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Secret Seeds
Germination information page
Welcome to our germination guide. This is intended to be a steer in the right direction, rather than a comprehensive guide - based on our own constantly reviewed germination tests.
John - reviewing germination trials during February
Each plant has evolved very different methods of ensuring it's offspring gets off to the right start, in very varied conditions. We hope we have simplified methods so that you too can get good results from our seeds. Firstly, a cool greenhouse is sufficient to germinate most of our seeds, if a cold frame is used, as it is usually cooler, you may have a slower response. Some seeds prefer gentle heat.
As a business that practices organic and sustainable methods we are now using Petersfield organic peat free nursery stock composts, as used by the National Trust. We offer this product to visitors to our nursery in 40lt bags - 3 for £10.
Compost should be just moist, not too wet and certainly not allowed to dry out completely. Best results are from using a mist spray or fine rose. Alpines are best sown on a layer of fine grit laid on top of the compost
.
Our seeds are supplied straight from our cold store, so you can continue to store them in a cool dry place until the correct sowing time. We recommended a plastic tub with a lid. Place a sachet of silica gel crystals inside (obtainable from our website shop), seal and place in the fridge (not freezer), until sowing time.
This guide is meant to be used in conjunction with the seed packet instructions. Where the packet states "may be slow or erratic" - please be patient - nature intended some seeds to take many months to show.
The following plants should be sown on arrival, no matter what time of year as they need to be sown fresh and will have come straight from our cold storage. They make take a few months to germinate. Please be patient. Agapanthus, Helleborus, Hosta, Erythronium, Gentiana, Meconopsis, Pulsatilla.
These plants need a cool spell to germinate and in many cases can take 6-24 months to germinate so please be patient with these plants. They are best sown in the autumn, but some may be spring sown, though they may not show until the following year. Please remember that most bulb seeds will only germinate at the same time of year that the parent bulb would grow eg Spring. Aconitum, Anemone, Anemonella, Angelica, Aquilegia, Arum, Aruncus, Asarum, Astilboides, Astrantia, Billardiera, Buddleia, Bupleurum, Caltha, Cardiocrinum, Cenolophium, Chamaecyparis, Chasmanthe, Cimicifuga, Clematis, Codonopsis, Crocosmia, Cryptotaenia, Cupressus, Cyclamen, Daphne, Dicentra, Disporum, Dithyrea, Dodecatheon, Dryas, Fritillaria, Galtonia, Gentiana, Gillenia, Gladiolus, Glaucidium, Gunnera, Habranthus, Heuchera, Hyacinthoides, Iris, Kirengshoma, Ledbouria, Leontopodium, Leptinella, Lilium, Macleaya, Myrrhis, Nectaroscordum, Orthrosanthus, Paradisea, Patrinia, Peltoboykinia, Peregia, Pseudomuscari, Pulsatilla, Ramonda, Ranunculus, Raoulia, Romulea, Rosa, Rubus, Sausserea, Semiaquilegia, Sibbaldia, Smyrnium, Sollya, Thalictrum, Tricyrtis, trollius, Tulipa, Vaccinium (ericaceous compost needed), Vallea, Viola (some germinate easily), Zephyranthes.
Needing a cool spell with an autumn or early spring sowing. Adlumia, Adonis, Aethionema, Agrimonia, Allium (though most germinate freely), Alstroemeria, Ampelopsis, Anthericum, Corydalis (most germinate freely anyway), Eryngium, Peucadenum.
The following are as above, cool sow, but may benefit from a soak overnight in tepid water. Anomatheca, Dierama, Hemerocallis, Lapeirousia, Musella (5c for 4 weeks, then move to 18-21c) Schisandra.
The following are cool sow, but spring only. Ixia, Mutisia (needs good drainage).
Sow as above, autumn or spring, but surface sow and do not exclude the light from the seed. Glumicalyx, Meconopsis (Ericaceous), Rhodiola, Rhododendron (Ericaceous), Zaluzianskya.
