Every year in January-February-March comes this period that worries every gardener - sowing seeds for seedlings. We sow tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, and white cabbage to obtain seedlings 55-60 days old for planting in a greenhouse or open ground. But, before sowing, it is necessary to prepare the seed material. What should you do first? Firstly, buy seeds or review old stocks, clarify shelf life and seeding rates. And only then start preparing them directly. Preparing seed material for sowing includes the following steps: soaking, bubbling, heating, hardening, disinfection or dressing.

Seedlings of early vegetables are grown in pots or without pots. The first option contributes to better preservation of the root system and an earlier harvest.

Seedlings can be grown with or without picking. When grown with picking, the seeds are sown more densely with a row spacing of 4-5 cm, and when the phase of 1-2 true leaves is reached, the seedlings are picked (transplanted) into separate pots with an area of ​​7x8, 8x8 cm. When grown without picking, the seeds are sown with the distance between rows is 8 cm, between grains in a row - 7-8 cm.

What containers can be used, what to plant seeds for seedlings in

Now stores for gardeners offer many products for:

• peat or plastic pots of different sizes;
• plastic cassettes with trays with drainage holes, open or made like small greenhouses with transparent lids;
• peat tablets of various diameters.

You can choose any type of containers, pots or peat tablets as long as they are at least 5-8 cm in diameter and have drainage holes. If the size of the container cells is smaller, then the seedlings should be transplanted into a larger container after 2-3 true leaves appear.

Eggplant shoots

When growing seedlings of tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants, I use peat tablets, and then, after 2-3 true leaves appear, I transplant them into large containers. peat pots or plastic cups should be at least 7-8 cm in diameter. You can use plastic cups or paper packaging for yogurt, dairy products or juices, from which the top and lid are cut off and drainage holes are made at the bottom.

Square or rectangular containers use space more efficiently and provide Better conditions for the development of the root system of plants than round ones.

Newspaper pots

When growing, you can use pots you made from several layers of newsprint. It will cost you little and requires little labor. Another good thing about this method is that you can plant seedlings without removing them from homemade newspaper cups. The only drawback is that the soil dries out quickly. But this is how I solve the problem. I add vermiculite, perlite, sphagnum moss or hydrogel (I buy what is on sale) or cover the bottom of the tray with a capillary mat.

I usually use earth mixture. You can buy it or prepare it yourself. A soil mixture of varying composition is prepared. Its composition depends on the type vegetable crops.

Most best soil for seedlings - soil under birch trees. But safety measures for stretchers still need to be taken. Place the soil in a wide container, for example a basin, and pour boiling water over it so that the water passes through the soil to the bottom. Before watering, throw a few granules of potassium permanganate into a kettle or watering can with boiling water so that the solution becomes Pink colour. You can add peat and ash. Let the soil sit like this for 3-4 days, and then you can sow seeds, plant seedlings or indoor plants.

For example, for cabbage, take the same amount of humus and turf soil. For 10-12 kg of soil mixture, which you want to prepare yourself for growing seedlings, add 1 tbsp. spoon of nitrogen, 2-3 tbsp. l. phosphorus, 1/2 tsp. potash fertilizers and mix thoroughly.

Regular garden soil is not good choice, since it often contains weed seeds, harmful fungi, and also compacts too quickly.

The soil for growing seedlings should be well moist, but not wet. It should be crumbly. Before sowing, it is necessary to fill containers, containers, and cups with soil one finger below the rim.

Seeds are very finicky when it comes to sowing depth. Some require complete darkness to germinate, while some prefer light. This information is usually written on the packages. If the packaging does not contain any information, the rule is that the seeds are planted two to three times deeper than their length.

Seeds must have high germination capacity, germination energy, and purity (the percentage of seeds of the main crop in the seed material is for those that are sold in large packages to wholesalers). These properties of seed material depend on growing conditions, cultivation technology, and shelf life. When purchasing, you must specify the shelf life, which should not exceed acceptable standards.

Caring for seedlings - keeping temperature

One of the main recommendations for the conditions for keeping seedlings is to lower the temperature of the room where you grow them at night. In addition, the temperature should be reduced not only at night, but also when it is cloudy. That is, maximum temperature(within optimal norm for each plant species) are maintained on a sunny day. On cloudy days it is slightly reduced (by 4-5 degrees). And in the dark, the temperature is maintained at the minimum permissible for of this plant. For example, cucumber seedlings for open ground best temperature on a sunny day it is 25-26ºС, on a cloudy day - 18-22ºС, at night - 16-18ºС; for tomatoes, respectively 20-26ºС, 18-20ºС, 12-16ºС; for early white cabbage- 14-18ºС, 12-16ºС, 8-10ºС.

