11/15/2008
Perennial Germination Techniques
Debra Murray
When it comes to germination, there are just a few key points that all growers should learn and understand to germinate seeds well. If you are trying something new, always research it before you try to produce it. You can find lots of good information on the Internet. Try germinating it in more than one environment in your facility. You may be surprised at your results.
If something germinated poorly, ask yourself the following questions: Is the seed sensitive to light? Was the moisture accurate during the germination process? Was the temperature correct in the area you were germinating in? Was the seed quality good?
At Raker’s, we germinate 90% of our seed items right on benches in the greenhouses. The other 10% are placed into germination chambers to get our best germination rates. We normally have three different temperature areas for germination in the greenhouses, with night temperatures ranging between 76F to 80F for our warm crop environment, 72F to 76F for our normal crops, and 64F to 68F for our cool crops. Some perennials can be tricky to germinate so make sure to do your research first.
Once you have determined the proper environment, the other key factor that will determine your success is moisture management. On average, the first 10 days will determine your germination quality. Manage the moisture to keep that seed going through its process. Don’t stall it by drying the seed down. Don’t run the moisture so high that you remove all the oxygen from the media. This will prevent the radicle from moving down through your tray and creating a good root.
Cool Chamber | Temperature 60-63F | Humidity 80%
Variety | Days in Chamber
Anemone sylvestris 12
Arenaria montana 6
Armeria 3
Aruncus aethusifolius 10
Aruncus dioicus 5
Baptisia australis 5
Centranthus 4
Iberis 4
Larkspur 5
Lavandula stoechas 3
Lavandula angustifolia 5
Oenothera 5
Papaver nudicaule Champ. Bubbles 4
Papaver alpinum 7
Papaver nudicaule 5
Primula 6 to 7
Primula japonica 2
Ranunculus 10
Salvia sclarea Vatican White 3
Schizanthus 5
Scutellaria alpina 8
Saponaria 6
Sempervivum 3
Sidalcea 5
Media Cover over seeds at time of seeding
Coronilla 3
Alstromeria 16
Cyclamen 21
Pulsatilla 12
Pansies (Primed) 4
Pansies (Raw) 5
Violas 5
Delphiniums 6
Viola labradorica 5
Warm Chamber | Temperature 78-80F | Humidity 80%
Astilbe 5
Bergenia cordifolia 5
Coreopsis grandiflora 2
Coreopsis Sunfire 4
Doronicum 5
Dracaena 14
Heuchera 6
Hypericum 6
Impatiens New Guinea 5
Lobelia cardinalis 5
Lobelia speciosa 9
Lobelia siphilitica 9
Physostegia rosea 5
Rudbeckia fulgida Goldstrum 4
Rudbeckia fulgida 7
Rudbeckia tribola 3
Saxifraga arendsii 9
Stachys 3
Viola Mandshurica Fuji Dawn 7
Debra Murray is the production coordinator at C. Raker & Sons, Inc., Litchfield, Michigan.