Summer residents are already looking forward to the new season and are buying seeds. But, when acquiring new ones, check for germination and those that you have left from previous years.
If you forgot the seeds in the fall in the country, do not worry. Germination of seeds will not suffer from this if the house was dry, without sharp fluctuations in air humidity. Consider that you have carried out a preliminary hardening of the seeds.
Before checking the seeds for germination, you need to make a qualitative assessment - sorting. The goal is to remove small, feeble, damaged seeds, leaving large, full-weight ones.
Sorting in liquids
Seeds of cucumber, beets, melons, pumpkins, as large enough, are sorted in clean water; seeds of tomato, carrot, cabbage, radish - in a 3-5% (30-50 g per 1 liter of water) solution of table salt.
Sorting seeds can be combined with disinfection in a strong solution of potassium permanganate. To increase the density of the solution put the specified amount of sodium chloride. Seeds are poured into the solution in small portions, thoroughly (without shaking) mixed and kept in the solution for 10-15 minutes.
Floating seeds are removed; settled to the bottom - filtered through a cloth or sieve, washed twice in water and dried, scattering a thin layer on filter or newsprint paper.
As you can see, the method is simple, but painfully time-consuming: preparing the solution, washing, drying ... The old children's fun will help to simplify this painstaking operation, when, after rubbing a plastic handle, small pieces of paper are made to dance.
Dry sorting
The secret is that the plastic, electrified by friction, attracts small particles to itself. This is what is used in dry sorting of seeds. Having scattered them in a thin layer on a sheet of paper, draw an electrified stick made of plastic, ebonite, plexiglass at a height of 1–2 cm.
Empty, feeble seeds will be attracted. The operation should be repeated several times, after stirring the seeds. If a healthy seed is inadvertently attracted to the stick, it should be shaken off with a light tap of the finger.
Determination of seed germination
After sorting, you can proceed to determine the germination of seeds. There are three ways to do this.
Method one
Seeds of small sizes - carrots, turnips, cabbage, watercress, sorrel, rhubarb, parsley, cabbage, mustard, tomato, dill, pepper, eggplant, garden flowers are checked in this way: we lay out paper napkins soaked in water on a saucer, put them on them seeds (no more than 10 pieces) and cover with plastic wrap.
We put in a relatively warm place, but the temperature there should not exceed 20–23 ºС. Check the seeds daily and add water if necessary. As they germinate, we count the sprouted ones. If 6 out of 10 seeds germinated, then the germination rate is 60%. And yet, the faster the seeds germinate, the more energy they have.
Method two
Pour the seeds into a suitable container and fill with water, mix thoroughly and let stand for 5-7 minutes. Remove seeds that are on the surface of the water. They may be empty, spoiled or dry.
Feel free to use those that have settled to the bottom for sowing, after drying them at a temperature of 20–25 ºC, they will have good germination. So you can check for germination of all seeds, except for the seeds of tomato, radish and cabbage.
They are checked by density not in water, but in a 3–5% solution of common salt. You can dry the seeds with a fan.
Method three
Checking the germination of seeds of pumpkin, zucchini, peas, squash, cucumbers, beets, beans, beans, watermelon and melon is carried out in sawdust, which should first be treated with boiling water 2-3 times in 20-30 minutes.
Then raw sawdust is poured into trays, trays or small boxes. Seeds are placed in rows at a distance of 2-3 cm from each other. A gap of 1–1.5 cm is maintained between the seeds. After that, the seeds are covered with sawdust and thoroughly rammed. If this is not done, then roots will appear on the surface instead of cotyledons.
Favorable temperature for seed germination is 23–27 ºC. Then, as in the previous methods, we count the germinated seeds and find out the percentage of germination.
Sowing cucumber seeds is carried out according to certain rules. Experienced gardeners are well aware that when using seed collected at home, it is necessary to check it for germination. Calibrated seeds will hatch well and quickly. We will learn in more detail how to check the germination of cucumber seeds prepared for seedlings, how to properly store the seed so that it retains the ability to germinate.
In order for the seeds of cucumbers to give good shoots and turn into strong seedlings, carry out pre-sowing preparation.
- Select planting material. In the course of this work, empty, unusable seeds are discarded.
- Disinfect seeds prepared at home, follow a set of procedures for hardening and germinating them.
- Prepare the soil for planting. Find a deep and spacious container to fill it with earth (use plastic cups or small flower pots).
