From Seed Reception to Packaging: How Les Graines Bocquet Controls and Packages Its Seeds

Before a packet of Les Graines Bocquet seeds is offered for sale, the seeds go through several stages: seed reception, lot identification, germination testing in the laboratory, trials in our garden, and then packaging.

At Les Graines Bocquet, these different stages are carried out at our site in Mons-en-Pévèle, in the Hauts-de-France region. Our quality service, laboratory, trial garden, and packaging machines are all located on the same site. This organization allows us to track the seeds from their reception to their packaging and, importantly, to control their germination before they are put up for sale. Here’s how this work is carried out.

Step 1: Seed Reception by Our Quality Service

The seeds we offer mainly come from France. They are received directly at our site in Mons-en-Pévèle by our quality service. Each batch of seeds is identified by a lot number. This identification allows us to maintain a precise reference of the seeds throughout their tracking. This lot number is also indicated on the packets of Les Graines Bocquet seeds.

Step 2: Germination Control in Our Laboratory

After reception, the seeds undergo a germination control in our laboratory located in Mons-en-Pévèle. This control allows us to verify their germination capacity before packaging and commercialization. It constitutes an important step in our process: we check the germination of the seeds before they are offered to gardeners. The end date of the laboratory control is, in fact, part of the information we provide on our seed packets, alongside the lot number.

Step 3: We Also Test the Seeds in Our Trial Garden

Laboratory control is not the only observation we carry out. At our site in Mons-en-Pévèle, we also have a trial garden where we sow the seeds to observe them under gardening conditions.

Why Also Conduct Trials in the Garden?

Because we want to place ourselves in conditions closer to those encountered by a gardener when making their own sowings. Germination in the garden is indeed subject to different conditions than those in a laboratory. Temperature, humidity, soil, sowing depth, and weather conditions can all influence the emergence.

This step allows us to complement the laboratory control with an observation of the seeds in gardening situations.

Why Control Seeds in the Laboratory and in a Trial Garden?

These two approaches provide us with complementary observations. In our laboratory, we control the germination of the seeds under controlled conditions. In our trial garden, we sow them to get closer to the conditions in which gardeners actually use our seeds. This is particularly important when discussing germination: the success of a sowing does not solely depend on the seed. In the vegetable garden, sowing conditions also play an important role. A temperature that is too low, a lack or excess of moisture, an inappropriate sowing depth, or weather conditions can influence the emergence. That’s why we chose to complement our laboratory controls with trials in our garden.

Step 4: Validation of Germination Before Packaging

After the controls and trials, if the germination is satisfactory, the seeds can move on to the packaging stage. This step is also carried out directly at our site in Mons-en-Pévèle. The seeds do not need to be transferred to another site for packaging: the different stages we describe here are all gathered in one place.

Step 5: Packaging of Seeds in Mons-en-Pévèle

After validation, the seeds are packaged on-site using our packaging machines. They are then distributed into packets corresponding to the different references offered by Les Graines Bocquet. The packet, however, serves not only to contain the seeds. We also include information to help the gardener identify the seeds and provide cultivation advice.

What Information Can Be Found on a Les Graines Bocquet Seed Packet?

On the back of each seed packet, we indicate, among other things:

• sowing and cultivation advice;
• a sowing and harvesting calendar;
• the end date of laboratory control;
• the lot number;
• the net weight of seeds expressed in grams.

The gardener can thus find on their packet the main indications they need to prepare their cultivation, as well as the information to identify the concerned lot of seeds. We therefore recommend keeping the packet during cultivation, particularly to refer back to the calendar and advice or to find the lot number if necessary.

Step 6: Sale of Seed Packets

Once packaged, the seed packets can be offered to gardeners. We market our seeds on our website as well as through our partner stores. The process we have just presented can thus be summarized as follows:

Reception in Mons-en-Pévèle → lot identification → germination control in our laboratory → trial in our garden → validation → on-site packaging → sale.

How to Know if Les Graines Bocquet Seeds Have Been Controlled?

Control information is directly accessible on the packet. We indicate, in particular, the end date of laboratory control as well as the lot number. This information accompanies the cultivation advice, sowing and harvesting calendar, and the net weight of the seeds. Thus, when you use a Les Graines Bocquet packet, we recommend not to immediately throw away the packaging after sowing. It may be useful for retrieving cultivation information and references for your seeds.

A Seed Expertise Gathered in Mons-en-Pévèle

From seed reception to packaging, the different stages presented in this document are carried out at our site in Mons-en-Pévèle. Our quality service receives the seeds, identifies the lots, and conducts germination controls in our laboratory. We also have our trial garden on-site, where we can sow the seeds to observe them under conditions similar to those faced by gardeners. When germination is satisfactory, the seeds are then packaged in Mons-en-Pévèle with our packaging machines, before the packets are offered on our website and through our partner stores. This organization allows us to bring together quality service, germination control, garden trials, and seed packaging at the same site.

Les Graines Bocquet – Our expertise in seeds and vegetable gardening.