How to treat seeds before sowing? This question is often asked by people who have already "processed" the seeds and did not wait for the shoots. IN full version the question sounds something like this: - “I froze the seeds for a month in the freezer, then scalded them with boiling water and buried them in the snow for three days, then soaked them in thick potassium permanganate for 24 hours, washed them with fresh urine, warmed them up on a battery and in a thermos, followed a few more tips from a neighbor and a popular TV presenter ... but the seeds did not sprout! What else do they need?"

Unfortunately, an attempt to answer that “You must have overdone it” is thwarted by a categorical statement that “I am a gardener with a hundred years of experience, regularly watch all TV shows, read everything that is written on the topic, implement everything I see and hear, so I don’t teach me, and confirm what I already know - the seeds are bad! Such people have nothing to say. But for those who, when asking this question, really wanted to hear an answer to it, we will try to briefly tell what can be done with the seeds, and what is better to refrain from.

Pre-sowing seed treatment is a necessary and effective technique if it is carried out by a competent and experienced specialist. For example, a good agronomist in the village - x. enterprise: hardening, pickling, treatment with microelements, stimulants, bubbling ... At home, only a few methods can be recommended, provided they are carefully applied. Of course, it is impossible to give universal recommendations on seed treatment for the whole variety of crops cultivated by man and for all occasions. We do not set ourselves such a task. Let's try to do short review the most frequently recommended techniques, and you will draw your own conclusions.

The whole variety of methods of presowing seed treatment can be divided (conditionally) into the following groups:

1. Methods for disinfecting seeds (disinfection).
2. Ways to bring seeds out of dormancy (acceleration of germination).
3. Ways to increase plant immunity (biostimulants, hardening, etc.)
4. Others; including those that do not have a reasonable basis - useless and harmful.

Seed disinfection methods.

Etching (treatment with chemical preparations). The most common method of seed disinfection is treatment with a solution of potassium permanganate. This drug is publicly available, "always at hand" and is recommended by many authors of specialized literature as an effective disinfectant. It is usually recommended to soak for 15-20 minutes in a 1% solution of potassium permanganate (1 g of the drug per 100 ml of water). After soaking, the seeds must be washed in running water and dry. It is important not to make a mistake in the concentration of the solution and not to keep the seeds in it for longer than the allotted time, they can die or significantly reduce viability. This technique will help cure the seeds from a fungal infection if they are sick. And if they are healthy, such treatment is completely useless and even harmful.

If a healthy person unnecessarily uses strong drugs, it is clear that this will only harm him. So for seeds, treatment with such a far from harmless substance as potassium permanganate is a strong stress. In addition, it should be borne in mind that not only pathogenic microorganisms, but also a variety of beneficial microflora can be found on the surface of the seeds. After processing, such "sterile" seeds will fall completely defenseless into the soil, which is not at all sterile.

In the literature, you can find recommendations for the treatment of seeds and other pesticides, even more aggressive than "potassium permanganate", but, fortunately, they are rarely found in home medicine cabinets.
In case of a real need for seed disinfection, it is better to use special preparations, for example, Maxim, strictly following the instructions.

Thermal methods of seed disinfection at home are not applicable. Seeds can be boiled or roasted, after such treatment they will be unsuitable for sowing.

In seed farms, as a rule, all necessary measures for seed treatment, including disinfection, are carried out. Therefore, at home, only seeds of dubious origin or with clear signs diseases. But it is better to just refuse to sow them.

Ways to bring seeds out of dormancy.

There are quite a few ways to remove seeds from dormancy (scarification, stratification, washing, soaking in water or in special solutions, heating, cooling, etc.). The choice of processing method depends on the morphological and biological features seeds, on their physiological state associated with the conditions of cultivation, processing, storage.

Seeds are complex living organisms. During storage, they continue to develop invisible to the eye. Within 3-6 months after collection, the seeds are in the stage of "deep dormancy" and at this time their germination is difficult or impossible without the use of processing methods specific for each crop. These methods have been developed for laboratories involved in determining the sowing qualities of seeds, including freshly harvested seeds, before storage or sale. For summer residents there is no such problem - by the time of sowing for seedlings and, moreover, in the ground, more than 6 months pass even for seeds last year harvest.

Stratification. There are crops that require mandatory stratification of seeds before sowing, regardless of the timing of collection. Stratification is a long-term cooling from 15 days to 3 months, depending on the culture, at a temperature of 0 to 5°C. These are some medicinal, decorative and many tree crops. Usually on packages with seeds of such plants there is a warning about the need for stratification. For such crops, winter sowing in the ground is recommended so that the stratification process takes place in the natural environment. With spring sowing, the germination period can stretch for a long time. Sometimes the seeds may sprout the next spring after overwintering in the soil, or not sprout at all if their viability is short - one year after collection, as, for example, in a perennial delphinium. Among the vegetable crops and flowers familiar to us, there are no such finicky ones, but some methods of "awakening" seeds can also be useful to them.

pre-cooling. This technique differs from stratification in that the cooling is less deep and less prolonged. Seeds are cooled at a temperature of 5-10°C for 3-15 days. To do this, the seeds are placed in a moistened cloth, paper or sand and placed in the bottom drawer of the refrigerator or in some cool place. This technique is applicable only to those cold-resistant crops, the seeds of which germinate at low positive temperatures and are usually sown in early spring, in cases where it is not possible to sow them on time. Many go to their dachas only in May, when optimal timing sowing parsley, cumin, carrot, lettuce, watercress, celery, hyssop, spinach, sorrel, onion, radish, cosmos, gypsophila, sea alyssum, lavatera, phlox drummmond, mignonette, forget-me-nots, mustard, sweet clover, clover, lupine, alfalfa , rapeseed and other plants have already passed. If you sow the seeds of these crops on warm May days without prior cooling, the seedlings may be unfriendly, stretch for 3-4 weeks; and in radishes, lettuce, onions, increased shooting is possible.

