In your own suburban area you can grow fresh vegetables, herbs, flowers and much more. Each gardener knows how to sprout seeds and take care of young shoots. But sometimes it happens that the seed does not germinate for no apparent reason. Why does this happen?
The fact is that the shell of some seeds is too thick. The fragile primordium simply cannot break through it. To correct this situation, it is enough to scarify seeds at home for dolichos (germination). This procedure does not take much time and effort.
What is scarification?
When the seeds are inside the dense shells, they can not independently break out and take root. Many gardeners, not seeing the seedlings, decide that the seed is damaged, and throw it away. However, do not rush, first you need to try to perform a simple procedure.
Scarification is an artificial violation of the integrity of the seed coat. There are three types of this procedure.
Mechanical
If the seed looks completely lifeless, then you should try this method. Mechanical scarification is a special way of influencing the seed coat, which is most often used on an industrial scale. In large industries, specialized equipment is used to perform this procedure. However, this does not mean that this method is not suitable for home use.
In order to perform mechanical scarification of seeds, it is enough to take a regular nail file or a sharp knife with a serrated blade. After this, it is necessary to gently file the shell of the seed. It is not necessary to completely cut it, it is enough just to loosen the peel so that further the seed independently makes its way out.
Also for mechanical scarification of seeds at home is suitable:
- kitchen grater;
- sandpaper;
- coarse sand.
In the latter case, you need to mix the seeds with sedimentary rock and rub them with your palms.
This type of treatment is suitable for the hardest seeds that are not affected by the following type of scarification.
Thermal
Heat treatment can also be quite effective with dolichos. Thermal scarification is the heat effect on seeds. Depending on the type of plant, the method of such processing will also differ. For instance:
- If you need to germinate the seeds of sweet pea , aggressive heat treatment is required. To do this, first scald the seed with boiling water, and then abruptly transfer it to cold water and leave it for a day.
- For hawthorn seeds, you need to repeat the procedure several times. First, the seed is placed in a cotton cloth or gauze. After that, you need to prepare 2 glasses (one with boiling water and the other with ice water). A seed put in a rag must be lowered alternately in a container for 30-60 seconds. The procedure is repeated until the seed coat swells.
- If you need to germinate the primrose, you will need to spend a little more time on the “bath” procedures. First you need to soak the seeds in a glass of cold water. After that, the container must be placed for 12 hours in a warm place (for example, next to the battery), and then in a cool place. It takes about 7 days for the shoots to hatch.
Chemical
This dolichos method is considered very aggressive, so it is recommended to use it only in the most hopeless situations. Chemical scarification is a treatment with concentrated acid. Of course, any use of chemically hazardous substances can harm both the future sprout and the person. However, some types of seeds in nature sprout only after they are affected by the digestive juice of birds. With dolichos at home, it is impossible to get such a component, so you have to resort to chemical treatment.
“Capricious” crops that do not emerge until a bird lands nearby include rose hips and some varieties of hawthorn. To germinate them, it is necessary to prepare a 3% solution of hydrochloric or sulfuric acid and place the seed in it for 12 hours. After this, you need to thoroughly wash the seeds in warm water. During the procedure, it is necessary to protect the face and hands.
In addition, seed scarification can be done in a safer way.
Impact
This method of scarification is considered the mildest. The impaction is extremely simple. Seeds should be placed in any container with a lid, covered with coarse sand (optional) and shake with force. During this treatment, the seeds will hit each other and the walls of the vessel. As a result, their peels crack a little, and seedlings can freely break out. This eliminates the risk of damage to the sprout itself.
The disadvantage of this method is that some seeds are in a too rough shell, which cannot be pierced by this method.