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LESSON SIX

Seed Germination 6 - 4

Germination Requirements:

Moisture:
Saturate your growing medium with water or nutrient solution with a pH of 5.5 - 6.5. Be sure to keep the growing medium moist throughout germination. Ideally, the water or nutrient solution should be kept at 75 -80 F. This temperature can be easily maintained with a submersible aquarium heater.
Once your plants have germinated, a nutrient solution with a pH of 5.5 - 6.5 and a nutrient concentration of 1800 - 2000 umhos/cm should be fed.

Relative humidity:
The higher the relative humidity, the greater the absorption of water by the seed. Ideally , relative humidity should be 70 % -80 % in the air around the media and near 100 % right around the seed.

Ideal temperatures: Bottom heat is advantageous for propagation. Heated propagation mats are made for this purpose and are often incorporated into incubation chambers and propagation tables.

Providing the ideal ambient temperature for your seeds will encourage quick germination. The chart below shows optimum germination temperatures for a variety of plants.

 

Crop

Optimum temperature
for germination

Carrots

86 F

Cucumbers

76 F

Lettuce

76F

Melons

90F

Parsley

77 F

Peas

76 F

Radishes

86 F

Tomatoes

78 

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