How do you sow Eustoma (Prairie Gentian) seeds?
Eustoma is also called “Prairie Gentian”. It comes in a wide range of colors, has vivid hues, is easy to keep alive, and is easy to grow, making it very popular among flower lovers. So, how do you sow Eustoma seeds? Let's find out together!
1. Preparing the seedling soil
Before sowing Eustoma seeds, first prepare seedling soil or seedling plugs. For convenience, try to use separate small seedling pots, as this avoids the spindly growth that happens when seeds germinate at different times. After filling the pots with soil, mist them with a spray bottle, then set them in a larger water basin and use the bottom-watering method so the soil becomes completely soaked through.
2. Sowing method
Eustoma seeds are extremely tiny, like dust, and will be blown away even by a big breath, so you must be very careful. It is best to have something underneath to catch them, spread out a sheet of white paper, so that even if you accidentally drop some, you won't have trouble finding them. Use a toothpick dipped slightly in water and touch it to the seeds, and they will stick to the toothpick, making it much easier to sow them into the seedling pot. Note that Eustoma seeds do not need to be covered with soil on top; simply place them on the surface of the soil. Covering the seeds with soil makes it harder for them to germinate.
3. Keeping moisture after sowing
After placing the Eustoma seeds, if there is a lid you can put it on to keep in moisture. If there is no lid, you can cover them with a layer of household plastic wrap to maintain humidity; just open it each day to let them breathe. You can also mist them daily with a very fine spray bottle. If you find this hard to get right, you can simply set them in a water basin to maintain humidity, but be sure to remember not to leave them in there 24 hours a day; just a light misting or a short soak each day is enough. Seeds need to breathe too, and if soaked too long they will rot, which actually makes germination harder and lowers the germination rate.
4. Germination care
After sowing, Eustoma seeds generally germinate in about 15-20 days, though some take as long as 30 days. You must be patient and not give up on them. Before germination, keep the humidity constant. After germination, there is no need to keep the lid on; they can get bright, indirect light. But never expose them to blazing sun, because newly sprouted seedlings are very fragile and can easily dry out and die from sun exposure. At this point there is also no need to keep them in the water basin every day; just put them back in when the soil looks slightly dry. For freshly sprouted seedlings, mist as gently as possible, because the seedlings are very small and a strong spray will knock them over. After germination you need to be extra careful, because Eustoma seedlings are fairly fragile.
The above is a little knowledge on how to sow Eustoma seeds compiled for you by the Tuliu.com editor. If you love Eustoma, don't miss it!