Most experienced gardeners and gardeners know
what stratification is. Seeds that have undergone this pre-planting treatment give a much larger percentage of seedlings. At the same time, the plants grown from them are characterized by increased resistance to external factors. So what is stratification? Seeds bought in the store or collected from plants grown in the garden must be prepared for sowing in a special way. This method of processing
planting material is that it is placed in a cold and humid environment for a certain period of time (until the seeds are glued). Different types of plants require stratification of different durations. Seeds of different crops require from 1 to 8 months of preplant planting.
As a rule, at home, stratification is carried out as follows: a mixture of peat and sand is poured into a small container, on which seeds are placed, and a sand-peat mixture is again sprinkled on top of them. So the layers alternate until the tank is full. Stratification of flower seeds can be carried out using sawdust of deciduous trees in small bags. The height of the container should be 10-15 cm, because otherwise there is a risk of uneven germination. Prepared planting material is poured with water, after which it is carefully packed in a plastic (cellophane) bag and placed in a cold place where the air temperature should be from 0 to +5 ห. Most often, stratification of seeds at home is carried out in the refrigerator. Due to the uniform temperature throughout the entire period of processing of planting material, high germination of seedlings is provided. During stratification, it is necessary to monitor the humidity of the substrate. It should be about 70%. You can not fill it with water too much, as this affects the quality of the planting material. Most often, it is sufficient to pour the substrate with soft water once every 14-16 days.
What is stratification? The seeds of many plants showered on the ground long before the onset of autumn. At this time, many of them are trying to germinate before the onset of cold weather, but most of the young seedlings die with their onset. To preserve planting material, it is necessary to create optimal storage conditions for it, after which, under favorable conditions, they begin to develop very quickly. Thus, the collected seeds are stored in dry and cool conditions for some time. With the onset of cold weather, they are moistened and sent for a certain period of time to a humid and cool environment (in the refrigerator). After this treatment, in the spring in favorable conditions with enough heat and light, the seeds sprout actively, and young seedlings quickly grow.
When pre-planting the material, do not forget about sorting it. Be sure to carry out ordered stratification. Seeds in plastic bags must be labeled, which for a long period of the storage period should not lose the name of the crop and variety. It is impossible to stratify planting material of different cultures in one container, since it can easily mix, which will create certain difficulties in the future.