No one would argue that the basis of a good harvest is high-quality seed material. At least 50% of the success of the entire season depends on this. If this is your first time trying your hand at gardening, then the seeds will need to be purchased (although, of course, you can use what more experienced farmers - relatives or friends - will offer). But by next year you will come up fully armed, leaving on the seeds those fruits that you like the most and that you want to constantly have in your collection, looking closely at what is sold in specialized stores, reading the relevant literature and purchasing what seems most interesting and promising.
You will find out on the pages of our website, but first you need to learn how to choose the right seeds in the store, what to look for first of all when buying them. Here it is important to choose not only seeds, but also a seller, or rather a manufacturer. On Russian market There are several well-established, well-known seed suppliers that need no publicity. Their material has been verified and corresponds to the accompanying description. Therefore, it makes sense to dwell on more pressing issues.
When deciding which seeds to choose, you need to pay close attention to their sowing and varietal qualities.
The sowing qualities of seeds include:
According to the sowing quality indicators, the seeds are divided into classes I and II.
To determine the quality of seeds of popular vegetable and melon crops, see the table below.
Seed quality index table
| Culture name | Class | Germination | Class | Germination |
| Watermelon | I | 95% | II | 80% |
| Eggplant | I | 75% | II | 60% |
| Peas | I | 95% | II | 90% |
| Melon | I | 90% | II | 75% |
| Zucchini | I | 95% | II | 80% |
| Squash | I | 95% | II | 80% |
| White cabbage | I | 90% | II | 60% |
| Onion | I | 80% | II | 60% |
| Carrot | I | 70% | II | 45% |
| Cucumber | I | 90% | II | 70% |
| Parsnip | I | 70% | II | 45% |
| Sweet pepper | I | 70% | II | 60% |
| Parsley | I | 70% | II | 45% |
| A tomato | I | 85% | II | 65% |
| Radish | I | 85% | II | 65% |
| Radish | I | 85% | II | 65% |
| Head salad | I | 80% | II | 65% |
| Leaf salad | I | 80% | II | 65% |
| Beet | I | 80% | II | 60% |
| Celery | I | 75% | II | 50% |
| Pumpkin | I | 95% | II | 80% |
| Dill | I | 60% | II | 40% |
| Sorrel | I | 80% | II | 60% |
As can be seen from the table for sowing, it is preferable to use class I seeds, which give a higher percentage of germination.
The varietal qualities of the seeds are also of great importance. Their determination is carried out in seed farms, where by the approbation method it is established how the crops correspond to the varietal description, etc. On this basis, a conclusion is made about the grade category according to GOST. V Russian Federation a national standard has been developed - GOST 52171-2003 “Seeds of vegetables, melons and gourds, fodder root crops and fodder cabbage. Varietal and sowing qualities. General technical conditions". The standardized seeds are packaged and marketed. If you do not know how to choose the right seeds for planting, purchase only the seed that corresponds to GOST.
When you come to the store, for obvious reasons, you can get confused: a large number of multi-colored bags act literally bewitching and makes you want to buy everything, well, or almost everything. But here the danger also lies in wait, because in a rush you can get something that is not necessary at all. How to choose seeds in the store in order to purchase quality seeds? First of all, you should restrain your emotions and look at the matter from a practical point of view. Picking up a bag that attracted attention with a catchy name or unusual design, read the information on the back of it.
Before choosing seeds, see if the bag says:
If any of the above is missing, this should cause you some suspicion, as it is the first sign that the contents of the packet may not meet all the requirements for product quality. As a rule, a responsible grower, who cares about his reputation, does not hide anything, on the contrary, he tries to interest the potential buyer as much as possible by listing all the advantages of a given variety or hybrid, and by brief, but completely exhaustive information about when to sow seeds for seedlings, through how long can it be transplanted into open or closed ground and other useful information.
Now you know how to choose good seeds, and if nothing has caused you in doubt, the proposed culture fully meets your wishes regarding the ripening period, color and size of the fruits, then you can safely go to the checkout and pay for the purchase.