- Plant prepared seeds.
- Follow the rules for caring for cucumber seeds.
If you decide to sow such a vegetable crop as cucumbers, you need to follow the rules for their preparation and sowing.
- It will take about 1 month to grow good seedlings of cucumbers.
- When sowing seeds that have been preserved from past crops, consider the following nuance. It is necessary to store the collected seeds at home at a temperature of at least +16 C. Then their germination lasts for 10 years.
- Germination of last year's cucumber grains is the lowest.
- For a better harvest, select seeds that have a shelf life of 3-4 years. In order to obtain a high yield of cucumbers, seeds of shade-tolerant or self-pollinating varieties are chosen. You can safely give preference to those varieties of cucumbers that have already been grown on your site.
- Seed material prepared under production conditions is better to buy in special stores.
- Seeds collected from your own crop of cucumbers, further process and prepare for sowing.
Cucumbers are conditionally divided into 2 types:
- hybrid (more demanding for care, but has increased resistance to diseases, well tied in soils enriched with nutrients and minerals);
- varietal (less whimsical to planting conditions, give a high yield and suitable seed).
Pre-sowing preparation helps to increase germination, strengthen and harden the seed. It provides for the following actions.
Germination test
Cucumber seeds have a germination rate of approximately 90%. It is possible to store seed material collected at home for 5-7 years. To maintain their germination, adhere to certain storage conditions.
Seeds should lie in a cool and dry place, with a temperature of +10…+12°C, where the relative humidity does not exceed 60%. Cucumber seeds are able to tolerate light frosts (when the air temperature drops below 0°C). But their germination is maintained only under the condition of a gradual decrease in temperature and the presence of a sufficient amount of oxygen.
If planting material is stored in a garage or other room without heating, it is unlikely to germinate after spring planting. In such rooms, the temperature regime changes dramatically, which leads to dampness and death of seeds.
Do not expose grains to high temperatures (more than 30°C). You can not keep them near radiators, on the mezzanine. Under such conditions, seeds age faster, retaining germination for only one year.
Compliance with the conditions of germination. Germination of cucumber seeds is best if they are stored in a room with a temperature of + 20 ... + 28 ° C.
Calibration
Spend it when self-harvesting cucumber seeds or buying from hand. Seeds bought in a store do not need to be calibrated. The manufacturer rejects deformed seeds that differ in color, shape, with spots, darkened.
At home, calibration is performed in saline solution (3%) or warm water. Dissolve 30 g of edible salt in 1 liter of clean water. Then add the grains to the solution and mix well. Soak them for 5-10 minutes, and then remove the pop-up from the container. Grains that have sunk to the bottom of the glass, rinse well and dry. This germination test method is suitable for fresh cucumber seeds (which have a shelf life of 1-2 years).
The peculiarity of the old seed (6-7 years) is that half or even all the seeds float to the surface when calibrated in saline. If this happens, do not throw away the cucumber seeds immediately. Test them for germination in another way by germinating a test batch.
Disinfection in a solution of potassium permanganate
One of the stages of pre-sowing preparation is the disinfection of planting material. It is performed in a 1% solution of potassium permanganate. Immerse the seeds in the prepared liquid for 20-30 minutes. Then take them out and rinse them under running water.
Potassium permanganate solution removes harmful bacteria and microbes only from the surface of cucumber seeds. If the planting material is stuck together, the effectiveness of the method is reduced.
Pay attention to the intensity and color of the potassium permanganate solution. A mixture of dark purple color is more effective in terms of disinfection. To prepare, dissolve 1 teaspoon of potassium permanganate in 3 cups of boiled water (or 1/3 teaspoon per 1 cup of liquid).
Remember that dark pink, light purple and pink solutions of potassium permanganate are ineffective in pest control on cucumber seeds.
The use of chemicals for disinfection
It is possible to remove pathogenic microorganisms from the surface of cucumber seeds not only with potassium permanganate. When vegetable diseases are localized in the embryo, they are more difficult to eliminate. Then you need to pickle with chemical antibacterial drugs.
We do not recommend using them without special need, because the active substances in such formulations kill not only harmful, but also beneficial microbes. To overcome bacteriosis, root rot or tracheomycosis wilt, use Baksis, Fitosporin-M.
Prepare a solution from them according to the instructions and soak the cucumber seeds in it for 1-2 hours. Dry them after disinfection.
