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**Morning Glory Seed Germination using Coffee Filter and Small Zippy Bag**
These directions on how to germinate morning glory (MG) seeds are based upon the considerable experience and knowledge of people other than myself, so you are actually listening to the resident experts of the MG forum being filtered through my editing powers.
Of the many different ways to germinate morning glory seeds, the filter/baggy method is preferred because it is particularly economical of time, space, materials - and seeds. Germination results are faster and the gardener can also see what the seeds are doing before they go into the ground. This method can be used on just about any other type of seed as well.
Also, please note that one gardener says that when the seedlings are ready to be potted, they won't be as large as in the photos - unless she doesn't get to them in time.
Readers' input and variations will be welcome after all the illustrated sections that comprise these directions are posted.
MATERIALS TO HAVE ON HAND:
Seed
Exacto Knife or Tweezers (the kind with a slanted tip with scizzor-like handle)
Coffee Filters (round, basket type) (Since coffee filters are denser than paper towels, roots don't get enmeshed in them as easily.)
Baggies
-- plastic zippy bags 2"x3" for small amounts of seed or larger size for bigger amounts of seed
-- recycled newspaper plastic sleeves or bread bags
Labels:
-- cheap Walmart mini-blinds, or
-- any recycled plastic container like that used for yogurt which can be cut up, too.
Sharpie Permanent Marker
Masking Tape
3% food grade hydrogen peroxide (H202)
Cups (Small, plastic 3 oz disposable type can be reused.)
2 Kinds of Potting Soil:
-- all purpose
-- 'Jiffy Mix'
1) Label each zippy bag with the name of MG to be germinated in it.
You can write the MG name with a Sharpie Permanent Marker on masking tape affixed to the baggie or directly on the baggie. EmmaGrace's favorite way to label these baggies is to make an ID marker by writing the MG name with a Sharpie on a piece of mini-blind (see above) and then slipping it inside the baggie along with the seeds. Cut the mini-blind (or recycled yogurt container) to slightly less than 2" so it will fit inside the baggie with the bottom edge slanted to make it easier to push into the ground later on when you are ready to plant (Photo 1).
2) Pre-sprout your seeds.
a) Next, put a solution of 1 gal water with 1 T H202* (as warm as possible) into a 3 oz. disposable cup, along with that ID marker you made in step #1. Then, put in your seeds. Do not soak seeds more than 24 hours, and - until they have swollen - change the water frequently keeping the water as warm as possible. Usually, they'll swell within a couple of hours to a few hours (Photos 2, 3 & 4).
b) If the seeds don't sprout within 24 hours, it's time to get out your chain saw (kidding). Very delicately, barely nick each seed that didn't swell with either the Exacto knife or nail clippers listed above. You only want to "barely" scrape or nick the seed coat just enough to where you can see the "white" of the inside of the seed (cutting deeper will damage the seed). Aim your nicker at the edge near the point - or at the end of the seeds (NOT ON THE EYE, which is where the root emerges). When you put the nicked seeds in water, faucet water that is not very warm works fine. It will only be a matter of a few minutes to an hour for them to swell.
c) When your seeds have swollen, they are ready for their baggie treatment:
-- Cut your coffee filters in half for only a few seeds (or use the entire filter and a larger zippy bag if you have several seeds).
-- Wet the coffee filter and then squeeze out excess moisture so it is damp (NOT dripping wet).
-- Place the seeds in the center of the filter so that the eye of each seed faces the same direction (Photo 5).
-- Fold the filter 1/3 over the seeds (Photo 6), then the other 1/3 over the seeds (Photo 7). Your seeds should have one layer of filter on one side and two layers on the other. Then fold each end over toward the center (Photos 8 & 9) so it will fit inside the zippy bag. Your folded filter should measure approximately 1 1/2" x 2 1/2".
-- With the seeds facing UP (Photo 10), place the filter, along with your ID marker if you are using one, inside the zippy bag (Photo 11).
-- Place the zippy bag on a sunny window ledge or under lights with the EYE OF THE SEED facing toward the light, as this is the part of the seed where the root will emerge. You can also place the baggie vertically (rather than laying it flat) so the roots will grow straight, rather than curved. This means the roots go down between the sheets of paper rather than into them. And the roots know which way is up no matter which way the baggie gets moved around.
The MG seeds will sprout their roots within two hours to several hours - or by the next day (Photo 12). Photos are posted following this text showing sprouted MG seeds in different stages. When the seeds are left in the bags for two or three days, you can even see the leaves starting to emerge (Photos 13, 14 & 15). Be sure to check on your seeds often until their roots have formed.
3) Plant the seedlings when their roots sprout. You can plant directly in the ground if the last spring frost has come or in a small pot.
-- To prepare the pot, first presoak both the 'Jiffy Mix' and regular potting soil - separately (Using water soon after it's been brought to the boil not only speeds up the rate by which the potting medium absorbs the water, but also helps to further sterilize it. Evidently, the peat in the mix takes forever to absorb water when it's cold.). Next, put the moistened regular potting mix on the bottom of the pot and 1/4" to 1/2" of the moistened Jiffy Mix on top (you don't want to apply the Jiffy Mix when it's in that fine dust stage straight from from the bag). Jiffy Mix is very soft and easier on the seedlings than the lumpier regular potting soil.
-- When planting the seedling in the pot, place the rooted end in the soil, leaving the tip of the seed just barely outside the soil (It helps to ease the root's passage into the soil with a nail file. When the root is in, smoosh the soil gently up against the root so there are no air spaces around the root). They will start growing right away. If you are starting your seeds before spring, place them under lights or on a sunny window ledge to sprout. If weather permits, place your container outside in part sun.
-- When the seedlings have their first set of true leaves (and a couple of inches or so tall), you are ready to plant them (moving them carefully) from your pot directly into the ground or into a larger container.
There are many ways to grow from seed, and this method may be too fussy for some with the extra transplanting step. But the benefits for EmmaGrace, besides the fast germination, are that only viable plants take up the limited space under her growlights and/or upon her windowsills with sufficient light - not to mention the extra abundance of MG seedlings for the garden after frost due to the greater germinating efficiency of this method.
Good Luck with your seeds - and Happy Gardening,
Emma (jmglvr)
Notes
* See http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/423028/ for more info on germinating seed (and other horticultural practices) with H202. The ratio of H202 to water can vary quite a bit from 1 oz H202 per pint of water to 1 T of H202 per gal of water. Some said they saw no difference between using distilled or tap water.
Also, some species of morning glory, like Evolvulus nuttallianus germinate better after being exposed to cold temperatures (stratification). For this morning glory, see http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/76546/index.html . For further information about winter sowing mentioned on that link, see DG's Winter Sowing Forum. Other techniques of exposing seed to cold to induce germination can be found in the Propagation Forum on DG.