Each type of plant has its own temperature regime for growth and development. When growing seedlings in a room on a windowsill, it is quite difficult to maintain the optimal temperature for different types plants. Therefore, if possible, the pots are placed in different places; at night, the more cold-resistant ones (for example, cabbage, celery) are moved to where it is cooler (closer to the balcony door, to the veranda, etc.).

Why are plants recommended to reduce air temperature when light energy decreases?

The process of formation of organic substances by cells with the participation of light energy is called photosynthesis. Through photosynthesis, plants obtain carbon and oxygen from the air. That is, during the day, when it is light, plants breathe and simultaneously carry out photosynthesis. In the process of respiration, cells consume part of the products formed during photosynthesis. In the dark (cloudy weather, at night) in natural conditions the strength solar energy(light) decreases, photosynthesis is inhibited or stops completely, the temperature of the environment decreases and, as a result, the intensity of respiration (oxidation) slows down. Therefore, only part of the substance received per day is oxidized in the plant, and the rest is used for accumulation.

If in a greenhouse or on a windowsill, with a reduction in light intake, the ambient temperature does not decrease, then the intensity of respiration does not decrease, but there is an increased consumption of accumulated organic materials (starch, glucose, etc.). Plants weaken, seedlings turn out frail.

Unfortunately, very often novice gardeners do not pay due attention to compliance temperature regime when growing seedlings, especially when there is insufficient sunlight and at night.

Tomatoes - sowing seeds for seedlings - timing

When calculating the time for sowing tomato seeds for seedlings, you need to know the time of the beginning of flowering and fruit ripening. At optimal soil temperature (24-26 degrees) and sufficient humidity good seeds tomatoes sprout on the 4-5th day. From germination to the beginning of flowering it usually takes 50-60 days.

The first inflorescence is already beginning to grow and develop (this depends on the variety and external conditions) approximately on the 15-20th day after germination, when the second and third leaves appear on the plant.

Flowering begins gradually, from the bottom up from the first inflorescence.

From the beginning of flowering to ripening, 47-60 days pass.

The optimal picking time is the appearance of 1-2 true leaves. This usually happens on the 10-14th day after germination.

Mistakes when sowing seeds and seedlings

The video “Garden and vegetable garden. Mistakes when planting seeds and seedlings."

Additional Information:

. When to plant seedlings or sow seeds in open ground? Moon calendar for gardeners of the Krasnodar region for 2018.

. When do shoots appear? When to plant seedlings in open ground or a greenhouse? How to calculate the sowing date? What to grow it in? How many plants to plant per 1 sq. meter?

The exact timing of sowing tomato seeds for seedlings and planting seedlings in a greenhouse or open ground is extremely important to us. When to sow tomatoes? Timing for planting tomato seeds for seedlings. Timing for planting tomato seedlings in open ground and greenhouses.

To speed up the emergence of seedlings, increase the yield, and reduce the incidence of plant diseases, before sowing, seeds are heated, disinfected, treated with microelements, soaked, germinated, hardened, cooled, and plated.

The sequence of seed preparation techniques varies depending on the crop. Many diseases of vegetable crops, especially bacterial, fungal and viral, are transmitted through seeds. To protect plants from diseases, seeds are disinfected before sowing.

Warming up disinfects the seeds, promotes the appearance of fast and vigorous shoots, and increases the yield of early harvest. Heat dry full-bodied cucumber and tomato seeds in a dryer or oven at 60°C for 3 hours. They are scattered in a thin layer on a wire mesh or baking sheet (with paper placed under them), mixed several times and the temperature is monitored throughout the heating time.
Cucumber seeds can be heated even more in an accessible way, hanging them in a gauze bag near the stove or heating radiator. But this needs to be done one and a half to two months before sowing, the temperature in the room should be above 20°C. It is especially necessary to warm cucumber seeds if they are one-year old (from the previous year's harvest), as well as seeds grown and sown in more northern regions.

Disinfection of vegetable seeds

Heated cucumber and tomato seeds are disinfected. The easiest way to do this is in a 1% solution of potassium permanganate (1 g of the drug in half a glass of water) for 20 minutes, followed by thorough rinsing in clean water. The seeds of zucchini, squash, and pumpkin are also disinfected.

You can disinfect tomato seeds in undiluted aloe juice (24 hours). The seeds are not washed. Before releasing the juice, aloe leaves are kept in a dark room for 5-6 days at 2°C. As a result of this treatment, plants develop faster, do not get sick, the fruits are larger, and the yield is higher.

