This document discusses plant propagation, including definitions of seed propagation and vegetative propagation. Seed propagation involves growing plants from seeds, while vegetative propagation uses plant parts like stems or leaves. Some benefits of seed propagation are guaranteed germination rates and availability of a wide variety of seeds, while limitations include slower growth and not guaranteeing the traits of the parent plant. Vegetative propagation allows exact clones of the parent and is faster but requires more labor and costs. The document also covers seed harvesting, storage conditions for different types of seeds, and factors for germination.

1. RHS Level 2 Certificate Week 11 – Plant Propagation introduction

4. Seed propagation – advantages/disadvantages Guarantee only applies to vegetable seeds. Guaranteed germination rates and disease free Slower to maturity than vegetatively propagated plants. Storage – most seed can easily be stored for some time Seeds for single colour of some flower varieties may not be available. Choice – a huge range of seed available Takes time and space to grow from seed to plants ready to plant out. Large volumes of seed – cheap way to produce new plants Open pollinated plants may not come true from seed The ability to breed new varieties Disadvantage Advantage

6. Vegetative propagation – advantages/disadvantages Smaller volumes in general – but NB - tissue culture. Ability to adapt plant to environment using rootstock choice e.g. Malus Gradual loss of juvenility unless care of parent plants is very skilled. Speed to maturity is much quicker. Time – each plant has to be individually propagated. The only way to reproduce sterile varieties such as Vitis vinifera ‘Thompson’s Seedless’ Cost – requires skilled labour and aftercare. Uniformity – each will be exactly the same. Little chance of a new variety arising. Monocultures are susceptible to disease. True to type – each is a clone of the parent. Only way for some varieties e.g. variegation. Disadvantages Advantages