Seed germination and early care:

 

• DO NOT soak seeds in a glass of water. This is not necessary for germination, and can cause the seed to become waterlogged -  leading to root rot, decomposition, and failed germination. 

 

• We recommend germinating your seeds in wet paper towels. This provides an ideal environment for the seeds to start. Seeds will often germinate if planted directly in the ground - however, germinating them before planting generally provides higher success rates. 

 

• Soak the paper towels thoroughly with water, and fold the paper towels in half over your seeds. Tap water is generally fine, but if your water is heavily chlorinated or mineralized you may wish to use filtered or bottled water. We recommend placing the paper towels on a dinner plate, with another plate upside-down on top of the towels. This creates a dark, moist environment for germination while still allowing airflow. 

 

• Seeds can germinate as quickly as 1 day, or as long as two weeks. Generally they germinate in 3-4 days, as an average timeframe. Open the paper towels and check your seeds everyday - they should be planted as soon as they germinate.

 

• Once the seed shell cracks open and a root tip begins to poke out, plant your seeds into soil (or other medium). Water the soil thoroughly before planting your seeds. Poke a hole in the soil approximately as deep as the tip of a pencil, and use tweezers to place your germinated seed in the hole. Push soil loosely back over to cover your seed.

 

• Seeds should be planted in individual starter containers. We recommend planting initially in small containers of low nutrient seed starting soil. After the plants are a few weeks old they can be transplanted into more nutrient rich soil.

 

• One of the most common issues with seedlings is over watering. Allow your soil to dry out slightly between waterings, as keeping the soil constantly wet can cause significant root health problems. In seedling stage plants do not need very much water. 

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Happy Growing!