If I Plant My Seeds in Fall, Can I Burn in Spring?
September 30, 2011 by Bill
Filed under Customer FAQ's, How and When to Plant or Collect Seed, How to Guides, Seasonal Reminders
Many customers wish to add seed to an existing planting in the fall. They also want to keep the growth from the previous season to overwinter for habitat, continuing beauty and visual interest during the cold snowy months.
This often leads to concerns about burning their prairie in the spring, as it would seem that putting fire to seed laying on the ground or hanging in the still-standing growth would compromise the seed’s viability.
By doing a fall seeding, the seed in fact has all winter to drop down and make good contact with the soil well before the spring burn. The wind and rain get most of the seed down to ground level. The freeze-thaw cycle then works the seed into the soil. The temperature of a moving fire is not high enough to kill the seed and in some cases heat will help a species. Ceanothus americanus (New Jersey Tea), for example, benefits from having a treatment of boiling water poured over the seeds to aid in germination for spring planting.
Thank you. I in fact was just wondering this.
I am interested in indoor germination this winter of Bottle Gentian and Michigan Lilly seeds.
I have read instructions on-line on several sites and am prepared to purchase the equipment to keep the seeds warm and, later, lighted.
Any advice? Thanks.