Seed Treatments

  

Seed supplied in wildflower mixtures does not require Seed treatment. The natural biological process does the work for us.

Seeds can be treated in the following ways: 
Stratification: Cold treatment of seed
Scarification: Removal of seed coat
Heat treatment: Burning over seed
Chemical treatments: For seed

Phytosanitary: Regarding seed

Stratification:

Stratification involves exposing seeds to a cold and damp period prior to planting. 
Most native plants do this naturally by seeding out in late summer or fall. Their seeds lie cold and damp on the soil surface for at least one winter before germinating. 
Stratification mimics this process. 
Natural inhibitors are leached out of the seeds or broken down during stratification. 
Place seeds in a clean bag or container with a little moisture, enough to make them damp, but not soggy. Place them in the fridge for one to three weeks, then plant immediately. 
Stratification improves germination in most native grasses and wildflowers. 
Many native shrubs and some trees need longer periods of stratification, up to two years.

Seed to be scarified:
Cranesbills
Meadow pea
Rest harrow
Vetches
This list is for species we grow and is not definitive.

Scarification:

Scarification is the intentional damaging or removal of the seed coat. 
Scarification should not be applied until the seeds are about to be sown.

In nature the frost, rain action and soil microbes carry out natural scarification. Often was accomplished by the seeds passing through the digestive system of an animal.

Seeds of legumes and some other plants have tough, impervious (to water) seed coats that keep the seed dormant until at least a part of the coat has been removed. 
Seeds can be scarified by rubbing them between two layers of sandpaper. 
Legumes respond extremely well to scarification, and will germinate readily when planted immediately afterwards. 

Large seeds can be nicked with a file.

Seed to be stratified:
Agrimony 
Angelica 
Bellflower Sp 
Bittersweet 
Bluebell 
Cuckoo pint 
Dropwort 
Garlic mustard 
Hay rattle 
Hemp agrimony 
Iris 
Legumes
Marsh marigold 
Meadowsweet 
Monkshood 
Primula species 
Ramsons 
Sweet cicely 
Violets 
Wood sage 
This list is for species we grow and is not definitive.

Heat treatment: 
Some species grow after a fire has cleared the land of weeds, In such fires the seeds of these wildflowers are exposed to high heat temperatures for a brief moment as he fire passes overhead.
At DBN we 'flash burn' a paraffin oil mist over some seeds to burn away seed coats and attempt to break dormancy prior to sowing. 

Seed recommended for heat treatment:
Heather Spp
Hemp agrimony 

Chemical Treatments:
Seeds can also be immersed in sulphuric acid for a few minutes to break dormancy.

Phytosanitary:
Occasional seed can be treated against the effects of mite, moulds, and biological attacks. Phytosanitary Certificate

see also Genetic diversity- Seed Triggers, Facts you should know about.

Regulation of agricultural and horticultural seed

Go on choose Design By Nature for seeds, plants, advice and design.

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Return to Folder/Section: Index - Technical Section. includes the Conservation section, Mulching and advice on certain weeds, phytosanitary.