Secrets of selecting the best seeds before planting. Growing seedlings: warming seeds, soaking seeds, hardening seeds, how to distinguish good seeds? Video - Super seed soak and germinator

Soaking helps speed up seed germination before planting. Usually, soak the seeds eggplant, tomatoes, peppers, carrots - in a word, many cultures. Proper soaking will help the seeds germinate, and the wrong one can do harm. Therefore, today we will understand what's what. We enjoy watching the Garden World channel on Youtube. It talks about complex things in a simple language, including touching on topics such as how to soak pepper seeds before planting. Let's review the information. I'm sure it will be useful not only for us 😉

What to soak pepper seeds in?

Main mistake:

  • It is wrong to soak seeds by simply dropping them into a glass of water. In this case, the seeds sink or float in water. But they are living organisms, and for life, for germination, they also need air.

Simple and effective soaking in water. The correct way to soak the seeds is:

  • Fold the gauze in 2 or 4 times.
  • Wet the cheesecloth so that it becomes damp, even wet, because pepper seeds are very dry.
  • Pour the seeds onto cheesecloth and smooth out.
  • Close the seeds with gauze and place on a saucer.
  • There should be no water in the saucer. And so that the gauze does not dry out, it is placed in a plastic bag and an air cap is made.
  • A saucer with seeds is placed in a warm place, but not to the battery and not on the battery.
  • Each variety should have its own rag, so they must be signed.
  • How much to soak? As a rule, after 3-5 days, the first seedlings appear, which produce the strongest seeds.
  • The hatched seeds are planted in a container, best of all with separated cells.


There are seeds that are treated with fungicides (growth stimulants), this information is usually indicated on the packaging. They are sown dry, without soaking, directly into the cells for growing seedlings. Treated seeds have good germination without soaking.

But in potassium permanganate, it is no longer recommended to disinfect seeds. Seeds can be germinated perfectly in ordinary water. And those seeds that the seedlings give first are considered the best, the strongest. Not germinated, feeble ones are rejected or planted. It happens, and they can get out of the way.

By the way. It will not work to reject low-quality pepper seeds with salted water, because all are equally light.

What else can you soak pepper seeds in? But in the manual "Encyclopedia of country life" such ways are given to soak the seeds before planting. It is indicated that for eggplant and peppers they are the same:

Disinfection in potassium permanganate. Prepare a 1% solution of potassium permanganate, dip the seeds into it and soak for 20 minutes.

Disinfection in hydrogen peroxide. Seeds are dipped in a 2% hydrogen peroxide solution for 5 minutes.

After the disinfection procedure, the seeds are thoroughly washed in running water.

Soaking in fertilizer solution. Dissolve 2 tbsp in 1 liter of warm water. spoons of ash. Seeds are placed in cloth bags and placed in the prepared solution for 24 hours. Then the bags are removed from the solution, slightly moistened with clean water and placed on a saucer. It is put in a warm place (temperature about 25 degrees) for 1-2 days until the seeds hatch.

At the stage of pre-sowing treatment, the seeds are also heated in an oven and hardened. Pre-sowing seed treatment allows you to get the first shoots the very next day after sowing, and the maximum number of seeds germinate on the 5th-6th day.

Should you soak pepper seeds?

Soaking pepper seeds, germinating them in a humid environment helps to identify strong specimens and discard feeble ones. After all, we need high-quality seedlings and a rich harvest. Therefore, do not be lazy, soak. It is quite simple, and most importantly - it is useful for seeds. After all, it is not in vain that they say: What you sow, you will reap 😉 A rich harvest for you!

The yield of pepper depends on several factors: the quality and biological capabilities of the variety, the correct preparation of seeds for germination and adherence to agricultural technology for growing crops. In this article, we will consider only one aspect - the effect on germination and yield of soaking.

Is soaking necessary?

Opinions differ among growers. Some say that you can safely do without soaking, while others insist on carrying out this preparatory operation. Which of them is right? Oddly enough, both sides are right, but only under certain conditions.

