The invention provides a carex brunnescens seed germination method. The method comprises the steps as follows: after carex brunnescens seeds are washed and aired, seed coats are broken with a mechanical treatment method and an acid or alkaline solution soaking method, disinfection is performed with an ethanol solution after washing, then, seeds are soaked with distilled water and soaked with a gibberellic acid solution with concentration of 50-200 mg/L, meanwhile, temperature change tretament adopting 25 DEG C and 5 DEG C high/low temperature alternation is performed, and a germination test isconducted. The germination rate of the carex brunnescens seeds is increased, the germination rate after 10 d of germination reaches 47.9%-65.1%, seeds germinate uniformly, the germination time is shortened, the problem of breeding of carex brunnescens in Maqu cold upland is solved, the biological desertification prevention and control cost is reduced, the method has great significance in shortening the restoration time of deteriorated grassland, reducing original vegetation deterioration and improving sand stabilization effect, and new research prospects are opened up for technical approachesof exploring ecological restoration of deteriorated grassland in the cold upland.