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Spring Ops 2 (Plant Science) - Breaking Seed Dormancy

Before the planting season begins, the first step is preparing the seeds themselves.

Processing seeds involves more than just cleaning them before seed pod manufacturing. The conifer species we plant have a dormancy period, and if that dormancy is not removed, it can prevent germination even under ideal conditions.

To remove seed dormancy, you need to simulate the cold, wet conditions of winter. This process is called stratification and typically involves layering seeds between moist materials such as peat moss. At Flash Forest, we employ a unique method that uses no material at all. We sterilize seeds, hold them at precise temperatures and species-specific moisture levels, and monitor them regularly throughout the process.

This allows us to minimize the time required to remove dormancy and reduce the risk of pathogen contamination, improving both the speed at which we can execute planting projects and the establishment success of the seeds we plant.

Big thanks to Bryce Blair, Wilhelm van Husen, PhD, and Devin Noordermeer on the Plant Science R&D team for leading this work. It is a foundational step that everything else builds on.

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