Celsius) until the seeds sprout, possibly in about 21 days for fresh seeds, but older seeds can take several months.

Tropaeolum (unusual species types such as azureum): The seeds must be fresh to germinate well. Place those seeds inside a damp paper towel in a baggie and keep it at 70 degrees Fahrenheit (21 degrees Celsius) for one month. Then move the baggie into your refrigerator. The seeds should begin to sprout roots within 2 to 3 weeks, but should be left refrigerated until they begin to make stems as well, after which they can be potted up.

Tulipa (tulip): Sow the seeds 1/8 inch deep in damp and sterile seed starting mix. Place their container in a protected location, such as a cold frame, outdoors in late autumn. They should sprout when the weather warms in spring.

Turnip: Sow the seeds directly into your garden 1 month before your last frost date for a summer harvest or in late summer for an autumn harvest, planting them 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch (6.4 mm 12.7 mm) deep. They should sprout in 4 to 7 days.