Preheating and warming + cooling. Warming up the seeds hot water 50-60°C or "dry" heating at a temperature of 40-60°C, sometimes in combination with subsequent cooling, is used to bring some types of seeds out of dormancy. Methods for influencing seeds at high and variable temperatures have been developed for laboratories to determine the germination of seeds and are used when necessary. At home, it is better to refrain from such experiments.
In farms, before sowing, insufficiently ripened seeds of watermelons and other pumpkin crops are sometimes warmed up (in dry form) for "ripening". For normally formed seeds, heating is not necessary.

Soaking and germination. This is the most common way to prepare seeds for sowing. It was also used by our grandmothers to accelerate the germination of seeds. Seeds are wrapped in a soft (moisture-absorbing) cloth, moistened and placed in a warm place (but not on hot battery). At optimal temperature 25-28°C the seeds begin to "peck". They are gently dried to give flowability. It is important not to miss the moment so that the seedlings do not outgrow and do not “tangle into a ball”.

But even this simple trick can be harmful. In the days of our grandmothers and our youth, seed producers did not treat them with pesticides. And now the seeds of domestic production, intended for sale to the population, as a rule, are not processed. But our seeds are getting smaller every year, thanks that "foreign countries help us." A large part of the seeds Russian market are import deliveries. Varieties and hybrids of tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, cucumbers and other crops, including those with beautiful Russian names or names well known from childhood, are often grown abroad and treated with thiram (a highly toxic broad-spectrum pesticide) or other similar drug. Moreover, outwardly, they may not differ from untreated ones (some manufacturers dye the treated seeds in bright colors, but not all and not always).

When such seeds are soaked, a microscopic seedling that has barely appeared will be under the influence of a concentrated pesticide solution, which will destroy it before you can see it. Soaking can speed up seed germination by only a few days, but it can kill them completely. Is it worth the risk?

In addition, it should be borne in mind that germinated seeds sown in open ground, are more vulnerable in case of falling into adverse conditions (temperature drop below the optimum, lack of moisture in the soil), they do not have the opportunity to “pause” and wait out these troubles.

Washing with water. This approach is rarely used. The seeds of some crops contain high amounts of essential oils that inhibit the germination process. These are some vegetable, aromatic, medicinal and ornamental plants(carrot, coriander, dill, fennel, tansy, etc.). The seeds are placed in a bag of loose fabric and washed for 20-30 minutes under running warm (20-25°C) water. Too strong washing is undesirable, because. essential oils This is part of the reserve nutrients needed by the seeds. After washing, the seeds are dried.

Soaking in water. Used for hard-to-sprout seeds (beets, carrots, fragrant ranks, onions, peas, beans, etc.). Seeds are placed in a cloth bag and dipped in warm water(20-25°C) from several hours to a day. The water is changed several times. Seeds are dried, scattering a thin layer on the fabric. Soaking is also used to hydrate seeds that have been stored for a long time in very dry conditions. But not all seeds tolerate such a “dive”, for example, cucumber seeds can “suffocate” from lack of oxygen and die. Soaking cucumber seeds, if they are very dry and really need it, is carried out very carefully: a moisture-absorbing cloth folded in several layers, spilled with water, is placed on the bottom of a shallow container and the seeds are scattered in one layer, so that the upper side of the seeds remains dry, by no means flooding them with a “head”. Soaked seeds can only be sown in well-warmed, moist soil; if the soil temperature drops or there is a lack of moisture, they will quickly rot.

soaking in solutions. Seeds are soaked not just in water, but in nutrient solutions: fertilizers, organic and mineral, containing the main nutrients and a complex of microelements; in solutions of salts of humic acids; in wood ash; infusions medicinal plants etc. Sometimes complex recipes for the preparation of "super-solutions" are offered, supposedly increasing the germination of seeds and plant yields at times. The effectiveness of such "top dressing" of seeds that are at the dormant stage, i.e., with a very low activity of metabolic processes, is exaggerated. Seeds use their own supply of nutrients to germinate. And when they germinate, they will begin to grow and develop - then use all of the above.

Barbation. Soaking seeds in water oxygenated. This technique is used on farms to improve the viability of seeds with low germination vigor. At home, you can oxygenate the water with an aquarium compressor and soak the seeds in it. Such a need rarely happens: for example, if seeds that are very valuable to you have significantly lost their germination capacity and it is worth trying to reanimate them.

Scarification. The seeds of some crops have a very dense shell (marshmallow officinalis, large plantain, castor bean It is damaged mechanically (cuts are made with a sharp tool, rubbed sandpaper etc.) or treated with weak solutions of nitric acid salts to facilitate swelling and germination.

Ways to increase plant immunity

Treatment with growth stimulants. Seed treatment with growth stimulants is used to activate immunity and increase the resistance of seedlings to adverse factors. Seeds are soaked for 0.5-1.0 hours in a chemical solution. preparations "Epin-Extra", "Zircon" or preparations of natural origin ("Prorostok", "Amulet", "NV-101", etc.) These preparations are safe for seeds and for humans, but the instructions should be followed. This treatment is effective for weakened seeds with low germination energy (shelf life has long passed, and the variety is valuable or rare). There is no need to treat fresh seeds.

In the event that you have not treated the seeds with biostimulants before sowing, there is no reason to be upset. It is possible and necessary to treat them with plants at the seedling stage, during budding, setting and crop formation. Treatment of vegetative plants gives a more obvious positive effect.

hardening. In the popular literature for gardeners, you can find recommendations for hardening heat-loving crops by treating their seeds with cold. The positive effect of such treatments is rather controversial, serious scientific research on this topic is not known to us. Practice shows that no matter how much the seeds do not freeze, cucumber, pepper or watermelon will not become a frost-resistant plant. It is better to apply hardening methods to seedlings.

Other methods of pre-sowing seed treatment

Selection of seeds for sowing by weight. This technique - seed calibration - various methods used in farms for greater evenness of crops. For a summer resident, he is of little importance and there would be no need to talk about him. But, unfortunately, the method of separating seeds into fractions by weight is widely advertised and "introduced" into consciousness and practice, which is mistakenly presented as a method for determining the germination of seeds. Seeds are soaked in water or in a salt solution and wait until they are divided into sunken (they are considered viable) and floating (they are considered unsimilar).