Another recipe is to disinfect tomato seeds in a solution of: potassium permanganate 10 g, boric acid 2 g, copper sulfate 1 g per 10 liters of water for 15 minutes, followed by mandatory rinsing in clean water. Tomato plants are not affected by diseases after this seed treatment.

After disinfection, the seeds are treated with microelements or soaked in water.

Treatment of vegetable seeds with microelements

This technique also increases and speeds up the harvest. To do this, heated, disinfected and washed seeds of cucumbers and tomatoes are soaked in a solution of several or only one of the microelements. The concentration of solutions (Table 10) and the duration of treatment are not the same and depend on the culture. Dissolve fertilizers containing microelements in water at a temperature of 40-45°C. The seeds are immersed in the solution while it is warm. Cucumber seeds are kept in any solution for 12 hours, other crops - 24 hours.

Science recommends that after disinfection in potassium permanganate, amateurs should soak the seeds for 24 hours in a solution of a mixture of microelements (0.2 g of boric acid and 0.5 g of zinc sulfate and copper sulfate are dissolved in 1 liter).

Those who do not have microfertilizers can use wood ash, which contains over 30 batteries, needed by plants, including many microelements. To do this, dissolve 2 tablespoons of ash in 1 liter of warm water and leave for 24 hours, stirring occasionally. Seeds in a gauze bag are immersed in a strained infusion and kept: onions and carrots - 6, other crops - 3 hours.

Soaking Vegetable Seeds

The seeds of most vegetable crops are soaked before sowing. Do this in a clean container, filling them with water so that it covers the seeds. The duration of soaking varies: the seeds of carrots, tomatoes, onions, parsley, and beets are kept in water for up to two days; peas, cabbage, radishes, cucumbers, zucchini, lettuce - 10-12 hours. During the day, the water is changed 2-3 times. During soaking, the seeds should just swell. The swollen seeds are either sown or germinated under the same conditions as when determining their germination. The germination of nigella onion seeds can be accelerated by keeping them in water heated to 40°C for 8 hours. To keep the water from cooling, add it periodically hot water. Soaked, swollen seeds are sown only in moist soil.

Hardening of vegetable seeds

Many hobbyists also harden the seeds of cucumbers and tomatoes to increase the cold resistance of plants and obtain an early harvest. To do this, heated, disinfected seeds, soaked in water or treated with one of the microelements, are kept in damp (pre-scalded with boiling water) sawdust or sand at 20-25°C until completely swollen (single pecking). The approximate period for cucumbers is one day, for tomatoes - three. After this, the tomato seeds are kept for three days at -1-3°C in a refrigerator, icebox, or you can bury the seeds in the snow. top scores obtained by hardening swollen cucumber seeds at variable positive temperatures - 6 hours at 18-20°C and 18 hours at 0-2°C for 5-7 days only for seeds of low germination.

Seeds that have undergone hardening can be sown under film shelters and in open ground several days earlier than usual, without fear of a short-term drop in temperature. This applies to seedlings grown from hardened seeds. But you need to know that when growing seedlings, seed hardening alone is not enough. To increase the resistance of plants to low temperatures, you need to harden the seedlings during the entire growing period before planting them in the ground.

Cooling is one of the ways to prepare seeds, accelerating the yield and increasing the yield of carrots, parsley, onions, and beets. To do this, for example, 2 weeks before sowing, carrot seeds are soaked in water taken in an amount equal to the dry weight of the seeds, left in a room with a temperature of 15-22°C and stirred after 4 hours. When the seeds dry, they are sprayed with water. When about 5% of the seeds have sprouted, which is observed in carrots on the fourth or fifth day, they are taken out into the glacier or buried in the snow so that the seeds are at 0°C before sowing.

Every 2-3 days they are mixed, and before sowing they are slightly dried for flowability. With this preparation of seeds, seedlings appear faster and more friendly, which allows you to start weeding earlier by 3-4 days, and picking carrots per bunch - by 10-15 days.

Vegetable seed pelleting

Pelleting consists of enveloping the seeds with a nutrient mixture, which creates a protective and nutritious shell, increases their size and gives them an oval or round shape. Seeds of all crops can be pelleted, but more often the seeds of carrots, parsley, onions, and beets are pelleted, that is, those crops that are sown directly into the ground in early spring, as well as before winter. To do this, sorted, calibrated, tested for germination, disinfected seeds are moistened in a solution of mullein, diluted with water (1 part mullein to 10 parts water) and strained through a sieve. The seeds are slightly moistened so that when mixed they are easily separated from each other and placed for panning to any glass jar. A nutrient mixture for enveloping seeds is prepared from 600 g of aerated lowland non-acidic (pH 6.5) sifted peat, 300 g of humus, 100 g of finely crushed dry mullein.

