Learn about seed anatomy, different types of commercially available seeds, , sowing depths, seed starting times, seed starting equipment and supplies and a wealth of tips for successful germination.

1. PRESENTED BY: GIL LOPEZ
Plant Propagation I:
Starting Crops from Seed
What sorts of seeds are you starting this year?
Answer in the chat box.

2. Land Acknowledgment
I A C K N O W L E D G E T H E T R A D I T I O N A L C U S T O D I A N S O F T H E L A N D O N W H I C H I L I V E ,
W O R K A N D P L A Y . I H A V E D E V E L O P E D T H I S P R E S E N T A T I O N A N D I A M O F F E R I N G I T
F R O M W I T H I N M Y H O M E I N T H E T R A D I T I O N A L L A N D S O F T H E C A N A R S I E A N D M U N S E E
P E O P L E S , N O W C A L L E D A S T O R I A , Q U E E N S . W H I L E C O L O N I Z A T I O N H A S L A R G E L Y
E X T I R P A T E D T H E L E N A P E P E O P L E S , I R E C O G N I Z E T H E I R C O N T I N U I N G C O N N E C T I O N
T O L A N D , W A T E R A N D C O M M U N I T Y . I A L S O P A Y R E S P E C T T O E L D E R S P A S T , P R E S E N T
A N D E M E R G I N G . M Y I N T E N T I O N T O D A Y I S T H A T T H I S P R E S E N T A T I O N W I L L H E L P
B R I N G H O N O R A N D D I G N I T Y B A C K T O L A N D S A N D W A T E R S O F L E N A P E H O K I N G .

3. Propagation Methods
● Sexual propagation
○ Seeds
○ Spore
● Asexual Propagation (covered in other presentations)
○ Division
○ Cutting
○ Grafting
○ Layering
○ Special Techniques
! Micro propagation
! Tissue Culture

4. Sexual Propagation
● Spores grow ferns and mushrooms (not covered)
● Seeds
○ Seed Structure
○ Types of Seeds
○ Seed Sowing Depth
○ Seed Starting Equipment
○ Timing Starts
○ Seed Starting Tips
○ References

5. Seed Structure
Monocots - 1 cotyledon (seed leaf)
Dicots - 2 cotyledons (seed leafs)

6. Seed Anatomy

7. Types of Seeds
● Open-Pollinated
● Heirloom
● Organic
● Wild Crafted/Foraged
● Hybrids
● GMO
● Treated

8. Types of Seeds
● Open-Pollinated
● Heirloom
● Organic
● Wild Crafted/Foraged
● Hybrids
● GMO
● Treated
These types of seeds are
pollinated naturally by birds,
insects, wind, or other
animals. Open-pollinated
seeds will “breed true”,
meaning they produce plants
that are roughly identical to
their parent seeds (as long as
the parents are of the same
variety). These seeds are
genetically diverse. This
genetic variation helps plants
adapt to local growing
conditions over generations.
Many organic gardeners
prefer open-pollinated seeds.

9. Types of Seeds
● Open-Pollinated
● Heirloom
● Organic
● Wild Crafted/Foraged
● Hybrids
● GMO
● Treated
Heirloom-type seeds are open-
pollinated seeds that have been passed
down through generations of human
families or communities. These
historical varieties have been preserved
and passed down in a tradition of
generational sharing similar to passing
down jewelry. All heirloom seeds are
open-pollinated, but not all open-
pollinated seeds are heirloom seeds.
Saving and exchanging seed with other
growers is a traditional practice that has
been happening for thousands of years.
These heritage types of seeds have been
saved by growers and passed down for
generations. The seeds evolve over time,
naturally adapting to the local climate.
This natural adaptation makes heirloom
seeds well-suited to organic gardening.

10. Types of Seeds
● Open-Pollinated
● Heirloom
● Organic
● Wild Crafted/Foraged
● Hybrids
● GMO
● Treated
Certified Organic seeds are
grown with the same
procedures and certifications
used to produce certified
organic food. Some organic
gardeners trust and rely on the
organic certification, while
others worry that not
introducing “wild” seed
decreases genetic variety. As
with all seeds for sale, choose a
trusted seed seller and do your
research on the variety offered
(and customer reviews).
Organic does not exclude GMOs

11. Types of Seeds
● Open-Pollinated
● Heirloom
● Organic
● Wild Crafted/Foraged
● Hybrids
● GMO
● Treated
Seeds collected from wild
plants are often known as
“wild-crafted” or “foraged”
type seeds. These seeds are
among the hardest to find for
sale commercially. Some
organic gardeners collect
their own wild seed, while
others find them for sale at
seed swaps or available from
a local seed library.