If you live in warm regions of our country, then the date of planting pepper in open ground is not critical, there is plenty of time for the fruits to ripen. Soaking the seeds speeds up the emergence of seedlings, this is important only for regions with cold climatic conditions.


Experienced summer residents advise not to be lazy and soak the seeds in all cases. It takes a little time, and the effect is very positive. It is recommended to soak the seeds of both sweet and hot peppers.

When and Why to Soak Seeds

The process can be done without preparation, but in this case the effect of such actions is significantly reduced. The quantitative and qualitative indicator of the pepper yield depends on the careful observance of the recommended technology. Despite the fact that the process consists of several operations, preparation cannot be called troublesome.


Practical advice. Seeds of hot and sweet pepper quickly reduce germination, after a year this figure can be reduced by about half. Conclusion - never take them "in reserve" and use the services of only trusted stores.

Responsible distributors carry out pre-sale preparation, treat seeds with antifungal drugs, give microelements, growth stimulants, etc. There should be information about this on the package, such seeds do not require additional preparation before soaking. But this does not apply to seeds collected independently from ripened fruits. Such material can be infected with spores of pathogenic fungi and various bacteria; their germination rates are not clear. As a result, the pepper harvest received at the end of the season will bring disappointment instead of joy.


This question interests many vegetable growers. It seems that even so it will be seen which seeds have sprouted and which have not. But not everything is so simple, with the help of soaking it is possible:


In addition, as a result of soaking, the most favorable conditions for germination are created for seeds - the process of growing seedlings is accelerated.


Checking seed germination before soaking

First, you should check the germination of seeds, this is done in the old proven way. In a liter of water you need to dissolve 30-40 gr. salt. Throw all the pepper seeds into this solution and wait about 5-7 minutes. Those seeds that have sunk to the bottom of the container have a normal embryo and can be used for further sowing. Everything that floats on the surface should be thrown away without regret. Quality seeds should be washed in warm running water. This method does not check imported seeds and hybrid varieties.


Simultaneously with the germination test, the seeds must be calibrated. The smallest and largest must be removed, medium-sized seeds are left for sowing. It does not hurt during calibration to pay attention once again to their fullness, hollow ones are unsuitable for sowing.

Preparing seeds for soaking

During preparation, several operations must be performed.

Etching

Seeds should be treated with any disinfectant solution. It is best to use a 1% solution of potassium permanganate, but at present it is quite problematic to find this drug.


  1. First, it is sold only by prescription.
  2. Secondly, not all pharmacies have it in their implementation.

No potassium permanganate is not a problem, you can use hydrogen peroxide or boric acid. In a 2–3% hydrogen peroxide solution, the seeds are kept for no more than seven minutes, removed and washed. A solution of boric acid should have a teaspoon of concentrate per 200 ml of water, the duration of pickling should not exceed three hours.


Another way is to seed the seeds with phytosporin. It is sold in specialized stores without restrictions, you need to prepare a solution at the rate of four drops per 200 ml of water. Phytosporin is an effective preparation from natural bacteria Bacillus subtilis that destroys pathogenic fungi and pathogens. It is completely harmless to humans. Pepper seeds with this preparation before soaking give healthy seedlings, large crops are harvested from them. It must be borne in mind that after disinfection, the seeds should be soaked no later than a day later.

Processing with trace elements


Due to this, the germination of seeds increases, the sprouts have important elements for development, which allows them to grow in favorable conditions. It is best to sprinkle pepper with ordinary wood ash, it contains more than 30 essential trace elements.

Treatment with growth stimulants

It is advisable to treat the seeds with growth stimulants. There is a sufficient choice of them in stores, you can buy any, they all do their job perfectly. Seed treatment should be done according to the instructions recommended by the manufacturer.

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Biopreparation "Phytospectrum"

Practical advice. Most decontaminants or growth promoters need to be diluted in water to achieve the desired concentration. As a rule, the number of drops per 100 ml of water is indicated. It is better to measure with a pipette. If not, then you can use a syringe without a needle.

