- 1). Fill 3.5-inch square pots with seed-starting compost. Leave approximately 1/2-inch of space between the seed-starting compost and the brim of the pot.
- 2). Poke a 3/4-inch-deep hole in the center of the seed-starting compost in each pot. Drop two goldenseal seeds into each hole. Cover the seeds.
- 3). Mist the seed-starting compost in each pot with a spray bottle. Spray the seed-starting compost until it feels moist at least 1 inch below the surface.
- 4). Wrap each pot in plastic wrap. Press the plastic wrap onto the bottom of the pot to secure it. Poke a pinhole in the top of the plastic wrap to allow for a small amount of evaporation.
- 5). Place the pots inside a refrigerator for two months to cold-stratify the seeds. Remove the plastic wrap periodically to check the moisture level of the seed-starting compost. Remoisten it, as needed, so it never fully dries out. Replace the plastic wrap afterward.
- 6). Remove the pots from the refrigerator after the cold stratification period. Remove the plastic wrap. Move the pots onto a sunny windowsill or outdoors into a cold frame, if one is available.
- 7). Continue watering frequently with the spray bottle so that the seed-starting compost remains moist in the top inch at all times.
- 8). Watch for germination in spring once daytime temperatures stay above 68 degrees Fahrenheit for three weeks in a row. Pluck out and discard one of the goldenseal seedlings from each pot if both seeds germinate.
- 9). Transplant the goldenseal seedlings into a permanent planter or bed once they grow to 3 inches in height. Space the seedlings 12 inches apart. Provide the seedlings with light shade and loamy, mildly acidic soil.
next post