Germinate - by Joseph Tychonievich (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

A friendly and thorough guide to everything gardeners need to know to successfully germinate seeds and raise healthy seedlings.

Germinate is a comprehensive guide for novice seed starters, experienced gardeners, and even professional growers. From container selection to light considerations to soil mixes, Germinate covers the nuts and bolts of seed starting and saving--all alongside an expansive encyclopedia of nearly five hundred edible and ornamental plant varieties, from arugula to yucca and amaranth to zinnia. Horticulturist Joseph Tychonievich leaves no gardener behind. Beginning with the fundamentals of seed formation and dormancy, then delving into specific seed-starting techniques, Joseph offers clear, step-by-step instructions for germinating and harvesting the seeds of vegetables, herbs, annuals, biennials, perennials, shrubs, trees, and more. Whether you want to save seeds from heirloom vegetables in order to live a self-sufficient life, sow a bed full of cut flowers to fill vases in your home, collect seeds from native plants for a pollinator garden, grow a shade tree for the front yard, or cultivate succulents for your windowsill, Germinate will show you how to do it!

"Explores one of gardening's oldest pleasures--setting new life in motion--and helps readers sow with care, confidence, and curiosity."
--Carol Connare, editor of The Old Farmer's Almanac

"A love letter to the wonder of seeds. . . . An enthusiastic, down-to-earth guide on seed starting and saving that will help you level up your gardening skills."
--Niki Jabbour, author of The Year-Round Vegetable Gardener and Growing Under Cover

"With practical, easy-to-follow guidance covering a wide range of edible and ornamental plants, Joseph takes the mystery out of germination, seed starting, and seed saving while sharing the science behind how it all works. . . . An incredibly comprehensive reference that belongs on every gardener's bookshelf."
--Brie Arthur, horticulturist; author of The Foodscape Revolution

"A fascinating master class on the world of seeds."
--Madeline Hooper, host, PBS's GardenFit; coauthor of Get GardenFit

Review Quotes

"Accessible and informative, Germinate gives you everything you need to know to both start and save seeds. Targeted at beginners but with plenty to learn for all levels--cleaning milkweed seeds by burning the chaff was a life-changing revelation! And the encyclopedia section alone earns this book an enduring spot on the bookshelf."--Chris Smith, author of Saved by Seeds and the James Beard Award-winning The Whole Okra

"Through his passion and deep expertise, Joseph has produced the perfect book for successful seed starting. Whether you are a novice gardener or a seasoned pro, this book provides a thorough and detailed guide into the fascinating world of growing plants from seed."--Rhonda Fleming Hayes, author of Garden for Life

"Germinate made me feel as if I were learning from my favorite science teacher. Joseph takes gardeners on a journey into how seeds provide nourishment and beauty, and he inspired me to begin seed starting. The book provides clear guidance and reasoning for the seed-starting process, making it feel approachable and essential to the practice of gardening. Germinate shows how learning to start seeds can open a new world of plant choices, adding to the diversity of a thriving garden."--Janice Groves, a.k.a. The Sheet-Mulching Queen

"As a lifelong sower, I firmly believe there's no better way to learn about a plant than to raise it from seed. Joseph Tychonievich, the modern docent of the world of seeds, has assembled a couple hundred pages of evidence and encouragement, sweetly cajoling readers with the unspoken question, "What will you sow next?" His clear prose unravels the complexities of seed biology, paired with hands-on methods and practices. If, like the fine seeds he describes, you've patiently waited for the light to arrive, it's here. My copy shall never leave the potting bench."--Kelly D. Norris, horticulturalist and ecological designer; author of New Naturalism and Your Natural Garden

"We ask a great deal of something as small as a seed: to become the beginning of every garden. Part science and part practical guide, this book explores one of gardening's oldest pleasures--setting new life in motion--and helps readers sow with care, confidence, and curiosity."--Carol Connare, editor of The Old Farmer's Almanac

"Joseph Tychonievich's Germinate is an indispensable resource for anyone who wants to grow plants from seed, whether you're a first-time gardener or a seasoned professional. With practical, easy-to-follow guidance covering a wide range of edible and ornamental plants, Joseph takes the mystery out of germination, seed starting, and seed saving while sharing the science behind how it all works. This is the book I'll be keeping close at hand--an incredibly comprehensive reference that belongs on every gardener's bookshelf."--Brie Arthur (a.k.a. The Plant Lady), horticulturist; author of The Foodscape Revolution

"Germinate is a love letter to the wonder of seeds and includes everything you need to know to grow them--and save them--successfully. Essential reading for anyone curious about seeds and how to get them to germinate and grow into healthy plants, Germinate is an enthusiastic, down-to-earth guide on seed starting and saving that will help you level up your gardening skills."--Niki Jabbour, author of The Year-Round Vegetable Gardener and Growing Under Cover

"Germinate is a fascinating master class on the world of seeds. I truly enjoyed Joseph's writing style and wide range of content. I've grown vegetables and annuals mostly from purchased seeds, but Joseph has inspired me to collect seeds from my own garden and has taken the guesswork out of the entire process. I loved learning how to properly collect seeds and unleash their power. I feel I now have a partner to guide me every step of the way as I venture further into seed collecting and propagation."--Madeline Hooper, host, PBS's GardenFit; coauthor of Get GardenFit

About the Author

Joseph Tychonievich is the author of three gardening books (Plant Breeding for the Home Gardener, Rock Gardening: Reimagining a Classic Style, and The Comic Book Guide to Growing Food), all of which take complex, scientific topics and break them down in clear language that is accessible for every reader. 

His writing has appeared in Horticulture and Fine Gardening, where he was long-time editor of their Garden Photo of the Day feature and produced many of their e-learning courses. He has written for the print Sunday Magazine The New York Times for Kids, and is a frequent contributor to Better Homes & Gardens. Joseph has also been a repeated guest on NPR's wildly popular show "The Splendid Table" and a frequent guest on popular gardening podcasts such as Margaret Roach's "A Way to Garden", "The Joe Gardener Show", and "Washington Gardener". He serves as the editor for the journals of the North American Rock Garden Society and Magnolia Society International. 

Before starting his writing career, he grew plants from seed professionally in a research setting at Ohio State and Michigan State universities, then at specialty rare plant nurseries in Japan and Michigan. Joseph continues to grow hundreds of plants from seed at home every year, mostly for his own garden, but some for his small online store. 

Joseph is in demand as a speaker on gardening topics around the US and Canada, at garden clubs, plant societies, and keynoting Master Gardener conferences and botanical garden symposia.