For 1 kg of such a mixture add no more than 15 g of powdered superphosphate. The prepared mixture is added in small portions to the jar with seeds and shaken. As a result, the particles of the mixture stick to the seeds, forming a dragee shape. Depending on the crop, the dragees are adjusted to a certain size: for carrots and parsley - 2.5-3 mm in diameter, for onions, beets - 4-5 mm. Larger size delays germination and reduces seed germination. If the seeds are plated in advance (in winter), they are dried for 2-3 hours at 30-35°C. This is done to prevent the seeds from germinating during storage. Before sowing, coated seeds are stored as usual (see page 61). Before sowing, they are lightly sprayed and kept under damp burlap for 1-3 days at 20-25°C, and then sown. Seeds pelleted in the spring are not dried before sowing, but are kept under burlap in the same way as in the first case.

Pelleting reduces seed consumption, allows you to maintain the required distances when sowing, which eliminates the need to thin out plants. Pelleting of seeds is of particular importance when sowing before winter, as well as in more early dates in spring (the risk of seed death decreases). In addition, sprouted seeds immediately receive the necessary nutrients from the shell and moisture, which creates better conditions for the growth and development of plants, and therefore increases the yield.

To some extent panning can be replaced by more in a simple way- mixing moistened seeds with dried and well-crushed mullein (4 parts mullein to 1 part seeds).

Bubbling is a fairly new effective method of pre-sowing seed treatment, developed at Vegetable experimental station TSHA. The essence of the technique is that the seeds are soaked in water saturated with oxygen or air. This disinfects the seeds, ensures their smooth germination, increases field germination, and in some crops accelerates ripening.

But none of the methods of pre-sowing seed treatment can replace basic agrotechnical methods when growing vegetables - good preparation soils, the best predecessors, optimal timing sowing and planting, plant care.

Sowing vegetable seeds on paper

This simple and accessible technique deserves special attention. It significantly reduces seed consumption and allows cold-resistant crops to be sown much earlier in the spring, which makes it possible to more fully utilize soil moisture and, therefore, obtain quick, vigorous seedlings. You can sow such seeds before winter. In this case, from the first day of appearance, the plants do not interfere with each other, grow and develop faster, and such labor-intensive work as the first thinning of crops is eliminated. It is also valuable that sowing seeds on paper can be done in the winter without rushing.

The essence of sowing on paper is that calibrated, full-bodied, germination-tested, disinfected seeds are glued onto a tape made of any easily wet paper. Best suited for this toilet paper. On such paper (in order to save it), three rows of seeds are placed (along the length), at a distance of 4 cm from one another. The technique of gluing seeds is simple. Strips of paste made from wheat or potato flour are applied to the paper (stationery and casein glue are also suitable) and seeds are placed on them using a thin wooden stick or match. The distance between seeds in rows depends on the crop, seed germination and nutritional area, which is necessary for the formation of a root crop or bulb standard size: for carrots, parsley, radishes - 5 cm; for turnips, beets - 8-10; for summer radish - 6, and for winter varieties- 13; head lettuce - 20, leaf lettuce - 2; for dill - 1; spinach, nigella onions for greens - 3, and for turnips ( spicy varieties) - 5, sweet and semi-sharp - 8 cm. When laying out the seeds on paper in rows, thicken them twice so that you can subsequently pull the plants through one and get early greens and products.

The ribbons with the seeds glued on are allowed to dry, the name of the crop and variety is written on them, rolled into a loose roll and tied with thread. Before sowing, they should be stored in a dry place, protected from mice.

In principle, seeds on paper (tape seeds) are now sold in abundance in stores, but doing it yourself is more reliable.

For true gardeners, preparing tomato seeds for planting as seedlings is an important ritual that involves going through certain stages in a strict sequence. Preparatory measures are really important, since the availability of a crop directly depends on the germination of seeds, and germination can only be checked and increased by proper preparation.

There are several reasons why you should pay close attention to carefully preparing your tomato seeds before starting to grow seedlings.

Table. Step-by-step instruction preparing tomato seeds.

