Starting Hyssop Seeds Inside step by step, so you'll get blooms the first year.

Welcome to another video that's related to beekeeping and pollinator support.
We have long winters here in the northeastern U.S., and starting plants inside is a great way to pass the time while also possibly improving your air quality.
Great project for children as well.
All items in this video are shown below with links. If a link contains "AMZ" in it, that's an affiliate link, and I may earn from qualifying purchases.
1) LED Lights with clamps:
amzn.to/3V5MbRK I use three of these in the video.
2) Wire Support Rack:
1,000 lb capacity: amzn.to/3NldA02
Hyssop Seeds: I purchased mine from Eden Brothers, but now have another favorite: amzn.to/41D1VOJ
3) Potting Soil:
amzn.to/3AtQmNR
4) Sharpest, fine point tweezers I've found anywhere:
amzn.to/40BP7XC
5) Clip on fans that I use to keep the started plants growing, the breeze toughens up the stems.
amzn.to/41VPIEl
6) I purchased my dual-bio dome here: parkseed.com/p...
BUT, I would shop around for another unit, I feel that it's overpriced.
This kit is something I would consider the next time around:
amzn.to/3nbJWjc
7) 6 Inch plastic pots for growing out:
amzn.to/41Xj997
These pots are large enough to go several months inside.
8) Trays that I put the pots on. I pour water onto these trays and water the pots from below:
amzn.to/3oKKn4q
9) You can zip-tie this power strip to the end of your rack system and it has plenty of room for your lights, heat pads (I did not use heat pads), and fans. amzn.to/3AsW9Df
If I have forgotten something, please let me know and I'll add it to the list.
I will be transplanting my Hyssop into my bee-meadow when all threat of frost has passed. You will see follow up videos through the coming year(s).
Thank you for Bee-Ing here!
www.fredsfinef...

[@yasminnilima2366]

I smile when lissen to this. It started a few years ago with the thought, " it would be nice with a beehive in my foodforest." Now I plant the foodforest for the bees 🥳❣️anything pollinatorfriendly is wellcome here. From thyme to walnut and anything in between!

[@FM-uk8rs]

That is beautiful Yasmin , it brings to mind "which came first ,The food forest or the bees ", you know like the chicken or the egg !

[@nancynolton6079]

I've been using a three tiered lighted grow rack (on wheels) so I can wheel it in and out of the house and onto the enclosed porch to help harden off the plants. It also allows you to raise the lights as the plants grow taller and holds nine full flats. Asters, wingstem, anise hyssop, hoary mountain mint, poppy, bachelor button, tomatoes, peppers, napa and savory cabbage, sweet potato slips, cosmos, bee balm, spinach and more were all done in 3 inch pots or cell packs and transplanted. I'll never go back to purchasing plants again! The extra anise hyssop, wingstem and asters are going to the bee club meeting tonight!

[@FrederickDunn]

Wow, I am impressed! That sounds like a great idea, being able to wheel it in and out for good weather. Thank you for sharing, and enjoy your meeting!

[@adam-bonticoubees]

I’ve got a20’x20 ‘ patch of hyssop so far. Trying to expand every year but have been having trouble starting the seeds. Thanks for the video Fred! Hope it helps!

[@FrederickDunn]

I'm going to try get them going in as many areas as I can. I've been advancing them in tiny patches, but I really need to do more as they are much more valuable than other plantings I have at the moment.

[@rickwarner516]

Thanks Fred when I get back from Europe I’ll start them from seed to replace my front yard ( no mowing) 👍🏼❤️❤️❤️🐝🐝🐝

[@FrederickDunn]

Hi Rick, that's a long term dream I have, no mowing necessary. It's going to be a slow process here.

[@tomahawkmissile241]

just need a Welcome sign for the Honey bees to come to.

[@barbaramorris9215]

excellent presentation ! - and I ordered the book too thanks so much

[@FrederickDunn]

Thank you so much, I hope you get good results with your plantings. :)

[@n.v.b2]

I tried growing Anise Hyssop last summer (got seeds from Renee's Garden, the seeds were Root Beer Hyssop) and it was an amazing discovery. It's one of the tastiest plants on planet earth! The leaves taste anise-licorice-mint. You can basically eat it like candy. I agree with Frederick it is a must try herb!!! And like Frederick shows - start seeds early and provide with good grow lamps, etc. so you can get a somewhat mature plant to go in the garden. It is so worth it. However, different varieties grow at a different rate. I am trying Apache Sunset this season and it is growing faster already, will see on the flavor in summer.