The following may be sown in autumn or spring, but do not need chilling. Adenophora, Agrostemma, Alcea, Aloysia, Alyssoides, Anaphallis, Anchusa, Androsace, Armeria, Arnica, Artemesia, Aster, Asyneuma, Berkheya, Berzelia, Bidens, Borago, Bouteloua, Calamagrostis, Calamintha, Calandrinia, Calceolaria, Campanula (do not exclude light), Carlina, Catananche, Cedronella, Centaurea, Centaurium, Centranthemum, Cephalaria, Chelonopsis, Chrysogonum, Claytonia, Clinopodium, Coreopsis, Cortaderia, Cortusa, Crambe, Cynoglossum, cyperus, Dasylirion, Delphinium, Dicranostigma, Digitalis(do not exclude light), Dipsacus, draba, Dracocephalum, Duchesnea, Echinops, Epilobium, Eragrostis, Erigeron, Erodium, Festuca, Fragaria, Gaillardia, Galactites, Geum, Gratiola, Grindelia, Haloragis, Heliopsis, Hesperis, Hieracium, Horminum, Houttuynia, Hyoscyamus, Hypericum, Hystrix, Inula, Jeffersonia, Juncus, Kitaibela, Knautia, Lallemantia, Lamium, Lavandula, Lavatera, Leontodon, Leonurus, Leucanthemella, Leucanthemum, Libertia, Ligularia, Ligusticum, Lunaria, Luzula, Lychnis, Lysimachia, Lythrum, Malva, Melanoselinum, Melica, Mertensia, Miscanthus, Molinia, Morina, Muhlenbergia, Neomarica, Nepeta, Oenothera (do not exclude light), Olearia, Ononis, Onopordium, Papaver (do not exclude light), Parahebe, Pennisetum, Phaenosperma, Phyla, Phyllodoce, Phystostegia, Phyteuma, Pilosella, Polemonium, Polypogon, Potentilla, Primula (do not exclude light), Prunella, Pseudolysimachion, Roscoea, Rosmarinus, Rumex, Salvia, Sanguisorbia, Saxifraga, Scabiosa, Scilla, Scopiola, Scrophularia, Scutellaria, Selenum, Sidalcea, Sideritis, Silene, Silybum, Sisyrinchium, Solidago, Spergularia, Sphaeralcea, Stachys, Stipa, Stokesia, Strabbgwein, Strobilanthes, Stylophorum, Sutherlania, Swertia, Symphytum, Syneilsis, Talinum, Tanacetum, Tellima, Teucrium, Thlapsi, tiarella, Tigridia, Trautvetteria, Trifolium, Triteleia, Urospermum, Verbascum (do not exclude light),Verbena, Verbesina, Verninia, Veronica, Veronicastrum, Vestia, Vicia, Vincetoxicum.
Spring or autumn sow, benefits from pre-soaking overnight: Lathyrus, Lupinus.
Best sown mid-late spring onwards in or gentle artificial heat. We tend to find that plants are healthier if grown not too hot, but cooler. Most of these plants are easy and should germinate within a few weeks. Those needing higher temeratures will be stated on the packet. Abutilon, Achillea, Agastache, Alonsoa, Anisodontea, Anthemis, Antirrhinum (cover only very lightly), Aptenia, Araujia, Aristolochia, Arenaria, Arthropodium, Asarina, Asclepias, Atriplex, Azorina, Barbarea, Bignonia, Briza, Browallia, Blumenbachia, Caiophora, Campsis, Cardiospermum, Carissa, Chiastiophyllum, Cobaea, Collomia, Combretum, Commelina, Cuphea, Datura, Delosperma, Dianthus, Dietes, Dombeya, Eccremocarpus, Echium (needs perfect drainage), Eupatorium, Euphorbia, Euryops, Francoa (do not exclude light), Fuchsia, Gaura, Geranium, Gilia, Glaucium, Halleria, Hedychium, Hibiscus, Impatiens, Incarvillea, Isoplexis (do not exclude light), Jacaranda, Jasione, Kohleria, Lagerstroemia, Leonotis, Lepechinia, Lewesia, Limnanthes, Linaria, Linum, Lobelia, Lobostemon, Lopezia, Lophospermum, Lotus, Luculia, Mandevilla, Mimulus, Mirabilis, Monopsis, Nerium, Nicandra, Nicotiana (do not exclude light), Nonea, Omphaloides, Oxyria, Pavonia, Penstemon (do not exclude light), Petrocoptis, Phlomis, Phytolacca, Plantago, Platycodon, Podranea, Solanum, Stephanotis, Stenocarpus, Spathodea, Tecoma, Ratibida, Rehmannia, Rhigozum, Rhodochiton, Ricinus, Rudbeckia, Saponaria, Saruma, Sedum, Sempervivum, Senecio, Symphyandra (do not exclude light), Tulbaghia, Tweedia, Wahlenbergia, Zauschneria, Zigadenus.
The following require spring germination in gentle heat, but may benefit from overnight soaking: Acacia, Acridocarpus, Albizia, Alocasia, Anthyllis, Bauhinia, Caesalpinia, Canna, Clianthus, Colutea, Cordia, Cytisus, Ecballium, Ensete, Galega, Hedysarum, Indigofera, Ipomoea, Melianthus, Musa, Oxytropis, Passiflora, Piptanthus, Podalyria, Schotia, Strelitzia, Tamarindus.