Oleander Seed Germination

1
Fill 4-inch nursery pots with a peat-based, soil-less growing mixture. Add water until it feels very moist in the top two inches. Press one oleander seed onto the surface, and cover it with a thin layer of medium-grit perlite.

2
Place the pots inside an unventilated cold frame in full sun. Warm the pots to between 65 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit with a propagation mat or greenhouse warming coil. Do not lower the temperature at night during the germination process.

3
Moisten the growing mixture daily to ensure the oleander seeds never fully dry out. Water with a spray bottle or a garden hose with a misting nozzle. Avoid pouring water into the pots since a strong stream will dislodge the seeds.

4
Watch for germination in two to three weeks. Remove the propagation mat once that happens, and crack open the cold frame to increase air circulation around the oleander seedlings. Water whenever the growing mixture feels barely damp in the top inch.

5
Move the seedlings to a sheltered area outdoors after the last spring frost. Transplant them into 6-inch pots filled with standard potting soil once they grow to 3 inches high. Grow them under light shade and provide one inch of water weekly during their first summer.

6
Transplant the oleanders into a permanent bed in autumn. Choose a sunny site with fast-draining soil. Space multiple shrubs approximately 5 feet apart. Keep them well-watered during their first year in the garden.