Information for florists and vegetable growers about the intricacies of working with seeds, methods of calibration, the timing of germination by species. How to speed up the germination process. Germination rules, the possibility of using last year's "strategic stocks" and actually grown ones.
Seed germination period
Each plant has its own period for hatching, usually 7-14 days. Here are examples of the most popular cultures established in laboratory (ideal) conditions:
Cabbage, eggplant, beans, carrots, tomatoes, lettuce - 10 days.
Beans, radishes, corn, peas, turnips, radishes - 6-7 days.
Cucumber, beets, Swiss chard, melon - 8 days.
Onion sets, watermelon - 12 days.
Celery, parsnips, dill, parsley, spinach - 14 days.
Pepper - 15 days.
Expiry date of seeds
Celery, parsnips are stored for 1-2 years.
Rhubarb, spinach, pepper, corn - 2-3.
Pepper, onion, chicory - 3.
Onions, lettuce, basil - 3-4.
Beets, tomatoes, turnips, Swiss chard, cabbage / kohlrabi - 4-5 years.
Corn, legumes - 5-6.
Watermelon, cucumber, pumpkin, melon, zucchini, carrots, eggplant - stored 6-8.
Large and medium-sized seeds contain a great potential of nutrients, it is this factor that affects the growth strength and quality of the future seedling. Therefore, sizing is an important step in helping to get decent seedlings.
We do the calibration
We identify the percentage of germination
It is useful to know that no seeds have 100% germination. Each culture has individual criteria for vitality. Here is an example of the average% germination rate:
40-50% - carrots, parsley, peppers, parsnips, dill.
50-80% - black onion, leek, batun, spinach.
60-80% - sorrel, celery, radish, beets, tomatoes.
65-90% - white cabbage / cauliflower, cucumber, eggplant, lettuce.
80-95% - beans, zucchini, peas, watermelon, melon.
Warming up
When working with seed, the artificial warming method should be used. Dry seeds, heated at + 40 ... + 50C, germinate faster, grow better and produce mainly female flowers. Attention! Do not heat the seed of tomatoes, cabbage, carrots.
Trace elements
The impact of solutions with boric fertilizers is useful for carrots, tomatoes, radishes, cabbage, beets. With copper elements - for carrots, onions, beets. Molybdenum activates zucchini, tomatoes, pumpkin, cucumbers. It is important to know that using trace elements, you cannot make a high concentration, you need a weak solution (0.1%), the procedure should not exceed 12-20 hours.
Growth stimulants
Soaking in growth stimulants, for example, "Energen", "Athlete", "Ecopin", "Agricola", gives a positive effect.
Hardening
12-18 hours after the start of soaking, the seeds of tomatoes and peppers must be refrigerated, an interval of 10-12 hours is enough. For parsley, cabbage, carrots, black onions, cooling lasts a week (0 ... + 8C).
Disinfection
Reception of disinfection helps to neutralize the development of microorganisms present on the seed coat and hindering the development. For this, a 1% (strong) solution of potassium permanganate or 20% solution of hydrochloric acid is used. After such a procedure, a thorough rinsing is required: the container is placed under running water.