Stage	Description
	Seeds are sorted by size into small, medium and large. If there is enough seed material, only the last two categories can be sown.
	Seeds are soaked in it to test their germination.
	An important stage that will protect plants from fungal and other diseases and sudden climate changes.
	It is necessary to protect seedlings from destructive blackleg and late blight.
	Reduces the inhibitory properties of essential oils present in seeds, which slow down their germination.
	The goal is to develop resistance to temperature changes, frosts, and drought in future seedlings from the moment of seedling formation.
	Perhaps the most important stage preparation aimed at stimulating growth processes.

First selection

Before you start preparing boxes with soil for sowing tomatoes for seedlings, you need to pass the seeds through all preparatory stages. This will take at least two weeks, so don’t rush to get the container and mix the fertile soil, first go for the seeds.

Advice. If tomato seeds are collected from their own varieties in your own garden, the task is simplified. They only need to be taken out of storage and the first stage of processing can begin. But if you purchase seed material, you need to approach its selection and purchase with maximum responsibility.

Selecting seeds - step-by-step instructions

The importance of choice seed material It is difficult to overestimate; it depends on its initial quality how high the harvest will be, and whether the tomatoes will be suitable for the purposes for which they were grown.

Variety selection:

1. Selection of varieties taking into account the growing zone according to its climatic indicators.
2. Purchasing seeds with the expiration date indicated on the package and complete information about the manufacturer, characteristics of the variety and growing conditions.
3. Purpose of the variety – plants are suitable for cultivation in open ground or in a greenhouse. Determination and indeterminacy.
4. Ripening dates – early, mid-ripening, late. Keeping quality, transportation capabilities and method of use may depend on this.
5. Conditions for using fruits - for canning, fresh use, for juice production, universal, for long-term storage or processing.

By the way. After following all the steps and selection criteria, when you have the treasured bags with the long-awaited seed material, you can start preparing, but first a primary selection is necessary.

Not all seeds are worthy of becoming direct participants in the sowing campaign. From purchased or homemade material, you need to select only seeds of symmetrical shape and calibrate them. You can find out more in our article.

Calibration phase

Many gardeners make the same mistake year after year when selecting tomato seeds for planting to grow home seedlings - they take only the largest seeds, ignoring the rest. This is acceptable if there is an abundance of seed, but the large size of the seeds does not guarantee their quality at all. A small seed can have much more vitality than a large one. But a selection must be made. It's called calibration.

Advice. It is not necessary to sow only the largest seeds. The point of calibration is to ensure that there are seeds of the same size in one box. In this case, the shoots will be friendly, and the seedlings will develop harmoniously.

To calibrate, prepare three containers, remove the seeds from the bags and sort (calibrate) the small ones into one container, the medium ones into the second, and the large ones into the third. You can sow everything, but in three different seedling boxes.

Advice. At the same time visual inspection Seeds should be checked for viability. All defective, discolored, deformed, darkened, or chipped specimens must be removed and discarded.

Salt test

Does not exist the best way check the germination of a dormant seed rather than test it with a saline solution. This is done like this: calibrated seeds are immersed in a strong saline solution. The proportions are not critical, pour about 50 g of fine salt into a liter of water, which should be cold. Stir the salt well and wait until the solution becomes clear.

Then pour the seeds into the container with the solution and stir well with a “whirlpool” for a minute or two.

Wait until the liquid calms down and some seeds float to the surface, while the rest settle to the bottom.

Important! Only seeds that have settled to the bottom will be suitable for sowing. They are heavy, which means they contain a germ that will turn into a sprout. Light seeds are empty, nothing will grow from them.

The seeds from the bottom of the container need to be washed, dried and further processing continued.

Heat treatment

Many people ignore this stage, and completely in vain. Only tomato seeds that are grown in southern regions, and hybrids (marked F1 on the package). All other tomatoes for growing in middle lane must undergo heat treatment by any of the existing methods.

By the way. First of all, the heat treatment procedure will protect future plants from fungal diseases, but will also increase the viability of sprouts and resistance to climatic changes.

It is absolutely impossible to skip this stage. You will have to carry out disinfection in one way or another, even if you do not want to subject the seeds to the salt test, select large/small ones and reduce the risk of seedlings becoming infected with fungus using heat.

Important! Tomato seedlings are fragile, small and very susceptible to various diseases precisely at an early stage of development. Short-term soaking of seeds in one of the disinfecting solutions helps reduce the likelihood of damage to seedlings by 50%.

Method 1

The most common method of disinfection is soaking in potassium permanganate. The working solution is made from potassium permanganate powder, which dissolves in boiled water a little warmer room temperature in the amount of 1 g per 1 liter of water. The solution should be quite rich in color.