One of the main conditions that have a huge impact on the harvest is seed quality... However, the difficulty comes down to the fact that it is not immediately allowed to see which seeds are good and which are not. Each summer resident, of course, has its own secrets about seeds, but we will tell you in this article a few more "seed" tricks.
It is allowed to purchase seeds in a specialized chain store, in a supermarket, and even in a bazaar. Each place has its own advantages and disadvantages, but the most important thing here is the reviews about the seller and the product. It is allowed to find out from familiar gardeners, but you can also look at the "World Wide Web", and preferably all together.
However, even with good reviews, mistakes happen and you can get on an unsatisfactory product. In order to save yourself from such a fate, be careful and consider the following factors when choosing seeds:
Do not forget about the study of the information that is indicated on the package:
Do not be afraid of these names, these hybrids do not carry anything terrible in themselves. Although these seeds were bred in artificial conditions, they have nothing to do with genetically modified products. Moreover, such seeds bring good harvest and resistant to painful conditions. But on by next year you cannot collect seeds from them.
In order not to fall for the trick of the growers, keep in mind that sometimes the significant cost of seeds is not justified at all. A similar example is pelleted seeds or belt seeds. Although they make it easier in terms of labor costs to land, their price is sometimes much overpriced.
Also look video how to choose seeds:
One of the most important things that have a big impact on the yield is the quality of the seeds. But the difficulty lies in the fact that it is not always possible to distinguish which seeds are bad and which are not. Every gardener has his own secrets of growing a good harvest, but we will tell you a few more secrets.
You can buy seeds both in the hypermarket and in special store, and including the market. Each has its pros and cons, but the key is product and seller reviews. You can ask your neighbors summer residents, or you can look on the net.
But even with good reviews, you can end up on a bad product. To avoid this kind of thing, be careful and consider the following:
Buy seeds only in establishments you have verified.
If you decide to purchase expensive seeds in the store, be sure to save the receipt in order to return them in case of marriage.
Before buying, be sure to check the quality certificates. And forget about embarrassment and inconvenience. This is your legitimate right.
Study the information that is indicated on the packaging: Look not only at the expiration date and shelf life, but also read what is written in small print. Pay attention to the ripening period if you prefer early dates.
Packaging designations also matter.
F1 are first order hybrids and F2 are second order hybrids. They do not carry anything terrible in themselves, do not be afraid of these names. Although these are artificially bred seeds, they have nothing to do with genetically modified products. What's more, they yield good yields and are disease resistant. However, you cannot collect seeds from them for the coming year.
In order not to fall for the trick of manufacturers, be aware that at times the high price of seeds is not justified. These are pelleted seeds or seeds on a tape. Although they simplify landing, their cost is sometimes very overpriced.
The pelleted seeds do not need any preparatory treatment before planting. But ordinary seeds are better hardened before planting. This will ensure good germination for you, protect against pests and diseases, and increase resistance to weather cataclysms.
The seeds of tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and zucchini are hardened. They need to be soaked for 5-7 hours until swelling at a temperature of 20 degrees, and then put in the refrigerator for 6 hours (not in the freezer!), And do this for 5 days. Instead, on the contrary, the seeds can be warmed up in the oven - at a temperature not exceeding 60 ° for 3 hours. There are other methods of preparing seeds for sowing - any summer resident chooses his own. If you categorically refused to harden the seeds, do not forget to soak them in water overnight before sowing in order to speed up the pecking of the seed.
The soil can be purchased, or your own, it does not matter. But in both the first and second cases, you need to check it for the presence of all kinds of small plants. Before planting seedlings, you need to prepare the soil. Place it in a wide container, pour it in boiling water with potassium permanganate and leave for 3-4 days.
Usually gardeners sow seeds in ordinary soil, in juice bags. You can also use yogurt cups, peat pots, or cubes.
A maximum of 2-3 seeds should be seated in a glass.
The soil should not be poured to the top, but leave 4-5 centimeters from the edge and add earth as necessary.
