With the onset of the first days of spring, amateur gardeners begin to think about their new crop. And not just to think, they are already starting to act. After all, the main thing in this matter is not to miss the moment.
At the first stages, they begin to take care of the preparation of seedlings. At the same time, many are wondering: how to improve the germination of seeds? Not everyone knows how to achieve this. But to answer this question, you must first understand what germination is.
The concept of germination
Under the germination of seeds understand their ability to germinate and ensure future harvest. In fact, it can be compared with he alth. 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 totalquantity. Do not expect germination to be 100%. Seedlings never give such a result. There is always up to 10% of seeds that do not germinate. Such an indicator is considered very good.
Factors affecting germination
The percentage of seed germination depends on several factors. Among them are the following:
Seed age. These two concepts are inversely related. The older the seeds, the lower the germination will be. Therefore, seeds that have lain for some time should be checked especially carefully
Expiration date. Different cultures have different shelf life. For some, it does not exceed a year, for others it can reach 5 years. The least stored seeds of greenery (parsley, celery, dill, and so on). But the seeds of tomatoes, cucumbers show good germination even after 4-5 years
Culture germination rate. In plants of different species, the established germination rate is also different. For example, seeds of cereals, legumes, turnips show a germination rate of 90-95%. At the same time, the average position in terms of germination (60-70%) is typical for beets, cabbage, and tomatoes. A very low percentage of germination - in the seeds of dill, parsley. It is 35-55%
Storage conditions. Germination of seeds will be higher if they are properly stored. 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, there wereit has been observed that personally collected seeds are stored better than purchased ones. And accordingly, they germinate better. At the same time, you can be sure of the age of the seeds, their variety and safety.
How should seeds be tested?
You can check the germination of vegetable seeds as early as February. At this time, vegetable seeds are usually checked. As for flowers, their verification can last until the end of spring. This will depend on when the crop is planted.
Seed preparation is the first step towards a good harvest. And this stage must be carried out in accordance with the rules:
Laboratory germination is always indicated on the packaging. This value characterizes seed germination under ideal conditions. But in real life, this value is unattainable. Subtract up to 15 units to obtain a value that matches the field conditions
Check the packing date, which is also indicated on the package. If the seeds were stored in a bag with foil, then the expiration date can be slightly extended
Take a close look at the encryption that is on the package. The 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 performing seeds.
Checking germination at home
This stage of preparation for landing will be considered with an example. Let's see how to test pepper seeds for germination. To startthey need to be calibrated. The seeds in the package will not be the same. Of these, choose the largest, heaviest. Empty, damaged, stained can be thrown away.
Next, you need to prepare a saline solution with a concentration of 4-5%. To do this, a teaspoon of s alt is diluted in 1 liter of water. Selected pepper seeds are lowered into this solution and left there for about 2 hours. During this time, bad seeds will float, and usable seeds will settle to the bottom. Those that float can be thrown away. The rest are washed from s alt and dried.
A more accurate picture can be found in another way. To do this, wet a piece of gauze and fold it in half. Place seeds between layers. A lot of seeds are not needed, only 10 things will be enough. Leave them for up to two weeks. The main thing is to make sure 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%, there is no point in using seeds.
Having considered an example of how to check pepper seeds for germination, you can proceed to action. Based on the example, you can check the seeds of other crops.
Conditions for seed germination
The following factors influence seed germination:
Temperature. The higher this indicator, the faster the seeds will sprout. This is due to the high consumption of moisture
Amount of water. The amount of moisture required depends on the crop. Sugar beet, legumes, flax seeds need water the most
Oxygen. Seed nutrition during germinationintensifies
Light. This indicator does not affect all plants. There are crops that do not grow in the sun. For the growth of others, the light of the sun's rays is essential
The right choice of conditions will help to get ready-made seedlings on time for seed germination.
When can we expect shoots?
The emergence of the first shoots is an exciting process. He waits for several days, and sometimes weeks. The waiting time will depend on the landing conditions. The germination period 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 germinate most quickly. They need only 4 to 7 days when planted outdoors and 3 to 6 days when grown indoors. The longest time will have to wait for the appearance of carrots, onions, celery.
Treatment accelerating germination
Experienced gardeners know that there are several ways to speed up seed germination. They consist in performing a few simple procedures:
Soaking. A napkin moistened with water is placed in a saucer. Seeds are laid on it in a thin layer. From above, everything is closed with a second layer of moistened cloth. Water should be at room temperature. After some time, the seeds will absorb moisture, the roots will appear. 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 accelerates 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 cloth bag are dipped in water. A compressor from the aquarium is also placed there 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 highlights
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 that affects germination is the quality of the soil. Ready-made soil can be purchased at the store. In this case, it does not need to be fertilized.
Deep sowing also affects. Small seeds are sown on the surface of the soil and pressed down. As the seed size increases, so does the depth. 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 use all of these methods. But some of them are required. Their implementation will ensure a high percentage of germination and friendly seedlings.