The seeds are poured into a bag made of several layers of gauze and completely immersed in the solution for a third of an hour. Then the seeds are washed, poured into a flat plate and dried.

Method 2

The second most popular treatment method for diseases and pests is soaking in hydrogen peroxide. It is carried out strictly according to the recommended rules, otherwise you can easily “burn” the seeds, receiving instead of disinfected material unsuitable for sowing with zero germination.

A pharmaceutical solution of hydrogen peroxide with a concentration of 3% is heated to forty degrees. Then the seeds prepared and placed in the bag are immersed in it for no more than ten minutes. Immediately after this time has expired, the seeds, without washing, are poured onto a paper napkin and dried intensively.

Method 3

If available means for use in the first two methods are found in almost every home, then for the third it is necessary to buy the drug “Fitosporin M”. But treatment with phytosporin is guaranteed to protect plants in the future from the most formidable and destructive diseases - blackleg and late blight.

1.5 g of the drug is dissolved in a liter of water, preparing the solution two hours before use so that it can “infuse”. The seeds are immersed in it (in a bag) for two hours. Then, without washing off the solution, they dry.

The procedure is not mandatory; moreover, it can only be carried out using a device that enriches the water with oxygen, such as the one used in an aquarium.

By the way. If you have an aquarium and a compressor, bubbling will help reduce the inhibitory effect of the essential oils in the seeds, which are responsible for the safety of the seed and slow down its germination.

The process occurs as follows - the seeds are immersed in a container with warm water(V in this case they should simply be poured into the water without placing them in a bag). A compressor hose is lowered to the bottom of the container and the oxygen supply is turned on. The procedure takes from 12 to 18 hours. Then the seeds are dried.

Another stage, which is not mandatory, but increases the seedlings’ chances of resisting climatic conditions, especially when planting in open ground in early spring.

In an apartment, there is only one place where you can harden tomato seeds - the refrigerator. But first they need to be wrapped in moistened gauze and left in the room for 48 hours. Then place the seeds in the refrigerator for eight hours. After this, put them in a warm place again and keep changing temperatures for two weeks or until the seeds hatch.

The embryo, which is in every full-fledged seed, needs nutrition in order to ensure full growth of future seedlings. There are several ways to “feed” it, or rather, to stimulate internal biological processes that will help it quickly hatch and produce strong, friendly shoots.

Important! Pelleting is carried out after all preparatory procedures, last. After this, sowing is carried out immediately, since seeds treated with activators are not stored.

Method 1

Feeding with biologically active substances, which are sold in gardening stores. One of these substances is the drug “Epin”, the second, no less popular, is “Zircon”. A solution is prepared from Epin as follows: three drops are diluted in 100 ml of water. Soaking the seeds lasts four hours, followed immediately by planting.

“Zircon” for the solution is taken in the amount of 0.025 ml per 100 ml of water, and the seeds need to be immersed in it for three hours, and then sowed immediately.

By the way. Drugs can also be processed succinic acid. It is diluted in the proportion of grams per liter, and the seeds need to be kept in the composition for 12 to 24 hours.

Method 2

The second method is for those who do not want to use even fairly harmless, but industrial drugs, preferring folk remedies.

Seed treatment can be done using aloe juice. Bioactive juice must first be prepared. To do this, the lower stems of the plant are cut off and placed in parchment in the refrigerator for two weeks - this is exactly the time needed for the concentration of active substances to reach a maximum.

Then the juice is squeezed out, diluted one to one with boiled water, and the seeds are soaked in it for six hours.

Ash is successfully used as a bioactivator, two tablespoons of which are infused for two days in a liter boiled water. The seeds are soaked in it for a day.

One more folk method panning is honey. A teaspoon per glass of water and soaking the seeds in it for six hours before sowing is enough.

Awakening and germination

Two more “bonus” processing methods that were used back in the days when there were no bioactivators, disinfectants and aquarium compressors.

The awakening of seeds was carried out in every home that had personal plot, using plain warm water. To do this, the seeds were immersed in water on gauze and kept for 12 hours (often a saucer or bowl with water was placed on heating battery). Required condition– change the water every four hours.

Also, in order to gain confidence in 100% germination, many gardeners germinated tomato seeds before sowing, especially if they were home-harvested or stored for a long time.

They germinated on cotton wool, now they use cotton pads. Immerse them in warm water, poured into a shallow bowl. Seeds are placed on disks. Cover with a similar disk on top and leave at +20 degrees for three days. The water also needs to be changed so that it does not become musty.

