Do you cold stratify your seeds or mixes?Updated a month ago
Why Some Seeds Need Cold Stratification
Some wildflower and perennial seeds need a period of cold temperatures before they will germinate. This process is called cold stratification.
In nature, these seeds drop to the ground in fall and sit in cold, moist soil through winter. The cold temperatures help break the seed’s natural dormancy so it can sprout when temperatures warm in spring.
Without this cold period, some seeds may germinate slowly or not at all.
Do American Meadows Seeds Come Pre-Stratified?
No. We do not cold stratify seeds before selling them.
If you purchase a single seed species that requires cold stratification, you may need to perform this process yourself before planting in spring.
How To Cold Stratify Seeds At Home
Cold stratification is easy to do using your refrigerator. You can find detailed instructions here.
Place seeds in a damp paper towel, sand, or seed-starting mix.
Put the seeds and moist material in a sealed plastic bag or container.
Store in the refrigerator for several weeks (the exact time depends on the species).
After the cold period, plant the seeds as directed.
This mimics the cold, moist conditions seeds would experience outdoors during winter.
What If You Purchased a Wildflower Seed Mix?
If you purchased a wildflower seed mix, we do not recommend cold stratifying the seeds yourself.
When you plant your mix outdoors—whether in spring or fall—the seeds will naturally experience seasonal temperature cycles, including cold periods that provide natural stratification.
Some perennial species in the mix may take a year or two to emerge. This is normal. Those seeds are simply waiting to go through their natural cold cycle before germinating.