12. Types of Seeds
● Open-Pollinated
● Heirloom
● Organic
● Wild Crafted/Foraged
● Hybrids
● GMO
● Treated
Hybrid seeds are created when one plant
variety is pollinated by the pollen of a
different species or variety. Seeds that
are hybrids can occur in nature without
human intervention, but the hybrid seeds
for sale in garden centers are the result of
plant breeders. Traditional breeders
work in fields and greenhouses to
produce a hybrid plant that combines the
best traits of each of the parent plants by
naturally cross-pollinating them by hand.
Hybrid seeds do not produce identical
offspring plants. Offspring plants will not
be true-to-type to parent seeds, and also
may be less healthy. That being said,
hybrid seeds can be stabilized into open-
pollinated varieties by traditional
selection and seed saving over
generations of seeds. To continue to grow
the same varieties however, hybrid types
of seeds must be re-purchased from the
seed company every year.

13. Types of Seeds
● Open-Pollinated
● Heirloom
● Organic
● Wild Crafted/Foraged
● Hybrids
● GMO
● Treated
Hybrid seeds are not
genetically modified. GMO
seeds are developed in
laboratories whereas hybrid
seeds are developed in fields
or greenhouses. Hybrid
seeds have been developed
for centuries by growers,
and are considered safe for
organic gardening. GMO
seeds are a recent scientific
development (see next
slide).

14. Types of Seeds
● Open-Pollinated
● Heirloom
● Organic
● Wild Crafted/Foraged
● Hybrids
● GMO
● Treated
Genetically-modified organisms have been
engineered in laboratories by scientists to
have certain traits. This is a relatively new
technology in plants, with the first GMO crops
developed in the 1980’s. In the case of seeds,
many of the most common commercially
grown and federally subsidized seeds, such as
corn and soybeans have been designed to be
resistant to broad-spectrum chemical plant
herbicides. Roundup Ready Crops are likely
the most infamous of these GMO plant
varieties.
Altering the genes of a plant to resist chemical
herbicides allows the grower to drench the
crop in herbicides to destroy any weeds
without harming growth of the crop.
Unfortunately this has led to herbicide-
resistant weeds and increased use of
manufactured chemicals in, and on our food.
GMO seeds are not widely available to the
home gardener and if they were, relying on
factory-produced chemicals to grow a kitchen
garden really defeats the point.

15. Types of Seeds
● Open-Pollinated
● Heirloom
● Organic
● Wild Crafted/Foraged
● Hybrids
● GMO
● Treated
Known bioengineered foods:
alfalfa, Arctic apple, canola,
corn, cotton, Bt eggplant,
ringspot virus-resistant
papaya, pink flesh pineapple,
potato, AquAdvantage
salmon, soybean, summer
squash and sugarbeet.

16. Types of Seeds
● Open-Pollinated
● Heirloom
● Organic
● Wild Crafted/Foraged
● Hybrids
● GMO
● Treated
Seeds of any type can be treated
with chemicals to prevent rot or
to deter pests. Treated seeds
often have a bright colorful
coating. These can include red,
blue, and/or green chemical
coatings, but not always.
Organic gardeners should be
wary of chemically-treated seeds
and keep them out of your
garden by seeking out untreated
seed.
If you are using store bought
foods to be planted as seed, such
as garlic, you should ensure it is
grown organically and not
treated.

17. Types of Seeds

18. What is the
largest seed on
Earth?
• It has liquid
endosperm that is
sold as a
refreshing
beverage.
• It is edible.
• It grows on island
beaches.
?

