As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Milkweed seed germination in a jar MaterialsMethod / Process
Tutorial with Pictuers
3. Remove the jar’s lid and sprinkle Milkweed Seeds on the surface of the soil. Leave the soil dry for this step. You are taking the seeds that have been soaking in water for 24 hours and planting them in this step. Do not overthink this step. Dry the seeds if it helps. Drop the seeds onto the surface of the dry soil. If you can, distribute the seeds evenly around the soil inside the jar. I like to plant about twenty five seeds in each jar. I will discourage you from planting more than fifty seeds or fewer than five seeds in each jar. Twenty to twenty five seeds is a manageable amount that yields good results. 4. Add four tablespoons of water over the seeds. Now it is time to add a measured amount of water to the jarmination container. Gently pour one tablespoon of water per two ounces of container size. Directions are written based on the assumption you are using the Ball Regular Mouth Canning Jar 8 oz. Adjust watering based on your container size by using the chart below.
5. Sprinkle the included Coconut Coir (dust/sand) evenly over the wet seeds and soil. In step 3 we sprinkled the seeds on the surface of the soil. In this step we thinly cover the seed with Coconut Coir. Not more than one tablespoon of Coconut Coir. The seeds do not need to be fully covered. Enough Coconut Coir to hug up against the seed is good. Do not water until three days has passed. 6. Place one 6x6 Cellophane Sheet over the jar with the butterfly hole centered. Put the ring of the jar lid back on. Try not to drop or shake the jar from here on out. Grab one Cellophane Sheets with Butterfly Holes. Place the cellophane sheet over the jar with the butterfly holes centered over the opening. Hold the cellophane in place with one hand. With your other hand grab the aluminum lid ring. Twist the lid onto the jar while pressing the cellophane down against the jar using even pressure. The cellophane sheet is now secured in place between the lid ring and the jar. Setup is complete!
Jar Selection TipsSelecting the correct jar is important. Don't select a jar with a top narrower than the bottom. The opening at the top of the jar is called the mouth. The mouth of the jar must be as wide or wider than the rest of the jar. If the mouth of the jar narrows, even slightly. Don't use that jar. Removing the plants can become impossible when the mouth narrows. Use the examples below as a guide to select the correct jar shape. Can you see the YES jars (below) have mouths as wide or wider than the jar's bottom? Can you see the NO jars (below) have wider bottoms than the mouth? The narrowing at the mouth of the jar is a NO. Do not use a jar with this shape.
ExamplesFree download ↩️ ![]()
12 Comments
Jean Black
4/23/2022 11:31:20 am
This is great, thank you!
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Sue
6/18/2022 08:05:51 am
Thank You Brad. I have been supporting Monarchs with milkweed plants for the last 3 yrs. Unfortunately, it took a couple of years to establish. It's nice to see support on the web. Especially the tip about clipping to bypass CMS!! Cool! Thank you!
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Beth
9/2/2022 11:55:29 am
Hi Brad, thank you for all of this wonderful information. I'm excited to grow milkweed in 2023 using your seeds! I was wondering...when completing CMS and transitioning to jarmination, is soaking the seeds for 24 hours at the start of the jarmination process still necessary, or do you move directly to putting CMS seeds in the soil?
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10/12/2022 09:25:41 am
Seem use good dream. While perform base high movement.
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1/2/2023 08:54:02 am
Brad, I have germinated tuberosa and syrica using jarmination. They all have true leaves now. Question is,
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Christina Logan
4/30/2023 09:45:37 am
Using this method I sowed 35 common milkweed seeds after 48 hours in water. Most had started germinating. So exciting to see the white tip showing!
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Molly Rausch-Davis
6/19/2023 09:05:39 am
Thank you for this info. Trying it out right now! Is there anything you could substitute for coconut choir? Maybe sphagnum peat moss?
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Stan
7/6/2023 07:57:21 pm
So I waited three days and didn’t water. Now on the fourth day I watered and most of the seedlings fell over. Will they keep growing g? Do I need to do something to fix this?
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Brad G.
7/6/2023 08:11:25 pm
Seedlings can bend back up in the next day. Even if they stay bent over, which happens, it's acceptable if they keep growing. You might water in a day or three - apply the water at the edge of the jar so that it goes straight to the bottom to encourage roots to grow toward the bottom of the jar.
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Maria Perez
8/30/2023 07:59:58 am
Thanks for all the info. I tried this a few months ago and most did no germinate. I am going to try again. One question,. I like to reuse & repurpose. Can this be done in plastic clear cups?
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Brad G.
9/4/2023 04:40:04 pm
Clear cups should work. Covering them with plastic wrap and poking holes in the top. Use a seed warming mat. Extend the water germination step to three or five days, that ought to help a lot.
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