Getting seeds to germinate under hot conditions

Each species has an optimal temperature for seed germination. The faster the seeds germinate, the better they do so, and the more likely they are to gain the upper hand over weeds, says Bill Kerr.

- Bill Kerr

It’s difficult to get carrots to germinate when the soil is hot. Years ago, it was common practice for farmers who grew this crop under hot conditions to plant this crop at a much higher density in order to ensure a sufficient yield.

The downside of this was that if you ended up with a spell of cooler weather after sowing, all of the seed germinated, leaving you with a great deal of work, because you had to thin out the crop.

In those days, all varieties were open- pollinated and so the seed was cheap. Nowadays, almost all commercial varieties are hybrids and, given the current exchange rate and the high cost of labour, it’s too expensive to use more seed than necessary.