Such a division can only separate small (less completed) seeds from large (more completed) seeds. This division has nothing to do with germination. The germination of seeds in both fractions is the same or differs within the statistical error. Seeds cannot be completely homogeneous, their mass (fulfillment) depends on the conditions of formation, weather and agrotechnical, on the location in the fruit or in the inflorescence. When not favorable conditions(hot dry summer) all seeds obtained, for example, tomato or cucumber, can be small and float on the surface, while having 100% germination. In addition, the “feeliness” of seeds can be a characteristic varietal trait, for example, this is characteristic of the seeds of the Malysh cucumber, and the “lightness” of the seeds does not affect their germination in any way. Small seeds have a smaller supply of nutrients, but in favorable conditions, their seedlings will quickly catch up with their comrades and you will not see the difference.

At the same time, the complete absence of germination will not prevent large seeds from drowning if their mass is sufficient for this. The ability to "swim" does not depend on germination, but only on the mass of seeds and their morphological features. The seeds of many crops will not drown at all (gazania, dimorphoteca, etc.), there are even more crops whose seeds will drown in any case, even very poorly formed ones (peas, beans, radishes, etc.). Please don't "drown the seeds in glasses" by dividing them into fractions, sow them all. If you have a lot of seeds, and you decide to use only the largest ones for sowing, you can simply sort them out and discard the damaged and small ones.

Do not rush to follow all the "useful advice" that you hear from people you know and new acquaintances or from the TV screen. Do not forget that the goal of any TV star, even in the form of a "knowledgeable avid summer resident" is to entertain you with an amusing spectacle, and not boringly teach something simply useful. What kind of "techniques for increasing germination and productivity" you will not hear from our customers, enlightened by such stars. There are also funny ones, for example: “before sowing, wear seeds on the cheek so that smart seeds absorb information about the host’s diseases and the fruits that grow from them heal his illnesses.” Before putting seeds by the cheeks, make sure they are not treated with thiram or other pesticide.

In the literature for gardeners, the topic of seed treatment is given a lot of space in literally. Sometimes several pages are devoted to listing various recipes. If a conscientious, inexperienced gardener, in a good intention to “do the best”, decides to complete them all, then the seeds will most likely fall off the middle of the race. The authors of such books probably not only did not do what they write about in such detail, but also never grew anything themselves.

An experienced gardener-practitioner, Yury Nikolayevich Ushakov, the author of many articles in the journal Homestead Farming and popular books: “For a Beginning Farmer”, “All About Tomatoes”, “All About Cucumbers”, etc., writes on this issue: “With seeds I don’t shaman, I don’t freeze and defrost, I don’t tell fortunes and I don’t barbat, but I sow dry and a little more than planned for planting in the ground, so that after germination, leave the strongest.”

Our buyers ask the seeds of our company:

• do not soak
• do not pickle
• do not freeze
• do not warm up
• do nothing to process

Simply sow them dry in well-drained soil.
Right choice sowing dates and good care- more important than all pre-sowing treatments.
Crops whose seeds require stratification are best sown before winter; cold-resistant crops germinating at low positive temperatures - in early spring; heat-loving - not earlier than the second half of May in well-warmed moistened soil.

LLC "Agrofirma "Alena Lux"

Kuzmicheva Svetlana Vyacheslavovna

tick-stained seeds

I used to know about their existence, but in order to seedlings ..., and in the apartment ...!!! SHOCK! There are no other words! Fortunately, I didn’t find the weevil, it has larger eggs, and it’s not a baby itself.
Tanya, that's enough, I think this? There are 40,000 of them. You won't know without a glass!
Tyrophagus are extremely common representatives of acarid mites. In the literature of past years, according to the then accepted nomenclature, they were called Tyroglyphus (Tyroglyphus). Most of them live in the soil and on its surface, feeding on mycelium of fungi and algae. Barley elongated mite (Tyrophagus perniciosus) and Putrescent elongated mite (T. putrescentiae), getting into greenhouses and greenhouses with high humidity and temperature, leave the soil and pass to feed on the leaves of plants. The putrefactive elongated mite and some related species are almost always found in the tissues of rotting tubers and bulbs. It not only feeds on the mycelium of the fungus and affected plant tissues, but also actively carries spores and particles of the mycelium. These mites actively spoil grain in storage, eating away the endosperm and turning the seeds into dust. For this they are often called "bread" or "barn". Some species of this group settle in hives. Some types of tyrophagus are pests of cheese making. Other species are harmful to mushroom plantations. Also, mites of this group were repeatedly found in the anthers of Saintpaulia. In the traditional literature on Gesneriaceae, there was no earlier mention of this mite harming Saintpaulias and other Gesneriaceae, but the observations of many collectors in Russia and Ukraine and photographic material leave no room for doubt.

Tyrophagus is perhaps the only tick to which a monument has been erected.

“Würchwitz is known for its Milbenkase cheese, which is cured in a bran box and special mites. Bran is the main food for ticks. The secretions of these mites give this cheese its unique taste and aroma. A monument to this tick has been erected in the village. Address: Germany, Würchwitz»
Site materials "Monuments and fountains"

adults
Tyrophagus are small mites that are difficult to see with the naked eye. The females are elongated oval in shape. Body shiny, translucent, covered with very long, sparse setae. The body length of the female elongated barley mite is slightly more than half a millimeter. The female of the putrefactive elongated mite is even smaller (0.35-0.45 mm). Males are similar to females in shape and body structure and differ only in smaller sizes.

Larval stages
Larva. Immediately after leaving the egg, the tick has only 3 pairs of walking limbs. The shape and structure of the body are very similar to those of adult ticks. Nymph. After the first molt occurs in the larva, the tick passes into the nymph stage. The nymph is slightly larger than the larvae, in addition, they already have 4 pairs of walking limbs.

