The symbolism of the seed is well deserved. They represent beginning, hope and renewal. A tiny, often microscopic object that contains the blueprint for a new generation. Innocuous and often underwhelming, the seed’s ordinariness belies the magic it contains.
Some are only viable for a short period, while others can last for a century or more. It’s recommended to use onion and parsley seeds within a year, whereas poppy seeds will remain dormant for decades but still be viable when the right conditions arise.
You only have to dig a small area of ground and watch the number of weeds that will appear, seemingly from nothing, to understand the pervasiveness and endurance of seeds.
They are designed to outlive their parents. Annuals will die with the onset of winter but the seeds produced before they expire will survive through the colder months and germinate with the onset of spring. It’s the circle of life.
But it hasn’t always been that way.
The first plants on Earth that appeared over 2 billion years ago and lived in water didn’t have seeds but relied on spores as a method reproduction.
The first land plants also used spores but something happened relatively more recently that revolutionised plant reporoduction.
It’s not entirely clear how they evolved but the earliest seed bearing plants to appear were the gymnosperms – meaning ‘naked seeds’ – whose seeds are produced on the surface of a reproductive structure, such as a cone, rather than enclosed within a casing.
Including cycads, ginkgos and conifers, this group of plant’s boasts many of the world’s oldest, such as the Sequoiadendron giganteum, the giant redwood.
Later came the angiosperms – derived from the Greek meaning ‘container’ – which is largest grouping of plants, and the ones with flowers.
It is harvesting and harnessing seeds that has enabled humankind to work in tandem with nature, first through farming and then through gardening.
Over the coming months, among the propagating sections of the population, a lot of attention will be paid to seeds of all sorts.
Perhaps the catalogues or garden centre shelves have already been browsed and all you’re waiting for is St Brigid’s Day, a notional date that means it’s okay to attempt germination?
Seeds can be germinated using the ‘paper towel method’, in seed compost, which is lower in nutrients, or straight into the ground.
The advantage of the former is that it ensures a more controlled environment, while also enabling closer monitoring and reducing the chances of fungal issues.
Planting delicate, pre-germinated seedlings can be challenge, however, meaning the argument for paper towel over other methods often boils down to the type of seed.
Sowing seed is always hit and miss but the fresher the seed the better, so always check the use-by date on the packet.
If you have doubts about seed that you’ve kept over from previous years, there’s a straightforward viability test that’ll let you know whether or not you’re wasting your time.
It follows the same principles as the above-mentioned paper towel method and involves placing a handful of seeds on the dampened surface on a plate and stretching cling film across.
Place the plate in a warm part of the house, making sure the paper remains moist.
Check every couple of days for shoots and by the time a fortnight’s passed you’ll have a good idea of which is worth sowing.
The lower the ratio of seeds sown to those that germinate, the greater the number you’ll have to sow.
