Can there be anything more exciting for a gardener than to observe the germination process? It's like the optimism scale heads north once a seed begins to show signs of growth. Dreams of horticultural success swirl inside the mind and the intoxication becomes an elixir of hope.

But, how does germination occur? Why do some seeds germinate and others don't? And, how can you be more successful with the process guaranteeing a greater ratio of seeds that "take" than ones that don't?

There's enough sites that can explain the science of germination. What this post will try to achieve is delving into the 'art' of germination - the process of germinating seeds in your own garden shed instead of a laboratory.

What seeds to use for germination?
Germination can happen at anytime within your garden, and often without your consenting knowledge - just check out those drifts of weeds if you don't agree with me. Yet, that hardly seems like an 'art'.

Instead, the perfection of seed-growing starts with the seeds themselves. While one seed looks almost similar to another there are ways to test whether one will have more success over another when it comes to the germination process. Here's a post I wrote earlier about testing seeds.

See, the problem many gardeners can suffer from is planting and hoping for dead seeds to germinate - which, of course, they won't. Yet a few tests will soon prove which seeds are worth continuing with and which ones are only good for the compost heap.

How to start germinating seeds
There are two main waysto begin germination; first is to sow them directly in the soil and let nature take care of the rest. This is certainly the easier of the two but also the least reliable. What happens if the soil is not warm enough? Or, if they're planted too deeply - or the converse, and planted too shallow?

The second method is to plant them in seedling trays or on germination mats
. This gives you the enjoyment of watching the seeds germinate and pop the surface in a much more controlled setting. Plus, it's far more efficient. Because the process is happening indoors, it can start weeks before your soil may be ready but allow you get them in the ground as soon as the new season commences.

How the germination process works
It's hardly rocket science because the process is incredibly simple. For a seed to germinate it must have three factors going in its favour; 1). moisture, 2). a plant medium (soil, seed-raising mix, cotton wool) and 3). warmth. Given all three the seed will begin to swell and then pop out a root shoot (known as a 'Hypocotyl').

The Hypocotyl eventually becomes the stem of the plant which then gives support for the first foliage to appear. Once this happens the seedling becomes almost self-sufficient as it begins the photosynthesis process and no longer relies on the seed for its nutrient.

Once 2-3 leaves have formed the seedling becomes mature enough to be transplanted into its growing position and this process could take a few weeks up to a few years depending on the seed you're trying to germinate.