Egg
The egg is whitish, oval in shape. It is clearly visible (under a microscope) on the surface of the affected leaves and in the tissues of rotten tubers and bulbs. The eggs of some species have small light longitudinal tubercles.
Signs of defeat
The defeat of the aerial parts of plants with elongated mites is observed, most often, in microgreenhouses, greenhouses, greenhouses. Leaf cuttings of saintpaulia, chirit, gloxinia, as well as young children, fall ill. They damage both the upper and lower parts of the leaf blade. The “split” of the upper part of the leaf blade is very noticeable. A brownish coating of scar tissue appears on the underside of the leaf, the same as when some plants are affected. spider mite. On the upper part of the leaf, under the microscope, grains of mite secretions are visible. Very often seedlings of cucumbers, asters, and lettuce suffer from tyrophagus. Holes and tears may appear in the leaves of these plants.

The mites of this group can penetrate the anthers of Saintpaulias, causing the appearance of pollen on the petals.

Curves and holes appear on young leaves of seedlings of cucumber, lettuce, asters. Seedlings lag behind in development, lose their presentation.

Damage

The mites of this group can penetrate the anthers of Saintpaulias, causing the appearance of pollen on the petals. Such flowers are characterized by early wilting.

Tyrophagus can significantly damage the seedlings of many agricultural and ornamental crops, especially cucumbers and asters.

Availability a large number These mites on lettuce leaves, spinach, some types of cabbage can cause allergic attacks in people - both greenhouse workers and sellers and consumers.

The leaf stalk of violets, if elongated mites feed on it, gradually fades. Children from such a sheet are formed little or none at all. Young children do not develop, often rot and die. In case of damage to tubers and bulbs by putrefactive elongated mites, plants may die. At best, we will get very weakened sprouts, susceptible to any fungal and bacterial diseases.

Tyrophagus not only feed on plant tissues, but also carry spores of many fungi and harmful bacteria.

Ticks of this group often damage plant seeds, especially stored cereals, for which they are often called "bread" or "barn" mites. Also during storage, tyrophagus can destroy bulbs, tubers, corms and rhizomes of many plants.

“Thyroglyphoid (barn) mites (order Acariform mites) are pathogenic for humans. When swallowed with food, they can cause acute gastrointestinal problems, and when inhaled, respiratory catarrh and asthmatic phenomena. Some species of thyroglyphids are regularly found in urine tests and may possibly settle in urinary tract. Some of the granary mites cause occupational allergic diseases in agricultural workers and people associated with contaminated grain, produce, etc. Acarus siro and Tyrophagus putrscentiae cause dermatitis in bakers; Glycyphagus domesticus - in grocers; Tyrolichus casei - "cheese" dermatosis "(see Acariases).

Part of the text is hidden by moderator Nivyanik.

Tyrophagus_tirophagus_elongated_rotten_mites

Etching with potassium permanganate- the simplest and most common method of seed disinfection. At the same time, it is very effective, since potassium permanganate has the widest spectrum of action of all chemical pickling agents.

However, pickling with potassium permanganate does not guarantee complete disinfection: while reliably killing pathogens on the surface of seeds, it is powerless to affect the infection nesting inside the seed.

Seeds are treated with 1% or 2% KMp04 solution. Optimal Modes processing for different seeds are not the same.

Modes of seed treatment with potassium permanganate

• Celery, onions, tomatoes, physalis, lettuce, radishes, corn, beans, peas, beans; 1% KMn04 solution, 45 min.
• Peppers, eggplant, cabbage, parsnips, carrots, dill, cucurbits: 2% KMn04 solution, 20 min.
• Seed treatment is carried out at room temperature, followed by washing with tap water.
• To prepare a 1% solution, 1 g of potassium permanganate is dissolved in 100 ml (1/2 cup) of water, to prepare a 2% solution - 2 g in 100 ml of water.

To be able to weigh small quantities of chemicals, you need to make simple scales from scrap materials. Working by eye in such a responsible matter as seed dressing can have sad consequences. Here one cannot err either in the direction of increasing or decreasing the concentration. Without weighing, measuring potassium permanganate by volume, you can also prepare a solution with sufficient accuracy. To do this, you need a standard (5 ml) teaspoon. One teaspoon without top contains 6 g of potassium permanganate. "No top" means that the excess substance is removed with the flat side of the knife.

How to prepare a solution of potassium permanganate without weighing?

2% KMn04 solution: Dilute one teaspoon without top in 300 ml (in one and a half glasses) of water.

1% KMn04 solution: Pour off a part of a 2% solution of potassium permanganate and add an equal volume of water to it; or dilute one teaspoon without top in 600 ml (in three glasses) of water.

The resulting solutions have a thick, almost black color. Treatment of seeds with less concentrated solutions (pink, dark pink or purple, when the bottom is visible through the solution) does not provide disinfection.

Disinfection does not occur in cases where sticky seeds are processed. Tomato seeds are especially prone to sticking together. Before immersing in potassium permanganate, they must be rubbed with your hands so that each seed is moistened from all sides. For tomatoes, heating is much more reliable than dressing.

Gardeners argue about how to prepare seeds for planting, but they all agree that these procedures are necessary and are the basis for a future rich harvest. Pre-sowing preparation of tomato seeds will help to grow strong and healthy seedlings and protect them from many diseases.

Instruction

• It has been proven that the larger and heavier the seed, the stronger the plant will be, so you need to select the best seeds. To do this, dip them in a solution of ordinary table salt (30 g per 1 liter of water). Mix the mass and hold the seeds in the solution for 5-10 minutes, no more. During this time, empty seeds that are not able to sprout will float. Collect them and throw them away, and rinse the rest in running water, and then dry them on a sheet of paper.
• To help cure tomato seeds from a fungal infection, if any, and prevent its appearance on the plant in the future, dressing can. However, keep in mind that this procedure should not be carried out with tomato seeds that have already undergone the necessary pre-sowing preparation (this information is usually indicated on the bag of seeds). The easiest way to disinfect planting material is soaking in a solution of potassium permanganate.
• To do this, make a solution at the rate of 1 g per 1000 ml of water. Put the tomato seeds in the pink solution and soak them in it for about 15 minutes. You should not keep them in solution for longer, as this can destroy all the beneficial microflora. Wash the seeds immediately afterwards. running water and dry.
• Tomato seeds need stratification. This technique will help to harden them, plants will be able to tolerate temperature drops. Rinse disinfected seeds hot water, then immediately cool them by placing them in a cool place with a temperature of 1-2 degrees above zero. Leave them for two days, at this time periodically moisten with water so that they do not dry out. After that, spread out planting material on a piece of paper and dry.
• Soaking (germination) will help bring seeds out of dormancy. This is very effective method tomato seed treatment, which will help speed up germination. Moisten a cotton cloth and place tomato seeds on it. Cover them on top and soak again. Put in a warm place and periodically make sure that the material does not dry out.
• Seeds can also be germinated in a nutrient solution. This can be a solution of sodium humate (a quarter of a teaspoon per 1 liter of water) or Ideal fertilizer (the solution must be made at the rate of 1 tablespoon of the drug per 1 liter of water). But the best natural fertilizer is wood ash. Mix 1 tablespoon of ash and 1 liter of water. Put the seeds in gauze bags, lower them into the nutrient solution and hold them in it for a day. Then put them in clean water and hold until they hatch.

