How to Germinate Patchouli Seeds

Patchouli oil is used in perfume.

Patchouli, or patchouli oil, is a well known fragrance. This herbaceous perennial is also a member of the Lamiaceae family, commonly known as the mint family. When crushed, the glossy leaves give off a strong scent of patchouli. Patchouli is native to the Philippines, southern China and Malaysia. It grows in warm climates and is hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness Zones 8 to 12. Germinating patchouli seeds is as simple as growing common mint. Like all seeds, patchouli seeds require good soil, moisture and light to germinate successfully.

Things You'll Need

• Seed-propagation tray
• Seed-starting mix
• Butter knife
• 2-inch pots or 2-inch cell packs
• Potting soil

Instructions

1. Fill a seed-propagation tray to 1/2 inch below the lip with seed-starting potting mix. A seed-starting tray is an oblong tray commonly about 2 1/2 inches deep. Select a tray that has drainage holes in the bottom to allow water to escape.

2. Scatter the patchouli seeds over the seed-starting soil mix. Spread the seeds so that they are about 1/4 inch apart. Cover the seeds with 1/8 inch of the potting soil mix.

3. Soak the soil combination with water until it is evenly damp all the way through, being careful not to move any soil around. Place the patchouli seeds in an area that gets filtered sunlight and is above to 70 degrees F.

4. Water the seed tray when the top of the soil begins to feel dry to the touch. Use a misting setting on a hose or a bottle with a misting setting.

5. Extract the seedlings when they are about 1 inch tall. Slide your fingers or a butter knife under a section of seedlings and lift them out of the tray. Carefully pull apart the individual seedlings using your finger tips. Keep the healthiest seedlings and discard the weak ones.

6. Fill individual 2-inch containers of cell packs consisting of multiple 2-inch compartments with potting soil. Make a hole in the center of each compartment that is large enough for the root system of your patchouli seedlings.

7. Place one seedling in each hole and fill in around it with soil. The seedlings should be at the same depth in the new pots as they were in the seed-starting tray.

8. Water the patchouli seedlings when the top of the soil feels dry to the touch. Place the seedlings in a sunny area where the temperature remains above 70 degrees F.

Tips & Warnings

• Avoid using garden soil to start seeds as the microbes in the soil are likely to damage the seeds before they can germinate.

References

• University of Oklahoma Department of Biology and Microbiology: Pogostemon Patchouli
• University of Georgia Center for Urban Agriculture: Scent and Decorative Herbs
• Allotment Vegetable Growing: A Guide to Raising Herbs from Seed

Resources

• National Arboretum: U.S. Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness Map