Sunflower seeds have a tough, woody coat designed to protect the baby plant inside. In nature, this coat slowly breaks down over winter rains and soil microbes. But we’re impatient, right? Soaking tricks the seed into thinking spring has arrived.
It speeds up the germination time by about a day or two, sometimes more. And if you’re in a cooler climate with a short growing season, that little head start can mean the difference between a sunflower that barely blooms and one that towers over your fence.
