Garden season (as well as farming season) is upon us and if you haven’t already started planning you garden or farm… it is time to get planning! (And why not use the Fantastic Farm & Garden Calculator to help you get the most out of your farm or garden?) As part of your planning and getting ready to start growing, some of you may want to start your own seedlings.
One easy way to germinate seeds is in a paper towel. For move visual folks like myself, the video I have featured on our Local Sustainability site this week gives a good visual overview of starting seeds in paper towels. One thing I’d suggest is to not use a sealable ziplock bag as she does, but if you do, don’t zip it shut.
To start, moisten a paper towel and wring it out so it is damp, not wet. Then spread the seeds out evenly, then sandwich with another moist towel. As the video mentions, a four inch square piece is a nice size and will easily slip into a plastic sandwich bag. Fold the towel and put it in a plastic bag.
Next you’ll want to keep the seeds in a slightly warm (generally 65-75 degrees is good for most plants) area until they germinate. I’ve heard some who set them on top of their refrigerator, some even mention setting them on top of their hot water heater. if you’re starting a lot of seeds, you could set them in a cooler (ice chest type) and rig a low wattage light bulb inside to give off the heat. With this method I’d usually partly cover the top of the cooler to keep some of the heat in, but not cover it all the way.
Depending on the variety of seed, germination should start within a week or even days. As soon as the seed breaks and new growth begins, place in moist soil. For very small seeds, you can just lay the sprouts on the surface (or refer to seed packet instructions), for larger seeds bury according to the packages instructions.
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Do you have to re-moisten the paper towel while you are waiting for germination?
I’ve usually had the seeds germinate before the paper towel dried out, but you will want to keep an eye on them. If they seem to be drying out to quickly I’d recommend slipping them out of the plastic bag and using a spray mister bottle (set to a fine mist) to dampen them a bit more. Again, you don’t want to get them too wet.
i rolled mine in a paper towel and set them out in a plate. this gives the seeds room to grow. i also keep the seeds wet until the germinate
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