Seeds & Seed Propagation Floral Careers Plant Propagation

3 Basic Parts  Embryo  Food Storage  Coverings

Embryo  Part of the seed that “germinates” and becomes the new plant.

Bean seed showing embryo

Food Storage  Cotyledons.  Also called “seed leaves”.

Cucumber Cucumber seed leaves

Coverings  Seed coat

Germination Requirements of Seed  Moisture  Favorable temperatures  Oxygen

Light and Seed Germination  May be required for germination in some species: Small-seeded annual plants Small-seeded annual plants

Seed Enhancements

Let’s use Begonia as our first example Begonia tuber-hybrida

Begonia Fruit

Begonia seeds are extremely small! 1,000 seeds are shown next to the coin.

Pelleted Begonia seeds are much easier to see and mechanically sow. Pelleted seeds are round.

Multi-pelleted Lobelia seed. Each pellet contains several seeds.

Mechanical seed sower for sowing plug trays in the greenhouse $$$$$

How about Marigold?

Raw Marigold seed is long and thin with a prominent tail.

Detailed Marigold seed has the tail removed. Detailed seed is much easier to handle and mechanically sow.

These are coated Marigold seeds. The coating improves visibility and helps the seeds flow better through a mechanical sower.

The End