How to treat seeds before planting. Processing of tomato seeds before sowing: is it necessary and what procedures are needed

Gardeners, especially beginners, often wonder if tomato seeds need to be processed before sowing. The question is fair in light of the huge amount of information on this topic. The vegetable grower is lost and begins to "mock" the seed without thinking about whether it is necessary. Everyone wants to grow strong and healthy seedlings tomatoes. To do this is not so difficult. The main thing is to deal with all the methods of seed preparation and determine their feasibility objectively, and not according to the principle "the more procedures, the better." So nothing will grow, and there will be nothing to do with it. Let's figure it out.

It is customary to process tomato seed before planting. But these events are not always really necessary and useful. If the seeds are old or bought from a dubious place, they need to be prepared. Seed material collected with one's own hand, in some cases, also needs to be processed. However, when purchasing seeds in a specialized store from well-known manufacturers, they do not need to be processed. They are already prepared, all disinfection procedures are carried out by the manufacturer himself.

More often, gardeners have seeds in excellent condition and are able to give friendly shoots without any preparation. Keep this in mind and listen to different kind advice with caution.

Seed material should be disinfected only if:

• were affected by fungal diseases during the growing season
• Seeds purchased from a dubious producer, without any instructions on the processing package
• The seeds were taken from someone, you don’t know what condition the plants were in during the growing season

If the tomatoes grew healthy, bought the seeds and are confident in the manufacturer, it is not recommended to process the seed. You need to awaken the seeds only if they are old, the expiration date has expired, but the variety is good and you want to grow it.

As you can see, the preparation of tomato seeds is needed in rare cases. If you “process” healthy seeds, you can achieve the opposite result - they will sprout poorly and late, or die altogether. Be attentive and careful.

Types of processing

Before you start preparing the seeds, understand its types. What are they for, how do they work and in what cases are they appropriate. Producers of seed material of agricultural crops resort to processing, which is divided into three types:

• disinfection;
• seed awakening;
• boosting immunity.

These methods are applied in different ways depending on the culture, its characteristics, and not to all plants in a row. This must be kept in mind when a gardener wants to do something with tomato seeds. Always ask yourself if it will help.

Let's take a look at each type of processing and highlight those that can be useful for preparing tomato seeds.

Disinfection

Disinfection of seed involves the treatment with a chemical preparation in order to destroy pathogenic fungal spores on the surface and inside the seed. At home, a weak solution of "potassium permanganate" is used for these purposes. Only those seeds that are collected from diseased plants or those that grew next to affected crops are subjected to the procedure. In other cases, treatment with a chemical preparation is impractical.

Healthy seeds are soaked in disinfectant solution it is forbidden. This will lead to the destruction of the normal microflora in the seeds, the seedlings will be poor, and the immunity of the tomato will fall.

seed awakening

This procedure is recommended to be carried out selectively. It will be useful only in case of an attempt to "wake up" the old seed of a valuable variety. tomatoes germinate perfectly and without soaking them in special solutions. Have you noticed that with or without treatment, seedlings germinate in standard 4-5 days? Is it worth it in this case to “torment” the seeds if they sprout after a time interval laid down by nature? Decide for yourself.

Agronomists do not advise getting involved in "awakening" in relation to tomato seeds. This procedure is recommended only when working with old seeds.

Immunity Boost

This procedure is carried out selectively. Sowing material collected from weak plants is hardened or immersed in growth stimulants for a certain period of time. Fresh and healthy seeds do not need a procedure.

Having dealt with what is needed for tomatoes and what is not, you can begin to prepare the seeds. To do this, select suitable way and determine its feasibility.

Processing methods

Of the many methods for seed treatment, it is worth listening to only the most proven, effective and useful. Everything needs a measure - you should not first “fry” the seeds in the oven, then freeze them, then immerse them in exotic solutions and wait after that for seedlings.

Healthy seeds are immediately visible. They should not be touched at all, even soaked. They will sprout beautifully and give a bountiful harvest, if you observe elementary rules care and cultivation.

Etching with "potassium permanganate"

This is the easiest and most affordable way to disinfect tomato seeds. The procedure is needed for “sick” seeds from parents affected by fungal diseases or seed purchased from a dubious manufacturer.

Seeds are soaked for 15 minutes in a 1% solution of potassium permanganate. The ratio is 1 g per 100 ml of water.

Do not immerse the seeds in the solution for more than 20 minutes. After the treatment procedure, the seeds must be washed and dried. This is the most reliable and effective way to disinfect tomato seeds. Nothing more needs to be done.

