Synchronous germination is the goal—uniform seedlings that germinate within a 48-hour window and grow uniformly throughout production. Dr. Will Healy joins host Bill Calkins for a deep dive into the germination process with a focus on pansy and viola crops. Will begins by explaining why water and oxygen are the most critical elements in pansy germination, as well as the importance of hydration levels from Day 0-4.

He then shares ways to reduce the potential of creating a “gel layer” on seeds, instead moving them into the germination stage effectively. Next, Will explains best practices for flat filling with uniform moisture and ways to avoid dry spots and “checkerboarding” in young plant production.

Moving down the seeding line, pansies and violas should be top coated with a coarse media but distribution of the media is the key element. At the end of the line should be a water tunnel but, again, there are protocols to follow, and Will explains them all. Lastly, when your plug trays are filled, there’s always the discussion of whether bench production or a chamber is optimal. Will explains pros and cons for both.

Resources mentioned:

3-Part Pansy Production Video Series: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8NX3KFjAfBmWBYPrzYNf-bbG3pc5Z4ru

Training Your Team to Water Properly Video: https://youtu.be/SCPPT0IXlLY

Optimize Your Seeding Line Video: https://youtu.be/dW-0wa55lZI