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Seed Germination Chart



Some Abbreviations Used
A: Annual - a plant which lives one year only from seed.
P: Perennial - a plant which comes back every year.
H: Indicates a plant hardy in northern zones.
T: Indicates a tender plant, shrub (sh), or tree (t) which will not winter over in northern zones.
IS: In Situ; can be planted outside directly where it is to grow.
JC: Just Cover; barely cover with soil
SS:Surface Sow; press seeds gently into to the soil to make good contact, but do not cover with any additional soil; these seeds require light to germinate.
L/D: Light or Dark; seeds which require dark should have the flat covered with newspaper or brown paper or something similar to keep light from getting to the seeds. Plants requiring light to germinate are to be surface sown.
S/I: Germination is slow and irregular
HH: Half hardy. If an annual, it will usually not reseed itself in northern zones, and if perennial, will be killed by freezing temperatures.
TP: Tender perennial (or shrub, etc). Will not winter over in northern zones, but makes a good greenhouse specimen.
GHS: Tropical or delicate plant best grown in greenhouse.
BB: Bulb.

NOTE: The heading 'Medium' refers to a sterile potting soil.



-S-
PlantDays for
Germination
Light/
Dark
Temp °FMediumDepth of
Seed
Special Info
Sagina (hp)10-21.55Well-drained JC.
Saintpaulia (tp)30-60 s/iL70-75Peaty SSSee Begonia
Salpiglossis (hha)15-30 s/iD70-75Peaty SS.
Salvia (hha,ha,hp)10-14L70-80Well-drainedSSS. patens and S. superba need #3 for 3 weeks.
Sandersonia (hhbb)30-90 s/i.75 Well-drained1/8"#2.
Sanguinaria (hp)30-90 s/i.50-55Well-drained 1/16".
Sanguisorba (hp)30-60.50-55Well-drained SS.
Santolina (hsh)15-30.65-70Well-drained JC.
Sanvitalia (ha)10-21L70 Well-drainedSS.
Saponaria (ha,hp)10-21L70 Well-drainedSS#3 for 3 weeks.
Sarcococca (hsh)30-120 s/i.55-65Peaty JC.
Sarracenia (hp)30-90 s/iL75-80Peaty SS#3 for 7 days, then See Begonia
Saxifraga (hp)15-60 s/i.65-75Well-drained JCSee Bonsai
Scabiosa (ha)10-15 s/i.70-75Well-drained 1/16".
Schefflera (ghs-sh)20-30.75Peaty 1/16".
Schizanthus (ta)7-14D60-75Peaty SS.
Schizopetalon (hha)7-21.60-65Well-drained 1/16".
Schizostylis (hbb)30-90 s/i.55-60Well-drained 1/16".
Scilla (hp)30-180 s/i.50Peaty 1/16"See Bonsai
Scutellaria (hp)14-180 s/i.50Well-drained JC.
Sedum (hp)15-30 s/i.50Well-drained SSSee Bonsai
Sempervivum (tp,hp)15-30 s/i.70 Well-drainedSS.
Senecio (hha)10-21L65-75Well-drained 1/16".
Sequoia (ht)7-60 s/iL65-70Peaty SS.
Setcreasia (hhp)30-40.70Peaty JC.
Shortia (hp)30-60 s/i.60-65Peaty SS#3 for 3 weeks.
Sidalcea (hp)14-45.50Well-drained 1/8".
Silene (hp)15-20.70Well-drained JCCan be sown IS.
Silybum (ha)14-21.55-60Well-drained 1/8"Can be sown IS.
Simmondsia (hht)14-21.65-70Well-drained JC#2 for 12 hours.
Sinningia (tp)10-21L70 PeatySS.
Sisyrinchium (hp)30-180 s/i.50Well-drained 1/8"See Bonsai
Skimmia (hsh)30-180 s/iL50-60Acid peat SS#2 overnight, then #3 for 4 weeks.
Smilacena (hp)30-180 s/iL60-65Peaty JC#3 for 3 weeks.
Smithiantha (tp)15-40L75 PeatySS#5.
Solanum (tp)14-21L70-80Well-drained SS.
Soldanella (hp)30-180 s/iL55-60Well-drained JC#3 for 4 weeks.
Solidago (hp)14-45.50Well-drained JC.
Sophora (ht)10-21.70-85Well-drained JC#1 and #2.
Sorbus (ht)120-180 s/iL65-70Well-drained SS#3 for 4 months.
Sparaxis (hbb)30-90 s/i.50-55Well-drained 1/16".
Sparmannia (tsh)21-30.65-75Peaty JC.
Spartium (hsh)7-30.70Well-drained JC#1 and #2.
Specularia (ha)10-30.-Well-drained 1/16"Sow IS.
Spigelia (h/hhp)30-60L65-70Well-drained JC#3 for 3 weeks.
Spiraea (sh)30-40.55-65Well-drained JC.
Stachys (hp)15-30L70 Well-drainedJCReduce temp at night. Plants prefer to grow on the dry side.
Stapelia (tp)10-30 s/iL65-70Peaty SSMedium should be ½ peat and ½ sand.
Stenocarpus (hht)30-90 s/i.65-75Well-drained JC.
Stephanotis (tp)15-90 s/i.75-80Peaty 1/16"Keep medium slighly moist.
Stereospermum (tsh)30-180 s/i.65-75Well-drained JC.
Stocks (hha)10-14L55-60Well-drained SSCan be sown IS.
Stokesia (hp)25-30.70Peaty 1/16".
Strelitzia (tp)30-180 s/i.70-75SandSS See Strelitzia
Streptocarpus (tp)15-30L55-65Peaty SS#5. Also: See Begonia
Streptosolon (hhsh)30-90 s/i.55-65Well-drained 1/16".
Stylomecon (ha)14-21.-Well-drained 1/16"Sow IS.
Styrax (hsh)30-90 s/i.55-65Well-drained JC.
Sweet Pea (ha)10-21D55-65Peaty ¼"#1 or #2. Grow cool.
Succisa (hp)10-21 s/i.65-70Well-drained JC.
Sutherlandia (h/hhsh)21-30.60-65Well-drained 1/16"#2 for 3 hours.
Symphyandra (hp)21-30L60-65Well-drained JC.
Syringa (hsh)14-60L70 PeatySS#3 for 3 weeks.




© 2001 by Ernestina Parziale

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