Germination begins when a viable seed resumes growth under suitable conditions. It takes up water, uses stored reserves and develops an emerging root. The model lets you compare dry, moist and waterlogged surroundings. More water is not always better because the seed also needs oxygen for respiration; a seedling's later light needs are a separate question. In the model, watch the first root emerge before the shoot and leaves. The progress control represents development stages, not a count of real days.
Plants, animals and ecosystems · Discover & try
What does a seed need before it starts growing?
Reading level 2 of 5 · DevelopingChange
Word help
germination
The resumption of growth from a seed.
viable
Containing living tissue capable of developing under suitable conditions.
Watch · Try · Explain
See how it works
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One imagined viable, non-dormant seed; stages have no real-time or species-universal calibration.
What to look for
- Stored reserves support early growth
- Moist is different from waterlogged
- Oxygen and temperature also matter
Explain what you noticed
An otherwise suitable seed is placed in waterlogged material with little oxygen. Why might germination be impaired?
Keep this idea: A viable seed needs suitable conditions; unlimited water is not the goal.
Follow the sources
- Penn State Extension — Seed and Seedling Biology
- U.S. Forest Service — Woody Plant Seed Manual: Seed Biology
Source material checked 2026-10-29. Explanations and activities by Nepedia. Source links do not imply endorsement.
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