Over the past two months, the Extension Master Gardener℠ volunteers and I have been busy sowing seeds of inspiration throughout New Hanover County—literally! We hosted five successful seed starting workshops that were met with incredible enthusiasm from the local gardening community.

The excitement was immediate and widespread with our initial workshop on February 1st! We had 290 residents join the waitlist, eager to learn the secrets of growing plants from seed. Recognizing the overwhelming demand, we quickly scheduled four additional workshops to accommodate as many eager gardeners as possible. From February 1st to March 26th, we welcomed 122 workshop participants.

Each workshop was designed to demystify the seed starting process and boost attendees’ confidence ahead of spring planting. We explored common hurdles in home seed germination and focused on a key concept: seed dormancy—a natural state that helps plants determine the right time and place to germinate.

For example, certain seeds like Delphinium or Echinacea require a cold period to break dormancy, mimicking their native climates. Gardeners can replicate this by chilling seed packets in the refrigerator before planting. We also addressed viral internet hacks like freezing seeds in ice cube trays—an unproven method that can potentially damage the seed embryo due to extreme temperatures.

We also introduced attendees to scarification, a method used to physically weaken a seed’s outer coat, allowing moisture to penetrate and trigger germination. Plants like legumes and nasturtiums often benefit from this technique, which can be accomplished by gently nicking the seed coat, rubbing it with sandpaper, or using a nail file.

As LeBude and Blazich explain in the North Carolina Extension Gardener Handbook (2022), “To achieve germination with seeds having both external and internal dormancy, the seeds must first be scarified and then stratified… If the treatments are administered in reverse order, the seeds will not germinate.”

With these practical techniques and a deeper understanding of seed biology, attendees left feeling empowered and ready to grow. We can’t wait to see the vibrant gardens that will bloom across the county this season!

If you attended one of our workshops, we’d love to see your progress—please send photos of your newly germinated seeds to gadesouz@ncsu.edu.

Gabriella de Souza is the Consumer Horticulture Agent for N.C. State Cooperative Extension in New Hanover County, where she also coordinates the Extension Master Gardener℠ volunteer program. She is passionate about connecting people to plants and empowering gardeners with science-based knowledge. Visit us at the New Hanover County Arboretum, open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., located at 6206 Oleander Drive in Wilmington.