How to test seeds for germination Very, very little time is left before the calendar start of spring, which means that the "hot" season for farmers is not far off. Many summer residents have already sowed peppers, tomatoes and some flower crops for seedlings, but the bulk of the seed is patiently waiting in the wings, which is about to come. And in order not to waste such an expensive time later, not to miss the deadline, the germination of seeds must be checked in advance! How to do this, what affects germination, what this concept generally means, and what is the meaning of the procedures being carried out, let's talk today. Rarely any of the gardeners does not have "strategic reserves" - these are purchased seeds left over from previous seasons, and collected with their own hands, and those that were presented to us by friends and acquaintances. This is how the seed can accumulate for years. However, the longer the seeds are stored, the worse their sowing qualities - germination and germination energy. But first things first ... What is meant by seed germination Seed germination is the number of emerging seedlings, expressed as a percentage in relation to the total number of sown seeds. Simply put, this is the ability of seeds to give normal seedlings in a certain period of time. certain conditions germination. Still not very clear? Let's take a closer look ... How long seeds remain viable The time during which seeds remain viable, as well as the period of their germination, is different for different crops. In the table below, you will find this data for the most popular garden crops. What is the germination capacity Laboratory germination is determined only in laboratory conditions... It is she who is indicated on the packages and in the passport of the seeds that we purchase. Usually its indicators are very high - 95-98%. Why, then, do sown seeds almost never give us similar results? Does this mean that seed producers are deceiving us by clearly overestimating the percentage of seed germination? But no - no deception! The thing is that the laboratory germination indicated on the packages with seeds is determined in ideal conditions germination, which is almost impossible to recreate on your own. And we, sowing seeds, observe the so-called field germination, and it will always be lower than the laboratory one, because the conditions we have created are by no means ideal. Field germination is determined by the number of seedlings in real conditions - in the field. Stages of seed germination According to the content and meaning of the processes taking place, seed germination can be conditionally divided into three successive stages: 1st stage - swelling of seeds; at this time, there is a rapid absorption of water by the seeds; 2nd stage - stimulation of biochemical processes under the influence of water; at this stage, enzyme proteins are activated, and the formation of elements begins, which determine the final stage of germination; 3rd stage - the growth of the embryo. What determines the germination of seeds In addition to the features set by nature itself, which will be discussed a little later, the germination of seeds directly depends on: the degree of their ripening, the conditions of harvesting and drying; subsequent storage (its conditions and terms: the longer the seeds are stored, the more their germination decreases, keep this in mind). The meaning of testing seeds for germination To summarize what has been said: the essence of testing seeds for germination is to make sure that they are able to germinate. Accordingly, the main procedure for such a check will be seed germination. However, before carrying out it, it is necessary to provide a number of conditions. Conditions for seed germination Germination is the resumption of active seed growth after a dormant period. For seeds to germinate, they must be viable, and they need to be in the right conditions: water is the first necessary condition germination - without it, sprouts will not appear, and those that have appeared will die; temperature has a direct impact not only on the percentage of germination, but also on the rate of seed germination. The temperatures required for seed germination of individual crops can be found in the table below. But remember and general rule: the optimum temperature for germination of seeds of cold-resistant crops is considered to be +18 ° С ... + 25 ° С, and for heat-loving crops - +25 ° С ... + 30 ° С; light: only some cultures have strict requirements for it, the most popular of which are: begonia, brovallia, balsam, geranium, coleus, snapdragon, petunia, lettuce, tobacco. air: without its normal access, germination slows down or is completely blocked. The required amount of air can be provided by germinating seeds in a well-ventilated, spacious area. Preparing seeds for germination testing Before testing seeds for germination, it makes sense to calibrate them. Why seed calibration is needed, and what it is It is clear that if you decide to check the germination percentage on the smallest and empty seeds of a species, nothing good will come of it. And why bother sowing low-quality seed? Calibration makes it possible to highlight the most quality seeds- large and medium - those that contain a large supply of nutrients and can turn into powerful productive plants. That is, the point of calibration is to select seeds of approximately the same mass and size, with approximately the same nutrient reserves. Such seeds will sprout together, thereby making it easier to care for the crops. Let's start calibration We select large, full-weight seeds and in small portions, stirring, immerse them in a 3-5% solution prepared from 30-50 