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Before germination the seeds should be washed thoroughly and any discoloured seeds removed. Seeds germinate best in the dark. To this end the majority of seeds have to be soaked in lukewarm water overnight first of all. Usually there is a note on the packaging if this pre-treatment is not necessary with a type of plant.
The next day the germ buds (shoots) should be placed in a suitable container. Green shoots (for example cress, lucerne and mustard) grow in shallow containers best of all. The most suitable container is a shallow bowl with moist gauze on which the seeds are then spread. In order to keep the seeds moist they should be sprinkled with water from time to time. For other seeds a special germinator container may be used. [More about the individual germinator containers is to be found under “The various germination methods”]
It is important that the germ buds are always moist – but not wet. They should be rinsed with water at least twice a day. This allows the resulting carbon dioxide to escape and for the buds to absorb oxygen. The time of year and temperature also affects the necessary amount of water.
Light promotes the production of valuable nutrients and lowers the nitrogen content. The germ buds should be placed somewhere light, therefore, on a window sill for instance. Nevertheless they should not be exposed to direct sunlight. The optimum temperature for germination is 18 to 22 degrees Celsius.
The sprouts may – depending on the type of plant – be harvested after two to eight days. Seeds that have germinated are described as germ buds. In the next stage, when the first small green leaves can be seen, they are called sprouts or shoots.
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