Sow shallowly
Seed is covered just deeply enough to hold moisture around it. I use a thin layer of vermiculite, which spreads evenly and still admits some light. If you don’t have vermiculite, a light covering of growing medium does the same job.
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How to Grow Michigan Lily (Lilium michiganense) from Seed
A complete guide to germinating and growing out Michigan lily
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How to Grow Purple Milkweed (Asclepias purpurascens) from Seed
Preliminary results from my propagation trials
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How to Grow Prairie Lily (Lilium philadelphicum) from Seed
Germination is simple, but plants often fail to grow large enough to transplant in their first season, so a cycle…
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How to Grow Wood Betony (Pedicularis canadensis) from Seed
Preliminary results suggest that seeds do not store well and must be sown or pretreated soon after harvest.
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How to Grow American Pasqueflower (Pulsatilla nuttalliana, formerly Anemone patens) from Seed
Despite common belief, cold–moist stratification does not improve germination for this early bloomer.
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How to Grow Scarlet Painted-Cup (Castilleja coccinea) from Seed
Although a generalist hemiparasite, the choice of host plant makes a substantial difference when growing in containers.
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How to Grow Dutchman’s Breeches (Dicentra cucullaria) from Seed
These seeds have a two-part germination, sending out a root after a period of warm–moist stratification, then a shoot after…
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How to Grow Prairie Smoke (Geum triflorum) from Seed
It turns out these are incredibly easy to germinate.