After the seeds are fully prepared, you can start soaking them.

seed soaking

For soaking, you need to prepare water. City water supply should be defended for at least a day, during which time chlorine will be removed from it. But to increase the effect of soaking the seeds, it is better to use melt water. You can cook it in two ways.


It is believed that such water has a beneficial effect on the seeds. It is from melt water that they begin to awaken in nature.

Step 1. Pour water into a shallow dish or other container. The size of the plate should correspond to the number of seeds. If you have several varieties of pepper, you will need to prepare a separate plate for each.


Step 2 Wet a small piece of cloth in water, it is better that it be a natural material. If the rag could not absorb all the water, then the excess should be drained. The plate must be empty.


Step 3 Sprinkle pepper seeds on a damp cloth, use a match or toothpick to correct their position. Seeds should only lie separately, and not in "two floors". If you have several varieties of pepper, then for each you need to prepare a separate soaking place. It is not necessary to place different varieties on one plate, your marks may get lost over time and it will become impossible to understand where which variety is.


Step 4. Cover the seeds with the edges of a cloth, put it in a plate, stretch the film. If there is no film, then the plate can be put in a plastic bag of a suitable size.

The container with seeds is covered with a film

Step 5. Remove the plate of seeds in a warm place.

Important. To accelerate germination, the temperature should not be lower than + 25 ° C. Maximum +30°С. At low temperatures, the germination time increases significantly, and if the temperature is below + 18 ° C, then the seeds may rot and not germinate at all.

Practical advice. Instead of plates, you can use plastic glasses. Glue paper construction tape to them, it is easy to write the name of pepper varieties on it.

About a day later, you need to check the seeds. As soon as sprouts appear, peppers are transplanted into the ground for growing seedlings or immediately transferred to the garden.

Before transferring to the garden, seedlings must be hardened. To do this, place them in the refrigerator, the temperature in the chamber should be within + 5 ° C.


Transplant the sprouts into a nutrient mixture, do not forget to feed once a week. It is better to use sapropel, biohumus and other natural nutrients for these purposes.



Very important. The first sprouts do not like drafts very much. It is necessary to control the soaking process indoors with the windows closed, exclude the possibility of drafts.

Experienced growers are advised to use one of the soaking schemes listed below.



The soaking process lasts quite a long time, depending on the varieties, the emergence of seedlings will have to wait up to 25 days. A lot depends on soaking, but not everything. What needs to be done next so that the future harvest will please you?

Seeds are transplanted as soon as sprouts appear, it is better to use peat tablets, if they are not available, then use ready-made soil mixtures.


Crops should be placed where there is enough light, preference is given to scattered. To achieve this effect, you can install aluminum foil and use additional artificial illumination. Pepper does not tolerate a pick, it must be immediately planted in separate containers. After picking, development can slow down for two to three weeks.


Experienced gardeners claim that peppers grown from soaked seeds are less likely to get sick, more resistant to weather fluctuations and give maximum yields. Under each bush of seedlings, it is necessary to prepare a pot with a volume of at least one liter. It is not true that good seedlings can be obtained in small plastic cups, in such conditions the root system will be underdeveloped. And this will definitely have a negative effect on adult plants.

And the last. Soaking periods are selected individually. The main thing is that the seedlings are planted in open ground in a timely manner. Too early, as well as too late, disembarkation is not good for pepper.

Video - Soaking pepper seeds before sowing

- one of the first vegetable crops, which gardeners plant for seedlings. This is due to the long vegetative period and the ripening period of the fruits of this southern plant.

One of the constant questions that concern summer residents is whether to soak pepper seeds before planting or sow them immediately into the ground? The final result - productivity - depends on the correct preparation before germination.

Is it necessary to soak pepper seeds before planting, and why they do it

Soak- the process itself is optional, the seed will germinate without it, and maybe even give an excellent harvest. This allows proponents of sowing to claim without preparation that soaking is a hassle.

