Germination
  • Water does two things to a seed.
  • First, it activates enzymes that stimulate the release of food energy stored during dormancy.
  • Second, it splits the tough seed coat open so that oxygen gets in.
  • Energy stored in the cotyledon ‘burns and is used only in the presence of oxygen, powering the seedlings cells as they begin to divide and grow.
  • This process is called respiration.
  • Soil holds the water and air that a seed needs to respirate.
  • Too much water drives out air pockets in soil.
  • Don’t over-water.
  • Without air, seeds can't use their stored energy through respiration.
  • Never let seeded soil dry out. Without water, seeds can't use their stored energy.
  • This stored energy only lasts so long.
  • That's why a sprouting seed works so hard to break the soil and unfold into the light quickly.
  • Its also the reason that germination of many seeds is triggered by light.
  • If a small seed germinated in a moist but dark environment, it might run out of energy before ever reaching the soil surface.
  • But if a seed needs light, it won't germinate until it's close to the soil surface.
  • That way, it has a chance to survive.
  • But before a seed begins to grow up, it grows down, anchoring itself with a root, the first life to emerge from the seed coat.
  • The root allows the spout to begin to absorb water and food from the soil.
  • A seed can only store so much energy.
  • That's why smaller seeds must be planted shallower, larger seeds deeper.
  • Little seeds planted too deep will exhaust themselves and die underground.
  • Large seeds can easily dry up if planted too shallow.
  • Really small seeds should just be pressed onto the soil surface.
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