Pepper is a rather capricious crop, and its seeds quickly lose their germination capacity, and since they also germinate for a very long time, it is likely that the seedlings will be few or the plant will not sprout at all. The way out is to prepare pepper seeds for planting in advance.

You will need

1. - pepper seeds;
2. - salt solution;
3. - a solution of potassium permanganate;
4. - solution with fertilizers or wood ash;
5. - glass vessel and an aquarium compressor for bubbling.

Instruction

• Immediately before sowing seedlings, select pepper seeds for planting. Make a solution of ordinary table salt at the rate of 30 g per 1 liter of water. Then dip the seeds into it, mix everything and hold the planting material in the solution for 5-10 minutes. Full-weight pepper seeds should sink to the bottom, and weak and empty ones should float. Collect them with a spoon from the surface and throw them away without regret, they will not be of any use. Strain the solution, thoroughly rinse the seeds that have sunk to the bottom. Lay out on a sheet of paper and let dry.
• The next procedure is called etching. It will help to disinfect the seeds and prevent possible diseases plants. To do this, sort the seeds by size. Make a 1% solution of potassium permanganate (1 g per 1 liter of water). Put the selected planting material in the solution and hold the seeds in it for about 15 minutes. Then rinse them with water and dry again.
• In order for the plants to grow strong and healthy, 1-2 days before sowing pepper seeds for seedlings, treat them with microelements. Make small gauze bags, put planting material in them and dip them into a solution containing trace elements, for example, with Epin or Ideal fertilizers. Leave the seeds in it for 12-24 hours. Then take it out and dry it on a sheet of paper. In this case, it is not necessary to wash them.
• Instead of chemical fertilizers, seeds can be treated and folk ways. For example, soak them in a solution wood ash. Dissolve 2 g in a liter of water. Leave the solution to stand for a day. Stir the ash from time to time during this time. After that, put the seeds in gauze bags and lower them into the nutrient mixture for 2-3 hours. Then rinse and dry everything.
• If you want to guarantee 100% germination and see sprouts much earlier, you can germinate pepper seeds. Place the seeds disinfected in a solution of potassium permanganate on gauze or cotton cloth. Place in a saucer and moisten slightly. Put everything in a warm place. In about a day, roots will appear. After 2-3 days, plant the germinated seeds in a moist substrate.
• There is a method that is considered more effective than soaking and germinating pepper seeds - bubbling, that is, treating seeds in oxygenated water. This method of pre-sowing treatment of planting material will dramatically accelerate the emergence of pepper seedlings. It is carried out 1-2 weeks before sowing seedlings.
• Take tall dishes, for example, a three-liter jar. Fill it two-thirds with water, its temperature should be within 20 degrees. Lower the tip of the aquarium compressor to the bottom. Turn it on. When bubbles appear in the water, put the seeds in a jar and leave for a day. Then take them out and dry them.
• The last method of seed treatment is hardening. It will help plants tolerate adverse conditions well, for example, temperature changes. After disinfection, soak the pepper seeds in warm water, let them swell, and then immediately put them on the bottom shelf in the refrigerator for a day. Then dry and proceed to sowing seeds for seedlings.

Seed pretreatment ~ Vegetable crops

In order for the seeds to sprout more amicably, faster, and grow better, you can spend with them pre-sowing treatment. There are many ways to treat seeds for better and more friendly germination, and as a result, an increase in yield and plant endurance: soaking, germination, heating, bubbling, stratification, scarification, disinfection, soaking in microelements. Let's consider all these methods.

Seed selection by density

The selection of seeds by density is carried out in saline solutions. For different crops, the concentrations of solutions may be different: they should be selected so that the seeds are divided into two parts - some sink, others emerge.

• for a tomato, a solution concentration of 5% is acceptable,
• for cucumber - 3%.

To prepare such a solution, 7.0 g or 4.0 g of salt, respectively, are taken per 140 ml of water, stirred, and the seeds are dipped into the solution. Seeds remain in the solution for 5-7 minutes until specimens with a higher density sink to the bottom. If separation does not occur (the seeds do not sink to the bottom), a little water is added, and if everything sank, then salt is added. The sunken seeds are washed in running water, dried and used for sowing. In this way, seeds of any crop can be sorted. This operation can be carried out either before sowing, or in advance.

Soaking and germinating seeds

To speed up and more amicable germination, the seeds should be placed in fabric bags and 1/2-1/3 of the volume and immersed in water room temperature for 12-18 hours. Swollen seeds are scattered on a thick cloth with a thin layer, covered with the same cloth and kept in a warm room until pecking. After that, they need to be aired so that they acquire flowability, and sow. Such seeds cannot be stored for a long time. This technique is most effective when sowing hard seeds: carrots, parsley and onions. Soaking and especially sprouting are effective only when sown in moist soil. Sowing them in dry soil often leads to death. If for some reason the soaked seeds cannot be sown on time, it is better to put them in the lower part of the refrigerator (where the temperature is above zero). There they can be stored for 5-7 days. But if you wet the seeds of cabbage, radish, radish, turnip and put them in the refrigerator, they will still germinate, so you have to be very careful with them.

