Starting, or germinating seeds in a paper towel is an often recommended method for fool-proof seed starting. But why and, more importantly, what’s the best way to do it?
Planting seeds is as ancient as some of the most ancient civilizations. Yet it still takes patience and a bit of faith. Even now, after many years of seed starting, I sometimes wonder how many of my little seeds will sprout and always test the viability when seed saving.
Benefits of germinating seeds in a paper towel
When you start your seeds, or a portion of your seeds in the soil-less environment of a paper towel, you can quickly test the viability of your seeds. The seeds often germinate much more quickly than they do in the ground or in starter pots, so you can quickly see the percent viability of home collected seeds.
This method is crucial for gardeners in cold climates who want to grow long season vegetables, such as luffa or gourds. It is even beneficial when starting your own tomato seeds, because you can get a jump start on the season even when starting seeds a little later.
Additionally, you can germinate many seeds in a very small space. And you are not wasting soil and a peat pot for a seed which won’t germinate. Plus, germinating seeds in a paper towel actually tends to be more reliable than sowing seeds in soil. You can usually achieve a higher percentage of germination with this method, due to the controlled conditions. Not to mention, it is cleaner than traditional starter pots.
Outdoor-sown seeds often get eaten by gophers, birds, mice and other seed-eating animals. Sometimes they can rot in very wet weather or freeze if a cold snap hits. Starting seeds this way in a paper towel and baggie provides protection and gives you greater control. It works for both vegetables and flowers, and it can be used for both warm germination and cold stratification
Preparing your Seeds
Many larger seeds, such as gourds, pumpkin seeds, squash, and luffa benefit tremendously from a soaking overnight prior to planting. You may even want to file the edges so that the baby sproutlings can break out of their shell a little more easily.
Pumpkin seeds, melons and larger squash definitely benefit from filing the edges. Nip gourd seeds, such as birdhouse, luffa and corsican squash to allow the sprout to germinate more quickly.
If you collected your own seeds, you should also understand whether your seeds need to be stratified or not. Stratification is a wait period which allows the seed to germinate at the right time and at the right temperature. In addition to large tree seeds, many smaller vegetable and flower seeds need stratification. Although it does not need cold days, even lettuce needs a dormancy period to increase germination rates. Make sure you know the proper time to plant for your seed type.
Germinating seeds in a paper towel
The process is really quite simple. Let’s start with what you need:
- Paper towel – one sheet per seed variety
- Plastic baggie – snack size
- Water, or a mister. Distilled water is the best if possible.
- Marker
- The seeds
Once your supplies are assembled, follow the steps below.
- Moisten the paper towel. You do not want it very wet, or else it could – most likely will, become moldy. Use a mister to just dampen the paper towel if you have one. If you don’t have a mister, just moisten a section of the paper towel. The moisture will spread once you fold the paper towel.
- Place the seeds on the moist paper towel, with some spacing in between if possible.
- Gently fold the paper towel a few times so that the seeds are on the inside, and it fits inside the plastic baggie.
- Using the marker, write the seed variety on the baggie.
- Place the folded, lightly moist paper towel inside the baggie and seal the baggie. If the paper towel is wet, leave the baggie open for a day so that it dries out a little.
Checking on your Seeds
You will need to check on your seeds from time to time to see how they are progressing. You will also want to check for mold spots. Mold on the paper towel is no big deal, but mold on your seeds will completely kill them.
If you see a mold spot on the paper towel, cut it out immediately. If there is more than one spot, you should gently lift the seeds off the paper towel and put them onto a new, clean and moistened paper towel. You should check your seeds regularly, because once the seeds have become moldy, you’ll need to toss them and start over.
Some seeds will germinate in a week, some will take two weeks, and some even longer. After the first week of checking for mold, you will want to start checking your paper towel almost daily for signs of growth from the seed.
Transplanting the Germinated Seeds
Once your seeds have germinated, you can transplant them from this soilfree medium to your soil. Once you start to see growth, seedlings can be transplanted right away. Or, you can also wait and allow the seeds to further develop in the paper towel until you see some green.
Many seeds can just be lifted up off the paper towel and transferred to your peat pot or starter pot. Sometimes the new roots will grow into the paper towel. If the seed seems difficult to lift up and you are worried about damaging the new baby roots, cut the paper towel around the root. Then, simply plant the seed along with the paper towel. The paper bit will disintegrate very quickly in the soil.
Should I start all seeds in a moist paper towel?
Yes and no. This answer may surprise you, given all of the benefits I listed above. While most seeds will start indoors in a soil-less environment, there are some considerations to keep in mind.
If you live in an area with a short growing season, but are hoping to plant long growing season plants, you will have to start your seeds indoors.
But some seedlings are sensitive to disturbance once they start pushing roots. Transplanting a seed from a paper towel to a raised bed or starter pot could be traumatic. It could cause the small seedling to go into shock and die. The notoriously sensitive luffa is a good example. Luffa hate to be disturbed in the formative germination stages. They will often stop growing for a month or more until they have recovered from the shock.
Once you have tested viability of a batch of seeds in a paper towel, most gardeners sow sensitive seeds in starter pots.
Many seeds do transfer well to soil. This includes hard shelled fruit tree seeds, which need the controlled environment to ensure success. (Read about my journey growing an apricot tree from seed). It also includes apples, squash, pumpkins, and hard to germinate flower seeds.
And for those which are more tender? Plant the entire paper towel to avoid disturbing the roots. This includes small seeds such as wildflowers, and even peppers and tomatoes.
