How to Succeed with your Seedlings

How to Succeed with your Seedlings

Several factors can cause seedling failure
They are primarily linked to the Quality of the Seed, but are not necessarily limited to this: Failure can also occur with Good Quality Seeds

The following list, without being exhaustive, samples the extent of issues that can affect Seeds and Germination<
After this listing, you will find a set of procedures helping you Starting Plants from Seeds successfuly

Seed Quality

Seeds May Fail to Germinate because They Have Low Vitality or Are Already Dead
  • Embryo with Weak Genetics
  • Seed Damaged by Pests Before or After Harvest
  • Sick Seed (viruses, fungi)
  • Seed Stored in Poor Conditions
  • Seed too old

Cultural Conditions

Improper Cultural Conditions Can Prevent the Seed from Germinating or will Kill the Germ After Germination
  • Sowing depth too small or too big
  • Complex Conditions for Triggering Germination are Not Respected
    (seeds that require sequential exposure to weather conditions simulating the course of the seasons)
  • Environmental Conditions Too Unstable
  • Temperature too cold or too hot
  • Soil Soggy for too long
  • Inadequate Physico-Chemical Characteristics of the Soil
  • Freezing
  • Drought

Diseases

Pathogenic Bacteria and Fungi can be present in the Soil and Destroy the Embryo, Rootlets, or Seedling

Pests

Many Pests Can Eat Seeds, Sprouts, and Seedlings, Ruining Your Work
  • Birds
  • Insect larvae (moths, sciarids, wireworms, etc.)
  • Mole Cricket
  • Nematode Worms
  • Slugs & Snails
  • Rodents
  • Scutigerella

To Avoid All These Problems and Succeed Your Seedling

  • Seed
    • Buy your Seeds from a Reliable Source
    • Store your Seeds in Good Conditions Until Sowing
    • Use Your Seed Stock Within One Year of Purchase or Harvest

  • Cultural Conditions
    • Prefer to Sow in Protected Conditions (nursery, greenhouse, or in the house behind a window), rather than directly in the open ground in the Garden
    • Use Healthy Potting Soil, Not Contaminated by Pathogenic Organisms and Pests
    • Choose the Sowing Season that Suits the Species You Are Going to Grow
    • Choose the Right Time to Sow, not too late in the season, but not too early either
    • Some Gardeners Prepare their Seeds before Sowing, by soaking them for 24 hours in a glass of water so that they rehydrate
      (perfect for fabaceae, to be avoided with certain plant families)
    • Other Gardeners ensure the Germinative Power of the Seeds by barely germinating them in a damp cloth before sowing (impossible with the finest seeds)
      BE CAREFUL not to rot the seeds, as these artificial conditions can encourage the development of bacteria
    • Bury the Seeds at the Correct Depth (2 times the size of the seed)
    • Do not bury the Fine Seeds at all (sprinkled on the surface)
    • Lightly pack the potting soil after sowing
    • Water by Capillarity so as not to Disturb the Seeds
    • Provide Spring Conditions (in most cases) by Exposing your Seedlings to Sun and Warm Weather
    • Note: Other Species may require different Germination Conditions, make your research
    • Keep the Soil Moist (but not soggy)
    • Some Species Germinate in a Few Days, Others Take Several Weeks, Others Can Germinate 1 Year Later
    • If you had sown in a box, transplant the seedlings individually or by 2-3 in pots so that they do not suffocate
    • Etiolated Seedlings will certainly Perish when Planted Outdoors
    • Grow the Plants for a few weeks in these protected conditions, until they have strengthened enough to be planted outside
    • Wait after the last risk of frost and install your plants in the garden