Living in warm climatic conditions makes it possible to sow pepper even immediately in open ground, it will still have enough time to ripen. The inhabitants of temperate zones value every day, and if there is an opportunity to speed up the process and gain time before the finish line, they readily use it, because the pepper ripened on the bush is much healthier and tastier than the one that came later. In moderate conditions, pepper seeds must be soaked; without this procedure, the fruits will not have time to ripen before the onset of frost.

However, summer residents - residents of warm regions, will also benefit from such a head start: firstly, the harvest is more abundant, and secondly, it's nice when the pepper ripens ahead of the expected time. This also applies to spicy varieties.

Benefits of soaking seed before planting:

  • allows you to win 7–10 days, since seedlings from treated specimens appear on the 5–7th day, while those sown “dry” sprout up to 2 weeks;
  • makes it possible to select the strongest plants, providing them with immunity, high resistance to and m and giving the best conditions already at the start.

Important! Be sure to soak the pepper seeds before planting, when there is no confidence in the quality of the seed. This will help you immediately see what you are dealing with and not have any illusions.

The main stages of preparation of pepper seeds

Seed preparation begins with the acquisition phase. You need to carefully consider the manufacturer and carefully study the information indicated on the package, choosing the characteristics of the variety you need. A self-respecting manufacturer indicates what treatments his product was subjected to. The seeds processed by the manufacturer and pelleted cannot be subjected to any additional influence, they can only be sown in the ground. It should be noted that, although they will ascend a couple of weeks later, they will subsequently catch up with their "relatives", and then overtake them, while they will suffer less from pests and diseases.

Did you know? At the end of the 16th century, pepper came to Russia, or rather-on the territory of modern Astrakhan region. According to various sources, Turkey and Iran are considered to be the source of penetration.

It is better to prefer the material of those manufacturers whose packaging indicates compliance with GOST - it is more reliable.

The packaging should not have any mechanical damage. By all means, you need to pay attention to the year of collection of raw materials and the deadline for sowing - this information must be present without fail.

Pepper seeds planted in the second year after harvest lose their germination capacity and yield by half.

Calibration

Calibration is a test of seed for germination. When soaked in a saline solution, hollow specimens float, while those capable of germination sink to the bottom.

Did you know? There is one caveat:material from large manufacturers is almost always subjected to drying, so immersion in a saline solution of such seeds will show that they are all unsuitable, but this is not true.

Before immersion in the solution, visually evaluate the material laid out on paper and immediately discard specimens that seem unsuitable, as well as too small or too large. After that, you need to dilute a teaspoon of salt in a glass of water (or 40 g of salt in a liter of water) and lower the seeds there for 3-4 hours. Some gardeners are limited to a few minutes. Floating seeds should be discarded, and sunken ones should be dried for further use or sown immediately.

If you bought a bag of ten seeds of a rare variety of pepper, perhaps you should not calibrate them - germination will clearly show everything. But the self-collected seed, which you have in a decent amount, should be checked in a similar way in order to immediately get rid of the unusable ballast.

Etching

Pickling, or disinfection, is carried out in order to save the prepared raw materials from possible infection with pathogens that can harm the future. In its essence, this is disinfection.

Important! The treatment method is one of the main ones in preparation for sowing, all other manipulations are carried out after it.

Such processing is all the more relevant, the less reliable the source of raw materials. The material of a large firm with a reputation may not be subjected to pickling, especially if the packaging contains information that it has already been carried out. But the seeds collected personally, received from friends in exchange, and even more so the seeds bought on the market, should certainly be pickled.

To do this, use different drugs: potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate), hydrogen peroxide, vinegar, boric acid and even formalin; There are also special ones that you can buy in the store. Each of these methods has both advantages and disadvantages, and the gardener himself chooses which one to give preference to.

Despite the fact that potassium permanganate is not so easy to find on sale, this technique remains the most popular: it has an unlimited shelf life, and a bubble bought many years ago or on occasion is enough for a very long time.

Some seed treatment methods:

  • In a dark pink 1% solution, seeds pre-soaked in warm water for 2–4 hours are placed, which can be placed in a gauze bag for convenience, and left for 15 minutes, after which they are immediately washed thoroughly under running water and immediately sown or laid out on paper to dry.