Seedling picking is most often done when the 1st leaf is seen. It is better to cut loose plants, leaving strong ones.
Loosen the soil constantly. This enriches the plants with oxygen and protects them from microbes. P And sprinkling the soil with ash will protect the seedlings from the "black leg".
Turn the pots towards the light so that the plants do not stretch to one side. Sometimes auxiliary lighting is needed. As a light source, you can use fluorescent lamps or LEDs.
It is necessary to water the seedlings with settled water, in which there is no chlorine. 2 weeks before planting in the soil, start hardening the seedlings: take them out of the warm room to the balcony for a couple of hours, then put them back. This procedure will speed up flowering and fruiting. The timing of planting seedlings in the soil depends on the specific area and weather conditions.
Half of the winter is already over, which means that the summer residents and gardeners of the Sevdach.ru portal are starting to sow seeds for seedlings. It is very important not to miss this time, as correctly selected and planted seeds on time guarantee 80% of the future harvest. In addition, you will receive a harvest from such plants much earlier than other gardeners, because while they are planting seeds, you have already planted whole bushes in the soil.
How to choose the right seeds for seedlings?
First of all, buy seeds in agricultural stores and in special sections of supermarkets - it is not recommended to purchase seeds on the market in any case, since winter frosts could easily destroy them. Review the expiration dates to make sure the seeds are not expired and unsuitable for planting.
By the way, if you have seeds from the last harvest in stock, then remember that the seeds of hybrid varieties designated "F1" do not retain their grade and therefore there is no point in planting them next year - it is better to buy new ones.
Focus on weather specific to your local area - each variety is created for a different area. For example, tomato varieties for the southern region will not yield a harvest in northern regions with a short light day. Therefore, read the labels on the seed packs and choose the one that is specifically designed for your temperature zone.
Having purchased bags with seeds of the necessary plants, do not rush to plant them - give them two to three days to get used to room temperature. To make them hatch sooner, the seeds should be treated with fertilizer purchased in a store or created from improvised means. Aloe juice, Kalanchoe, etc. are perfect for this. Then the seeds are placed on a damp cloth or cheesecloth and lightly covered with it. In about three days they should hatch.
Already strengthened sprouts with two or three leaves are planted in pots for seedlings.
When planning to plant seedlings in greenhouses as early as possible, the seeds must be quenched before pecking - place them in the refrigerator for several days. Then disinfect in a solution of potassium permanganate and dry properly. Only then can you plant them in pots.
If you have such an opportunity, purchase peat pots, because in them the seedlings not only grow, but also form a powerful root system that will help it to take root in the greenhouse soil in the future.
Plant all the seeds with pleasant emotions and your harvest will delight you in return!
Comments:
Uv., Lyubov Tikhomirova, as far as I know, there is no need to plant radishes with seedlings. It is enough to pre-sow it on cheesecloth to germinate, and then plant it in a greenhouse, or open ground.
Radishes are strongly influenced by natural lighting. If you plant it in a shady place, then the harvest will be poor.
It is imperative to water the first month with warm, settled water, and cover it with agro-fiber at night (if planted in open ground).
Still exists folk omen- You cannot sow on Thursday, otherwise the harvest will be with a wormhole.
At gardeners winter break can not be. Got the harvest, tidy up the plot - and start preparing for the new season. Plan future plantings and go for seeds. You should take a moment to purchase them before the spring rush begins, slowly, with feeling, sensibly, with arrangement. Indeed, among the many that affect the yield in the garden, seeds are of decisive importance.
The quality of seeds of vegetable and flower crops is determined by sowing and varietal indicators. Sowing includes: purity (degree of contamination with impurities), humidity (should not exceed 8%), germination energy (viability) and - the most important indicator- germination (the number of germinated grains after the maximum allotted time). As well as the degree of infestation by pests and diseases. All of them are determined in specially equipped laboratories and are expressed as a percentage. Then this data is indicated on each batch of seeds arriving at the wholesalers for further packaging and sale.
Seeds with sowing rates lower than the standards established by GOST should not go on sale.
