Q: I’m a high school student doing a project for science but I’m having a hard time germinating canna lily seeds. I have tried many things but I did not get any results.

A: The seeds will germinate best if their hard seed coat is partially scraped off. The easiest way to do this is to rub each seed gently on a piece of sandpaper. You don’t have to remove the whole coat – just rub it off in a couple of places. Once the seeds are “scarified” put them in a pot of warm water and allow the seeds and water to cool overnight. In this way the seeds will be “primed” and made ready to sprout after you plant them in your science project soil. Leaves should appear in four weeks.