Plant Propagation & Protection
Tips on how to make your finger greener
Plant Propagation
Propagation is about providing seeds and vegetative propagation material the best conditions in which they can flourish and grow. A well grown crop is the result of paying attention to the many small details that make for successful propagation. To ensure that propagated material establishes well and quickly develops into a strong, healthy plant you have to control its environment until it becomes established as a new plant.
Propagating from seed
When a seed is mature and put in a favourable environment, it germinates (begins active growth). For successful germination, seeds require certain conditions:
- Water– provided by moisture in the soil
- Oxygen– aerated soil
- Appropriate temperature – all seeds have an optimum temperature for germination
Most prefer to germinate in darkness. although some, especially fine seeds, need exposure to light to germinate. Success also depends on the vigour of the seed. Fresh seed, or seed that has been stored in appropriate conditions will germinate more rapidly and produce more vigorous seedlings than old or poorly stored seed. Seeds have particular requirements when and where they should be sown.
Depending on the species of plant, both low and high temperatures can inhibit germination. The most temperature-sensitive stage in the process is when the seed is first absorbing water.
The following chart outlines suitable temperatures for common vegetable crops:
Percentage Germination
Not all seeds are viable. Many die due to poor storage conditions, old age (some seeds will only last 1 year), overheating when drying, etc. If you are growing commercially it is important to know the percentage germination of each plant crop. A simple germination test can be carried out;
100 seeds are moistened and placed on blotting paper, the amount that germinate are counted to give the percentage of success. This needs to be taken into consideration when sowing seeds and allowances must be made for the amount that is going to be unsuccessful in germination.