Varietal qualities are no less important. They are installed in the fields during the flowering of crops by the approbation method. Varietal purity is determined by the ratio of the number of plants typical of a given variety to the total number of plants of the cultivated crop (in percentage). As a result, the grade category is established in accordance with GOST. Seeds with a grade lower than the standards established by GOST should not be marketed as varietal.
For your information
To purchase as much seed as you need, you can use these calculation rates. For 10 square meters of area you need: white cabbage - 12-15 g, tomato and pepper - 2-3 g, cucumber - 6-8 g, pumpkin - 3-4 g, watermelon 2-3 g, melon 1.5- 2 g, black onions - 6-10 g, garlic - 500-600 g, carrots - 4-6 g, parsley - 8-10 g, table beets - 10-12 g, radish - 17-23 g, potatoes - 2.5-4 kg, beans - 90-150 g, spinach - 24-60 g, dill - 30 g.
The guarantee that the seeds of each tested batch correspond to the sowing and varietal qualities is confirmed by a certificate issued by a special state body, without which the sale is impossible. Everything seems to be under reliable control, and we, the buyers, have nothing to worry about. But in reality it turns out not quite so.
On a note:
The sowing quality of seeds is highly dependent on storage conditions. They should wait in the wings in a dry and cool place. The ideal air humidity is not higher than 10%, constant temperature is from 0 ° С to + 5 ° С (no drops are allowed).
In accordance with current legislation In the Russian Federation, the buyer has the right to demand, and the seller, upon first demand, is obliged to provide documents confirming the varietal authenticity of the batch of seeds or planting material, as well as their quality. However, it is not so easy for an ordinary buyer to see the original certificate. This document should be stored in the seed warehouse (base). At the point of sale, the packaged seeds are accompanied by a consolidated certificate for them, which is already issued by the seller himself. And the owner, as you know, is a master. It is clear that he is responsible for the accuracy of the data entered in the certificate. But a very profitable business is selling seeds. Therefore, reliable data on the quality of seeds are sometimes turned into classified materials or substituted for more advantageous ones.
On a note:
The seed certificate must contain information on the quality of the seeds sold, the harvest year, as well as the date of the last germination test and its validity period.
Therefore, when going to buy seeds for seedlings, remember:
Many gardeners confuse this indicator with seed germination. But these are completely different things.
Therefore, if you bought tomato or cucumber seeds in the spring and they showed themselves to be fruitful with excellent taste, and at the same time they also had excellent germination, then at the end of the season you can buy them for the next one, even if the expiration date of the seeds expires, for example , in December this year.
For reference
In 1 g of pumpkin seeds, zucchini, beans, beans, peas, watermelon, there are from 1 to 10 pcs.; cucumber - 40-60 pcs.; table beet - 50-90 pcs., tomato -250-300 pcs., sweet pepper -160-180 pcs., eggplant - 150 pcs., radish - 100-120 pcs., cabbage - 250-300 pcs., parsley and carrots - 800-900 pcs., lettuce - 600-1000 pcs.
But the seeds of parsley, dill, celery, parsnips, sorrel, asparagus, remontant strawberries, asters quickly lose their germination.
Therefore, you need to buy them from the new harvest (obtained in the fall), they usually still have a characteristic smell. At the same time, keep in mind that before the new year, most companies have post-harvest revision of seeds, determination of their quality, and paperwork. They usually go on sale at the end of January - February.
Breeders, working on the creation of new varieties and hybrids, achieve their maximum adaptability to certain climatic conditions. Before they are allowed for use, newly bred varieties and hybrids are tested for 2-3 years in specially organized areas, where they are evaluated for yield, early maturity, suitability for processing, taste, resistance to pests and diseases, etc.
A variety or hybrid that has shown the best results by all indications is approved by the State Variety Testing Commission for zoning in a region with similar natural and climatic conditions.
The variety may not pass the test because it is not suitable for machine harvesting, or is not easy, or has too large fruits. For example, varieties of eggplants and peppers, watermelons and melons, zoned in the middle lane, not so long ago and did not exist at all. Imagine if summer residents were waiting for those to appear. As the saying goes, those who do not take risks do not eat eggplants.
