Herb Gardening: Types of Seeds
There are several types of seeds divided into the manner in which they germinate or through characteristics of their growth cycle. Knowing which categories your herb plants fall into can help prepare you for what to expect in the germination and growing process.
Two of different types of seeds in terms of germination are those that are slow to germinate, which means they do really take a while before they begin showing success of germination, and those that have an ongoing germination process. This ongoing process means that the plant has an initial germination stage, and then several germination stages throughout the next few days or weeks before finally showing stalks.
A third type of germination is dependent on time. These seeds are under the category of multi-cycle germinators. This means they need several seasons to come and go before they actually begin sprouting. A plant like this requires a lot of patience from a gardener, and even if there are no signs of life on the surface, you must continue to water and protect your seed throughout the seasons.
Three more seeds can be categorized in terms of how they germinate, and these are the heat-dependent, light-dependent, and fire-dependent seeds. Let's begin with the easiest one: light dependent seeds. These seeds are true to their name; need light in order to germinate. They are usually just pressed into the soil, not buried, and gardeners allow the light of the sun to work its magic on the seed. These seeds should be watered gently, either from the bottom or with a misting bottle from above. This is because the seeds should not be dislodged as this will slow and even stop the germination process.
Heat dependent seeds are those that prefer very hot environments in order to germinate. These seeds are usually planted during the summer, when the soil is already warm. Another option is that the seeds are placed in a hot house (also known as a greenhouse) in order to stimulate the germination.
The final type of germination is fire dependent. Though it sounds dangerous, it is not, but I wouldn't recommend it for beginners. It involves planting your seed in moist potting soil (making sure it's really moist) then add kindling on top. Burn the kindle till there is nothing more than charcoal or ashes left behind, and water the area once a day. Your seed should grow in half a month.
Page Two: Advice on Seeds and Germination (Preparing Your Seeds continued)
