With the onset of the first spring days, gardeners begin to think about their new crop. And not just think, they are already starting to act. Indeed, the main thing in this matter is not to miss the moment.
In the first stages, they begin to take care of the preparation of seedlings. However, many are wondering: how to improve seed germination? Not everyone knows the ways to help achieve this. But in order to answer this question, you must first understand what germination is.
Germination concept
The germination of seeds is understood to mean their ability to germinate and provide a future crop. In fact, it can be compared with health. This concept implies the general condition of each seed, its integrity and integrity, strength and time required for germination.
Seed germination is usually expressed as a percentage. It is calculated as the ratio of the number of germinated seeds to the total number. Do not expect germination to be 100%. Shoots never give such a result. There is always up to 10% of seeds that do not germinate. This figure is considered very good.
Germination Factors
The percentage of seed germination depends on several factors. Among them are the following:
- Seed age. These two concepts are inversely related. The greater the age of the seeds, the lower the germination will be. Therefore, seeds that have lain for some time should be checked especially carefully.
- Shelf life. Different cultures have different expiration dates. In some it does not exceed a year, in others it can reach 5 years. Leaves of greens (parsley, celery, dill and so on) are least stored. But the seeds of tomatoes, cucumbers show a good germination even after 4-5 years.
- The germination rate of culture. In plants of different species, the established germination rate is also different. For example, seeds of grain crops, legumes, turnips show a germination rate of 90-95%. At the same time, the average germination position (60-70%) is typical for beets, cabbage, and tomatoes. A very low percentage of germination is found in dill and parsley seeds. It is 35-55%.
- Storage conditions. Seed germination will be higher if they are stored properly. This should be done in a dry room, where the temperature is within 10 degrees (not higher than room temperature). It is recommended to store seeds in linen bags.
In addition to the conditions described above, it was noticed that the seeds personally collected are stored better than purchased. And accordingly, they germinate better. At the same time, you can be sure of the age of the seeds, their variety and safety.
How to check the seeds?
You can check the germination of vegetable seeds from February. Vegetable seeds are usually checked at this time. As for flowers, their verification can last until the end of spring. This will depend on the time of planting the crop.
Seed preparation is the first step towards a good harvest. And to carry out this stage is necessary in accordance with the rules:
- The package always indicates laboratory germination. This value characterizes seed germination under ideal conditions. But in real life this value is unattainable. To get the value corresponding to the field conditions, it is necessary to subtract up to 15 units.
- Check the packing date, which is also indicated on the package. If the seeds were stored in a bag with foil, then the shelf life can be slightly extended.
- Look carefully at the encryption that is on the package. Mark "F1" means that the seeds are characterized by increased productivity, resistance. The designation in the form of the letter "B" indicates that the seeds were treated with oxygen in order to increase the percentage of germination.
These tips will help you get the best seeds.
Germination test at home
We will consider this stage of preparation for landing as an example. Let's see how to check pepper seeds for germination. First you need to calibrate them. The seeds in the package will not be the same. Of these, choose the largest, heaviest. Empty, damaged, speckled can be thrown away.
Next, it is necessary to prepare a saline solution with a concentration of 4-5%. To do this, a teaspoon of salt is diluted in 1 liter of water. Selected pepper seeds are dropped into this solution and left there for about 2 hours. During this time, bad seeds will emerge, and usable ones will settle to the bottom. Those that have surfaced can be thrown away. The rest is washed with salt and dried.
A more accurate picture can be found in another way. To do this, moisten a piece of gauze and fold it in half. Place seeds between layers. A lot of seeds are not needed, only 10 pieces will be enough. Leave them for up to two weeks. The main thing is to ensure that the fabric does not dry out. At the end of the term, calculate the percentage of germination. A good result is 80%. If the value is less than 30%, it makes no sense to use seeds.
Having considered an example of how to check pepper seeds for germination, you can proceed with actions. Based on an example, seeds and other crops can be tested.
Seed germination conditions
The following factors affect seed germination:
- Temperature. The higher this indicator, the faster the seeds will sprout. This is due to high moisture consumption.
- Amount of water. The amount of moisture required depends on the crop. Most of all, sugar beets, legumes, and flax seeds need water.
- Oxygen. During seedlings, seed nutrition is enhanced.
- Shine. This indicator does not affect all plants. There are cultures that do not grow in the sun. For the growth of others, sunlight is obligatory.
The right choice of conditions will help to get ready seedlings in a timely manner seed germination.
When to expect seedlings?
The appearance of the first shoots is an exciting process. He is waiting for several days, and sometimes weeks. The waiting time will depend on the landing conditions. Seed germination times of seeds of various crops can be seen in the table below.
As you can see, the seeds of individual plants are able to germinate in a few days. Cabbage, radish, radish, tomato sprout most quickly. They need only 4 to 7 days when planting outdoors and from 3 to 6 days when grown indoors. The longest thing to do is wait for the appearance of carrots, onions, celery.
Germination acceleration treatment
Experienced gardeners know that there are several ways to speed up seed germination. They consist in performing several simple procedures:
- Soaking. A napkin dipped in water is placed in the saucer. The seeds are laid on it with a thin layer. From above everything is closed with a second layer of dampened fabric. Water should be at room temperature. After some time, the seeds nourish moisture, roots emerge. When transplanting into the soil, it is important not to break off the sprouts, which are very fragile. This method is perfect for eggplant seeds, beans, peas, beans, cucumbers, tomatoes and so on.
- Warming up. This method not only speeds up germination, but also disinfects. Seeds are heated at a temperature of 60 degrees in ovens or dryers. Used for growing tomatoes, cucumbers.
- Bubbling. Seeds placed in a tissue bag are dipped in water. There they place the compressor from the aquarium in order to saturate the water with oxygen. Seeds with this method germinate in a day or two. Suitable method for carrots, onions, parsley, dill.
Other important points
Germination conditions for all crops are different. Most often, the seeds germinate in a warm room with a temperature of 22-28 degrees. But there are also cold-loving plants that germinate at 18 degrees (lettuce, cabbage).
Another factor affecting germination is soil quality. Ready soil can be purchased at the store. In this case, it does not need to be fertilized.
Depth of sowing also affects. Small seeds are sown on the surface of the soil and pressed. With increasing seed size, the depth also increases. For example, celery is sown to a depth of 0.5 cm, onions - 1 cm, cucumbers and watermelons - 1.5-2 cm.
It is not necessary to apply all of these methods. But some of them are required. Their implementation will provide a high percentage of germination and friendly shoots.