In recent years, more and more hybrid seeds have appeared on the shelves. Outwardly, except for the F1 icon in front of the variety name, their packages are no different. But the price of hybrid seeds is much higher.
So that you know
It is not entirely correct opinion that it is impossible to get good seeds from F1 hybrids. Yes, sometimes they do not give them at all or the seeds do not ripen. However, F1 hybrids often produce good seeds. But the subsequent generations turn out to be quite "different-sized" and in their properties may be more like grandparents, while losing the high yield that was characteristic of the first generation of F1.
A common cultivar is a group of plants of the same species with common characteristics. Varietal seeds are obtained by free self-pollination or cross-pollination of plants. The harvest from them can be heterogeneous: greens of different lengths, cabbage heads of various sizes, and tomatoes differ in color brightness.
On a note
Hybrid seeds are obtained each time anew, crossing the maternal and paternal varieties or lines. "Dad" and "mom" are specially selected so that they are guaranteed to produce very productive children: leveled in size, fruitful, disease-resistant. The F1 designation indicates that this is the first hybrid generation obtained from such a special cross.
The most important feature varieties are its ability to preserve all its positive and negative properties in the next offspring.
Hybrids have many advantages, but they usually require a special growing technology: high soil fertility and level mineral nutrition, greenhouses or film shelters, and if necessary - and special formation of plants. Only then will all their virtues be manifested.
The varieties, as a rule, are less whimsical, resistant to many diseases, grow normally and give a good harvest without film cover.
You need to choose what suits you best. Personally, hybrids do not always suit me in terms of taste, especially for tomatoes. With peppers and eggplants, things are easier: both varieties and hybrids are tasty. But I don't really chase the latter, since I often harvest pepper seeds myself, choosing from the fruits I like. And if I do buy, then only something new or exotic. A hybrid varieties eggplants sometimes come across very thermophilic, and even without pinching and garters, they do not pamper especially with yields.
But cucumbers, cabbage, zucchini and sweet corn I sow mainly with hybrid seeds. Moreover, I prefer bee-pollinated cucumber hybrids. No matter how anyone praises parthenocarpics, greens with black pimples and seeds inside are tastier and healthier. And for salting - what you need. Parthenocarpics, if good, are only for the first salads, while the bees do not fly.
Even high-quality seed material cannot be a 100% guarantee of strong shoots if you do not know the intricacies of growing seedlings. A reader from Kaluga Igor DUNICHEV tells about his experiments, observations and conclusions on working with seeds and seedlings.
No matter how correctly we sowed, often seeds during germination are carried to the surface of the cotyledons, from which they are not dropped seed coat... Left on a seedling, it can lead to the death or significant growth retardation of this plant. So, we need to help him get rid of this shell. But how? After all, sometimes she sits very tightly. In the specialized literature, it is recommended to drip water onto a dry shell. It will soften and come off easily.
In fact, if you try to do this, you will see that the drops either drain off, or dry out after a few minutes. And the shell will sit firmly on the plant. If you try to remove it by force, you can cut off the cotyledons, and then you will have to say goodbye to the plant.
My advice is simple. The soil in the glass, where such a defective seedling appeared, must be spilled abundantly with water and put in a plastic bag. 100% moisture is created in it, the seed coat is completely softened and after a few hours it is painlessly shed itself. In the worst case, you only need the slightest effort to free the seedlings.
There are seeds that really need scarification (damage to the shell) for germination. But here are the advice to carry out this operation in relation to, for example, some pumpkin seeds, I consider it simply harmful. The seeds of these crops must germinate on their own.
I can compare this process with birth - a baby during natural childbirth experiences stress, which helps him to quickly adapt to new life conditions. The experiments that I conducted on pumpkin crops fully confirmed this law of life: shoots that sprouted without scarification turned out to be stronger.