Treating seeds "just in case" is not recommended, as the immune system plants under the influence of a chemical preparation will fall - this will only bring harm, not good.

Calcination

This is another way to disinfect seeds. However, you have to be very careful with it. The heating temperature should not exceed 40°. It is very difficult to achieve uniform heating of seeds at home. Therefore, agronomists advise resorting to the "potassium permanganate" method - it is reliable and safe. Many believe that putting the seeds on the radiator, you can achieve a good result. But, unfortunately, this is not the case. This method will only gradually dry the seed, and not disinfect.

Ignition is recommended for seed of the family . Tomatoes are not included. It is especially worth being careful when calcining and then cooling the seed. Very often, such preparation for tomato seeds is deplorable.

It is not recommended to carry out the calcination procedure at home. Tomato seeds purchased from a specialized store have already passed the disinfection stage. Do not process them.

Stratification

All gardeners are used to this term and mean by it the cooling of seeds in the refrigerator for a certain amount of time. However, under stratification it is assumed that it is a long, deep cooling of the seed for a period of up to 3 months. It is not recommended to subject tomato seeds to this procedure.

For a tomato, a subspecies of stratification is used - cooling the seeds for a short time, 3-5 days at a temperature of 3 °. The procedure is carried out for those plants that are sown in early spring.

Cooling is carried out to awaken the seeds, that is, it is more expedient to carry out this procedure with old seeds, and not with healthy ones. To do this, the tomato seed is immersed in wet gauze and placed in the refrigerator, in the department for. The gauze should not dry out, keep an eye on it. After 3-5 days, the seeds are removed. That's it, you don't need to do anything else with them.

Soak

Gardeners are so accustomed to this procedure that they don’t even think about whether it is needed at all in relation to tomatoes. Soaking the seeds in gauze soaked in warm water is necessary. So they hatch faster and go to growth. The main thing is not to guard the sprouts. That is, you should not wait for the moment when they begin to intertwine with each other.

The temperature of the water in which the material is soaked should be 20°-25°. It takes about 3-5 days to swell and peck. Keep this in mind and plan to plant seeds around these dates.

Soaking tomato seed is a standard procedure, but you need to keep in mind the type of seed.

Some growers process seeds chemicals. When soaking, the sprouts will inevitably fall into the medium of this preparation. So they can just die. Therefore, it is better to soak seeds collected with your own hands or purchased without any processing from the manufacturer.

Treatment with growth stimulants

To do this, use drugs such as "Seedling" or "Epin". Sowing material is immersed for 30-60 minutes in a solution diluted according to the instructions for the preparation. This procedure is necessary if the seeds are old, no longer suitable. Stimulants will wake them up and help increase immunity.

Barbation

This procedure at home is rarely used. However, it is effective in awakening the immunity of the inoculum. The method is reduced to soaking the seeds in water enriched with oxygen. How to do it? This will require an aquarium compressor. In such water, old seeds or those that are unlikely to sprout are “reanimated”. The method is also good because you do not have to resort to chemicals.

Barbating is usually applied to very valuable, rare varieties of tomatoes that are no longer available for sale, and the expiration dates of the seeds have long passed.

Is it necessary - "debriefing"

In order to properly process tomato seeds, you need to choose one or two methods. It's enough. Do not forget that it is not always necessary to prepare the seeds, only if necessary.

Non-traditional ways

In addition to traditional processing methods, there are many non-traditional ones. Every gardener shares unusual methods. Someone soaks the seeds in vegetable solutions of garlic or aloe. Someone prepares other potions from different herbs. No one argues about the benefits and effectiveness of methods. Agronomists claim that such solutions are safe, but also ineffective. They basically do nothing.

If you want to experiment with unusual processing methods, select a separate group of seeds for this purpose - experimental. The rest, plant in the standard way. So there will be no risk of being left without seedlings. This is the only way to calculate the preparation method that is suitable for a particular variety, climate and growing conditions.

"Calibration"

Many gardeners also use unusual way seed calibration. The seed material is immersed in a saline solution and those seeds that have surfaced are selected for disposal. Scientists-agronomists only chuckle. Why? The fact is that seeds float not because they are not similar, but simply because of heterogeneous fulfillment. They have the same germination as those that "drowned". Reading about the next way to prepare seeds, look for a rational grain. The laws of nature have not yet been canceled.

Ash solution

Someone wants to get the result of soaking the seeds in an ash solution. What for? For disinfection.

