Winter Seed Sowing of Sylvestris Nicotiana

Question

Looking for suggestions on how to handle the VERY small Sylvestris Nicotiana seeds. How do I pick up individual seeds in order to sow them? They’re too small for a tweezers.

Also, when should I sow them in milk jugs (winter seed sowing).

Answer 1

Gardeners often recommend mixing the seed with a small amount of sand. Then use a 1/8 tsp of mix to the top of the soil. A “pinch” will also do. Tiny seeds almost always need light to germinate so do not cover the seeds; just gently press them into the soil. The trick is to not let the soil surface dry out. Unlike many native plants, these do not need to go through cold stratification in order to germinate. You can successfully plant them indoors as they prefer a 70 F. environment for germination which takes 2-3 weeks. Do not put seeds in direct sunlight until they germinate. I suggest an indoor flat with a dome or plastic bag to lessen the risk of surface drying; otherwise you will need to spritz them with water twice daily, depending on how dry and warm it is in your home. Remove bag or dome when most have germinated.