Blog

At Semillistas, every sowing starts long before the seeds are put in the ground. Behind every plant that sprouts, there is a careful and detailed process that takes place in the laboratory. Today we want to tell you a little about how we prepare the seeds to ensure that they have the best possible conditions to germinate and later grow strong in the field.

Recently, we have been working with aladern seeds (Rhamnus alaternus), testing different treatments to improve their germination. In the laboratory, we use Petri dishes with sand in which we place the seeds and carefully record each piece of data. These data, little by little, allow us to construct the germination curves that guide our decisions to prepare the seeds before sowing them in Los Guájares.

At the beginning of February, at Semillistas, we carried out experimental sowings of orthodox seeds in Los Guájares. These sowings are part of an ongoing learning process about how plants germinate and establish themselves in a forest that is in the process of regeneration after a fire.

At Semillistas, every small gesture counts for reforestation, and the day we shared with the European volunteers in the laboratory was a clear example of this. The main task was the sorting of acorns, an essential process before planting in Los Guájares.

At Semillistas we continue to explore ways to improve the efficiency of our plantings and increase the survival rates of the trees we plant. On this occasion, we are applying a treatment called Solid Matrix Priming to Pinus alepensis, a key species in the reforestation of Mediterranean ecosystems.

At Semillistas we continue to perfect our planting techniques to improve efficiency in ecosystem restoration. Today we want to share in detail a key treatment we apply to carob (Ceratonia siliqua) seeds: hydropriming, a technique that accelerates germination and improves the seedling's ability to cope with adverse conditions.

This week we received in the laboratory our European volunteer team, who have been learning about the work we do with seeds and mycorrhizae. As part of their training, they carried out a key activity for ecological restoration: the extraction of mycorrhizal fungi spores to coat seeds.

At Semillistas, our hands are ready, our seeds are prepared, and our enthusiasm is intact. However, nature reminds us that the time to sow also depends on her.

Sunday the 12th was a very special day for our community at Semillistas: we welcomed twelve young people from the European Solidarity Corps who will accompany us for the next two months in Órgiva! These volunteers are full of energy, eager to learn and above all, with the enthusiasm to make a difference in the reforestation and regeneration of our forests.

On the 10th of January, we took a very important step to move forward with our reforestation projects. We held a special training for all the people we are going to hire to carry out the sowing, a key moment in which we prepared ourselves for one of the most fundamental tasks: sowing with love and knowledge!