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Showing posts with the label germination

Are your old seeds really just a pack of lies?

Gardening is a game of patience.  You sow your seeds and wait with bated breath until you see the seedlings emerge.  For those of us with a "healthy" stockpile of seeds left over from past seasons, it can be an unwelcome surprise to find that they don't last forever.  The seeds you planted weeks ago have failed to germinate, and now you need a change of plans (or, should I say, plants).  I experienced this firsthand recently, and wanted to share the results of my own experiment. What is seed germination? Seed germination is the process by which a plant grows from a seed. It starts when the seed takes up water, which triggers enzymes to break down stored food inside the seed. Once the food is broken down, it provides the energy for the plant embryo to grow roots, a stem, and leaves. Which seeds are less likely to stay viable after multiple years? While some seeds can last for decades, others lose viability quickly. The general consensus is that the following types of ...