How to germinate flower seeds? Methods and steps explained

1. Soaking treatment. For seeds with a short dormancy period that germinate easily, such as those of redbud (Cercis chinensis) and pearlberry (Sorbaria kirilowii), soak the seeds in warm water at 40°C-60°C for 1-2 days, and they can be sown directly. For seeds such as those of the staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina), first soak them in 90°C water, then let them cool naturally for 24 hours, so that the gelatinous and waxy seed coat softens and absorbs water before sowing. Note that when treating seeds by soaking, change the water frequently, and the time at a water temperature above 60°C should not exceed 1 hour, otherwise the seed embryo is prone to die.

2. Low-temperature treatment. Some flower seeds, such as those of the chestnut rose (Rosa roxburghii), wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox), lilac (Syringa) and some herbaceous flowers sown in autumn, need a certain period of low-temperature treatment (0°C-10°C) to break the dormancy of the seed embryo and germinate. Method: first mix the seeds with sand at 60% humidity (it holds together when squeezed by hand and crumbles apart when released), then put the mixture into a plastic bag, tie the opening tightly, place it in a flower pot, and bury the pot together in open ground 40-60 cm deep. Alternatively, place the seeds in a refrigerator at 3°C-5°C for 60-90 days, then take them out in spring and sow. They can also be sown in autumn, allowing the seeds to go through natural freezing outdoors in winter, and they will germinate and emerge in spring the following year.