Strawberry Seed Store

The Finest Gourmet Strawberry Seeds

Seed Germination Transparency: A Crucial Standard

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Have the rules changed? When I started Strawberry Seed Store a few years ago I asked the Delaware Department of Agriculture what the labelling rules were for selling seeds. It was clear that all packets that were sent out must have germination information.

Yesterday I received seed packets in the mail from a seed company that sells both nationally and internationally. I could not find any information about germination online, in the paperwork nor on the seed packets. How am I supposed proceed? If I don’t know the germination I can’t make informed decisions about the number of seeds to sow. I have no idea what to expect.

Here at Strawberry Seed Store we run germination tests on each seed lot and publish it in the description of each cultivar we offer for sale. I don’t see anyone doing that. I personally think it should be standard practice in the seed industry.

As an added note, I go online periodically to see what my competition is doing. I read reviews from their customers. I don’t see how they can stay in business or expect to get orders when a fair number of reviewers report that NONE of the seeds received germinated. Or even when they report one or two seeds germinated but quickly died. Is it the techniques used by the grower or the seeds themselves?

Grow Your Own Gourmet Strawberries from Seed

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More and more gardeners have decided to grow their own strawberries. Each has their own reasons. Some want to have control of what is sprayed on the strawberries their family eats. They have seen the dirty dozen list that lists a dozen crops that have the highest residues of pesticides on fruit randomly collected and tested from produce markets and grocery stores. Strawberries easily made the list.

Others are looking for outdoor activities that they can share with their children. It is important to introduce the next generation of gardeners to gardening and what child does not like strawberries?

Still others are looking for crops that they can grow and adapt to their areas. They want to save seeds. And, what better crop to learn with. Of course, the crop must be an open pollinated non hybrid crop to be able to do this successfully.

Timing is Everything – When to Sow Strawberry Seeds

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We’ve all heard that timing is everything. It also applies to sowing seeds. One goes through the whole process of deciding to grow a crop or plant an area and choose and buy some seeds. Now, one must decide when is the optimal time to sow them.

I am actually writing a detailed discussion of this to be published within a month or so, but I wanted to provide information to those who are now considering this for warmer growing areas.

In general, strawberry seeds require almost 4 months from the time they are sown to production of the first fruit. This is under near ideal conditions like a daily temperatures of 65 to 70F and nightly temperatures in the 60’s. It also assumes daylength of about 12 hours. If you’re growing during the short days of winter in a greenhouse you may need to use supplemental lighting to attain a 12 hour day.

Now you have the basic information you need to make the decision of when to sow your strawberry seeds. Should you have special circumstances don’t hesitate to contact me.