Germination is a plant’s first phase in its lifecycle. In order to give your plants the best possible start in life, read on and find out what exactly happens to your seedlings and what they need.

 

 

What do we mean by germination phase?

During this phase a solid foundation is laid for what will hopefully become a beautifully flowering and fruiting plant, providing rich harvests. When seeds germinate the first tiny roots start developing. Most seeds germinate in the dark, on a reasonable warm spot. However, some seeds germinate best in broad daylight, hence their name ”light-germinators”. Examples are lettuce, parsley and sage.

All seeds contain lots of nutrients enabling the seedling to grow. Yet you may help them along even in this phase, as several other important factors influence good growth too.

 

 

What are the plant’s immediate needs?

As mentioned above some seeds germinate in broad daylight while some prefer utter darkness. This preference may vary considerably, so do find out the seeds’ requirements, for instance by reading the information on the packaging. Furthermore seeds need moisture and warmth (some more than others).

There are several ways to let seeds germinate, for instance by sowing them directly in the garden or on a seedbed, or by (first) using seed-pots or seed-trays. When sowing in seed-pots or seed-trays best use special soil for seeds or seedlings; in this soil, because of its loose and airy structure, roots tend to develop quickly and well. Atami offers Bi-Grow Mix, a fertilized soil-substrate in which plants can form and develop roots from the very beginning. To this substrate we added a starter feed. After the start-up phase you can take over and feed the substrate with a liquid fertilizer.

 

 

How do I stimulate the plant in this phase?

During the germination phase the plant already starts developing its roots. Clearly, this phase is of the utmost importance since roots form the basis of the plant’s growth. Strong root-systems provide the foundation for strong plants which will eventually carry more fruit. Through the roots plants absorbs water and nutrients needed for its growth. Atami offers a stimulator that is purposefully directed to the development of strong roots. Root Stimulator initiates expansive growth of the root-system and may be effective in controlling and restricting soil-borne diseases such as root-rot (Pythium) and root lice. Next to that this stimulator improves soil life, enabling plants to absorb nutrients more easily and in greater quantities.

 

What are the next phases?

We distinguish several phases (or stages) in plant growth:

  • Germination phase
  • Growing phase
  • Flowering-initiation phase
  • Flowering phase
  • Ripening phase