Important! Seeds can get a chemical burn if they are not soaked before the procedure and not washed after it.

  • The solution for disinfection requires 2–3%, while it must be heated to 38–40 ° C without fail. Keep the seeds for no more than 7 minutes, rinse thoroughly.

  • The drug is diluted at the rate of half a teaspoon of acid per glass of water. Solution temperature 25–30 °C, treatment time 2–3 hours.

Important! When treating seed with any acid, keep in mind that if there is the slightest crack in the seed, the acid will causeto him harm.

  • This is a commercial product that contains natural bacteria and fights pathogens. It is diluted at the rate of 4 drops from an eye dropper in a glass of water.

Decontaminated raw materials cannot be stored for longer than a day, it is advisable to immediately plant or begin to germinate.

Processing with trace elements and growth stimulants

Treatment with microelements and growth regulators is needed in order to have a positive impact on the quality of seedlings and germination, increase resistance to negative effects and resistance to sudden temperature changes, as well as increase productivity.

To enrich the seed material, an infusion of ash, juice, as well as purchased preparations "Ivin" and others are used.

  • This technique is used only after disinfection, but in no case before it.
  • It is necessary to dissolve trace elements in hot water of 40-45 ° C, and place the inoculum in a solution that has cooled to a warm state.
  • Raw materials can be treated with growth stimulants only once and only with one preparation.
  • It is necessary to strictly observe the rules for preparing the solution and the terms of keeping in it, so as not to cause harm.
If the seeds are soaked in warm water for 2-3 hours before the procedure, they will become more susceptible to the effects and penetration of substances under their shell.

Several options for seed enrichment with microelements:


Important! Be careful: aloe juice is very bitter, besides, it leaves stains, so it is advisable to cover the workplace with cellophane when handling it.

Soak

How to soak pepper seeds in order to give the embryos the best for future lush growth and active fruiting at the start? To increase the likelihood of germination, they must swell, saturated with moisture.

Pre-treated seeds are placed on a substrate and filled with water so that it barely covers them. Raw pepper should be kept for two days in a warm place, during which time the water should be changed 2-3 times. After swelling - germinate or sow.

Important! In heat, a thin layer of water evaporates quickly, so you need to carefully monitor so that its level does not drop, but you can not pour more water so that the seeds do not suffocate. You can cover the container with the material with a film to prevent evaporation.

Many gardeners know a way to soak pepper seeds and sprout them at the same time before planting. To do this, the seeds are placed in an envelope made from a square of dilapidated natural fabric, moistened with water and placed in some kind of container. Excess water from the container is drained or blotted and, having covered it with a film, put in a warm place.

Water for this purpose is better to use melted or spring water. If there is no access to a spring, no snow has fallen, and all you have is tap water, you will have to turn it into melted water. To do this, the settled water is placed in the freezer for a couple of hours, the middle, which is not frozen, is poured out, and the ice formed on the walls is allowed to melt. After that, the water is carefully drained, leaving a sediment in the container. Drained melted water is used for germination.

There should be no excess water in the container where the moistened tissue envelopes with seeds are located, but if the container is large, you can place a “reservoir” there in the form of a moistened piece of foam rubber or several cotton pads.

There is no clear answer on how long pepper seeds should be soaked before planting. Every day you need to look under the film, sprinkle the envelopes with melt water and check if they have begun to peck.

Important! For the germination process, the temperature should be carefully monitored, it should be around 25-30°C. If it is lower, germination will be delayed, and at temperatures below 18 ° C the seeds will completely rot.

After waiting for pecking, each living seed is placed in a seedling box with tweezers. A day later, another audit is carried out, the revived ones are selected and landed. Ungerminated seeds are not used - they will be of little use.

It is conceived by nature so that the seed is not exposed to external influences and does not deteriorate for a long time. This is due to the protective layer located on their surface. But the same layer prevents rapid germination.

One of the technologies that reduce the germination time is bubbling. This is the effect of oxygen for a specific time on the seeds of a certain type. Using this method allows you to get seedlings a week earlier.

