2. Bell Ringer:  What factors will we have to consider before starting to plant outside in the spring?  Volunteers to make a poster for the room….

3. GERMINATION - Direct Seeding & Indirect Seeding Textbook pages: 96-101

4. Essential Questions:  What factors determine the success of plants grown from the direct seeding method?  What factors should be considered to successfully grow seeds indoors from seedling to mature plants?

5. Quick Review:  What are the essential conditions that must be met for germination to occur?  What are the three main parts of a seed?

6. Additional Germination Processes  Some seeds require additional mechanisms before they can begin germination and ultimately be transplanted.  Stratification - a required period of cold temperature  Scarification - methods to break down the protective seed coat

7.  Stratification  Especially important for plants that produce their fruit in the fall (like apples and pears).  If these plants germinated immediately, they would die from the cold winter temperatures.  Instead, these plants produce seeds that remain dormant until spring. Additional Germination Processes

8.  Scarification  The seed coat must be broken down before germination can begin.  Actions by Nature: Microbial Activity (bacteria, fungi, etc.) Freezing and Thawing Animal Digestion (stomach acids) Being stepped on or chewed Additional Germination Processes  Actions by Humans: Sandpaper and File Acid Pressure and Force (for example, a hammer)

9. And now onto our essential questions…

10. Planting Seeds Outdoors  Direct Seeding - method to plant flowers, vegetables, and grass seeds directly into the soil and their permanent location outdoors.

11. Planting Seed Outdoors  Major factors that will determine the success of the plants grown from the direct seeding method: Site Selection Seedbed Preparation Planting Date Planting Depth & Spacing Moisture See the list on page 97 of your textbook for additional details…

12. Planting Seeds for Transplanting  Indirect Seeding - planting seeds indoors until they grow into seedlings then transplanting them into larger containers or their permanent location outdoors.

13. Planting Seeds for Transplanting  What do you predict will be the primary factors that affect germination and growth of plants indoors? MOISTURE TEMPERATURE OXYGEN LIGHT

14. Planting Seeds for Transplanting  Seed quality includes both viability & vigor  Viability - the ability of seeds to germinate under optimum conditions  Vigor - the ability of seeds to germinate under different conditions and still produce healthy seedlings * Quality seeds should have high viability of over a 75% germination rate. *

15. Exit Slip Questions: 1. Name two factors that help the success of the direct seeding method. 2. Why is scarification an important part of the germination process for some types of seeds?