Dormancy and Plant Hormones

Seedlings do not grow throughout the year. They require a period of rest called dormancy. Under natural conditions most seedlings begin the dormancy cycle in mid-summer, primarily in response to moisture stress. Shoot elongation generally stops until the following spring, but diameter and root growth continue. The period of dormancy is a series of different physiological phases, each with distinct characteristics and requirements. Failure to complete the requirements of each phase of dormancy results in decreased seedling vigor and probably death after outplanting.

Temperatures below 32 degrees Fahrenheit. (freezing) can damage or even kill non-dormant seedlings. Seedlings become increasingly resistant (hardened) to environmental stress as they become dormant in the fall. They gradually lose this resistance in the spring in their post-dormancy period.

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Last Modified: 07/05/2007