To carry out the bubbling procedure at home, you need to have a container with a volume of about a liter and an aquarium compressor.

The jar is filled with water at a temperature of 20 ° C a little more than half, a compressor and seeds are placed there, no more than ¼ of the volume of water.

The compressor turns on, the material is processed. Pepper seeds will need a day for this.

After the procedure, the seeds are dried to a loose state and, if it is not possible to immediately plant them, they are finally dried, laid out in one layer on paper in a ventilated room away from sunlight.

Hardening of planting material

It makes sense to harden the seeds if there is an intention to sow them under a film a week ahead of schedule. If hardening is used for seeds for seedlings, then subsequently the seedlings themselves will need to be hardened for quite a long time.

Did you know? There is a hardening method in which seeds wrapped in a bag are placed in a snowdrift for three days, but this is only possible if the outside air temperature is around zero degrees.

The heated and pickled seeds are hardened. They are soaked until swelling in warm water, mixed with sand or wet sawdust.

154 times already
helped


The yield of pepper depends on several factors: the quality and biological capabilities of the variety, the correct preparation of seeds for germination and adherence to agricultural technology for growing crops. In this article, we will consider only one aspect - the effect on germination and yield of soaking.

Opinions differ among growers. Some say that you can safely do without soaking, while others insist on carrying out this preparatory operation. Which of them is right? Oddly enough, both sides are right, but only under certain conditions.

If you live in warm regions of our country, then the date of planting pepper in open ground is not critical, there is plenty of time for the fruits to ripen. Soaking the seeds speeds up the emergence of seedlings, this is important only for regions with cold climatic conditions.

Experienced summer residents advise not to be lazy and soak the seeds in all cases. It takes a little time, and the effect is very positive. It is recommended to soak the seeds of both sweet and hot peppers.

When and Why to Soak Seeds

The process can be done without preparation, but in this case the effect of such actions is significantly reduced. The quantitative and qualitative indicator of the pepper yield depends on the careful observance of the recommended technology. Despite the fact that the process consists of several operations, preparation cannot be called troublesome.

Practical advice. Seeds of hot and sweet pepper quickly reduce germination, after a year this figure can be reduced by about half. Conclusion - never take them "in reserve" and use the services of only trusted stores.

Responsible distributors carry out pre-sale preparation, treat seeds with antifungal drugs, give microelements, growth stimulants, etc. There should be information about this on the package, such seeds do not require additional preparation before soaking. But this does not apply to seeds collected independently from ripened fruits. Such material can be infected with spores of pathogenic fungi and various bacteria; their germination rates are not clear. As a result, the pepper harvest received at the end of the season will bring disappointment instead of joy.

This question interests many vegetable growers. It seems that even so it will be seen which seeds have sprouted and which have not. But not everything is so simple, with the help of soaking it is possible:


In addition, as a result of soaking, the most favorable conditions for germination are created for seeds - the process of growing seedlings is accelerated.

Checking seed germination before soaking

First, you should check the germination of seeds, this is done in the old proven way. In a liter of water you need to dissolve 30-40 gr. salt. Throw all the pepper seeds into this solution and wait about 5-7 minutes. Those seeds that have sunk to the bottom of the container have a normal embryo and can be used for further sowing. Everything that floats on the surface should be thrown away without regret. Quality seeds should be washed in warm running water. This method does not check imported seeds and hybrid varieties.

Simultaneously with the germination test, the seeds must be calibrated. The smallest and largest must be removed, medium-sized seeds are left for sowing. It does not hurt during calibration to pay attention once again to their fullness, hollow ones are unsuitable for sowing.

Preparing seeds for soaking

During preparation, several operations must be performed.

Etching

Seeds should be treated with any disinfectant solution. It is best to use a 1% solution of potassium permanganate, but at present it is quite problematic to find this drug.

  1. First, it is sold only by prescription.
  2. Secondly, not all pharmacies have it in their implementation.

No potassium permanganate is not a problem, you can use hydrogen peroxide or boric acid. In a 2–3% hydrogen peroxide solution, the seeds are kept for no more than seven minutes, removed and washed. A solution of boric acid should have a teaspoon of concentrate per 200 ml of water, the duration of pickling should not exceed three hours.

