How & Why to Stratify Seeds

Most common vegetable crops don’t require stratification. However, if you’re getting into flower gardening or planting medicinal herbs, you may have noticed that some seeds require stratification. Some may not require it but will germinate better if they’ve been stratified.

Stratification is a process of treating seeds to mimic natural conditions. There are a few types of stratification, including dry stratification, moist stratification, and scarification. These methods can help improve or speed up the germination for many species.

Seeds that Require or Benefit from Stratification

  • St. John’s Wort
  • Echinacea (except Echinacea purpurea)
  • Milkweed
  • Rudbeckia
  • Soapwort
  • Larkspur
  • Delphinium
  • Poppies
  • Nasturtiums
  • Butterfly Weed
  • Sweet Peas

Cold Stratification

Many flower and herb species that are native to areas with cold winters benefit from cold stratification. In nature, the seed would mature in the fall and be exposed to winter conditions before breaking dormancy. The seeds don’t germinate until after they’ve been exposed to cold. This ensures that the seeds don’t germinate too early.

There are two methods to mimic this cold period. The first method of cold stratification is called dry stratification. This method works fine for many seeds. All you need to do is place your seed packets in a container in your freezer. The amount of time you should leave them is specific to the variety, but it’s generally a month or longer.

The second method is moist stratification. This method is when you expose the seeds to cold and damp conditions. It’s excellent for species that drop their seeds in the fall. Place your seeds in a container in the fridge (not the freezer!) on something that will hold moisture, such as sawdust, sand, vermiculite, or a cloth. Keep it moist but not soaked for ten days to three months, depending on the variety. Alternatively, you can sow these seeds in the fall.

Scarification

Scarification is the process of scratching the seeds’ coating to allow moisture in. This method can increase germination rates of large-seeded species such as sweet peas, nasturtiums, milkweed, and morning glories.

You don’t want to damage the seed too much, so it’s essential to do this carefully. Gently scratch the seeds coating with coarse sandpaper or a file.

This process can be used in combination with soaking the seeds before planting.

Planting

After you have stratified your seeds, they’re ready to plant! It’s important to follow the instructions for each variety. You also should keep the soil moist until your plants are established. Allowing stratified seeds to dry out can prevent them from growing.

Grow a Perennial Herb Garden

Having fresh herbs growing right out your door is fantastic for any food lover. They add so much flavor and save you money on expensive store-bought herbs.

Thankfully many great culinary and medicinal herbs are easy to grow perennials. Here’s how to start your own perennial herb garden.

Perennial Herbs

Here are a few of the perennial herbs you might consider adding to your garden.

  • Chives (Perennial in zones 3-10)
  • Sage (Perennial in zones 4-10)
  • Rosemary (Perennial in zones 7-10)
  • Lemon Balm (Perennial in zones 5-10)
  • Mint (Perennial in zones 5-10)
  • Oregano (Perennial in zones 5-10)
  • Anise Hyssop (Short-lived perennial)
  • Salad Burnet (Perennial in zones 4-10)
  • Fennel (Perennial in zones 6-10)
  • Bergamot (Perennial in zones 4-10)
  • Cranberry Hibiscus (Perennial in zones 9 and 10)
  • Lavender (Perennial in zones 5-10)
  • Sweet Marjoram (Perennial in zone 10)
  • Mexican Mint Marigold (Perennial in zones 8-10
  • Thyme (Perennial in zones 6-9)
  • Roselle (Frost-tender perennial)
  • Sorrel (Perennial in zones 4-10)
  • Echinacea (Perennial in zones 3-9)
  • Feverfew (Perennial in zones 4-10)
  • Catnip (Perennial in zones 4-10)
  • White Horehound (Perennial in zones 4-10)

Starting from Seed

You can start many perennial herbs from seed. However, some herbs can be trickier than vegetable crops. Be sure to read the growing instructions carefully. For example, lavender can take 30 days to germinate, echinacea requires cold stratification, and thyme germinates best between 55-60°F.

A few other tips:

  • For starting herbs indoors, be sure to use a well-draining potting mix.
  • To direct sow herbs, prepare your soil well. Add compost, fork, and rake the soil smooth.
  • Keep soil moist (a mister is great for small seeds) but not soggy.

Some perennial herbs are also easy to divide and transplant. If you know someone with a big patch of mint, lemon balm, thyme, chives, or oregano, ask if you can have a start.

Selecting a Garden Site

Generally, the best site for an herb garden is as close to your door as possible. Being able to quickly pop out to the garden and snag some fresh herbs will encourage you to use them.

Sunlight and drainage should also be considerations. Many herbs like rosemary and sage prefer full sun and well-drained soil. They may not thrive tucked away on the shady side of a home. However, some herbs like mint, bergamot, lemon balm, and chives will tolerate partial shade and thrive in moist soil.

