My dad and I always followed the time-honored tradition of planting peas on Saint Patrick’s Day, marking the unofficial beginning of spring and of the gardening season.
Historically, our tradition was immediately followed by 3-4 weeks of frustrated impatience, waiting for the garden bed to show any signs of life.
In recent years, I prefer to give my seeds a head start by using a method every elementary school student has mastered in science class: germination in a plastic bag
This method is super easy, basically free if you use household supplies, and it can be used for any type of seed throughout the gardening season. The only tricky part is that you have to remember to set it up a few days before you want to plant. 🙂
Why Pre-Germinate Your Seeds?
Seeds are amazing – one little seed contains all the nutrients the baby plant will need to develop until it can create food on its own via photosynthesis.
However, seeds must be exposed to the right conditions in order to leave dormancy and begin to germinate. For most garden plants, these conditions include water and warmth, which can be hard to come by in unpredictable spring weather.
By pre-germinating seeds, you stimulate the inner mechanics before you put the seeds in the ground – so you don’t have to wait as long for the seeds to break the soil line and start photosynthesizing.
This is not necessary, but it is helpful if you have a limited growing season. And while it is best to let this process work for 4-6 days, even just 12-24 hours of moisture and warmth before planting can jump start the process!
How to Pre-Germinate Your Seeds
Here’s what you’ll need: a plastic bag (reused is best!), paper towels, seeds, and tape. If your paper towels are thin, double up.
I picked ‘Lincoln‘ garden peas only because I happened to have them; I would much prefer a sugar snap variety, but I am trying to use up my hoard of old seeds. These are left over from a research project I completed last summer for my Master’s Degree in Biology.
- Dampen your paper towels, then squeeze out excess water – they should be damp, but not dripping.
- Spread your seeds on one towel, fold it over, and ensure each seed is sandwiched between layers. This keeps them consistently moist. Fold again to fit inside your bag, if necessary.
- Seal the bag and tape it to a sunny window.
- Wait. In 3-4 days, you should see tiny roots begin to emerge.
- Check back every day. When the paper towel starts to feel dry, re-dampen it. Ensure the bag is sealed to trap in heat and moisture.
For the past few years, I have lived in an apartment with a little raised bed on the balcony. With my big farm move coming up in just a few months, I almost didn’t bother planting anything this year.
But growing things helps me feel sane especially when life is chaotic, and March to June is the ideal pea planting season here in Connecticut, and I have a ton of these peas – so why not plant them? I had them in the plastic bag for four days before planting in the soil.
What are you planning to plant in your garden this spring? Will you pre-germinate any of your seeds?
Talk soon,
KC