Seed Needs
Lesson Overview
Goals
- Students will be able to identify various seed starting media and create balanced seed starting mixes for use in the Lab.
Outcomes
Teach the Teacher
Tools & Materials
- Coconut coir
- Peat
- Vermiculite
- Perlite
- Finished compost
- Five gallon buckets
- Seed trays
- Cell inserts
- Seeds for a single variety
Activity
Commercially produced seed starting mixes contain a variety of ingredients to retain moisture, promote air and moisture flow, maintain structure for optimal root development, physically support the plant, and prevent compaction. Some mixes even contain slow release nutrients to aid young starts in the early stages of development.
Create three distinct seed starting media and use them to test germination rates and initial plant development to determine which is best for use in the Lab. Create one mix that is 100% finished compost, one that is 100% soilless, and one that is a 50/50 mix of finished compost and soilless media.
Use the three media to start seeds for a selected variety. Record the germination rates and time to germination for each media. Also, record the daily height of each start to calculate an average for each media. Finally, record the number of days to first true leaves for starts in each media. Use the collective data to reach an informed conclusion about which media is most effective for use in the Lab.
Related Lessons
Give the Advanced lesson a try now that you’ve completed the Intermediate Lesson! Or revisit the Beginner Lesson as needed.
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