Seed Treatments:

Outside Germination involved planting the milkweed seeds in a seed-starting soil within a small greenhouse tray. The tray provided a controlled space for early growth. Once planted, the trays were placed outdoors to experience natural conditions. They were positioned in an area that received extended morning sunlight to encourage healthy germination.

Cold stratification can be done in a bunch of different ways, but here’s the simple method I used for my seeds. It doesn’t take much—just a paper towel, some plastic bags, and a spot in the fridge.

I started by dampening a paper towel and folding it so there was enough room for about 30 seeds. The seeds were spread out on the towel, then I folded it back over to tuck them in. It made a nice little pocket of moisture to get the process going.

Next, I slipped each folded towel into its own plastic bag. I pressed out all the air before sealing them up, which helps keep everything neat and prevents too much extra moisture from hanging around.

Finally, I placed all the bags in the back of the refrigerator and left them there for 30 days. Once a week, I opened the bags to check on the seeds, making sure there wasn’t any mold and looking for the first signs of sprouting. It’s a simple routine that sets the seeds up for strong growth once they’re ready to plant.