How to Speed Up Germination

It’s time to plant the garden and you have a packet of seeds. Planting the seeds can feel like forever before the seeds germinate. Wouldn’t it be nice if there were ways to speed up the germinating process? Although seeds don’t germinate overnight, a few simple tricks encourage the seeds to sprout faster, giving you a head start in the garden.

Give your seeds a boost to encourage them into breaking through the seed coat with just a few items in your kitchen. So before you plant the seeds into pots or flats, trick the seeds into thinking that they have been in the ground growing for a week. Your garden will be further along in less time.

If the seeds are big, like watermelon, peas, beans pumpkin soak them first. This softens the outside of the seed coat, allowing the seeds to germinate faster when planted in the ground. Fill a small bowl with warm water or milk. Toss in the seeds and allow them to soak for 24 hours.

Read the seed package. Some seeds need to be nicked or placed in a cold storage for three months before they will germinate.

Flatten Out a Coffee Filter

Find a coffee filter and smooth it out so it will lie flat. Cut the coffee filter in half. Determine if your seeds need light to germinate. It will tell you on the seed package. If the seeds need light, only fold the filter in half one time. There will only be one layer of the filter covering the seeds on each side. Most small seeds require light to germinate

If your seeds can germinate in the dark, fold the coffee filter in half, three times. When you’re finished, it will resemble a V shape. Fold the pointed end up over the wider part. Crease it well, so you know where to put the seeds.

Undo the last two folds of the coffee filter.

Wet the coffee filter so it is damp, but not soggy. You can hold it under slow running water, dip it in a bowl of water, or use a mister to spray the filter on both sides. Wring out the excess water being careful not to tear the filter. If you don’t have a coffee filter, you can use a paper towel.

Place the Seeds on The Filter

Scatter your seeds over the left or right side of the filter above the crease of the tip. Leave at least a 1/2 inch between the seeds. Refold the coffee filter. Press down on the coffee filter with your hand so that both sides of the seeds are against the damp filter.

Place the moistened coffee filter and seeds into a sealable baggie. Seal the baggie shut, but do not close it all the way. You’ll only want to close the bag three-fourths of the way. This allows for air circulation and prevents mold from growing.

Place the baggie under grow lights and expose them to light for 12 hours every day. Determine if you seeds need to be in a warm location. Grow lights provide some heat. If the seeds do not require any light, but they need heat to germinate, place them on top of the refrigerator or other warm area. For some seed varieties, a warm place speeds up the germinating process, but in other, it can inhibit germination.

Check for Moisture and Germination

Check the coffee filter every day for moisture. The coffee filter has to stay moist in order for the seeds to germinate. Spray the coffee filter if it has become dry. After 3 days, check the filter to see if the seeds have sprouted. When the roots appear, it is time to transplant the seedlings into individual pots, or out in the garden. Be careful when handling them because they are very delicate and the roots break easily.

Sources:

Rob’s Plants: Germinating Seeds in Baggies

Trade Winds Fruit: Seed Germination Tips

Science Made Simple: Science Projects About Plants and Botany