But will it give the same result as seen from "potassium permanganate"? Unknown. However, many complain about the poor germination of seedlings after treatment with such a solution. It may be more expedient to simply add ash to the soil, and still process the seeds in the traditional way. It's up to the gardener.

Much more important in growing seedlings is the application of fertilizers to the soil, watering it, rather than preparing seeds. Experienced gardeners already know that the standard soaking of tomato seeds in gauze moistened warm water, before landing is all that needs to be done. They don't do anything else. Agronomists recommend sowing healthy seeds dry, without any treatments.

Why seeds may not germinate

Gardeners often sin on low-quality seed due to poor germination or its absence. Many argue that this happens if the seeds are not treated before sowing.

Agronomists, on the other hand, give a whole list of reasons for non-germination, where the seeds stand on last place. Common causes.

Vegetable seeds do not always justify the gardener's hopes. If disputes live on them dangerous mushrooms, such plants have no future. To remove the infection, the seeds are dressed - treated with special preparations - fungicides.

Seeds on sale - all inclusive!

Now you can buy seeds that are already coated with disinfecting chemicals.

Here in the bag are the seeds of an early, very productive squash hybrid Iskander F1.

They are the color of sea water. Unusual coloring warns us that the seeds are treated with a pesticide, they should not be eaten Before planting, do not soak such seeds so as not to wash off the protective fungicide, and do not germinate them! These seeds are sown dry. Even if pathogenic organisms appear in the soil, they will not harm seedlings and young seedlings.

On sale there are also seeds in the form of dragees. Both fungicides and a small supply of nutrients in the form of fertilizer, and even growth stimulants. Coated seeds are also not soaked before sowing, they are sown immediately in seedling box or in the garden.

Already in the XXI century appeared completely new way improving seed quality. Before sowing, they are treated with beneficial symbiotic microflora that cooperates with this type of plant. Seedlings from such seeds grow faster than usual, develop better, and as a result, the farmer receives a noticeable increase in yield.

Nano: who needs and who doesn't need

Now even nanotechnology has come to help gardeners. Seeds began to be processed in a plasma flow - pathogens die on their shell, and germination energy increases in the embryos. Seedlings are more viable than usual. Vitamin content increases in fruits and leaves. These seeds are also commercially available.

But here's what's interesting. In the green laboratories of the All-Russian Institute of Plant Industry. N. I. Vavilova, year after year, seedlings are grown from clean, untreated seeds. Department Lead Specialist vegetable crops I.A. Khrapalova commented on this fact in the following way: “The main thing for us is to use the possibilities of the plant itself.”

By the way, microbiologists recently discovered 10 types of microorganisms inside the cells of tomato plants. It is assumed that these microorganisms are beneficial to plants.

Let's think about this. If we treat the seeds with pesticides, will we harm both these invisibles and the plants themselves? Scientists solve this puzzle in their experiments.

Folk remedies disinfection and disinfection of seeds

Let's prepare an aqueous solution of potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate) Pink colour and put the seeds in there. After half an hour, we will take it out and proceed to germination. Transfer the treated seeds to a damp cloth, place in a plastic container, tightly close the lid and put in warm place with constant temperature close to + 25…+30vС. We check twice a day. As soon as the seeds germinate (a root will appear from the seed) - it's time to sow.

If for some reason you do not have time to sow the seeds at the beginning of their germination, transfer the container to the vegetable section of the refrigerator. At +1 ... * 5 "C, the seeds are "preserved" at this stage of germination. Then even after a few days you can sow them, they will give healthy seedlings.

Aloe

Aloe juice has bactericidal properties and promotes the germination of tomato seeds. Cut a leaf from the bottom of the plant and place it in the freezer for half an hour - so that the juice separates better later.

Squeeze 1 teaspoon of juice into a glass, add 100 g of boiled cold water. Let's mix. Pour the tomato seeds (or put them in a gauze bag) and leave for half an hour. Aloe juice kills harmful microflora on the seed coat, stimulates germination. Place the treated seeds on a damp cloth in an airtight container and germinate in a warm place at + 25 ... + 30 ° С.

Aloe juice has a beneficial effect on the growth and development of seedlings. Fresh juice (1 part) diluted with 2 parts of vodka. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator. For watering seedlings, add no more than 1 teaspoon per 1 liter of water.

Ash

Many summer residents use infusion for soaking seeds. wood ash. Enough 1 tbsp. spoons of ash per 1 liter hot water. Mixed - left for a day. Strained - and use.