[@hildebrandtrius]

Thanks Fred, I’m assuming that you won’t plant your acre this way. I started a few trays last weekend. We had a foot of snow today (Montreal) so they’ll wait. Question: Do you know how can I intersperse seeds or seedlings in a lawn I want to turn into a meadow without tilling or round up? Burn circle? 6” Post hole inverted?

[@FrederickDunn]

You're right, I till my field and roll the seeds in, direct sew only. These are for my garden patches here and there. Regarding interspersing seeds in an established lawn, that's really a challenge. BUT, if I were trying that, I think I'd seed in the fall and let them all come up at the time the grass is coming back to its growing stage. Burning can set the soil back a little, particularly if the seed is just placed on top rather than pushed in. I'm no expert on that, but I might be tempted to lay boards around and kill everything off underneath in strips, then plant those in spring.

[@hildebrandtrius]

Thank you! Well my grass hasn’t started to grow yet so I might just try all those ideas to see what happens and double down next year or in the fall.

[@hildebrandtrius]

Want to see Hyssops from seed through 2 years? Here you go but her pronunciation is hilarious. kzbin.info/www/bejne/rHWTc3ytabeKec0si=IVWP3Z98IXG9GZGh

[@Jeff_and_Jenny_M]

Fred, how do you sterilize your equipment - specifically your tweezers? Not saying it is necessary, but I'm guessing you've thought about it. Thanks in advance.

[@FrederickDunn]

Heat Gun, it's also how I clean my hive tools. The most common sterilization temperatures are 121°C (250°F) and 132°C (270°F) I use the DeWalt heat gun, very handy. You can also use it on your hive boxes when cleaning out dead-outs.

[@lesw3803]

At what point do you pinch the hyssop

[@FrederickDunn]

If you mean removing competing plants in the same pots, I remove surplus plants when the first true leaves emerge. I hope that helps, but you can pull them at any time. I also find that clipping them off with fine scissors is better than pulling their roots.

[@lesw3803]

I didn’t mean thinning. I was referring to pinching out the top of the central stem to encourage branching. @@FrederickDunn

[@Prometheus4096]

I don't like paper towels like this because the roots can very quickly grow into the cellulose of the paper. And then you have to rip the seeds out, damaging them. If you put them in ziplock, the paper isn't even needed. Just put something that can take up and release moisture. That gives 100% humidity and once you see roots, you can bury them in plug trays.

[@FrederickDunn]

You can clip the paper towel and leave it attached to the seedling and put it right into the soil. If the roots go into it, no need to pull it apart. But thanks for that tip :)

[@Hybscrafthouse]

I definitely will only put one seed in one hole. That i so important. I did as the instructions and put 4 seeds and when they get bigger, I have to repot them. It is a lot of extra work.

[@FrederickDunn]

Great advice :)

[@Peter-od7op]

Fred your really doing a great job to help all in USA and the world

[@FrederickDunn]

Hi, Peter, any tiny improvement helps :) Thank you :)

[@sydneycunningham03k]

I FREAKING LOVED THIS VIDEO 🙏🏾...THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING YOUR KNOWLEDGE. 💚🌱

[@FrederickDunn]

Wow, thank you so much :) Thank you for taking a moment to comment!

[@ea313712]

Great video ! Maybe you can help with a problem i'm having. After soaking my hyssop seeds for 24 hours and using this paper towel method the seeds germinate after 3 days, but after 5 days instead of the sprot getting longer it develops two very tiny Cotyledon leafs and the little white sprout disappears. So I have two leafs but no more sprout for it to go downward into the soil. I did use a grow lights and dome with heating pad during this process for this germination. Twice this exact problem has occured. Please help. I guess I can't upload pictures here ?Thanks.

[@FrederickDunn]

I would remove them from the papertower as soon as you have germinitation and put them on damp soil until you see plenty of green start, then remove the moisture enclosure (celephane on cups of soil).

[@robertmathurin739]

🇱🇨👍🏼♥️

[@RobinPruch]

What month did you start these? Im in wester new york, about 1.5 hours from you

[@FrederickDunn]

I started them in Mid-February. With the Giant Blue Hyssop, six weeks ahead of planting them outside is a good starting time.

[@ofrecentvintage]

Thank you for your dedication in documenting and sharing this process. 4 months--wow!

[@FrederickDunn]

You are so welcome!

[@a_mustache_of_great_repute]

Mine grew really thin and leggy. More like vines

[@FrederickDunn]

A stronger light, and fans can definitely reduce that issue. They grow leggy as they attempt to reach stronger light.