Plant Care

While your herbs are getting established, it’s essential to water consistently. It’s best to water in the morning or evening. You should also keep them well-weeded. Even herbs as tough as mint can be overtaken by weeds when they’re first getting started. Mulching around them is a good idea.

Once your herbs start to take off, you may want to prune them a bit. When they grow above 8 inches, you can prune herbs’ tips like oregano, mint, rosemary, and sage to encourage root growth and bushier, fuller shape. Clip off the tops just above a set of leaves.

Harvest

Avoid harvesting until plants are displaying vigorous growth. They should be a least 6 inches tall and well established. You want them to become healthy plants for the long haul!

Never harvest more than 1/3 of a plant at a time and discontinue large harvests about one month before your first frost.

If you’re harvesting to dry herbs for storage, it’s ideal to do some around midsummer. This is when they’ll be the most potent and flavorful.

Check out these posts for advice on preserving and using medicinal and culinary herbs:

How to Properly Harvest & Preserve Herbs

5 Ways to Use and Preserve Herbs this Summer

 

Tips for Growing Great Watermelons

Tomatoes aren’t the only stars of the backyard garden. Growing watermelons is just as rewarding. It’s also hard to resist all the beautiful varieties that you’d never find in a supermarket. However, watermelons can be trickier to grow than some other crops. Here are a few tips to help you grow watermelons this season.

Choosing a Variety

New gardeners, folks with small gardens, and those who live farther north may want to consider icebox melons or smaller melons with fewer days to harvest. Some great options include:

  • Sugar Baby Watermelon
  • Early Moonbeam Watermelon
  • Blacktail Mountain Watermelon
  • White Wonder Watermelon

Folks who’ve struggled with plant diseases in their garden should look at varieties with good disease resistance. Some options include:

  • Chou Cheh Red Watermelon (Downy Mildew resistance)
  • Crimson Sweet or Crimson Sweet Virginia Select (Anthracnose and Fusarium resistance)
  • Yellow Fleshed Moon and Stars Watermelon (some tolerance to disease)
  • Nancy Watermelon (Above-average disease resistance)
  • Strawberry Watermelon (Very good disease resistance)

Preparing Your Garden

Watermelons tend to be fairly particular about the soil they’re grown in. It’s a good idea to start by adding a few inches of finished compost to your plot.

The soil for watermelons should be well-drained and have a pH between 6.0-6.8.

Planting

The key to giving your watermelons a good start is to ensure that the soil is warm enough. Wait to plant melons until the soil temperature is around 70°F, probably about two weeks after your last frost date.

It’s a good idea to plant watermelons in hills; they don’t do well in soggy soil. Space watermelons 12-18 in. apart in rows 6-8 ft. apart. Vines require anywhere from 36-100 sq. ft. of vine space per hill, depending on the variety.

Care

In order to get the best production, watermelons require good, consistent care.

  • Don’t disturb vines while the fruit is ripening, or else fruit may ripen unevenly.
  • Water consistently for good fruit production. Drip irrigation or soaker hoses are a great choice and can help prevent fungal diseases.
  • Mulch around watermelon hills with hay or straw to keep melons off the ground.
  • Keep up with weeds, especially before the vines start to sprawl.
  • When your plants are flowering, give them a boost with compost tea or other liquid fertilizer like liquid kelp.

Harvesting Watermelons

Your watermelons are looking great, but how do you tell when they’re ready to harvest? There are four clues you can look for:

  • The spot where the fruit touches the ground turns yellow.
  • The curly little tendril on the portion of the vine nearest the fruit should be dried -up and brown.
  • The rind feels slightly rough and ridged and has a dull, opaque appearance, whereas immature fruits are smoother and glossier.
  • When a watermelon is ripe, it will have a hollow sound when you thump it with your knuckles: The melon sounds more like your chest when it is ripe; when green, it sounds more like your head; when over-ripe, it sounds more like your stomach. Mark Twain described it this way: “A ripe melon says ‘punk’ when thumped, a green one says ‘pink’ or ‘pank’.”

Put Your Watermelons to Good Use

Eating fresh watermelon is probably everyone’s favorite way of eating enjoying it, but there are some other ways to get the most of your watermelon.

  • Watermelon seeds are edible, have a nutty taste, and are commonly sold as a snack in some parts of the world. Seeds that mature to black are easier to eat than white seeds.
  • Watermelon rinds can be pickled and eaten throughout the winter.
  • You can dehydrate watermelon into “watermelon candy,” freeze it for smoothies or try your hand at fermenting watermelon wine.

Saving the Past for the Future