Truth for every gardener - good harvest starts with seeds and their correct landing. Then, no matter how you look after it, it will be too late to correct the mistakes. How to prepare seeds for planting, first and important point in this case. Even the highest quality and carefully selected seeds must be subjected to pre-sowing treatment. This will increase the percentage of germination, the plants will take root better in the soil and grow more actively.
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Seed preparation

Pre-sowing seed preparation

Pre-sowing preparation includes:

• sorting;
• disinfection;
• hardening;
• germination.

Each of these stages is important, since it is almost impossible to achieve a rich harvest without high-quality and prepared seeds. These manipulations will become the foundation for a successful end to the summer season.

There is another way to prepare seeds, described in the article at the link:.

How to sort seeds

The quality of germination is influenced by two important indicators: seed size and density. Seeds that are too small are not suitable for further work; they can be sorted either manually or on a sieve. Minimum size for carrot seeds – 1.3 mm, for white cabbage – 1.5 mm, radish – 2.5 mm.

In order to select seeds with the best density, you need to place them in a saline solution. Under such conditions, they will be divided into two groups: some will sink to the bottom, the other will remain on the surface. To sort the seeds of tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbage, and radishes, you need to prepare a 3-7% saline solution; for pumpkin crops, a solution containing up to 30% salt is required. Any that float up must be removed, the remaining ones must be washed in running water and dry.

How to properly disinfect seeds

There are two ways to disinfect seeds: by thermal exposure or using chemicals. This is necessary in order to destroy microflora and bacteria that may infect future plants and fruits.

If the material has been stored in a cool, dark place, a light heat treatment: The seeds are placed in the sun and kept there throughout the day, stirring regularly. For a more effective impact and destruction of pathogenic microflora, if storage rules are violated, the temperature should be about 50 degrees, the procedure should last up to 5 hours.

Chemical processing requires professional skills and serious knowledge in this area: potent drugs are used here; if the dosage is incorrect, they can not only destroy the workpiece, but also harm a person. To treat infection carriers on seeds, agrocyt, thiram, and fentiuram are used.

Seed hardening

Hardening is a complex process that requires maximum attention and study of the characteristics of each crop, since a violation of the technology can lead to a 100% reduction in germination.

The essence of hardening is placing previously soaked seeds (for 12-18 hours) in the cold. Frost-resistant crops, such as carrots, beets, cabbage, can be placed in the refrigerator for about 10 days; for other crops, a more acceptable option is to alternate storage (about 12 hours for each stage) in a cool place with being in a warm place. If you don't have enough experience, you can skip this step.

Germination of seeds

If the soil in which you plan to grow crops is not moist enough, you need to pre-wet the seeds, especially for carrot, onion, and cabbage seeds. To do this, you need to place them in a bag and lower them into a container with warm water for 1 hour. After a few hours, the procedure can be repeated.

After this, you can start germination. This can be done in a vessel with cotton fabric lined at the bottom, the main condition being a constant high moisture content. The seeds should be placed on a damp cloth and covered with another piece of cloth on top, and closed with a lid. This will create suitable conditions for germination.

For potatoes, for example, there is.

With the onset of the next planting season, we lustfully choose beautiful bags of seeds on store shelves and at the market. My heart skips a beat - I really want to grow such a miracle, corresponding to the picture, on my own plot. Most often, we are haunted by another disappointment: from bags with tempting and promising photos we get the wrong appetizing fruits, and not the same quality. And we blame the dry summer or vice versa - too frequent rains, depleted soil on the site, suddenly attacked pests, the neighbor's evil eye, and so on and so forth.

Choosing the right seeds

No matter how much we please our vanity with these negative phenomena, let’s think objectively. Problems with weather, climate, and soil can adversely affect the harvest. But statistics are a stubborn thing. It turns out that these factors are not in first place.

IMPORTANT: The future of the harvest in our beds is 80% determined by the quality of the seed.

Only then comes the time of sowing, agricultural technology, weather conditions and other conditions for favorable plant growth. Buy seeds in specialized stores, do not trust random sellers at markets selling seeds in colorful, attractive bags. And better - stock up on your own proven seeds plants and flowers grown on the site.

Here you definitely can’t go wrong with the plant variety, and the germination rate will be excellent. Choose the most suitable seeds for best fruits and flowers. I remember my mother always sorted the heads of garlic before storing them. The most large heads They went for sowing, the rest for food.

IMPORTANT: Don't collect seeds hybrid forms . They give wonderful harvest once. Seeds obtained from such plants do not retain their grade, and the seedlings grow weak and sickly. On the bags such plants are designated marked F1.