It is very important to take into account the concentration of salts (fertilizers) in the soil. For young plants, the amount of fertilizer should be small: no more than 50-150 mg / l. Many gardeners are surprised at how poorly their seedlings develop, or even die altogether. Did they look at the labeling of the soil bags when they bought them? After all, the seedlings are very thin
root, not ready to use soil saturated with fertilizer salts. Therefore, for different crops, at different stages of the growing season, I add the appropriate amount of fertilizer.
We have to hear negative answers. I cannot agree with this. The main argument of the opponents is the presence of diseases in such a land. But if you grow seedlings in sterile soil, and then plant them in a garden bed, where they will encounter unprecedented bacteria and other chemical composition soil, the stress will be so strong that adaptation will be difficult. Therefore, young plants must gradually prepare for life in the garden.
The seeds of some crops (pepino, naran-hilla, etc.) germinate for a long time: it takes from 7 to 30 days to hatch. And when sowing seedlings into the soil, you can
1and don't wait. To ensure germination, I use special germination.
For sowing seeds, I use a plastic jar, at the bottom of which I put a white napkin. After moistening it, I sow seeds, close the jar with a transparent lid and put it in a warm place. After pecking the first seed, I place the jar under a fluorescent lamp. Every day I open the lid for 10-20 seconds to ventilate and moisten the drying paper. Until the full disclosure of two cotyledons, I keep the seeds in conditions of round-the-clock illumination. And after opening them, I dive the plants into the seedling soil in 4 * 4 cm cups.
Winter cold should not relax summer residents and gardeners. It's time to clean up your seed debris, temporarily acting not so much in the role of the father (mother) of your seeds, as in the role of an impartial foreign uncle-auditor ...
Otherwise, summer residents will choose to land best seeds carrots and tomatoes, and store them together with dead 8-12 years ago in one container. And what then. by April? Green mold grows in pumpkin and cucumber seeds, white molds grow from artichoke and scorchonera seeds, and red worms grow from carrot seeds. Cilantro seedlings are already jumping on the walls.
CONCLUSION: seeds different terms store in different containers (preferably in polypropylene) and even in different rooms; after all, pests can jump some eight or nine meters - one spit, they have everything in order with their scent. It's time for them to trash!
Yes, and outwardly good seeds underweight and slightly damaged often form weakened plants giving low yields. When immersed in a solution of sodium chloride (40 g per 1 liter of water), they float up within 4 minutes (except for tomato seeds, they require an hour check). For sowing, the seeds that have settled to the bottom are used after washing with water on a strainer.
For the prevention of fungal diseases, all seeds must be processed either immediately before sowing, or 3-4 months before it.
It is useful to treat tomato and cucumber seeds with a solution of methylene blue (or ethacridine from a pharmacy) for a day at 18 ° C. 1 g of "blue", dissolved in 4 liters of water, is enough to disinfect a glass of seeds. After processing, the seeds are dried, but not washed! Also, do not wash the seeds of tomatoes and carrots when processing with Kalanchoe juice (6 hours at room temperature for umbrella and about a day for tomatoes). Micronutrient fertilizers, when soaked for 6-8 hours, practically do not enter the sleeping seed, so do not rely on this procedure too much. Only zinc and vitamin B1 are important at the moment.
Take 0.5 g of sulphate zinc and one ampoule of vitamin B1 (thiamine chloride) and dissolve them in 0.4 liters of boiled water. In such a solution, immediately before sowing, the seeds of tomatoes, peppers and eggplants are kept for 16 hours, then dried and sown, dusting with YUKA-2.
Plants of the pumpkin family, of course, are now too early to pickle, they quickly lose their germination from dampness. But in mid-April, keep in mind that it is better to warm them up for three days at 52 ° C, but not on a battery, where the temperature can go off scale, but in the kitchen, closer to the ceiling.
© Tatiana MIRONCHIK, agronomist-seed grower I. Dunichev gardener, Yuri Shlykov, Stavropol
SOWING SEEDLINGS OF PEPPER AND EGGPLANT © ... 7 ways for the fastest germination ...