grams of sodium chloride dissolved in 1 liter of water. We keep the seeds in a saline solution for 2 hours; after this time, the largest and medium-sized full-weight seeds sink to the bottom, but all the small and empty ones float up. This is exactly what you need to remove. After removing small seeds, carefully drain the solution, rinse and dry the seeds thoroughly. By the way, after calibration, it makes sense to use not only large and medium-sized seeds, but also full-weight small ones, you just need to sow them separately. How the percentage of seed germination is determined There is an opinion that one hundred percent germination simply does not exist, and this is so. There are germination rates even for conditioned seeds of different crops, but they do not reach 100% either. Therefore, when checking seeds for germination, you should not be upset if all 100% of the seeds did not germinate. To establish the percentage of germination, take, for example, 10 pieces of seeds (another quantity is possible, but then it is more difficult to calculate the percentages) of one type, lay them in an even layer between sheets of filter paper (blotter - who remembers, in Soviet times there was a lot of it) or any porous material (ordinary toilet paper or gauze folded in several layers will do), and placed in a shallow saucer. The container with seeds is installed in a room with a temperature of about +18 ° C ... + 22 ° C, and the seeds themselves are well moistened. Add water as needed, but check that the paper is not too wet. Across certain time(it is equal to the term for determining the germination of seeds for a particular crop) count the number of germinated seeds, setting the percentage of their germination. For example, if out of 10 seeds 6 germinated, this means that the germination rate of seeds in a particular batch is approximately 60%. That is, we calculate the degree of germination as the ratio of seeds that have already emerged to those that have not hatched. It is no longer recommended to sow seeds with a germination rate below 30%.
There is very, very little time left before the calendar start of spring, which means that a hot season for farmers is not far off. Already many summer residents have managed to sow seedlings, and some crops, but the bulk of the seed is patiently waiting in the wings, which is about to come. In order not to waste such an expensive time later, not to miss it, the germination of seeds must be checked in advance! How to do this, what affects germination, what this concept generally means, and what is the meaning of the procedures being carried out, let's talk today.
Rarely any of the gardeners does not have "strategic reserves" - these are purchased seeds left over from previous seasons, and collected with their own hands, and those that were presented by friends and acquaintances. This is how the seed can accumulate for years. However, the longer the seeds are stored, the worse their sowing qualities - germination and germination energy. But first things first...
Of course, old seeds will take a little longer to germinate than indicated in the table. However, if they do not germinate for too long or have appeared on them, they will no longer sprout.
But no - no deception! The thing is that the laboratory germination indicated on the packages with seeds is determined under ideal conditions, which are almost impossible to recreate on your own.
And we, sowing seeds, observe the so-called field germination, and it will always be lower than the laboratory one, because the conditions we have created are by no means ideal. Field germination determined by the number of seedlings in real conditions - in the field.
According to the content and meaning of the processes taking place, seed germination can be conditionally divided into three successive stages: 
Calibration makes it possible to isolate the most seeds - large and medium - those that contain a large supply of nutrients and can turn into powerful productive plants. That is, the point of calibration is to select seeds of approximately the same mass and size, with approximately the same nutrient reserves. Such seeds will sprout together, thereby making it easier to care for the crops.
The germination percentage for the most common garden crops is shown in the table below, and you should be guided by it when germinating seeds.
To set the percentage of germination, take 10 pieces. seeds (you can also have a different amount, but then it is more difficult to calculate the percentages) of one type, they are laid out in an even layer between sheets of filter paper (blotter - who remembers, there were a lot of it in Soviet times) or any porous material (ordinary toilet paper or folded in several layers of gauze) and placed in a shallow saucer.
The container with seeds is installed in a room with a temperature of about +18 ... + 22 ° С, and the seeds themselves are well moistened. Add water as needed, but check that the paper is not too wet. After a certain time (it is equal to the period for determining the germination of seeds for a particular crop), the number of germinated seeds is calculated, setting the percentage of their germination. For example, if out of 10 seeds 6 germinated, then the germination rate of seeds in a particular batch is approximately 60%. That is, we calculate the degree of germination as the ratio of seeds that have already emerged to those that have not hatched.
The germination energy of seeds in all plants is determined several days earlier than their germination. For example, the germination energy of pea seeds is determined already on the third day after its seeds were laid for germination, and germination - on the sixth.