Warming up the seeds

Artificial heating of seeds is most often used for pumpkin crops (cucumbers, squash, squash, watermelons, pumpkins, etc.) in the northern, central regions of the country. Seeds are heated at a temperature of 40-50 ° C for 5-6 hours.

• Pumpkin seeds after such treatment germinate faster and branch faster, form shorter lashes and much more female flowers.
• It is undesirable to warm up tomato seeds, since after such treatment they germinate less amicably.
• Seeds of cabbage and carrots are heated in water to combat vascular bacteriosis and phomosis. For this purpose, water is heated to a temperature of 48-50 ° C and cabbage seeds in a gauze bag are immersed in it for 20 minutes. For carrots, the water temperature should be 50-52 ° C.

Remember, the temperature and time must be maintained very accurately: if it is lower, there will be no effect, if it is higher, the seeds will die. Immediately after processing, the seeds must be cooled. cold water. You need to know that weak seeds after such treatment may die. But the remaining seeds will give healthy, powerful plants. For onion sets, spring warming at a temperature of 30-35 ° C for 15-20 days or autumn at 40-45 ° C for 1-2 days is shown before storage. This prevents bolting, accelerates plant growth, and reduces damage to plants by transferorosis - powdery mildew.

Seed hardening or stratification

Seed hardening - seeds are soaked for 12-18 hours in water at a temperature of 18-20 ° C. In cold-resistant crops (cabbage, carrots, parsley, beets, onions), the seeds are placed after soaking in a refrigerator or buried in snow. Seeds of cabbage, carrots, parsley, onions are kept at a temperature of 0-3°C for 10-15 days, beets for 7-10 days. This technique accelerates the emergence of seedlings by 3-8 days and the development of plants by 10-15 days.

To increase resistance to cold in pumpkin and nightshade crops, hardening is carried out with variable temperatures. The seeds are soaked in water at a temperature of 18-20°C for 12-24 hours, then at night for 10-12 hours they are placed in conditions of low positive temperatures (0-2°C), and during the day they are kept warm at 14-12 hours. temperature 15-20°C.

Hardening with variable temperatures is carried out for 10-15 days, until the first seeds appear. Please note that during hardening, less viable seeds lose their germination. The remaining seeds under conditions of low temperatures give more viable plants. It should be remembered that if, after hardening, the seeds fall into optimal conditions temperatures (+ 22-25 ° C), plants can develop worse than from seeds that have not been hardened, as they have to rebuild their physiological processes in the opposite direction.

Soaking seeds in micronutrient solutions

The need for this technique and the composition of the solution depends on the needs of the crop and the composition of the soil on which it is grown.

• boron fertilizers work best on the seeds of beets, carrots, radishes, rutabaga, tomatoes, cabbage (white, cauliflower);
• molybdenum - cauliflower, lettuce, tomato, zucchini, carrots;
• copper - onions, carrots, beets.

When growing vegetable crops on podzolic and peat soils, the seeds must be treated with boron, and on alkaline soils with manganese. Treatment with copper salts on peat soils is very effective. For soaking seeds, the following salt concentrations are used (per 1 liter of water):

• manganese sulfate - 0.05-0.1% (0.5-1 g);
• potassium permanganate - 0.5-1 (5-10 g);
• copper sulfate - 0.005-0.001 (50-10 mg);
• zinc sulfate 0.03-0.05 (0.3-0.5
• ammonium molybdate - 0.03-0.05 (0.3-0.5 g);
• potassium alum - 0.002 (20 mg);
• boric acid- 0.005-0.05 (50-500 mg);
• sodium carbonate (baking soda) 0.5-1 (5-10 g);
• cobalt nitrate - 0.01-0.02 (100-200 mg);
• potassium bromide - 0.1 (1 g);
• succinic acid - 0.001-0.002 (10-20 mg);
• nicotinic acid - 0.01 (100 mg).

You have to be careful with micronutrients. Soaking spend 12-20 hours. If the concentrations are higher than recommended, a sharp decrease in germination is possible, therefore, if a mixture of several preparations is used for soaking at the same time, the total concentration should not exceed 0.1%, but in this case, the soaking period should be reduced. It is better not to take more than 2-3 drugs in the composition of the mixture.

Seed sparging

Seed sparging is the treatment of seeds with oxygen or air in water. Seeds in linen or gauze bags are placed in a container and filled with water in a ratio of 1:2. At home, aquarium compressors are used for bubbling. The compressor is lowered into a container with water and such a stream of air is let in so that the seeds are in suspension, gradually mixing. During the flow of air, the water is saturated with oxygen, the seeds swell faster in it, inhibitors are removed from their shells - substances that inhibit germination. Processing is carried out for 14-20 hours - before the start of pecking of individual seeds.

The greatest effect of bubbling is obtained on the seeds of onions, parsley carrots. This treatment removes the effect of substances in the seeds that delay germination, provides friendly pecking, and increases germination.

Bubbling is carried out in water at room temperature for:

• 32-38 hours for watermelon and pepper seeds,
• 26 hours for spinach,
• 20 hours for tomato, cucumber, lettuce and radish,
• 8 hours for peas.

The germination period of bubbled seeds is much reduced. Shoots, for example, carrots, parsley, onions, appear 5-10 days earlier than those simply soaked in water. Bubbling is most effective when sown with seeds with reduced germination: field germination increases by 8-15%.

In those cases when bubbling seeds cannot be sown immediately, they are dried to their original moisture content. The stimulating effect lasts for several months. Better results are obtained if potassium salts are dissolved in water: potassium nitrate and potassium phosphate KN03 and K3PO4 in a ratio of 1:1. 10.6 g of KNOs and 11.5 g of K3PO4 are dissolved per 1 liter of water. The bubbling effect in potassium salts is most pronounced when sowing at low temperatures.

Soaking seeds in extracts from young seedlings

Soaking seeds in extracts from seedlings - take extracts from seedlings of barley, spring wheat and others. However, this method is controversial. The fact is that young seedlings contain an increased amount of biologically active substances, and their effect on vegetable seeds stimulates the growth and development of plants. Seeds of grain crops are germinated, ground in a mortar, poured with water, insisted for a day, filtered, and the seeds are soaked in this extract. It is only necessary to establish: what and how many seeds to take for extracting, how to cook the extract, how much and how to soak.