Another way is to seed the seeds with phytosporin. It is sold in specialized stores without restrictions, you need to prepare a solution at the rate of four drops per 200 ml of water. Phytosporin is an effective preparation from natural bacteria Bacillus subtilis that destroys pathogenic fungi and pathogens. It is completely harmless to humans. Pepper seeds with this preparation before soaking give healthy seedlings, large crops are harvested from them. It must be borne in mind that after disinfection, the seeds should be soaked no later than a day later.

Processing with trace elements

Due to this, the germination of seeds increases, the sprouts have important elements for development, which allows them to grow in favorable conditions. It is best to sprinkle pepper with ordinary wood ash, it contains more than 30 essential trace elements.

Treatment with growth stimulants

It is advisable to treat the seeds with growth stimulants. There is a sufficient choice of them in stores, you can buy any, they all do their job perfectly. Seed treatment should be done according to the instructions recommended by the manufacturer.

Biopreparation "Phytospectrum"

Practical advice. Most decontaminants or growth promoters need to be diluted in water to achieve the desired concentration. As a rule, the number of drops per 100 ml of water is indicated. It is better to measure with a pipette. If not, then you can use a syringe without a needle.

After the seeds are fully prepared, you can start soaking them.

seed soaking

For soaking, you need to prepare water. City water supply should be defended for at least a day, during which time chlorine will be removed from it. But to increase the effect of soaking the seeds, it is better to use melt water. You can cook it in two ways.


It is believed that such water has a beneficial effect on the seeds. It is from melt water that they begin to awaken in nature.

Step 1. Pour water into a shallow dish or other container. The size of the plate should correspond to the number of seeds. If you have several varieties of pepper, you will need to prepare a separate plate for each.

Step 2 Wet a small piece of cloth in water, it is better that it be a natural material. If the rag could not absorb all the water, then the excess should be drained. The plate must be empty.

Step 3 Sprinkle pepper seeds on a damp cloth, use a match or toothpick to correct their position. Seeds should only lie separately, and not in "two floors". If you have several varieties of pepper, then for each you need to prepare a separate soaking place. It is not necessary to place different varieties on one plate, your marks may get lost over time and it will become impossible to understand where which variety is.

Step 4 Cover the seeds with the edges of a cloth, put it in a plate, stretch the film. If there is no film, then the plate can be put in a plastic bag of a suitable size.

The container with seeds is covered with a film

Step 5 Move the bowl of seeds to a warm place.

Important. To accelerate germination, the temperature should not be lower than + 25 ° C. Maximum +30°С. At low temperatures, the germination time increases significantly, and if the temperature is below + 18 ° C, then the seeds may rot and not germinate at all.

Practical advice. Instead of plates, you can use plastic glasses. Glue paper construction tape to them, it is easy to write the name of pepper varieties on it.

About a day later, you need to check the seeds. As soon as sprouts appear, peppers are transplanted into the ground for growing seedlings or immediately transferred to the garden.

Before transferring to the garden, seedlings must be hardened. To do this, place them in the refrigerator, the temperature in the chamber should be within + 5 ° C.

Transplant the sprouts into a nutrient mixture, do not forget to feed once a week. It is better to use sapropel, biohumus and other natural nutrients for these purposes.

Very important. The first sprouts do not like drafts very much. It is necessary to control the soaking process indoors with the windows closed, exclude the possibility of drafts.

Experienced growers are advised to use one of the soaking schemes listed below.


The soaking process lasts quite a long time, depending on the varieties, the emergence of seedlings will have to wait up to 25 days. A lot depends on soaking, but not everything. What needs to be done next so that the future harvest will please you?

Seeds are transplanted as soon as sprouts appear, it is better to use peat tablets, if they are not available, then use ready-made soil mixtures.

Crops should be placed where there is enough light, preference is given to scattered. To achieve this effect, you can install aluminum foil and use additional artificial illumination. Pepper does not tolerate a pick, it must be immediately planted in separate containers. After picking, development can slow down for two to three weeks.

