Are My Seeds Viable?

This is a great activity to show students how to test for seed viability.

Calculating Germination Rate

Materials:

  • Seeds (around 10)
  • Seed packet
  • Damp paper towel
  • Plastic bag

Method:

  1. With your students, count the number of seeds you are testing.
  2. Soak a paper towel and wring it out so it is moist but not dripping.
  3. Fold the paper towel in half and then reopen it.
  4. Place the seeds in a grid-like pattern on half of the paper towel and fold it over the seeds.
  5. Place the towel into the plastic bag and close it up to keep the moisture in.
  6. Keep the bag of seeds in a warm location, but don’t let it dry out. You should see water droplets on the inside of the bag; if you don’t, add some water.
  7. Record the date you started.
  8. Check the seed packet for the “Days to Germination” information – this is the average number of days for these particular seeds to sprout.
  9. Check the seeds daily for any change.
  10. After the number of days to germination have passed, open up your bag and carefully take out your seeds to see if any have sprouted.
  11. Continue to check every day for a few days after the germination date has passed.
  12. Count the number of sprouts and divide it by the number of seeds you tested. Multiply the result by 100. This is your percentage of germination.

Example: I tested 20 seeds. 15 of them germinated. 15 divided by 20 is 0.75. Multiply by 100 and my germination percentage is 75%. This means that approximately 75% of the seeds I plant from this packet will germinate.

Ag Fact: Farmers use germination rates to determine how much of a crop to plant.