Presowing heating of cucumber seeds
The heating technique is widely used in industrial production. Seeds for 3 days are subjected to heat treatment at a temperature of 40°C.
But when using this method, remember that warming up becomes stressful for the fetus. In addition, carrying out the procedure at home, it is very difficult to comply with the recommended temperatures. Therefore, heating the seeds of cucumbers at home is rarely carried out.
Soak
This method of pre-sowing preparation is more common among summer residents. Each gardener who grew cucumbers of different varieties on his site is well acquainted with him. Soaking speeds up germination, but this procedure has its downsides. When soaking, the protective layer and disinfecting elements are washed off the surface of the seeds, so they become more susceptible to adverse environmental conditions.
If dry cucumber seeds easily tolerate short-term light frosts, then wet seed simply dies in open soil. Therefore, it is better to plant pre-soaked seeds for seedlings at room conditions, in a greenhouse. Their placement in open ground can be carried out only after the establishment of warm weather.
Soak the seeds in a transparent container (this can be a plastic container or a glass jar).
Before putting the grains there, place a napkin folded in several layers, a thick cloth, gauze or paper on the bottom. On top of this layer, lay the seeds in one row and fill them with water so that the liquid does not completely cover the planting material. The optimal soaking time is 1-2 days (until cracks appear on the outer shell).
Germination
When in doubt that cucumber seeds have retained their germination capacity, you need to germinate part of them and check how many seeds will sprout. The temperature regime suitable for germination ranges from + 25 ... + 28 ° C.
Fold the toilet paper in several layers, moisten it well, place it in a transparent container, and then place the seeds on top of it. Close the container with a plastic bag and put in a warm place for 1-2 days.
We do not recommend using gauze or cotton wool for germination. The fact is that cucumber sprouts have thin and fragile roots. They grow together with mesh tissue and are injured when transferred to the ground. This is badly reflected in the condition of hatched seedlings.
Germination of cucumbers equally well occurs in a bright room and in a dark room.
Bubbling (enrichment of seeds with oxygen)
If the age of cucumber seeds is 6-7 years, their germination energy is greatly reduced.
Seed material must be saturated with oxygen. To do this, put them in a bag made of gauze, and put them in a jar of water. Then put the aquarium compressor there and pump air. Position the tube so that it is under the seed sac. Then the air bubbles coming from the compressor will completely surround the seeds and saturate them well with oxygen.
The procedure is preferably carried out during the day. If there are a lot of seeds, change the water in the tank after 12 hours. Seeds peck well after bubbling, and you can immediately plant them in open soil (preferably well-heated or in a greenhouse).
hardening
In order for the seeds to acquire resistance to adverse external conditions, better tolerate soil coolness and resist root rot well, harden them before planting. To do this, the seeds are spread on a damp cloth and placed in the refrigerator for 2 days, setting the temperature there to 0 ... + 2 ° C. If necessary, the fabric is moistened again.
After hardening, do not dry the seeds, you can immediately lay them in the soil in the garden.
Some gardeners claim that the seeds germinate better after hardening and give a greater yield (yield increases by about 40%).
Store-bought seed does not need to be processed before sowing. Prepared at home, be sure to check for germination (so that empty seeds do not take up free space on the site). We propose methods for such verification.
Methods for testing cucumber seeds for germination
There are 4 main methods for testing cucumber seeds for germination:
- immersion in saline solution and rejection of floating seeds;
- sprouting in a roll of toilet paper;
- germination in sawdust;
- germination in filter paper.
To germinate cucumber seeds in filter paper, follow these steps.
- Fold the paper in several layers, moisten it with water and place the seeds on top at a small distance from each other.
- Be sure to count the number of grains in order to then correctly perform the calculations.
- Cover the seeds with another layer of paper on top, and then leave them in a warm place with a temperature of 25-27°C.
- Regularly (several times a day) check the containers, moisten dried paper as necessary.
Usually the seeds begin to hatch 3-4 days after the start of germination. The grains that sprout first will become the strongest and most productive in the future. The germination energy of seeds is determined by how quickly and amicably they sprout at the germination stage.
In fact, the germination energy parameter is the ratio of the percentage of germinated grains (during the first 3-4 days) to their total number. If the seed germination is less than 60%, it is better not to plant them. Sometimes, after a week after the start of germination of the control batch of cucumber seeds, hatched ones appear among them. Reject them, because they are likely to die under the influence of negative external factors and diseases.