19. What is the
largest seed on
Earth?
The COCONUT
Technically it is the sea
coconut, or double
coconut, but this is a
very rare plant and seed.
sea coconut, coco de mer,
or double coconut

20. What is the
largest seed on
Earth?
The COCONUT
Technically it is the sea
coconut, or double
coconut, but this is a very
rare plant and seed.
The coconut tree (Cocos
nucifera) is typically
recognized as the largest
seed and a member of
the palm tree family. The
term "coconut" can refer
to the whole coconut
palm tree, the seed, or
the fruit, which
botanically is a drupe,
not a nut.
sea coconut, coco de mer,
or double coconut

21. How Deep Should you
sow your seeds?

22. Seed Sowing Depths
Seeds should generally be buried 2 to 3 times
as deep as the seeds diameter.

23. Seed Sowing Depths
● Some seeds need light to germinate and should not
be covered at all. These include:
○ Ageratum, Astilbe, Balloon flower, Cleome, Coleus, Coreopsis,
Dill, Impatiens, Lettuce, Mexican sunflower (aka tithonia),
Ornamental peppers, Petunias, Savory, Shasta daisy,
Snapdragon, Strawflower, Stock, Sweet alyssum, Yarrow

24. Lets take a look at various
Seed Starting Equipment
● Containers
● Seed Starting or Potting Soil Mixes
● Lights
● Heating Mats and Cables
● Capillary Mats
● Fertilizer
○

25. Containers for Seed Starting
● Flats
● Trays & Cell Packs
● Pots
● Soil Blocks
● DIY Containers

26. Containers for Seed Starting
● Flats
● Trays & Cell Packs
● Pots
● Soil Blocks
● DIY Containers

27. Containers for Seed Starting
● Flats
● Trays & Cell Packs
● Pots
● Soil Blocks
● DIY Containers

28. Containers for Seed Starting
● Flats
● Trays & Cell Packs
● Pots
● Soil Blocks
● DIY Containers

29. Containers for Seed Starting
● Flats
● Trays & Cell Packs
● Pots
● Soil Blocks
● DIY Containers

30. Containers for Seed Starting
● Flats
● Trays & Cell Packs
● Pots
● Soil Blocks
● DIY Containers

31. Containers for Seed Starting
● Flats
● Trays & Cell Packs
● Pots
● Soil Blocks
● DIY Containers continued

32. Containers for Seed Starting
● Flats
● Trays & Cell Packs
● Pots
● Soil Blocks
● DIY Containers

33. Soil Mixes
for Seed Starting
● Seed Starting or Potting Soil Mixes
○ Peat moss, coconut coir, compost, perlite and/or activated biochar. If using
sphagnum moss, correct for pH by adding a little garden lime.
○ Seed starting mix is finer in texture than potting soil. It contains ingredients
like peat moss, vermiculite, coconut coir, and perlite. It does not contain
actual soil. Seed starting mix is lightweight, specifically designed not to weigh
down seeds as they germinate.

34. Lights
for Seed Starting
○ Seeds need 14 hours of strong light a day for healthy compact growth
○

35. Benefits Of Lights
● Stronger and healthier seedlings – The main benefit of using artificial
lights is that your seedlings will be much stronger, healthier, and stay more
compact than they would just sitting near a sunny window.
● Better survival rate – Once you provide enough light, you’ll find that the
survival rate of your seedlings is much higher. So you won’t have to plant
extras to make up for all the weak ones you would have ended up losing.
● Less waste – Since you won’t have to plant extras to make up for those losses,
there will be much less waste. You won’t waste any seeds or dirt… or your time.
Because of this, you’ll find the lights will pay for themselves pretty quickly.
● Much easier – Providing proper lighting for seedlings will make your life so
much easier too. By using a timer, you can just set it and forget it, rather than
having to constantly monitor and rotate your trays.
● Prevents legginess – The only way to prevent seedlings from getting tall and
leggy is to provide adequate lighting.
● Grow seeds anywhere in your house – Another benefit is that you can
put your seedlings anywhere in the house. You don’t need to worry about
keeping them in a room that gets tons of natural light.
○ Seeds need 14 hours of strong light a day for healthy compact growth
○
https://getbusygardening.com/lighting-for-seedlings/

36. Heating supplies
for Seed Starting
● Heating Mats and Cables
○ Most seeds germinate faster in warm soil (70-75 degrees)

37. Capillary mats
for Seed Starting
● Capillary Mats
○ Wicks water up to soil and maintains even and steady soil moisture

38. Fertilizers
for Seed Starting
● Fertilizer
○ Half-strength solution of fish or seaweed fertilizer or compost tea

39. R E S E A R C H T H E L A S T F R O S T D A T E I N Y O U R
A R E A A N D W O R K B A C K W A R D S D E P E N D I N G O N
S P E C I F I C S E E D G E R M I N A T I O N T I M E S
When To Start Seeds

