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Starting Hard to Start Seeds The following is a guide for how to trigger growth in seeds which are hard to germinate. Different seeds require different growth conditions, so while this guide is suitable for a lot of different seeds, it is not suitable for all of them. Some seeds require darkness in order to germinate, some is triggered by light, and some depends most on the presence of water. Some seeds have a very hard seed coating and some almost none. This guide is foremost a guide for how to germinate seeds with a shell which is hard to penetrate. Some seeds will never the less need to undergo some scarification, in order to simulate the animal digestion cycle with is a part of the natural life cycle of the seed. Step 1: Heat some water until it boils. When the water is boiling, remove it from the heat and let it cool in another container for ten to thirty minutes or so. When the water is still very hot, put the seeds in and let them soak for 12 hours. The hot water will soften up the seed coating and rapid saturation of the embryo, triggering the germination phase. If you let the seeds soak for a longer period of time, it is important that you change the water at least once a day, so that the water doesn't run stale. Step 2: Clean a terracotta pot, with a hole in the bottom. The pot should be small. A pot measuring something like 6 cm in diameter and 6 cm in height is perfect. Since the roots of most plants require an oxygenated environment, it is important that the water absorbed by the soil doesn't run stale. Terracotta breathes which allows for oxygen transition, and for easy control of soil saturation, this because it is easy to dry out the soil in a terracotta pot of this size. Different seeds have different soil requirements, but supposedly you will use some kind of potting dirt and mix with perlite. Fill half of the pot with the soil mixture. Step 3: Spray the soil surface, until the soil is saturated. Step 4: Now it is time to fill up the rest of the pot with the soil mixture. Save 0.5 cm in height for additional soil and rim. Once again spray with water until the soil is saturated through fully. Step 5: Prepare a tea-strainer by filling it with dry soil. The soil should be so dry that when you shake the tea-strainer, particles of soil fall through the grid. Place seed(s) on top of the soil and dust with the tea-strainer until the seed is covered with soil. Carefully spray the surface. You do this by pointing the nozzle somewhat to the side of the pot when spraying. Only drifting water particles will now land on the soil, which ensures that the seed doesn't get disturbed in its resting place. This is especially true for small seeds. It is easier to sow a seed which have not yet sprouted. If is has, which it most likely will if you let it soak in water for long enough, then make sure you place the seed with the sprouting pointing downwards. Step 6: Place the pot in a plastic container and drape it with film wrap. Place the container by the window, on a heating device, or somewhere else where the seed germination criteria are met. A container draped in film wrap, allows for humidity control and stablizes other growth parameters such as temperature. Remove the film wrap every other day to refresh the air. Mist the soil if necessary. Do not allow the soil to dry out, but make sure the seed isn't soaking in stale water either. When the seed has sprouted and the seedling is poking up through the dirt, let it stay in the plastic container with the film wrap on. Before you remove the film wrap you have to train the seedling to cope with the environment outside the humidity dome. You do this by removing the film wrap gradually, over a period of days. You will notice that the soil will dry out much more rapidly, now when the film wrap is gone. Besides misting the seedling every once in a while, you should pour water in the container and let the soil soak up the water by capillary action. This will stimulate the seedling to grow roots. Don't let the pot stay in water for long. If you enjoyed this page you might want to have a look at this: The Vegetable Kingdom.