Black Pot Technique Data Sheet

Why Use This Technique? When you want to know when the seeds are germinating.

Common Applications

When seed is dormant planted, sometimes it is beneficial to know when the seeds are germinating. Cases of this include: when you want to spray a field right before germination, when you want to remove livestock from a field right before germination, to know when to spray an herbicide before germination of native seedlings, or to know when to remove livestock from a field before germination of seedlings.

How To

• Take soil from your field to fill up a black plastic flowerpot.
• Firm up the soil in the pot by pressing gently on the soil.
• Scatter a handful of the native seeds on top of the soil in the flowerpot. Do NOT bury them more than 1/8^th of an inch deep.
• Water the pot.
• Choose a place for your pot and think about:
• Full sun so that it absorbs the sun’s heat and is warmer than the soil in the field.
• Where you’ll see it frequently and can water it occasionally.
• Where it’s protected from pets and such.
• Don’t set it in water.
• Put the pot in a location where it will get the same weather as the field, e.g., rain, sun & snow.
• Keep an eye on the pot for germination. The seeds in the pot SHOULD germinate about a week before those in the field. So, be ready to act when you see germination.

Other Things To Consider

• Fill one pot with field soil & another with weed-free potting soil. The field soil will also show the germination of weed seeds, some of which may germinate before the native seedlings.

A Word Of Caution

• While this technique can be a wonderful way to monitor the germination of your seeds, things can go wrong. So, don’t place your full faith in this technique. Make sure to keep comparing germination results in the pot with those in the field to make sure that the seeds in the pot are germinating ahead of those in the field. While we are providing details of how to do this technique because it can be helpful, you assume all risks of using it