Another interesting way to check for germination is sprouting in sawdust.
- Pour boiling water over the sawdust, and then place them in a seedling box in a layer 5-6 cm thick.
- Count the seeds and arrange them in a box of sawdust, removing the elements 1-2 cm apart.
- On top of the planting material, form another 1 layer of steamed sawdust (2-3 cm) and tamper.
- To prevent the sawdust from drying out, cover the top of the box with plastic wrap, sometimes moisten the sawdust with a little water. Place the seed box in a warm and bright room where the air temperature reaches 25-26°C. In general, the germination of cucumbers is carried out in dark rooms, but where there is a lot of light, seedlings appear faster, and cucumber seedlings are healthier and stronger.
- Germination ability is determined according to the same scheme as in the method with foil paper (the ratio of germinated seeds to their total number).
The third way to check the germination of cucumber seeds is to germinate them in a paper roll. To do this, follow several sequential steps.
- Take loose porous paper (10 * 100 cm), fold it into 2 layers and moisten with water.
- At a distance of 2-3 cm from the upper edge, spread the cucumber seeds in one line so that the embryos are located below, and the distance between adjacent elements reaches 1.5-2 cm.
- Cover the seeds on top with a 3rd layer of paper, roll all the elements into a loose roll and place them vertically in a glass container.
- It is desirable that the germination of cucumbers is carried out in a bright and warm room.
- Check the paper roll and moisten it if it is dry.
Unfold the roll of paper after 7 days, count the germinated seeds and determine the % germination using the already known formula.
How to speed up germination
Often inexperienced gardeners ask the question "how to speed up the germination of cucumber seeds." There are several methods, the use of which helps the embryo to hatch faster.
growth stimulation
Growth stimulants contribute to the speedy swelling and pecking of seeds, as well as the rapid development of the root system of cucumbers and stimulate the growth of seedlings. They are a supplement that contains plant components, fungi and bacteria.
We recommend using such preparations only at the initial stage, when the seeds of cucumbers are not yet germinated. Prepare a solution with the addition of a growth stimulant, and then soak the cucumber seeds in it. But before that, read the instructions for the drug.
The fact is that different growth stimulants can support a vegetable plant at different stages of its development (both at the time of hatching and at the initial stage of fruiting). If the stimulant is used incorrectly, the growth and development of seedlings will be inhibited, which will eventually lead to the death of the planting material and the hatched plant itself.
Use growth stimulants with caution, follow the norms recommended by the manufacturer, give preference to more expensive preparations to enhance the development of cucumber seedlings. When used correctly, stimulating drugs become useful, increase the percentage of seed germination.
Apply growth stimulants according to the following scheme. Mix the drug with water according to the scheme recommended by the manufacturer on the package. Place cucumber seeds in the resulting mixture for 10-12 hours, and then check how effective the remedy turned out to be (whether the cucumber seeds hatched).
Instead of chemicals, you can use natural biostimulants for the growth of cucumber seedlings. These, for example, include valerian infusion or fresh aloe juice. These components do not cause any harm to the planting material.
seed soaking
To soak the planting material, you can use a moistened cotton cloth, wrapping the grains in it. Place the cloth bag in a plastic bag and place it in a bright, warm place. This approach will help increase the temperature and activate pipping.
The second option is to store germinated seeds in a jar. As in the first case, wrap them in a damp cloth, and then put them in the bottom of the jar. Close the container with a silicone lid and leave in a dark room. It will take 2-3 days for germination, during which it is necessary to control the optimal temperature and humidity (so that the seed does not start to rot and is not covered with a pathogenic fungus).
Also check the temperature and quality of the water you use for soaking. It is better if it is rain, because it is in such a liquid that chlorides and harmful impurities do not contain. Do not use distilled water for soaking seeds at all; if there is no rainwater at hand, take settled tap water. Its temperature should not be less than 25°C.
Reasons for poor germination
If you correctly carried out all the pre-sowing preparation of seeds, but seedlings did not appear after they were laid in the soil, there may be several reasons for this.
- However, the preparation of seeds for planting was performed poorly, with errors.
- Planting material was not disinfected, it was affected by pathogenic bacteria, fungi, and pests.
- Seeds lack moisture.
- Cold ground.
- Poor seed quality.
- The ground is polluted with poisons and waste
- The soil lacks minerals and nutrients.
