darkness to germinate

When your seeds require darkness to germinate, how do you recommend doing it. What are some of your little tricks? I have a bunch of vinca seeds to start.
Thanks.

I cover the seed flat with black garbage bags

That's a good idea. I didn't think of that. What do you do when some of the seedlings pop up and the others haven't sprouted yet. How often do you check on them?

I put mine in plastic bags and then put them in a drawer or closet.
Only once did I forget to check on them and when I did, found they
had sprouted. So put them somewhere where you won't forget to
check every few days.

When some germinate, you can prick them out and put them in
a new pot to get them in light and put the rest back into darkness.

What are you starting? Cyclamen are the main ones I start in the
dark.

Tam

I use plastic garbage bags too. I always cover the seeds with the soiless mix when I plant them, about as deep as the diameter of the seed unless the package specifies something else. And yes, it's easy to forget about them, so put them somewhere you'll see the bag! And check it every day after the first 2-3 days. When the first seeds come up I put the whole tray under the lights, I figure that the remaining seeds are either germinating and will be up soon, or are covered by the mix anyway and will germinate even under the lights. I've done this with vinca, verbena, pansies, and gazania.

I am going to do a bunch of vinca seeds.

I read today that if a seed is suppose to germinate in the dark it meant that the seed must be covered with potting soil or sand.
If a seed is to germinate in the light it is not to be covered with soil or sand but just tapped down to give it good contact with the soil. Then they are to be put under lights.

Does anyone have an opinion on this?

I cover the flats with a towel. Easy to check and easy to remove when the seed germinates. My experience is that covering the seed in soil alone doesn't work. I put them in my lighted grow op or green house, plant the seed at the depth of its size (as previously suggested) and then cover the flat with the towel. Once it germinaes I remove the towel and as suggested I move germinated seed into light and leave the rest in the dark. I think the garbage bag method would work the same way except I tried that and ended up with mold because there was too much moisture retension. I like the towel better because it still allows air circulation. Just my experience though.

edit: on light. yes I just push the seed into the surface of the soil (just so the fan doesn't blow it away) and mom nature takes care of it from there :) If direct sowing outdoors I actually do a foot push plant (ie. step on the seed with your foot to ensure its well set, oh blush-seed abuse) to ensure the wind doesn't carry the seed away.

This message was edited Mar 3, 2008 9:08 PM

dahlia, thanks for the towel recommendation. I was making things much too complicated at my (green)house.

Yes, if the seed needs light, you just gently press it on top of the soiless mix to make contact. You don't have to put the tray under grow lights to germinate, I have germinated alot of seeds needing light resting on a desk, counter, the floor, or any space that is available, covered by a clear plastic bag. I hadn't thought of the towel though, may give it a try. Sometimes the plastic holds in too much moisture and can rot the seeds. If I see large droplets of water on the inside of the plastic I wipe them off with a towel.

Great idea. I will try the towel method. I have 7 more flats ready to add my seeds to. I am running a little behind time so I had better get a move on.
Thanks everyone for all of your help.

I once read, in a T&M publication, to just cover them with vermiculite because they don't need absolute blackness, just not light. :) It works for Viola and Delphinium families, but those are the only ones I've done it with.

I need to keep all my seeds in the same place and forget about them if they aren't front and center.

Suzy

sunnytx,

I'm curious about your experience with vinca. I had some germinate in darkness, so I went ahead and put the container under lights. Those poor little seedlings withered, but to my great surprise, the vinca seeds that hadn't yet germinated are now appearing -- despite being under lights -- and looking healthy.

Vinca seeds are very small and from what I have read they need no light to germinate. I also read they dampen off really easy so you need to be careful about over-watering. Having said that, this is my first time with trying Vinca seeds. I do have them covered with a towel but I am really worried about too much moisture being captured. This year is trial and error.
In the past I have bought my Vinca and some of them reseeded. I really think covering them with just soil would be all they need so you can put them right under the light. That is the way it is done in nature. The problem being is the seeds are so small that it is hard to see if they are all covered. That is where the towel comes into play.
I love this annual but would like to mass plant it and that can get expensive. It is always in bloom, can take sun or part sun, and holds up really well during a drought.