Testing for Germination

Don’t neglect testing saved seeds for germination percentage. Some seeds can be saved for five years if stored correctly. Plus you do get a lot of seeds in a cabbage seed packet. It would be a shame to discard these seeds if they are still usable. It would also be a waste of time to plant these seeds and discover that they will not germinate. Testing for germination before hand could keep you on your gardening schedule and closer to budget. Naturally, poor germination means that you’ll need to purchase fresh seeds. If you are going to order your seeds from a seed catalog before the “early bird special” deadline, January might be a good time for the germination test. Definitely test the seeds to be planted indoors or in the hot bed that will later be transplanted (tomatoes, cole crops, peppers, etc.) in time for their calculated seeding date.
For the germination test, usually ten seeds are used. The germination percentage is figured by multiplying the number of seeds that sprouted by ten. I will use the seeds if the germination rate is 80% or better for seeds started in the hot bed. Small seeds like lettuce and carrots, which I’ll probably plant too close anyway, 50% is the cutoff. All others it’s 70%.
I use two methods to test for germination. The quick and easy way is to moisten a paper towel and count out the ten seeds while the towel is spread on the counter top. I can get about three different types of seeds on each towel. I then fold the towel over the seeds a couple of times. I them mark the seeds by writing the names on a dry paper towel and folding it over the damp towel so the name is over the correct group of seeds. These towels are then carefully placed in a bread bag, squeezed to remove some air and then tied on the open end. I check them in two weeks to assess the progress. If germination is good I do my calculations. If germination is poor I reseal the bag and check them again the next week. I feel that three weeks is sufficient time for this test.
The second and most interesting method is to plant the seeds in potting soil and watch the progress. I often use the “cup sized” peat pots.
I use five seeds in each and multiply by 20 to get my percentages. These should be kept fairly moist but no soaked and not real close to a heat source. Labels can be placed under each pot. A variation of this method is even more exciting. Try using flower boxes with potting soil. I like planting fast germinating seeds (beans) next to slower germinating seeds (carrots) just for fun. I’m usually able to get ten seeds per area here. If I get the lettuce or carrot seeds over planted (due to the small seeds), I just observe how thickly they sprouted as my guide. I use those little plastic markers to label each group of seeds. These can be observed often without disrupting progress. Again, three weeks is the limit.