Regardless of the level of preparation of cucumber seeds for planting, you will not be able to achieve 100% of their germination. The best growth stimulants increase this parameter by only 30-35%.
A necessary prerequisite for obtaining a high yield of tomatoes is conditioned planting material, an indicator of which is germination. Summer residents, especially young ones, sometimes do not know how to check the germination of tomato seeds and determine how suitable they are for use. Germination is the ratio of the number of germinated primordia to the total number of sown seeds, expressed as a percentage and characterizing the ability to germinate.
Tomato seeds do not lose their strength for 5-7 years under appropriate conditions. Germination retention options:
- time from the moment of harvesting fruits and harvesting seed material;
- storage conditions;
- the degree of infection with diseased bacteria and microbes;
- proper preparation for sowing.
Pre-sowing check of seeds allows you to timely, quickly improve their quality or completely replace them. Germination is assessed in advance. The term is determined based on the time from sowing to germination. This period averages 8-10 days. With such a lead time before the planned sowing, testing begins.
How to determine the suitability of seeds purchased in stores, markets, and other places? The technique of the procedure can be carried out in two ways.
First way
The germination test begins with the calibration of the seed. This process involves selecting for germination samples with a high content of nutrients that can produce quality tomatoes.
To do this, the seed mass is poured with a 3 - 5% solution of ordinary salt (15 - 25 grams / 500 ml of water). After 2 hours, empty, ugly, wrinkled particles are removed from the surface and discarded. Grains of large and medium size are selected, washed, dried. Practice shows that small specimens, if they are healthy, full, can be used and will bear fruit. As a result of determining the number of seeds settled to the bottom, a conclusion is made about potential germination.
The selection can be carried out using an electrified plastic object, plexiglass or ebonite, rubbed with a woolen cloth. The test material is scattered on a smooth surface, the plastic is brought closer to a distance of 1–2 cm - it collects a feeble, underweight, light mass. The procedure is repeated several times. By the number of seeds that do not stick to the plastic, you can find out and evaluate the quality of the entire batch.
The calibration method is widely used. It is used immediately before sowing, many gardeners immediately after that start sowing seedlings.
Second way
Allows you to determine the germination of seeds by soaking them, germinating, sowing in the ground. Sequencing:
- A dozen randomly taken seeds are wrapped in natural cloth, poured with water for 24 hours.
- The contents are laid out on a saucer, isolated with a film.
- All this is placed in a warm place. Moisten the fabric regularly so that it does not dry out.
It is useful to use melted water instead of ordinary boiled water. In a few days, pecking will occur, the formation of roots.
On a note! The temperature during this period should be at least 22 - 25 ºC.
By the number of germinated roots, the degree of germination and germination energy of the embryos, speed, friendliness, and viability of the seedlings are assessed. For greater confidence, accuracy, seedlings are planted in a container with warm, moist soil. When shoots come to the surface of the earth, the indicators are specified.
How to check the germination percentage of tomato seeds? It's simple. For example, 8 out of 10 seeds sprouted, the germination rate is 80%. The indicator for the entire batch will be more accurate if a larger amount of material is taken for verification.
In this way, newly acquired, old expired bags left over from previous years are tested. Before throwing them out, check them for a short time for germination.
Practitioner vegetable growers believe that you should not be upset if there is not 100% germination in the garden - this is not even for conditioned specimens. According to studies, tomato seeds with a 3-4 year shelf life have a germination rate of 60-85%. If the value is less than 50% sowing is not recommended.
It is interesting! The purchased seed packs always show a high germination value, up to 98%. This is a laboratory indicator, which is determined under ideal conditions, which is almost impossible to recreate in the country. On his plot, the gardener deals with a field value that is much smaller.
Tomatoes have many varieties, varieties, hybrids, each with its own characteristics and requirements. Actual performance in real circumstances may differ from the specifications. This is evidenced by the reviews of summer residents, confirming the need for sowing proven seeds.
Features of pre-sowing treatment
To improve germination and germination, you can use some preliminary preparation methods:
- disinfection, disinfection;
- processing with microelements;
- use of stimulants.
For disinfection, a 1% solution of potassium permanganate (5 grams / 500 ml of water) is used. A gauze bag with tomato seeds is placed in a solution, washed after 20 minutes, dried. The method is popular among summer residents, it increases the germination of tomato seeds after their disinfection.
Important: do not exceed the treatment time with potassium permanganate - this reduces the friendliness of seedlings.