Various bags of seeds on the shelves are so eye-catching

Warming up the seeds

Seeds will sprout faster if they are kept in a warm place 2-3 weeks before planting. In apartment conditions, batteries are suitable for these purposes. central heating, but not too hot. Place seed packets in the kitchen upper shelves lockers It's always warm there.

Is it worth soaking seeds before sowing? This is a question that every summer resident has asked himself more than once. Experienced gardeners have proven that seeds soaked before planting will not only show germination, but will also germinate faster. This means you will get a high-quality and early harvest.

How to properly soak seeds according to Kurdyumov

1. Cut small pieces of cotton fabric, approximately 10x8 cm. Sign the grade of the seeds with a ballpoint pen so as not to get confused.
2. Place the seeds on pieces of cloth and fold them into quarters into an envelope.
3. Soak the seeds in the cloth with warm water and squeeze out excess water. Cover the container with the seeds and place in a warm place. Make sure the fabric remains damp and does not dry out. Excess water is also harmful; water should not leak out of the rags, otherwise the seeds will “suffocate” and rot.

Soaking seeds before planting

With this method, the seeds hatch within 2-3 days. The method is not suitable for pelleted seeds, as it will destroy the special coating with a disinfectant composition, growth stimulants and fertilizers applied to the seeds.

IMPORTANT: Seeds germinate faster in melt or rain water. Plant biostimulants also increase germination: Epin-extra, Albit, SILK, Energen, EM-preparations, Kornevin, humates.

To disinfect seeds before soaking, dip them in a dark pink solution of potassium permanganate for 20 minutes.

How to speed up the germination of umbrella plants

Carrots, parsley, parsnips, dill, celery, etc. are contained in the seeds essential oils which make it difficult for seeds to germinate. Seeds will germinate faster if you wash cloths with seeds with warm water several times a day, rinsing out the essential oils.

Growing carrots without thinning

On the Internet I found an interesting method for growing carrots without thinning.

1. Two weeks before planting carrots, wrap the seeds in thick cotton cloth and tie them in a knot.
2. Dig a shallow hole (10 cm), place a bag of carrot seeds in it and cover it with earth. Mark the location with a marker.
3. After two weeks, dig up the seeds and mix with a little chalk.
4. Place the carrot seeds in the prepared grooves, sprinkle with soil and press down a little.

After two weeks in the ground, carrot seeds are saturated with moisture and become large and voluminous. When dusted with chalk or flour, they become visible on dark soil and the seeds are easier to spread along the furrows in the garden bed, leaving the required distance between them. This method of planting makes it much easier to further care for carrots and you will get an earlier harvest.

Express method of seed germination

According to the famous gardener Nikolai Kurdyumov, this method of germinating seeds is the fastest, most effective and reliable.

1. Before sowing, place the seeds in a container and fill hot water(not higher than 60°).
2. Close the container with a lid and let the water cool.
3. Remove the floating seeds, they are empty. Fill the rest with hot water again and leave until completely cool.
4. Repeat the process 4-5 times, do not forget to drain the cooled dark layer of water.

IMPORTANT: Pour boiling water over seeds with a hard shell (spinach, milk thistle, canna, etc.). Through the softened wall, the sprout will more quickly hatch and begin to grow.

Compliance with seed storage periods

Seed germination is determined by another factor: fresh seeds you sowed in beds or “elderly” with a sufficient period of exposure. Different cultures have their own shelf life for maximum germination and must be adhered to. It is not for nothing that seed bags indicate the expiration dates for germination of seeds.

• Up to two years The seeds of sorrel, parsley, dill, and celery germinate well.
• Three years carrots, peppers, and lettuce give germination.
• Four years Nature reserves beets, radishes, radishes, rhubarb, and cabbage for friendly shoots.
• Five-seven For years, seeds of legumes, pumpkins, zucchini, cucumbers, tomatoes, eggplants, and melons have been planted.

Moreover, cucumber seeds aged 3-4 years produce more female flowers, and therefore more greens. Fresh seeds promote the growth of barren flowers, that is, male flowers without an ovary. Wild garlic and parsnip seeds sprout only from fresh last year's seeds, then they lose their ability to germinate.

IMPORTANT: As seeds age, seedlings lose quality. They are not so friendly, but solitary and weak. Onions, cabbage, radishes, lettuce, radishes, etc. produce many plants that go into the arrow.

Knowing the little wisdom outlined in the article, you will be able to choose the right seeds, skillfully prepare them for sowing and subsequently obtain decent harvest. Good luck to you, a joyful and tireless pastime in the garden and beds!

Natural means for germinating seeds, video