For this, in addition to the usual sorting and calibration, you can carry out:
Epin extra 19 rbl
Russian vegetable garden
Fertilizer Onion-Garlic JOY, 500 ml
169 rbl
seedspost.ru
Bulba ® - Preparation for pre-sowing treatment and storage of bulbous seed material, 50 g
35 rbl
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AVA (ABA) Spring, 200 g
249 rbl
seedspost.ru
High-quality seeds are the key to a good harvest, and it depends on them how the plants will develop at the initial stage. The quality of seeds is determined not only by the variety, by the manufacturer, but also by the shelf life, appearance, humidity and germination. How to choose the right one good seeds, read in.
It is worth noting that fresh (last year's) seeds have best properties than the old ones have more high percent humidity and germination. Most domestic seeds have a moisture content of up to 20%, and foreign ones - about 3%, so the time from sowing to germination of foreign seeds will be slightly longer.
The seeds of various plants tolerate storage in different ways, collected personally or purchased, so it will not be superfluous to check them for germination and sort them. Testing seeds for germination will allow you to determine the percentage of healthy, high-quality seeds, and based on this, make plans for subsequent sowing. Of course, you can sow seeds in a permanent place, and in 1-2 weeks we will see the results, whether it is necessary to sow new seeds in the place of those that have not hatched or not. However, time will already be lost, and plants will lag behind in development. Therefore, it is better to check seed germination at home in advance.
It should be noted that different types seeds with different germination - the lowest is from 35 to 55% for parsley, dill and parsnips, the average is from 60 to 70% for cabbage, tomatoes, beets and celery, and the highest is up to 95% for peas, turnips and cereals.
What is seed germination? This concept means the health of the seed, its strength, as well as the rate of germination in natural conditions, without additional stimulation with drugs. Germination rate is determined by the percentage of germinated seeds to the total number.
The best time to test for germination of vegetable and green seeds is February and the first half of March, and flower seeds can be tested until May.
The first step is to calibrate the seeds - to choose larger and more solid ones, which will have more potential than small and deformed ones. Take 10 of these seeds to test for germination.
Place the seeds on a saucer between two layers of damp cloth or paper, place in dark place at room temperature. To retain moisture, the saucer can be wrapped in a plastic bag.
Check the seeds daily, lightly dampening the cloth if necessary, avoiding excess water to prevent the seeds from acidifying.
After a week or two, depending on the specific type of plant, the seeds should sprout. Based on the number of germinated seeds, the percentage of germination is determined, for example, 5 out of 10 germinated - 50%, 8 out of 10 - 80% ...
If the germination percentage is 80% or more, the seeds are of high quality, and you can safely sow this species, without tangible losses. At lower rates, growth stimulants should be used so that the seeds can sprout or increase the density of crops, followed by thinning. And with a germination rate of less than 30%, it makes no sense to sow seeds.
For information on how and why to soak the seeds correctly, read in.
When buying or collecting seeds that have given good results in germination and yield, remember the type of plant and manufacturer so that you can use it successfully in your area in the future.
Let your seeds be the beginning of your joy and health!
Before any sowing, seeds must be checked for germination. Germination rates will directly affect the seeding rate. Knowing the shelf life, determining the viability and germination of seeds will help to avoid risks when planting seedlings and sowing seeds in open ground... By correctly calculating the percentage of germination, you can avoid unnecessary expenses and save seeds of valuable varieties and crops.
If your seed box contains a lot of unused seeds from the old days, do not rush to throw them away. Perhaps they will still serve you well. If the seeds survived own production, then here you probably remember the year they were received. Get in the habit of indicating the harvest year on the seed bags you collect.
With purchased seeds, everything is much more complicated. The time of purchase in the store and the expiration date printed on the bag will tell you nothing about the true use-by date. It is good when conscientious producers indicate the year of the harvest.