The effective disinfecting effect of the biopreparation "Fitosporin" was noted. Apply it in accordance with the instructions. After disinfection, tomato seeds are treated with ready-made compositions of trace elements, you can use a daily infusion of ash by dissolving 1 teaspoon in 250 ml of water.
Seeds are kept for 5 hours, washed, dried. The acceleration of germination is achieved by treatment with biologically active substances, growth stimulants "Immunocytofit", "Energen", "Epin-Extra" or "Zircon". Boric or molybdenum compounds have a positive effect on seeds.
Using trace elements, you should strictly adhere to their dosage. Exceeding the concentration of the solution, prolonging the procedure time can lead to a deterioration in the growth energy.
Spring sowing is a long-awaited and responsible time for every gardener. By this time, most enthusiastic gardeners have already decided what to plant in the country, and are preparing to sort and test the seeds for germination. Experienced summer residents do this every year and know how to check the germination of seeds of vegetables and flowers, almost intuitively distinguish good seeds from damaged ones. Their tips and helpful tips will come in handy for novice gardeners who may not know that checking the germination of seeds before sowing is a mandatory step and a guarantee of a bountiful harvest.
Seeds of different plants tolerate winter storage differently. Unfortunately, not all stocks of seeds will successfully overwinter, so it is simply necessary to sort them before sowing. This also applies to our own, collected last year, and purchased fresh seeds. Even a responsible seller cannot guarantee the condition of dormant seeds; it does not always depend on objective conditions. So in any case, do not be too lazy to check the germination of seeds at home - it's not difficult. In addition, it sets the right mood and helps to plan the planting of seedlings, germination and, possibly, the timely purchase of new seeds so as not to miss the sowing time.
What is seed germination? What determines seed germination?
Germination refers to the ability of seeds to produce viable seedlings and a future harvest. Essentially, germination is the state of health of each seed, its integrity, strength and speed of germination under normal conditions, without special stimulation and / or top dressing. As a rule, for the convenience of calculations, germination is determined as a percentage: the number of germinated seedlings to the total number of seeds. In principle, this will become clear anyway 1-2 weeks after sowing, when the first shoots begin to hatch. But why waste time and take risks if you can check the germination of seeds in advance, sort them before sowing, and thereby increase the chances of a good harvest.
Germination of seeds is never complete, that is, none of the gardeners ever expects that 100% of the sowing will sprout. But experience suggests that it is possible to predict the germination of different seeds according to the following parameters: 
Based on these parameters, you can plan in advance sowing seeds and planting seedlings. It is important to understand that storing seeds for future use is not the best solution that worsens their quality. It is better to buy and / or collect a small amount of fresh seeds annually, making a small supply, taking into account the average germination. But even with proper storage and compliance with expiration dates, it does not hurt to check the seeds of vegetables and flowers for germination before sowing.
When are seeds sorted and tested for germination?
The best time to check the seeds of vegetables and herbs for germination is February and the first half of March. Seeds of annual flowers can be sorted from February to May. By this date, the weather forecast for the near future is already known, and sowing can be planned. Seed sorting is the first necessary stage of preparation for sowing and it must be done according to the rules:
- Consider seed packaging. It indicates the so-called laboratory germination - this is germination under ideal conditions. Such conditions can hardly be achieved in real life, so subtract 5-15 units from the indicated number to find out the real, or field germination.
- Find the date of packing the seeds - it is desirable that no more than a year has passed from it to the day of sorting. If the seeds were stored not in a paper bag, but in a special bag with foil, a slightly longer shelf life is allowed without loss of seed quality.
- Encrypted marks on seed packages help you choose high-quality raw materials. If you see a marking with the letter “B”, it means that the seeds were treated with oxygen, which increases germination. The label "hybrid F1" indicates increased yield and seed resistance. But for the guaranteed germination of hybrids, you will have to pay more.
How to check seed germination at home?
Seeds at rest do not look the same. Their appearance determines the first stage of sorting: seed calibration. Even a novice gardener will guess that large and heavy seeds have more potential than small and hollow ones. It is with the calibration that the phased sorting and testing of seeds for germination begins:
- Choose from the seeds of one species the largest and most significant. Weed out damaged, darkened, mold-stained seeds without regret: they will not only fail to yield a crop, but can also infect healthy crops.
