Seed Stratification - Is it important?

What is Seed Stratification, Is it important?

The Simple Answer – YES! Seed Stratification - also known as cold stratification, is the process of exposing seeds to cold, moist conditions to encourage germination.

Have you ever planted your seeds, and nothing happened?

This could be a result of several factors including soil type, moisture content, planting depth, temperature, and seed viability; however not all seeds are ready to sprout after just being planted. Some seeds require a ‘wake up’ call - this occurs by initiating a temperature change to trigger the end of their dormancy/sleep period. Stratification occurs naturally when seeds are sown outdoors through the cold winter, it’s a survival mechanism so the seeds don’t germinate prematurely.

You can Cold stratify seeds a few different ways, we chose to utilize 5- gallon buckets with lids and to use the winter-time temperatures to our advantage.

The first thing Jessie did, was perform a ‘float’ test; This helps to determine if any seeds had rotted. To do this, Jessie placed the seeds in a 5-gallon bucket and filled said bucket with enough water to submerge the seeds, after 1-2 hours the process was complete and when done correctly, you’ll notice that all of the viable seeds sank to the bottom, while any rotten ones will remain floating; remove any rotten seeds and continue through the following steps.

After performing a float test, place all viable seeds in a 5-gallon bucket and fill halfway with water; allow these to soak for approx. 24-48hrs. While waiting, this is a great time to prep the buckets used for planting, if planning to use the same bucket currently being used, that’s okay (this step can be done later and won’t take very long!) If planning to use 3 or 5-gallon buckets – take the bucket(s) and flip it/them upside down, drill 6-8 holes, using a  ¼”  bit in a circular motion, this will allow any excess water to drain, preventing a buildup of moisture, that could eventually lead to rot.

After allowing the seeds to soak, remove seeds and set aside, drain any remaining water and if needed – drill your drainage holes. Next, go ahead and plant your seeds.

*We used 5-gallon buckets and spread 5lbs of black walnut seed over 4 buckets – so just over 1lb of seed per bucket.

Once your seeds are planted go ahead and water your seeds until the soil is nice and moist.

Next cover and place the bucket(s) outside in an open space that is free from debris or a covered structure; The goal is to allow these to get cold and/or freeze in order to complete the stratification process – so it’s okay, if they’re out in the open and unprotected from the elements.

And this completes the cold stratification process.

* Note that the length of time needed to stratify depends on the plant itself, while most require 1-3 months, it’s always a good idea to verify the time requirement needed for your specific plant/tree.