Experienced gardeners claim that peppers grown from soaked seeds are less likely to get sick, more resistant to weather fluctuations and give maximum yields. Under each bush of seedlings, it is necessary to prepare a pot with a volume of at least one liter. It is not true that good seedlings can be obtained in small plastic cups, in such conditions the root system will be underdeveloped. And this will definitely have a negative effect on adult plants.

And the last. Soaking periods are selected individually. The main thing is that the seedlings are planted in open ground in a timely manner. Too early, as well as too late, disembarkation is not good for pepper.

Video - Soaking pepper seeds before sowing


"Finally! Otherwise, we already thought that we would lose the whole month with these preparations! ”- everyone wants to see the first result as soon as possible: seedlings. We will see them soon. It is understood that we have finally waited ahead of the sunshine and it's time to start.


Why soak seeds? In nature, seeds are dormant for a long time under the influence of drought or cold, as well as under the influence of special inhibitory substances (inhibitors) in the seed coat. Consequently, warm water will wash the inhibitory substances out of their shells and make them hatch. “Won’t the same thing happen, we just plant the seeds in damp soil?” The thing is that the seeds can wake up quickly and amicably, or for a long time, one at a time, for a month. There is a difference, and it depends on the volume of water. Seeds somehow know how to distinguish small amounts of water from large ones. If they feel that a lot of water has "leaked", then this is already reminiscent of their native 40-70 cm of the water column of annual precipitation - such soil moisture can not only be trusted, but necessary: ​​the seeds give themselves the command to germinate immediately! And if it's just wet land - who knows, maybe an occasional rain, after which drought will come again ...


So, soaking seeds is not just a ritual, it speeds up germination. Although the seeds of many crops germinate easily without soaking.


The soaking technique also has its secrets. Spring melt, or draft, or rain water is “flowing”, that is, saturated with oxygen. It is this water that awakens the seeds. Therefore, there is a noticeable difference whether you soak the seeds under a thick layer of water in a jar or pan, or in a plate with a layer of water no more than 3-5 mm (I pour the layer even thinner so that the seeds lying on the bottom even protrude a little). In the second case, a thin layer of water breathes well and is all saturated with a high percentage of oxygen, here the seeds will germinate much faster, sometimes even when soaking in the evening, if the room is warm, the next morning some of the seeds have already hatched.


For soaking, we use snow water or settled tap water. If there are a lot of seeds, a flat container is desirable, like a tray or pot for indoor flowers. The seeds can be completely sunk, or you can just let them float on the surface (I experimented what would happen if the seeds were soaked floating on the surface, would they swell if they only touched the water on one side - yes, they were soaked and then germinated perfectly, probably because guaranteed to breathe while soaking in a warm place).


So that the water does not inadvertently evaporate during the daily soaking (say, near the battery), cover the container with glass on top or place it in a bag.


It is customary to soak seeds of different crops for different times depending on the "tightness" of germination, some - 12 hours, some - 24 hours. However, for our convenience, in order not to break up the process and deal with all cultures at the same time, it is more convenient to soak everything together " from evening to evening”, i.e. for 24 hours (It is unlikely that everyone will enjoy warming up seeds or sowing in the morning before work!) With a layer of water, there can be no harm to any type of crop.


I propose to conduct such an experiment during the spring on some insignificant seeds: place them for soaking in a tray that stands slightly inclined (a book is placed at one end), pour enough water so that it forms a “shallow water” of 1-2 mm in the raised part ; now distribute the seeds evenly at the bottom throughout the tray - and then let them lie for 1-2 days: you will make sure that during this time the seeds have germinated in shallow water, and the seeds at a depth will remain unsprouted until they rot. This experience clearly shows how much more vitality water highly saturated with oxygen has. Only a few centimeters of depth - there is still oxygen there - but not that, it is no longer enough for the life of the seeds. And then what will happen to the seeds when soaked in a deep jar, and even if the water rots in the heat ?!