- Take clean water and prepare a 4-5% saline solution (1 teaspoon of table salt per liter of water). Put selected seeds in a salt solution for 2 hours. During this time, all defective and / or empty seeds will float to the surface, and full-weight and full ones will settle to the bottom.
- Discard the floating seeds, and rinse the tested seeds from salt and dry in the open air. Full-weight small seeds should not be thrown away - just sow them separately from those that are noticeably larger.
- You can limit yourself to the described sorting, but if you want accurate calculations of seed germination, take a quantity that is convenient for calculations (for example, 10 pieces) and conduct such an experiment. Place the test pieces between two layers of damp paper or cloth, place on a saucer and place in a quiet place at room temperature.
- Moisten the cloth periodically to keep the seeds from drying out. After 7-14 days, depending on the particular plant crop, the seeds will sprout. Count them to get the germination percentage by arithmetic: 6 out of 10 is 60%, 8 out of 10 is 80%, 10 out of 10 is 100% seed germination.
Don't trust the germination rates on the packages. Perhaps it was determined a long time ago and could decrease during storage.
Even the seeds that you sown last year and they had normal germination should be checked again.
Professor of the Moscow Agricultural Academy. K.A. Timiryazeva V.D. Mukhin proposed to determine the germination of seeds in rolls. The essence of this method is as follows. Take filter or blotting paper, cut it into leaves 8-10 cm long and wide.
In the upper half of the sheet, write with a simple pencil 3-4 times (the pencil inscription can be washed off) the number under which the seeds of this variety appear in your notebook, wound up to determine germination. Moisten the paper, dip for a few seconds in a plate of clean water, remove it to a small piece of film on the top half of the sheet, count without choice and spread the seeds.
Small-seeded (cabbage, carrots, tomatoes, etc.) 50 pieces, large-seeded (beets, cucumbers, etc.) 25 pieces, with a small number of seeds - 5-10 pieces. Roll the paper with the seeds of each sample into a tube and place the roll in a clean glass filled with 3-4 cm of water.
It is important that the seeds are submerged in water. 15 ~ 20 straws can be placed in one glass. Place the vessel with the tubes in a warm and dark place.
At room temperature (20-24°C), seedlings of cabbage, lettuce radish and other fast-growing
crops appear after 2-3 days, for tomatoes, onions, beets - after 3-4 days, for carrots, parsley, dill - after 5-6 days.
In accordance with these terms, unfold each tube, count and remove the germinated seeds, writing down their number in a notebook. Then wrap the tubes again and place in the same vessel.
The second and subsequent counts of germinated seeds are carried out every 1 to 2 days until they sprout. Next, count the germinated seeds, multiply them by 100, divide by
the total number of seeds and get the percentage of germination.
On each package, put the germination rate and the date of determination. Usually, when stored in a dry place, the seeds do not change their germination during the year.
If seed germination is low, the seeding rate must be increased.
Knowing the area allotted for each crop, it is easy to determine the need for seeds, taking into account their actual germination.
How to increase seed germination - folk remedies
We dilute a teaspoon of honey in 1 liter of water and soak the seeds for 12 hours. Then we transfer them to a cloth dipped in water, and cover with a black film. We put in a warm place. We check often so as not to miss the moment of germination.
Add 8 drops of aloe juice to half a glass of water. Soak the seeds for 4-5 hours or overnight. The difference is big when soaking in ordinary water and in a solution with aloe juice.
Onion peel.
The above solutions can be prepared not with ordinary water, but with an infusion of onion peel. It contains trace elements that increase the germination and energy of seed growth.
Natural growth stimulant: Cut willow branches and soak in water for a week. In this water, you can soak seeds, root cuttings and water seedlings to accelerate root growth.
Melt water.
Pure melt water (from snow, from ice) also has a stimulating effect. The structure of this water is the same as in nature in spring. She, as it were, “tells” the seeds that it is time to wake up. Therefore, it is better to soak the seeds not in tap water, but in melted water.
Sometimes in spring the snow melts very early. Some gardeners specifically freeze water in the refrigerator. With this water, they water their seedlings.
Hot-cold.
The method of a sharp change in temperature acts on seeds, increasing their germination. Two bowls of water: one is hot (like good tea), the other is cold.
We lower the seeds in a gauze bag either into hot or cold water. We lower it into each water 3-5 times, hold for 4-5 seconds. In this way, it is possible to awaken even old seeds that have lain for more than one year.
