Pre-Sprouting Verdant Plantable Paper

Have you ever wondered if there was a way to get your plantable cards to grow faster? Is there a way to check that the seeds are still viable? Well yes, indeed there is and it is called pre-sprouting! 

Germination is the process of a seed turning in to a seedling. Pre-sprouting is a method of speeding up the germination rate of your seeds or testing the viability of your seeds. This method allows you to see the seeds start to sprout so you know they will grow, and the moisture and light provides ideal conditions for your seeds to sprout sooner! Generally wildflower seeds will take 10-14 days to germinate. With pre-sprouting you can see sprouts as soon as 4-7 days with the right conditions. The timeline also varies depending on the type of plant. 

With Verdant plantable wildflower paper, pre-sprouting is a breeze! Here is how to pre-sprout your paper! 

• Moisten the paper. You want your paper damp but not soaking wet. If you have a spritzer bottle that would work perfectly for this! 
• Put a single layer of damp paper in to a clear plastic bag or plastic container such as an empty strawberry or muffin container. Leave it open a little bit for some air to get in. This essentially creates your own miniature greenhouse!
• Place the miniature greenhouse in a warm place away from drafts. Seeds love moisture and warmth and that is what will encourage your seeds to grow. I place my bag in the sunny location where I keep my houseplants. In the past I have taped a bag to a sunny window to pre-sprout garden seeds. 
• Check the bag/container every few days to make sure it is still moist and to check if any seedlings are sprouting. Keeping the paper moist is really important through this process. 
• The side of the paper that you have facing up or towards the sun is the direction that the seeds will grow. Don't worry about some of your sprouts facing downwards, plants are smart and always grow towards the light. When you transfer the paper in to a pot, these downward facing seedlings may take a little longer but they will grow the right direction. 
• Once the seedlings start to appear, you can transfer the paper in to a pot and cover lightly with soil. Keep the soil moist and watch your flowers grow! The paper likes to soak up moisture from the soil. It is important to keep your soil consistently moist (not soaking wet) until the plants are more established. 
• Keep in mind that the wildflower paper has several types of seeds in it, and they will not germinate at the same time. Every seed is different.

And that is how you pre-sprout! See our blog in getting the most use out of your seed paper for more in depth instructions on how to plant your paper: How to Get the Most Out Of Your Seed Paper: 3 Easy Steps 

To pre-sprout your garden seeds all you need to do is follow the steps above, using a paper towel instead of paper. Dampen a paper towel, lay your seeds flat on half of the paper towel. Fold the other half of the paper towel over the seeds and place in a clear bag or container. 

The rest of the steps will be the same! Just remember to do your research as some seeds require darkness to sprout. For those seeds you don't want them in an area with light. The pre-sprouting process for those kinds of seeds is slightly different as I'm sure you can imagine!

We hope this helps you in your wildflower seed growing journey! It is always fun to see the flowers sprouting and get a little head start on your growing! Remember that green thumbs are not a given, they are earned. And it is okay to make mistakes, but keep trying, keep growing, and have fun! 

Happy Planting! 

Megan