Planting a seed, seeing it sprout, and develop into a mature plant is a rewarding experience.
Being able to select your favorite plants, colors, and as many as you want is icing on the cake.
Add to that big savings! Buying bedding plants is much easier (compared to propagating), more expensive although there is a greater survival ratio.
Most any plant that produces seed can be propagated.
Some knowledge of the plant you wish to propagate is necessary however.
Some seeds require "conditioning" in order to bring about germination.
For example, exposing certain seeds to chilled conditions (winter) for a period of time.
Others may require "chipping" (filing off a portion or the seed) to increase the rate of successful germination.
A good "rule of thumb" to follow is to replicate the conditions found in the plant's natural environment.
In other words, follow the rules of Mother Nature as near as possible.
As stated earlier, some seeds need a period of dormancy induced by winter weather.
How do you do that? Store the seed in a refrigerator for about a month prior to planting.
Seed that require a goodly amount of moisture in order to germinate can be placed between layers of wet paper towels for a period of time prior to planting.
A good seed supplier will advise on their package as to what conditions are best to bring about the most successful germination.
If you receive the seed from an individual, ask them for any information about how best to plant them.
Otherwise, do a little research to find out how best to get good results.
It is heartbreaking sometimes to acquire a desired plant seed and then loose it to improper planting conditions.
There is tons of information available on the internet to help you.
Use the search engines (Google, Yahoo, etc.
) to find the information.
Enter the keyword "propagating" followed by the name of the plant you wish propagate.
Enclosing the keywords with quotations ( ") will help narrow your search.
For example, "propagating crepe myrtle" will generate about a hundred or so sites that you can visit to find your needed information.
Be sure to include state county extension services and A&M universities.
Another good source of information is suppliers and nurseries.
You can find the information you need and the seed at most seed suppliers on the web.