[@dcsblessedbees]

😂Doing this inside during the Winter keeps Fed from being bored😁also gives me interesting videos to watch, works for me. Ty much Fred.👍

[@FrederickDunn]

It was great to see you at the live-stream last night! :)

[@jaredgodwin5956]

So it’s too late to start them and have them bloom the same year?

[@FrederickDunn]

Depends on your climate, and what variety you're planting. What I was told is that by starting early, I'm improving my chances of having first year blooms. I think there must be quiet a few variables. I have another batch that's just an inch tall at the moment. We'll see. I would start them anyway so you can get them going on your property.

[@pamrichardson8367]

I saw a preview of this in one of your Friday Q&A videos. I purchased these grow light and like them. Plants are doing great. I started both giant hyssop and blue. Will you do a mass planting? I have a 8x 100’ row that I’m removing grass and plan on putting the hyssop and Maximilian sunflower starts then sprinkle wild flower seeds. If I can deter the deer it should be nice for the bees.

[@FrederickDunn]

we are planning a larger plot of them this year, I'm glad the lights are working out nice for you :)

[@tommychew6544]

Interesting to see how far LED has brought things along. Years ago, I thought I was near cutting edge by using flouriest grow lights, on a very small scale, to start lower acidity yellow tomatoes from seed, about 5 varieties. I was able to start and grow them but, the lower acidity wasn't enough for me to keep enjoying a nice BLT without heartburn, not mild heartburn. (that's another story though) I will have to try starting this way again before next spring, so I don't have to buy potted plants. Thanks for always teaching the way you do, as always you help when people are willing to follow direction and learn from someone they can trust. You put in the time and effort to show that it would seem. Thanks Fred!

[@RobinPruch]

Did you cold stratify these before putting in baggies?

[@FrederickDunn]

I did not. :) BUT, many say that you need to do that but I had no issues just going straight into planting/starting.

[@RobinPruch]

​@FrederickDunn thank you!

[@RobinPruch]

Tank you!

[@RobinPruch]

What month did you start these?

[@enricotoesca3941]

Hello Mister Frederik 🥰🥰🥰🥰

[@FrederickDunn]

Hello, Enrico!

[@enricotoesca3941]

@@FrederickDunn Hello too Frederick 🥰

[@SteveDratwa]

NICE FOR TRANSPLANT,,,,weird that your Hyssop looks like Lavender,,i grew Anise Hyssop last year and its up 5-8" big purple leaves so this year i started Hyssop and more Anise Hyssop,, Hyssop must grow different but does it have the black licorice flavor like Anise?? i use 1000w halide an hps with co2 in a grow tent 14hrs a day $57 a month,,its a hobby like the bees

[@FrederickDunn]

Wow, sounds like you have an elaborate setup there. I didn't use my grow tent this year, at least not for plants, it's where I dehydrate late-season honey if we have to take it off before the bees finish it.

[@NATURALBEEKEEPERSCOLLECTIVE]

Thanks for posting this one. I am gonna give these guys another go using your method. Just been doing 3 100ft x 3ft rows ready for the Agastaches for seed production and honey.Yesterday was brilliant even had a swarm Today its heavy rain and cooler lol . Wish I could get the Hyssop Officialis germinating and growing as good as yours, That is a totally awesome set up.

[@FrederickDunn]

I hope it works out for you! I'm going to this method after years of direct sewing with very sparse results.

[@MJQL]

Frederick thank you so much for the video. i've been looking at a pack of hyssop seed for a while now and your video gave me enough info and enough confidence to germinate them today.

[@FrederickDunn]

I hope it works out for you :)

[@Les0613]

Hyssop is a great plant for pollinators. Before I relocated to Florida from NY I had three huge Hyssop plants. Loved this video!

[@FrederickDunn]

Thank you Leslie! If I had thousands of these, it wouldn't be enough :) I'm so glad you liked the video. :)

[@periplanetamissionary]

You should try the jungle dawn led lights from arcadia

[@FrederickDunn]

Thanks for the recommendation!

[@joseluisduarte3313]

I really enjoyed this video, I completely agree ! I have started my winter planting, G'day from Sydney Australia

[@FrederickDunn]

Thanks for watching! I have moved the plants outside and the transition was a success. I'll be doing more growing like this in the future. :)

[@joseluisduarte3313]

@Frederick Dunn I purchased bee pasture pollen and nectar seed mix ready to plant late winter i have also planted 20 Manuka tea tree here in Australia take care I'm keen to see the plants in the next video