Why do you need to soak pepper seeds before planting
Increasing the germination rate of planting material is an important aspect when growing vegetable crops. For this reason, many farmers carry out soaking pepper seeds before planting in the most unusual solutions. To get a rich harvest, you need to observe all the subtleties of this simple event. However, when using imported F1 hybrid varieties, this procedure is not followed.
What gives soaking pepper seeds before planting
This process contributes to:
- softening of the outer shell, which prevents the germ from passing through the membrane;
- disinfection of planting material from pathogenic microorganisms and eggs laid by pests;
- destruction of essential oils that inhibit germination;
- stimulating the growth of culture.
Checking seeds for germination. A certain amount of material is placed in wet gauze for 5 days and placed near the battery. If there are more than 60% of hatched sprouts, then you can work with them.
The answer to the question of whether to soak the treated seeds is a short briefing from the grower. At the plant, each grain is carefully “polished” with special pesticide gels.
Some companies use unique technologies for applying a protective layer:
- inlaying;
- pelleting;
- plasma treatment.
Therefore, with prolonged contact with water, such a shell is simply washed off. This, in turn, leads to a decrease in germination and resistance to diseases.
Frequently asked questions about soaking
The first stage of the event is to select the best copies. Dissolve 1-2 tsp in a glass of water. salt. The planting material is immersed in the resulting saline solution for 3-5 minutes. Grains that float are not suitable for growing. The rest are washed and prepared for processing.
But before that, it is worth finding out the answers to 3 important questions:
- When to soak peppers for seedlings? Much depends on the variety of culture and climatic conditions of the region. Sowing of early varieties is performed 50-65 days before planting in open ground, and later varieties - 75-80 days. In mid-latitudes, this occurs in early or mid-February. The soil in containers must contain sand (in a ratio of 1: 6) and be well warmed up.
- How to soak pepper seeds for planting? As a base, use toilet paper, napkins, cotton pads or dishwashing sponges, abundantly moistened with water. The material is immersed in a container or other container and left warm for several days. Be sure to cover with foil / glass.
- How much to soak pepper seeds before planting? The embryos will only need 3-4 days to hatch. However, sometimes this period can take up to 2 or 3 weeks. For this reason, visual assessment is indispensable. When the grains swell and the first shoots appear, they are immediately sown in the ground for seedlings.
Often they use warm or melt water for an event. Some farmers recommend adding growth stimulants such as Epin, Zircon or Energen. Only 2 drops are added per 250 ml.
Having dealt with these features of growing a vegetable crop, you need to consider what the pepper seeds are soaked in before planting. For disinfection, the most common drugs are often used, which can be bought at a pharmacy at an affordable price. Other nutrient solutions are also widely used.
Irreplaceable potassium permanganate and its "competitors" - soda and brilliant green
Before disinfection, the seeds are placed on a damp cotton sponge and kept for about a day so that they are sufficiently swollen. Then a weak solution of potassium permanganate is prepared. Only 2 g of powder mass is added to 200 ml. The inoculum is immersed in the suspension using gauze bags.
After 30 minutes, the grains:
- take out;
- washed;
- dried.
The remaining working fluid is used to disinfect the soil. Since this technology has been used for more than a decade, there is no doubt whether it is possible to soak seeds in potassium permanganate. However, some practice using baking soda instead. 5 g of sodium bicarbonate are dissolved in 400 ml of water. The grains of the culture are sent to the suspension for 24 hours. After that, they are washed and dried. This technique will prevent the development of rot and other fungal diseases.
Brilliant green is best suited against viral infections. 1 tsp is added to 200 ml of liquid. concentrate. The seed is kept in solution for no more than 30 minutes.
Hydrogen peroxide does not lose its relevance
Pre-sowing treatment of pepper seeds with hydrogen peroxide will prevent the appearance of bacterial and fungal diseases.
To prepare the emulsion, several simple techniques are used (dosages are indicated per 200 ml of water):
- Extra fast. Planting material is sent to the undiluted concentrate (2-4 tbsp. L.) For 10-15 minutes.
- Standard. Preliminary 30 min. keep the grains in water. Then add 1 tsp to the required volume of liquid. peroxide and leave in the resulting solution for 12 hours.
- Long lasting. The dosage for the indicated amount of water is 1 teaspoon. Soaking period: 24 hours. To prevent the seedlings from "suffocating", they are slightly covered with an emulsion and the composition is changed every 6 hours.
For the disinfection procedure, only a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution is suitable.
After such procedures, the germination of pepper increases due to the saturation of the grains with oxygen. The outer shell is disinfected, and harmful spores, fungi and bacteria are killed.
Aloe - exclusive but effective
Besides disinfection, this natural antiseptic helps to boost the immune system. As a result, the vegetable crop tolerates adverse conditions more comfortably. The components included in the agave accelerate the ripening of the fruits.
Soaking seeds in aloe before planting is carried out according to this principle:
- pick up a plant that is at least 3 years old;
- send it to the refrigerator for 5-7 days;
- then the massive leaves are crushed with a blender or meat grinder;
- squeeze the juice through cheesecloth;
- planting material is kept in the resulting juice for 24 hours;
- dry, but do not wash.
Some gardeners recommend diluting the bactericidal concentrate with boiled water in a 1: 1 ratio. However, this method is only used for fresh seeds. The room temperature should be room temperature.
To prevent the grains from drying out during the day, a gauze soaked in juice is placed on top.
Milk with a miracle effect
The compounds that make up milk act on the dense shell, and it becomes softened. The presence of fat on it creates a special film that protects against adverse conditions and pathogens.
The process of soaking seeds before planting in milk (only fresh) is very simple:
- heat the liquid up to 40˚С;
- grains are placed in it;
- covered with polyethylene;
- sent for 10-12 hours to a dark but warm place.
There is no need to buy store milk, because such products may not contain animal fat.As a consequence, the effect will become negative.
In this case, make sure not to overexpose the inoculum, otherwise the microflora changes during the formation of kefir. It is worth considering that in an acidic environment, even the healthiest seeds are doomed to perish. After the specified time, the grains are taken out and laid out on a napkin. You do not need to rinse them so as not to wash off the protective shell.
Sowing is carried out only 1-2 hours after extraction from milk. It is impossible to deepen too much, since the culture will germinate for a very long time.
Ash for saturation with useful trace elements
The combustion product of wood contains about 20-30 useful and nutritious components. The saturation of planting grains with essential trace elements increases the culture's resistance to various diseases.
Therefore, the enriched suspension is prepared using the following technology:
- take 1 liter of warm water (17-20˚С);
- make 20 g (1.5-2 tbsp. l.) wood ash;
- leave to infuse for 1-2 days;
- stir from time to time.
The settled solution is filtered through a dense cloth. To soak the seeds in ash, use a special gauze bag in which they are placed. The total holding time of the grains in such an infusion is 4-5 hours. At the end of the procedure, everything is thoroughly washed with water and dried.
Using these techniques for soaking pepper seeds before planting, do not exceed the concentration of the solutions. Also, there is no need to hold the grains for too long, because this often leads to rotting of the sprouts.