Our seed packets come loaded with information that will help you have good success with germinating our seeds. 

This guide will help you to understand the information furnished on our seed labels packets. 

If you need additional information, please write. We will be happy to help in any way we can. 

Our seed packets offer the following information: 

The top line gives the common plant name. 

The second line gives the botanical name. 

The third line offers information on how deep to place the seeds in the soil (DEPTH), and the approximate height (HGT) the plant will reach when mature. 

The fourth line gives the type of soil the plant prefers (SOIL). 

The fifth line tells you the germination period of the seed (GERM) and if the plant is best suited for growing Inside, Outside or Both (I/O/B). 

The sixth line offers very important information on water and sunlight. 

Requirements: The letter following WATER denotes the plant’s watering requirements. 

A. If you see the letter A after water, you should keep the soil lightly damp at all times, but do not allow water to stand on the surface. 

BW. If you see the letters BW, you should bottom water this plant. This is done by means of placing the plant container in a saucier and filling the saucer with water. Any water remaining in the saucier after 15 minutes should be poured out. 

D. This letter means you should thoroughly drench the soil with water and not water again until the top ¼" of soil is completely dry. 

M. This letter means that the foliage of the plant will benefit from a daily misting of water. 

C. This letter means that you should let the soil almost completely dry out before rewatering. This type of watering is often needed by cacti and succulents. 

The letters after SUN describe the sunlight needs of the plant. 

F means that the plant needs full direct sunlight. 

P means that the plant requires only partial sun during the day. 

D means that the plant needs bright, but diffused sunlight. These plants should not be exposed to direct sunlight. 

S means that the plant should grow well in the shade. 

The seventh line has the zone limits of the plant (ZONE) If the zone information is unavailable, NA will be shown. 

The P/A: denotes if the plant is a Perennial or an Annual . 

The eighth line gives any special requirements needed to make the seeds germinate such as soaking, acid treatment, scarification, etc. 

Terms: 

Bottom Heat: If bottom heat is recommended, suspend the seed flat over two blocks and place a small 40 watt or so bulb under the flat. Be careful that the bulb does not come in contact with flammable material. We recommend doing a trial run first in order to determine the right soil temp. This is done by pushing your finger into the soil and feeling the bottom of the flat. The right temperature is when you feel noticeable warmth, but not so much that it is uncomfortable. 

Cold Treatment: Some seeds need a cold period in order to break their dormancy. When required, place the seeds into a plastic pouch or jar filled with a small amount of damp peat moss and place in the refrigerator for the recommended period of time. 

Scarification: This is simply nicking the hard shell so that water may penetrate it. This can be done with a knife on large seeds and with sandpaper on small varieties. 

Hot Water Treatment: If this is called for, pour boiling water over the seeds and allow seeds to remain in water for 12-24 hours before sowing. 

PLEASE REMEMBER! The number one cause of seed failure is keeping the soil too wet. Keep the soil only slightly damp or the seeds will rot. The number two cause is not giving the seeds enough time. Tropical seeds have built in germination inhibitors that will allow the seed to germinate only when conditions are optimum. The germination time listed on the package is an average, but it is not unusual for the seeds to take twice as long as is listed on the package. 

(c) 1998 Seeds Etc Optimized for Netscape 3.0+