40. http://www.organicgardening.com/sites/default/files/pdf/Seedsaverchart_2.pdf
Get The
Timing Down
To calculate when to
sow your seeds, find a
seed-starting chart,
print it out and then
fill in the blanks. Then
you will have a
planting plan you can
follow through the
late winter and spring
seeding and planting
season.
April 5, 2022

41. http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/14-tips-starting-your-own-seeds
○ Some plants lend themselves to home germination better than others.
Surefire vegetables include basil, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage,
cauliflower, chives, leeks, lettuce, onions, peppers, and tomatoes. Some
reliable annual flowers are alyssum, cosmos, marigolds, and zinnias.
Perennials include Shasta daisies, columbines, and hollyhocks.
Seed Starting Tips
Place Sure Bets

42. Seed Starting Tips
(Cold) Stratification
Cold stratification is the process of subjecting seeds to both cold and moist conditions. Seeds of many
trees, shrubs and perennials require these conditions before germination will ensue.
Some fruit trees seeds that require a certain number of chill hours before they flower include: apple, blueberry,
cherry, pear, peach, and others require stratification for good germination rates.
Common wildflower varieties that require cold stratification for spring planting:
• Milkweed (Asclepias)
• Lupine (Lupinus)
• St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum)
• Prairie Coneflower (Ratibida)
• Prairie Violet (Viola pedatifida)
• Pincushion Flower (Scabiosa)
• Marsh Marigold (Caltha palustris)
• Perennial Sunflowers (Helianthus)
• Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum)
• Rudbeckia (most varieties)
• Coneflower (some varieties)
• Soapwort (Saponaria ocymoides)
• Primrose (Oenothera speciosa)
• Larkspur (Delphinium)
• Shooting Star (Dodecatheon meadia)
• Heliopsis
• Lavender/Hyssop (Agastache foeniculum)
• Catmint (nepeta)
• Ironweed (Vernonia gigantea)

43. Seed Scarification is the process of opening up, or penetrating the hard outer shell
called the seed coat. Large or hard seeds like those of beans, okra, and
nasturtium often require scarification for optimal germination. Most plants in
the tomato and morning glory families also have impermeable seed coats and
will germinate better after scarification. There are several methods to scarify a seed
these include:
• Rubbing the seed on sand paper
• Using a knife to scarify seeds
• Rubbing the seed on a metal file
• Soak the seed in hot water
• Nick the edge with nail clippers
• Chemical scarification with sulfuric acid
Seed Starting Tips
Scarification

44. Seed Starting Tips
Soaking
By soaking seeds overnight, the day before you germinate them indoors or sow
them into your garden, you can increase germination rates and overall vigor over
the life of the plants. The seeds swell as water penetrates the seed coat and the
embryo inside begins to plump up. You can presoak just about any seed, except the
tiniest ones. Too much soaking in water and a seed will drown. It is recommended
that you only soak most seeds for 12 to 24 hours and no more than 48 hours. Never
soak seeds until the day before you are planting them, this could lead to rot or
fungal disease.

45. http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/14-tips-starting-your-own-seeds
○ Reuse last year's nursery flats if you have some around. Otherwise, any container 2 or 3
inches deep will do. Punch holes for drainage into the bottom of containers and set them
into trays. Protect against plant disease by thoroughly cleaning all used containers: Wash
them in hot, soapy water, and rinse with a dilute solution of household bleach or distilled
white vinegar.
Seed Starting Tips
Gather and Sterilize Containers

46. http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/14-tips-starting-your-own-seeds
○ You can buy bags of seed-starter mix or you can make your own seed-starting mix by
blending equal parts of perlite, vermiculite, and peat. Add 1/4 teaspoon of lime to each
gallon of mix to neutralize the acidity of the peat. You'll eventually want to repot most of
your seedlings into larger containers before setting them into the garden. But lettuce,
melons, and cucumbers are finicky about being transplanted and should go directly from the
original containers into the garden. When starting these fussier plants, always add two parts
well-aged, screened compost to your mix to give them a healthy beginning.
Seed Starting Tips
Pick the right growing medium

