It’s Fall Y’all!
The weather is finally beginning to cool off, the leaves are starting to turn, and fall gardens are beginning to produce greens and roots that will grace our tables soon. As we transition from summer to fall, most of us begin to shift our focus from flower beds and gardens to homework and holidays. Although we are knee deep in homework at our house (we homeschool, so it’s all homework!), I love to revisit the seed trays this time of year. There are some summer-blooming plants that benefit from getting a head start in the fall instead of waiting for spring. Echinacea and bee balm are two of those plants. Not only do they normally not bloom the first season (one of the main reasons I like to get a head start), but their seeds can be a little tricky to coax to life.
HOW TO DEAL WITH THOSE “NEEDY” SEEDS!
Certain seeds are more “needy” than others. Each seed has different requirements to reach germination. While one seed might need warmer temps to germinate, another might need more light, and others…well some of them are just plain high maintenance.
Scarification and stratification are examples of “high maintenance” attention some seeds require to germination. Scarification is our way of replicating what happens normally in nature when the temperatures fluctuate throughout the winter months to break down the protectant layer of the seed and prepare it for germination. Scarification involves “scratching” the seed coat to weaken it in order for it to absorb the water it needs to germinate. You can scarify seeds using sandpaper, a knife or a fingernail.
Stratification is when cold temperatures work to bring the seed out of its dormancy stage. We are able to simulate this process by planting seeds in a moist planting medium and placing them in the refrigerator for a period of time. Late summer, I started our echinacea and bee balm seeds using this process. I placed the seeds in seed trays in August (labeled!) and left them in the refrigerator for 30 days. I have just removed them and placed the trays in the greenhouse to water and watch as they awaken.
HOW TO LEARN MORE
Echinacea and bee balm can be planted in either the spring or fall; however, if planting in the fall there is a higher likelihood of blooms the first summer season. If you would like to learn more about how to scarify and stratify seeds, stay tuned to find out how you can join us at Sanders Garden Center in Union for a seed starting class. New spring and summer class schedules will be released soon!
Keep growing!
Jessica
Picture of seed tray that was placed in the refrigerator inside a simple plastic bag. (This doesn’t need to be high-tech.) Don’t forget to label!!
Picture of seed tray one week after removing from the refrigerator. Look how quickly those seeds popped up!