How to Grow Sweet Woodruff From Seed

Sweet woodruff is the common name for Galium oderatum, a perennial species of herb grown for its delicate appearance and fragrant foliage. The stems, which reach 6 to 12 inches in length, often spread along the ground, producing a dense mat of lance-shaped leaves that exude a sweet, vanilla-like scent when crushed or disturbed. Sweet woodruff self-sows aggressively, so it is best to collect the seeds before they disperse and use them to grow new plants under controlled conditions. The seeds must be stored until the following spring and provided with a brief chilling period to prompt germination, which occurs quickly under warm conditions.

Things You'll Need

Six-pack planting container
Seedling compost
Medium-grit sand
Spray bottle

Plastic wrap
Propagation mat
Fluorescent lamp

Instructions

- 1
  Start sweet woodruff seeds five to seven weeks before the expected last frost date.
- 2
  Fill a six-pack planting container with loose, moistened seedling compost. Do not firm the compost into the cells of the planting container. A somewhat rough surface is required.
- 3
  Sprinkle two or three sweet woodruff seeds into each cell of the planting container. Scatter a very thin layer of medium-grit sand on top of the seeds to anchor them.
- 4
  Mist each cell of the planting container with a spray bottle to settle the soil and seeds. Spray until the seedling compost feels moist 1/4 inch below the surface.
- 5
  Stretch a length of plastic wrap across the planting container to hold moisture near the seeds. Place the planting container inside a refrigerator for two weeks.
- 6
  Move the planting container to a bright, sunny room where temperatures stay around 70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit, or place it on a propagation mat beneath a fluorescent lamp if a naturally warm, bright spot is not available.
- 7
  Mist the sweet woodruff seeds whenever the soil surface feels dry when touched. Spray each cell until water gathers on the surface of the seedling compost.
- 8
  Watch for germination in 15 to 25 days. Remove all but one of the sweet woodruff seedlings from each cell of the planting container. Keep the strongest, healthiest seedling.
- 9
  Keep the sweet woodruff seedlings indoors until one week after the last frost in spring. Plant them 10 to 20 inches apart in a shady bed with moist, fertile soil once outdoor daytime temperatures reach 65 degrees Fahrenheit.

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