The temperature of the infusion when soaking the seeds should be within + 20 ... + 30 ° С. We soak the seeds of tomato, pepper, onion "nigella" for a day, the seeds of carrots and parsley - up to 3 days, the seeds of cabbage, radish - 6 hours, the seeds of cucumber, pumpkin, zucchini - up to 12 hours. Then we germinate or sow in place.

A high yield of vegetables, first of all, depends on how well and correctly the seeds are prepared for sowing in the ground.

There are many ways to prepare seeds, but there are some that simply cannot be ignored if you want to achieve good results.

In this case, in no case should the seeds be subjected to all these operations, because. this will kill even the strongest seeds. You need to do only the most necessary for your seeds, for your greenhouse.

At the same time, for various conditions growing seedlings necessary set of these pre-sowing procedures can be quite different.

Let's talk about disinfection (treatment) of already calibrated seeds.

Seed disinfection

AT last years Much is said about the need for pre-sowing treatment of seeds. After all, diseased seeds are almost impossible to distinguish from healthy seeds in the usual way. Namely, with them, many terrible diseases of vegetable crops are most often transmitted.

Therefore, in order to protect seedlings from fungal and bacterial diseases, it is first of all necessary to treat the seeds, which will destroy the pathogens that are on the surface and inside the seeds and protect them from pests and diseases that are in the soil. After all, there is no guarantee that clean and healthy-looking seeds do not carry pathogens.

With cucumber seeds, for example, infections of anthracnose and angular spotting are transmitted, in beets - peronosporosis and phomosis, in cabbage - vascular bacteriosis, peronosporosis and phomosis, in carrots - black rot, and so on.

That is why dressing and heat treatment of seeds, especially those purchased from a street stall or on the market, is a strictly mandatory method of preparing seeds for sowing.

Seeds are not disinfected only in two cases: if the bag indicates that disinfection has already been carried out and if the seeds are coated.

Seeds of vegetable crops are disinfected by various dry and wet methods. Among the dry methods, the simplest and oldest is keeping the seeds for open sun on the veranda for 5-7 days. At this time, the seeds should be mixed several times a day on a saucer.

This method is especially reliable for seeds of such thermophilic crops, like cucumber, pumpkin, zucchini, beets, especially if they were stored in a cold room for a long time. The sun's rays not only disinfect the seeds from microorganisms, but also actively stimulate their germination.

The use of special preparations for disinfection of seeds in a dry state also looks very simple outwardly. Such disinfection allows, when shaking, for example, seeds in a bag of fungicide, to create a uniform ( thin layer) their coverage. However, it is better to refuse such a procedure in an apartment, because. the danger to health is too great, since it is impossible to guarantee complete safety when using these drugs.

For wet seed disinfection, many gardeners, like our grandfathers, still use a 1% solution of potassium permanganate, although some experts are rather skeptical about this method.

But not every gardener knows how to properly prepare a potassium permanganate solution of the required concentration. After all, the vast majority of gardeners do not have the opportunity to weigh 1 g of potassium permanganate at home, and therefore put it by eye. Without weighing, it is possible to determine quite accurately right amount potassium permanganate with ... a standard teaspoon (5 ml). In such a teaspoon without top contains 6 grams of potassium permanganate. "No top" means that the excess potassium permanganate must be removed from the spoon with the flat side of the knife.

The modes of seed treatment with potassium permanganate are as follows:

Seeds of tomatoes, onions, celery, lettuce, radishes, beans, peas, beans should be processed in a 1% (dark pink) solution of potassium permanganate at room temperature for 30-40 minutes, followed by rinsing in water.

And the seeds of eggplant, pepper, cabbage, carrots, cucurbits, it is better to disinfect dill in a 1.5% (dark purple) solution of potassium permanganate for 20 minutes, followed by washing the seeds with water.

For dressing seeds, you can use a 2-3% hydrogen peroxide solution, preheated to 38-40 ° C, where the seeds are kept for 7-8 minutes.

Many gardeners pickle tomato seeds in a solution of boric acid (0.2 g per 1 liter of water) or blue vitriol(0.1 g per 1 liter of water). This treatment also completely protects tomatoes from diseases.

It should be ensured that there are no sticky seeds, for example, tomato seeds stick together, because. however, you may not get the desired result.

Against bacterial diseases, many gardeners often treat vegetable seeds with aloe juice. For this leaves indoor plants keep 6-7 days in the dark at a temperature of +2°C (in the refrigerator door), then squeeze the juice and dilute with water in equal proportions. In the resulting solution, the seeds are kept for 18-24 hours.

