Germination

Useful information to know before attempting germination:

The age of seeds since the day they were harvested can determine chance/difficulty of germination

How they have been stored can determine chance/ difficulty of germination

Use sterilized or distilled water, presence of bacteria in compromised water could kill the seedling

Try to maintain a temperature of 60-80 degrees in germination space

How To do it:

Put sterilized water into a small container and submerge seed completely.

Place container in a clean, dark place.   

Depending on the temperature of your germination space, you may want to supplement heat with a controlled heat mat. 60-80 degrees is the ideal range.

Most seeds will float.  If it’s floating, leave it be. The duration of float time should be no more than 72 hours. 

If seed sinks, check every 12 hours

Once the seed sprouts, take a small amount of distilled water, dampen a plain white paper towel and place the paper towel on a plate or tray.

Carefully move the seeds onto the paper towel and lay another dampened paper towel over the seeds.  

In comparison to what you picked to lay the damp paper towels on, use something larger to place over the seeds to create a rough seal, maintaining moisture and allowing oxygen to enter. (ex: small plate under large bowl, dome with vent open)

Check the seeds at least every 12 hours by opening to check conditions and allow air in. 

Once seeds have a tail, the seeds can be transferred to a damp planting medium with the tail down. 

The “tail” is the tap root, be extremely careful to not damage it.   Your seedling will start turning green within hours.