Peony/ Garden Peony Germination

A prior treatment with Stratification (mimicking winter to encourage germination for certain types of seeds)  is necessary for most Peony / Garden Peony seeds to achieve high germination rate.

Here are the steps for stratification:

Preparation for Stratification:

1. Zip loc bag

2. Some moist kitchen paper

3. Plant labels

4. 10% Hydrogen peroxide solution(common bleach) *optional but recommended

5. Sieve

6. A pair of gardening gloves 

7. A pair of Tweezers

Steps for Stratification:

1. Rinse the Peony/Garden Peony seeds gently in a sieve.

2. Use a gardening gloves and soak the Peony/Garden Peony seeds into the 10% hydrogen peroxide solution for about 10 minutes.* This step is optional but it helps prevent possible molding drastically.

3. Pick up the seeds with a pair of tweezers and put them into a moist kitchen paper, then put them into a zip loc bag. Finish by labeling  them and then refrigerate them. (Do not put into a freezer. Let them stay in the lower part of a refrigerator - the part where you usually store vegetables or fruit will be fine.)

4. Sprouting should start in 4-8 weeks, depending on the variety. Some variety takes up to months to start germination. Check for germination once a week and if necessary ,moisturize the kitchen paper to maintain humidity.   

*If you prefer not to use stratification,starts here:

Here are the steps for direct germination or transferring of seedlings after stratification:


Preparation:

1. Potting mix (detailed in the product listing information and on the seed package).Basically,ask the nursery for a compost for Peony/Garden Peony should fits well. The compost should be neutral and a bit sandy. To minimize possible molding problem, make sure the compost you bought is sterile (most commercial compost are). Preferably, buy a new pack instead of using an already opened one.

2. Seed Tray.

3. 10% Hydrogen peroxide solution(common bleach) *optional but recommended

4. Gardening glove

5. A pair of Tweezers

6. Copper based fungicide
7. Sieve

Steps:

1. Rinse the Peony/Garden Peony seeds gently in a sieve.
2. Use a gardening glove and soak the rose seeds into the 10% hydrogen peroxide solution for about 10 minutes.* This step is optional but it helps prevent possible molding drastically.

3. Pick up the seeds with a pair of Tweezers. Sow your seeds on to the top layers of your growing medium in your pot or in seed trays. Cover the seeds with a very thin layer of soil - not more than 1 cm.
*If you have already treat the seeds with stratification,starts here:  transfer the seedlings with a pair of tweezers and plant them into the soil.

4. Light can enhance germination. Try putting the seed tray or pot under sunlight as much as possible. 

5. Maintain a medium level of humidity for the germination by regular watering. 

6. Germination of this type of seed should naturally occurs in 4-8 weeks.

7. (Optional but recommended)Once germinate, or after transferring seedlings from stratification,use a Copper based fungicide to prevent molding problems. Follow instruction on the fungicide label for amount and frequency of application.

Notes:

1. Do not plant the seeds or seedlings under extremely temperature. Temperature below 15 degree Celcius or above 30 degree Celcius normally guarantee a poor result.