Seed disinfection

Since the seeds usually contain various microorganisms on the surface that reduce their viability, slow down the growth and development of plants, it is very effective to disinfect them. For seed disinfection, a 0.5-1% solution of potassium permanganate or a 20% solution of hydrochloric acid is used. This processing method is most effective for tomato and cucumber seeds. Treatment time with potassium permanganate - 20 minutes, hydrochloric acid - 30 minutes. After treatment, the seeds must be thoroughly washed with cold water, otherwise the seeds will lose their germination.

Sticker seeds on paper tapes

use paper tapes from filter paper, the seeds are pre-calibrated. Seeds are glued to the required distance using starch or mealy paste, sodium CMC adhesive, EPOS. Glue the seeds in advance, you can a few months before sowing. Tapes with glued seeds are rolled up and stored in a dry, cool place.

When purchasing seeds for the garden, be sure to consider the terms of packaging and the shelf life of seeds, as these indicators are very important for obtaining good germination and a good harvest in your beds.

Instruction

Of course, seed dressing with potassium permanganate cannot guarantee complete disinfection, since the solution is not able to affect the infection that is located inside the seed. But, despite this, the liquid copes quite effectively with other types of problems associated with garden seedlings.

It is worth noting that seed dressing should be carried out only at room temperature. In addition, it is very important to thoroughly rinse them under running cold water after processing. As for the solution, a certain permanganate mixture is prepared for individual seeds. Generally, there are two kinds of processing modes. In the first case, a 1% solution of potassium permanganate is used. This mode is most suitable for such seeds:
- celery;
- ;
- corn;
- salad;
- onion. In addition, it can also be used for legumes.

In the second mode, a 2% solution is used, which is most suitable for these types of seeds:
- carrot;
- cabbage;
- ;
- ;
- dill. Also, such a solution can be used for pumpkin seeds.

It is worth noting that in order to achieve a positive result, it is necessary to properly prepare a solution of potassium permanganate. Today, there are two ways of cooking, namely with and without weighing. The weighing method is used for industrial processing, when the source material is measured in tens of grams, and the seeds are measured in tons.

Of course, the most commonly used method, during which no weighing is carried out. To prepare a 2% solution of potassium permanganate, you need to dilute a teaspoon of potassium permanganate in two incomplete glasses of warm water. As for the 1% solution, in this case you need to pour the same amount of the mixture into a container that contains three glasses of water.

As a rule, after preparation, the solution should have a dark color and a fairly thick consistency. This is due to the fact that it is such a tool that can most effectively protect the seeds from possible infection. However, note that an overly thick solution may burn the seed, which will become infertile.

It is convenient to place the seeds in a solution in gauze, in which you can also wash them. The duration of exposure should be no more than 20 minutes, and the rule applies: the smaller the exchange of the seed, the less time is needed. After washing, the seeds must be spread out on a canvas, otherwise there is a risk that they will get wet.

It is also worth noting that high level disinfection cannot be achieved if the seeds are stuck together. Therefore, it is very important to follow this aspect during this event. In those situations where the seeds are still stuck together, they must be gently rubbed. You need to perform this procedure before immersing them in a solution.

Helpful advice

It is most convenient to dissolve permanganate in a small amount of water and only then pour the resulting mixture into the required volume of water.

The most simple and accessible way to pickle the seeds before planting, and at the same time to disinfect them is a solution of potassium permanganate. Of all the disinfectants, it is he who has the widest spectrum of action.

Instruction

Potassium permanganate belongs to chemical disinfectants and has a very wide range of activities. But processing seeds with it does not guarantee that the seeds will be completely and completely disinfected, since potassium permanganate does not affect the infections that live inside the seed. But potassium permanganate copes well with pathogens on the surface of seeds. The treatment modes for achieving efficiency for different seeds are different, the seeds are treated with a solution of varying degrees of concentration: both 1% and 2%.

Tomatoes, physalis, onions, celery, lettuce, corn, radishes, all legumes are processed with a solution of potassium permanganate 1%, the duration of the treatment session is at least 45 minutes. A 2% solution is used for pumpkin crops, dill, carrots, parsnips, cabbage, eggplants, peppers - processing lasts at least 20 minutes. All processing procedures are carried out in water at room temperature, with mandatory washing of the planting material subsequently by flow clean water.

In order to prepare a 1% solution of potassium permanganate, it is necessary to dissolve 1 g of potassium permanganate in 1/2 cup of water. To prepare a 2% solution, take 2 g of powder for the same amount of water. It is not advisable to take more water, since even this amount is excessive for soaking the seeds. With such a responsible task as dressing seeds with potassium permanganate, one cannot rely on the eye, and therefore measure everything on special scales or take it in ready-made small packaging.

In the event that it is not possible to get the scales, you can use the following method, measuring the potassium permanganate powder by eye. For a solution with a concentration of 2%, in this case, one teaspoon without a slide is taken per 1.5 cups of water. A 1% solution can then be prepared different ways: Dilute 1 teaspoon in 3 glasses of water, or, taking part of a 2% solution, add to it an amount of water equal to its volume. The solutions obtained in this way cannot be distinguished in percentage from each other by eye: both have a dark, almost black structure. Treatment of seeds with less concentrated solutions cannot provide disinfection, and besides, the effectiveness is little more than just keeping the seeds in clean water.

Decontamination will not occur and dressing as a whole will not have the desired effect if the seeds that are stuck together are treated. Such planting material must either be ground until homogeneous, or pre-soaked in plain water until separated. Tomato seeds are especially prone to such sticking, and for them grinding has a much greater effect on seed germination than even dressing with potassium permanganate itself.

Tip 3: Do I need a special solution for soaking seeds

Pre-sowing preparation of seeds, which includes their soaking, is the key to good germination and proper development of plants. Further resistance to diseases largely depends on this.

