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Sunflowers in a seed tray

RottenSproutRottenSprout Posts: 28
in Plants
I know, they don’t like root disturbance… but I have a ton of sunflower seeds from last summer’s sunflowers that have a questionable germination rate (I’ve planted some already and only about 30% have done anything). I’d like to get the viable ones from the rest of the seeds going but don’t want to use up loads of pots on seeds that aren’t going to do anything. Can I whack them in a seed tray and then quickly pot on the ones that get started?

Posts

  • chickychicky Posts: 10,410
    You could use one of the seed tray insert module trays - would use the same amount of compost as a seed tray but means you could pot the successful ones on without messing with their roots.
  • chickychicky Posts: 10,410

  • thevictorianthevictorian Posts: 1,279
    I've never had problems with root disturbance in sunflowers grown in seed trays but there is a problem that they don't all germinate at the same time and they have brittle stems if they begin to tangle themselves up.
  • RottenSproutRottenSprout Posts: 28
    Thank you both! I have gone for it with the seed trays so fingers crossed.
  • Jenny_AsterJenny_Aster Posts: 945
    Picked up from the internet, it might help: 

    One method to check for seed viability is the water test. Take the seeds and place them in a container of water. Let the seeds sit for 15 minutes. If the seeds sink, they are still viable; if they float, discard, because they probably will not sprout.
    Trying to be the person my dog thinks I am! 

    Cambridgeshire/Norfolk border.
  • RottenSproutRottenSprout Posts: 28
    Jenny_Aster said:
    Picked up from the internet, it might help: 

    One method to check for seed viability is the water test. Take the seeds and place them in a container of water. Let the seeds sit for 15 minutes. If the seeds sink, they are still viable; if they float, discard, because they probably will not sprout.
    Oh I hadn’t heard of that, sounds worth a try though – thanks!
  • JAC51JAC51 Posts: 175
    @RottenSprout I germinated all my sunflower seeds first by putting them on wet kitchen towel in a closed plastic pot somewhere dark. It seems to work for all the larger seeds. Once they’ve sprouted I carefully tweezered them into individual pots. I saw someone else on here do it with their sweet pea seeds. I hope they don’t mind me sharing their photo.  I was well impressed with their neatness, I just upended the seed packet in mine 🤣. All the potted on ones survived
    .
  • Butterfly66Butterfly66 Posts: 970
    Newspaper pots work well for sunflowers as you can make them as tall as you like. I just pack them in the seed trays with a little extra compost in any gaps to help support them
     If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.”—Marcus Tullius Cicero
    East facing, top of a hill clay-loam, cultivated for centuries (7 years by me). Birmingham
  • RottenSproutRottenSprout Posts: 28
    JAC51 said:
    @RottenSprout I germinated all my sunflower seeds first by putting them on wet kitchen towel in a closed plastic pot somewhere dark. It seems to work for all the larger seeds. Once they’ve sprouted I carefully tweezered them into individual pots. I saw someone else on here do it with their sweet pea seeds. I hope they don’t mind me sharing their photo.  I was well impressed with their neatness, I just upended the seed packet in mine 🤣. All the potted on ones survived
    .
    Oh that’s smart, thanks!
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    Butterfly66 said:
    Newspaper pots work well for sunflowers as you can make them as tall as you like. I just pack them in the seed trays with a little extra compost in any gaps to help support them
    That’s what I do,  rather than buying more plastic, I bought a Potter,  makes 3 sizes of pots, you can plant the whole lot in the ground with no root disturbance. 
    I have to scrounge newspapers as we don’t buy them. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

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