seedpropagation1

GLENNS GARDEN

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PROPAGATION

SEEDS

This section of propagation is about seeds. We will look at production of pansies for this year's crop from germination thru flowering. This method requires patients but works very well for us. It is important to remember that all materials should be clean and sterile. If you are reusing flats or cell packs you should wash them first in a 10% solution of bleach. There is nothing more upsetting to have a lot of time and work wasted by disease that could have been prevented with a few minutes of preparation. Always use fresh sterile materiel for the germination tray. When we are done with the germination materiel we compost it then use it as topdressing on our beds.

This is our germination box. It is constructed out of some scrap plywood, which we had. The walls are 10" high and are attached to each other using corner brackets. The walls just sit on top of a piece of plywood we use as a base. The top is a piece of plexi - glass to keep in the heat and moisture. Attached to the sides of the box are 6 light sockets with 75-watt bulbs that are wired up to an inline thermostat, which turns them on and off as the temperature rises, and falls. At the end of the season, the box just comes apart and is stored in the corner. The first step is to place the germination flats in the germination box and keep them moist until they sprout and get their first set of leaves. Pansies need light to germinate so the seed is scattered over the surface and not covered. Care needs to be taken when watering so the seed is not washed around.

Once the seed has germinated it is moved to a heat bench in the greenhouse until the seedlings develop the first set of true leaves and are ready for transplanting. It is important to provide enough light so that the seedlings do not have to stretch for light and stay compact. We place florescent light about 14" over the tops of the flats.

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