Seeds that do not need to be soaked

There are seeds, soaking which will not add anything to their speedy germination, and even worsen the situation. It is not necessary to soak the seeds in a very dense shell, as this will cause mold to appear on them and the sprout will die.

It is not necessary to soak very small seeds, similar in their properties to dust. They are not designed for such an impact, it is enough to pour them on the ground and cover them with a bag or glass on top, creating a greenhouse.

Solutions for soaking seeds

All other seeds are soaked before planting, using warm water and various stimulants for this. You can also soak the seeds in ordinary water without adding any stimulants to it, but the result will not differ in better side.

Epin (or Epin Extra) is very popular as a multidisciplinary drug. In plant seeds, this drug reduces the content of heavy metals, nitrates, stimulates resistance to late blight, increases resistance to cold and dry weather, and other adverse factors such as sunburn. A drop of "Epin" in a quarter of a glass of water is enough to soak the seeds before planting and increase their germination. The ampoule dissolves in 5 liters of water, and the amount of the drug in the ampoule is about 40 drops. The solution is stored in a dark place and should be used within 24 hours.

For soaking the seeds before sowing, the concentrate of the Immunocytrophyt preparation is also used. This drug is also used to heal plant wounds by dissolving one tablet in half a teaspoon of water. In this solution, the seeds are kept from 3 to 24 hours.

Root growth stimulants such as Kornevin and Heteroauxin are also used to soak seeds in them before planting. This drug is very toxic, after each use it is necessary to wash your hands thoroughly. The solution is prepared according to the following proportions: 1 tablet of "heteroauxin" or a similar amount of "Kornevin" is taken per 1 liter.

"Zircon" - a drug that affects the germination of seeds and increases the resistance of plants to various diseases and adverse environmental factors. "Zircon" is effective even in the treatment powdery mildew, and plants do not get used to it during use. This strong drug, they are unacceptable, so one ampoule is bred in 10 liters of water, using the leftovers for irrigation.

Sources:

• How to increase seed germination

If you bought a bag of seed that says the seeds have been processed, they must be treated a little differently when planting than with regular seeds harvested from your garden in the fall.

Instruction

There are several types of processed seeds on the market today. They are divided according to the method of processing into inlaid, coated and simply disinfected. The encrusted seeds are brightly colored and almost life-size. They are simply coated with a protective layer of pesticides that keeps them from getting sick.

Dragee seeds are in the form of peas. Usually very small seeds are coated, so these peas are also microscopic, but still two times larger than the seed itself, which is inside. The dragee shell is designed to facilitate the sowing process and also protects the seeds from diseases.

If the seeds have a natural appearance and size, and their shell is not covered with anything multi-colored, but it says on the package that they are processed, then they were treated with a disinfecting spray.

All three types of treated seeds should never be soaked before planting. They were specially encrusted and coated so that from the moment of swelling they began to adapt to growing conditions, and this adaptation was the least painful. By soaking treated seeds in water, you break the protective layer and expose the seeds to all sorts of dangers even before germination.

Treated seeds must be sown dry. This is especially true for cucumbers. Other vegetable crops more persistent. And even if you destroy the protective inlay, 20-30 percent can survive and give stunted shoots. But with cucumbers - if you destroy the protective shell, and the weather deteriorates immediately after sowing, a decrease in temperature by 2-4 ° C or prolonged rain is enough to kill them all.

Decontaminated seeds that have a normal appearance are still soaked by buyers, despite the fact that they have already been processed. I really want to prepare everything for sowing. People do not believe that manufacturers have already prepared everything and taken care of everything for them. And the biggest mistake they make experienced gardeners with great experience - soaking the seeds first in potassium permanganate, and then in ordinary water until swelling.

Potassium permanganate kills external microbes. Do not try to kill something inside the seed with it. Because if you soak dry seeds in a saturated solution of potassium permanganate for at least thirty minutes, only the germ can be killed inside. Therefore, at first the seeds are soaked for a day in water. And then for twenty minutes they are kept in potassium permanganate and washed with water.

Domestic producers supply the trade with peeled varietal seeds that can carry invisible infections. It is more prudent to disinfect such seed. There are two methods - dry and wet disinfection.

Dry disinfection (heating)

Particularly fond of "basking" members of the pumpkin family. Cucumbers, zucchini, pumpkins, squash are placed on warm batteries(ovens) or hung near them. Onion sets, pumpkin seeds, beets are laid out in a thin layer and heated in the spring in the sun, stirring from time to time. Cruciferous seeds (cabbage, turnip, radish, radish, mustard) are heated in water at a temperature of about 50 ° C for half an hour using a thermos. You can also pour the seeds into small jars and lower them into warm water. Some seeds need a hotter treatment. For example, carrot seeds should be heated at about 54°C.

Wet disinfection

Using a 1% solution of potassium permanganate for soaking dry seeds of tomatoes, cucumbers.
After 20 ... 30 minutes of disinfection, they must be washed in running, not cold water.

The use of aloe juice. cut in advance old leaf and keep it in the refrigerator (t 1oC) for about a week.
Then the juice is squeezed out and the seeds are kept in it for a day, then dried.

Disinfection and nutrition in garlic juice. One tablespoon of juice is diluted in 1/3 cup with water, the seeds are dipped there for an hour and washed in water, then dried.

Processing in infusion of calendula seeds. One tablespoon of seeds (possible together with flowers) is infused in a liter of water for 2-3 days.
In the infusion for 30 minutes, lower the seeds that require disinfection. Treatments for fusarium, cabbage from bacteriosis are especially effective.

The use of ash for disinfection and nutrition of seeds. One tablespoon of ash is poured into 1 liter of water. Insist day, spending frequent agitation of the solution. The infusion is drained without ash thick and the seeds are dipped into it for three hours. Then they are washed with water and dried.

It is also possible to use microfertilizers (boron, molybdenum, copper, etc.). When used correctly, they will benefit the seeds. But it is difficult to follow the exact dosage.

In some cases, fungicides (phytosporin, maxim, vitaros) can be used, having read the instructions for these drugs in advance.

Of the wet methods of disinfection, several treatments should not be combined at once. This can harm the seeds.

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