47. http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/14-tips-starting-your-own-seeds
○ Moisten your medium in the containers before sowing the seeds. Next, drop seeds onto
the surface of the mix, spacing them as evenly as possible. Cover the seeds to a depth
about two to three times the thickness of the seeds. Some seeds, such as ageratum,
alyssum, impatiens, petunias, and snapdragons, should not be covered at all because
they need light in order to germinate.
Seed Starting Tips
Sow carefully

48. http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/14-tips-starting-your-own-seeds
○ Seedlings don't have to stay as warm as germinating seeds. Move them
away from radiators and air vents, or off the heating mat, as soon they
have germinated.
Seed Starting Tips
Cool Down

49. http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/14-tips-starting-your-own-seeds
○ Lightly sprinkle milled sphagnum moss, a natural fungicide, over everything
to protect against damping-off, a fungal disease that rots seeds and seedlings.
In the case of seeds that need light to germinate, sprinkle the moss first and
then drop the seeds onto the moss.
Seed Starting Tips
Top it off

50. http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/14-tips-starting-your-own-seeds
Seed Starting Tips
Keep seeds cozy
○ Cover the flats with plastic wrap or glass to keep the environment humid
and place them near a heat vent or on a heat mat made especially for seed
starting. Most seeds germinate well at about 70 degrees F.

51. http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/14-tips-starting-your-own-seeds
Seed Starting Tips
Keep them Moist
○ Mist with a spray bottle or set the trays into water to wick up
the moisture from below with a capillary mat or a sub-irrigated
planter (SIP).

52. http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/14-tips-starting-your-own-seeds
Seed Starting Tips
Lighten Up
○ At the first signs of sprouting, uncover and move the containers to a bright spot—a
sunny window, a greenhouse, or beneath a couple of ordinary fluorescent shop lights
(4-footers with two 40-watt bulbs). The lights are worthwhile, especially if you live in
the North. They provide a steady source of high-intensity light. Short days restrict
window light, and your seedlings need 12 to 16 hours of light a day. Suspend the lights
just 2 inches above the plants and gradually raise them as the seedlings mature. If
plants have to stretch or lean toward the light, they can become weak and spindly. To
turn the lights on and off at the same time each day, hook them up to an electric timer.

53. http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/14-tips-starting-your-own-seeds
Seed Starting Tips
Feed them
○ If you are using a soilless mix without compost, begin to fertilize your
seedlings as soon as they get their first true leaves. Water with a half-
strength solution of liquid fish/seaweed fertilizer, or worm casting tea
every week or two.

54. http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/14-tips-starting-your-own-seeds
Seed Starting Tips
Give them room
○ AKA Stepping up
containers. If the seedlings
outgrow their containers or
crowd one another, repot
them into larger containers
filled with a mix that
includes compost. Extract
the seedlings with a narrow
fork or flat stick, and
handle by their leaves and
roots to avoid damaging the
fragile stems.

55. http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/14-tips-starting-your-own-seeds
Seed Starting Tips
Pet them
○ Lightly ruffling seedlings once or twice a day with your hand or a
piece of cardboard helps them to grow stocky and strong. Or, set up a
small fan to gently, continuously blow on your seedlings.

56. http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/14-tips-starting-your-own-seeds
Seed Starting Tips
Harden them off
○ About 1 week before the plants are to go outside, start acclimating
them to living outside. On a warm spring day move the containers to
a shaded, protected place, such as a porch, for a few hours. Each day
—unless the weather is horrible—gradually increase the plants
exposure to sun and breeze. At the end of the week leave them out
overnight; then transplant them into the garden.
Leaves can get sunburned if not
hardened off properly
Opening and closing a cold frame is an
excellent way to harden off seedlings

57. References & Links
● Making more plants : the science, art, and joy of
propagation By Druse, Kenneth.
● Starting from seed : the natural gardener's guide to
propagating plants By Gutler, Karan Davis
● Propagation basics By Bradley, Steve, 1949-
● http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/14-
tips-starting-your-own-seeds
● www.organicgardening.com/sites/default/files/pdf/
Seedsaverchart_2.pdf
● https://www.almanac.com/gardening/frostdates
● https://getbusygardening.com/lighting-for-seedlings/

58. Thank You!
● Follow-up questions? Contact glopezsez@gmail.com
● Check out future Queens Library gardening
workshops
● Follow me and related projects on Instagram:
● @glopezsez
● @SmilingHogsheadRanch
● @Resistance_is_Fertile