The seeds of all crops have their own period of viability, i.e. the ability to germinate for a certain time. Each vegetable has its own: for small-seeded crops (onions, leafy vegetables, carrots), the viability period is 3-4 years, pumpkin (cucumbers, zucchini, pumpkin) and cabbage - 6-7 years, nightshade crops (tomatoes, peppers, eggplants) - 7-8 years old.
Having established the age of the seeds, do not rush to get rid of expired ones in your opinion. The preservation of the sowing properties of seeds is influenced by the conditions in which these seeds were formed on the plant, ripened and stored in your home or store. Therefore, before sowing, seeds should be checked for germination.
You can check seeds for germination yourself, even at home. Place the seeds on a saucer with a damp cloth: ideally, 50-100 seeds, but in order to save money, you can limit yourself to 5 large seeds or 10 small ones. Cover them with a damp cloth or glass and place in a warm place with a temperature of 24-26 ° C.
For germination, you can use ordinary toilet paper, folded several times. To obtain a result, it is necessary to ensure that the seeds are always in a humid environment and do not dry out. Germination is established by counting seeds that have sprouted in a certain time, reflected as a percentage of the total number laid for testing.
For example, you have sprouted 7 seeds out of 10 laid for analysis, and there were only 30 seeds in the package. Then we make up the proportion:
10 pieces. - 7 pcs. ascended
30 pcs. - X pcs. ascended
Now we find out how many seeds with such germination will sprout from 30: (30X7) / 10 = 21
It turned out that 21 seeds will sprout from the whole package.
Again, let's make a proportion: we take all 30 seeds in a package as 100%. We find out how much of this amount will be 21 seeds, which, according to our previous calculations, will sprout: (21X100) / 30 = 70%
Thus, the seed germination rate was 70%.
According to the indicators of germination, one can judge the need for any additional activities for soaking seeds in biological products, micronutrient fertilizers, warming up or processing in other ways.
The germination period of seeds is different for different vegetable crops. For example, the germination of radish seeds, radish is determined on the 6th day, not counting the day of sowing; carrots and tomatoes - 10; and full germination of dill can be established only on the 21st day.
Counting of seed germination must be carried out in two terms. The first count is done around the middle of the full germination time period. For example, for a cucumber after 3, peas - after 4, and for a tomato after 5 days. The readings taken by you during these periods are called the seed germination energy. it important indicator characterizing the amicability of germination. The higher the resulting percentage, the more amicably the seedlings will appear. The second data is recorded at the final specified time interval for each culture. The obtained indicators are summed up, converted into percentages, and the full germination of the tested seeds is established.
Knowing the seed germination rate is important in order to correctly calculate the seeding rate and remove absolutely non-viable seeds in time. Normally germinated, and, therefore, those to be counted are seeds in which the length of the emerging seedling is equal to or greater than the length or diameter of the seed, depending on the shape of the seeds. In addition, the sprout should have a well-developed main root and, if this is typical of the culture, lateral roots without signs of decay. Otherwise, the seedlings will be sparse, weakened and may soon die.
The seeds are considered conditional, i.e. suitable for sowing if their germination rate is equal to or greater than 90%. With an indicator of 50%, the sowing rate is doubled. Seeds with a lower germination rate are not suitable for sowing.
So that the seeds do not lose their sowing qualities in the future during storage, they must be properly stored. The greatest danger during storage is the increased temperature regime and humidity, because the seeds are very hygroscopic and have the ability to absorb moisture from the surrounding air. In the case of good drying of the seed, even an increase in temperature will not do much harm even with high humidity in the room where they are stored. The best place storage of seeds - a dry, well-ventilated room, where the humidity does not exceed 50-60%. Then the moisture content of the seeds will remain at the level of 7-8%.
For proper storage, I recommend pouring dried seeds into glass jar or a bottle, tightly closed with a plastic lid or stopper and placed in the refrigerator in the vegetable compartment. Seeds stored in this form will retain their sowing qualities for a long time.
