A couple weeks back, I ran a series of germination tests on a number of different vegetable seeds that had been in storage for years. Doing a seed germination test prior to sowing, allows you to only plant out seeds that have a high viability rate. Seeds with low germination numbers either shouldn’t be planted or should be multi-sown in order to improve viability percentage in a seed packet. For more information on running a seed germination test, see my post “How to Complete a Seed Germination Test“.
After your seeds have germinated inside the germination test, should you pot on those baby seedlings? When I uncover germinated seeds (referring to tough to germinate seeds) inside a seed test, I like to use this opportunity to pot them on. In this post, I show you the safest and easiest way to pot on these germinated seeds, without the risk of damage or harm to their delicate roots or stems.
Q: Why do seeds germinate quicker and easier inside a germination test rather than in a cell pack or pot?
A: The test acts as a mini-greenhouse, by providing the right warmth and humidity conditions that many seeds require, in order to break dormancy and initiate germination.
Lemongrass
Lemongrass seedlings potted on and growing happily.
I have always wanted to try growing lemongrass from seed, however have read that it may be a lengthy process. Typically, lemongrass seeds may take 3 to 5 weeks to germinate. Most seeds require light after germination, however, lemongrass prefers to be kept out of direct sunlight until it establishes itself. So patience is a must!
However, why wait for germination, when you can speed up that process in a seed germination test and save yourself several weeks?
As I expected, several of the lemongrass seeds did germinate after only 5 days. Now that they’ve germinated, what is the best way to remove them from the paper towel safety, in order to pot them on and have them continue to grow.
Watch my video where I show you how I tackled this issue simply and with no harm to the delicate baby seedlings.
Hint:
Use this technique to pot on any germinated seeds from inside a seed germination test.
Happy Gardening!