Against vascular bacteriosis, the seeds of cabbage and its "relatives" are often treated garlic infusion. To do this, 25 g of heavily chopped garlic is mixed in a jar with 100 g of water, the seeds are kept in it for 1 hour, and then they are washed and dried.

You can disinfect the seeds in a mustard solution. To do this, pour 1 teaspoon of dry mustard with half a glass of warm water, stir well and place the seeds in this suspension for 2-3 hours, stirring it occasionally. Then the seeds must be washed cold water and dry.

Useful and water infusion of wood ash, which contains almost 30 nutrients. To do this, the seeds are placed in a daily infusion of ash (half a glass of ash per 1 liter of water) for 4-6 hours.

In recent years, most often the seeds are kept in a weak solution of the biological preparations Rizoplan, Trichodermin, according to the instructions attached to the preparation. And from viral diseases well helps Immunocytophyte.

And supporters of the system of organic living farming (OHL) recommend using Fitosporin-M to protect against diseases. Before sowing, to protect against diseases, the seeds must be processed in it according to the instructions, preferably together with the Gumi preparation to stimulate growth and development.

Every year is the same: you diligently dig the beds, plant the seeds with love, carefully water the emerging sprouts every day, destroy the weeds from the beds with a frenzy, but there are no results? It's time to change the situation. We know how to make sure that your work is adequately rewarded.

So, buy seeds, check their old stocks, prepare fertilizer for planting. And now, when everything you need has been acquired, I will tell you how and how to process seeds, soil, plants before planting. You will learn how to care for seedlings from the moment you buy them until you plant them in open ground. Well, in the future, they will in return delight you with useful and tasty fruits.

The soil

Are you planning to grow seedlings in the house, and only then plant the sprouts in " big land"? First of all, prepare the soil for sowing. For this you can:

Treat the earth with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
Practice shows that such an action is not particularly productive. Potassium permanganate is a strong oxidizing agent, but it acts only on the surface of the soil, without penetrating deep into, without changing the pathogenic microflora of the earth as a whole. This means that the soil is disinfected, but only superficially.

There are more effective ways processing.

Steam the earth microwave oven. The simplest and reliable way. If you do not have a microwave, the soil can be steamed using improvised means.

Treat the soil with biopreparations Fitosporin or Gliocladin. The method is effective, but not always reliable. In the spring, when tillage is needed more than ever, preparations usually deteriorate after a possible winter frost. If you decide to use this method of cleaning the soil, ask the sellers how the biological products were stored, pay attention to their expiration date.

seeds

Well, now let's learn directly about how to process seeds. Do you usually do seed disinfection? It is good if such seeds give you, after a while, healthy fruits, their abundance.

But, firstly, we are not always lucky with seeds.

Secondly, at least once, but every gardener learned by example that for decent harvest need healthy seeds.

So, some seeds on their surface carry spores of pathogenic microflora. That is why it is so important to decontaminate them before planting. What to do for this?

This is where it is worth remembering the solution of potassium permanganate. With it, you will remove all harmful microbes and spores, nourish the seeds with manganese and potassium.

If potassium permanganate is not on hand, use hydrogen peroxide. This processing method is even more efficient.

Fitosporin and Gliocladin (do not forget to check the expiration dates of biological products) can be used to treat seeds of peppers, tomatoes, ornamental plants that do not require stratification.

Disinfect the seeds of rare or expensive plants with Vitaros. Such treatment will be the most complete: the drug destroys fungal infections, even those that have penetrated the seed. The protective actions of Vitaros are valid for up to three months.

To grow better

The gardener will also be helped by preparations that stimulate the germination of seeds. The best way to do the job succinic acid and Epin. In the absence of these, use Zircon or Novosil.

If the seeds have a dense shell, scarify them mechanically or thermally.

As soon as shoots appear

Well, did the first sprouts hatch through the thickness of the earth? It would seem that there should be no further worries. But to ensure full protection sprouts, treat them with drugs such as Fitoverm or Actellik (in severe cases). Proved that folk ways do not protect seedlings from pests so well, so it is better to protect young seedlings with proven "medicines".

If you notice signs of disease in the crops, do not hesitate, grandmother's recipes are unlikely to help here. Spray the soil and seedlings from a spray bottle with Vitaros or Maxim preparations (the instructions for them describe how to dilute the mixture).

To grow properly

It is not always possible to maintain in an apartment the necessary conditions for the growth of seedlings, and this:

Temperature environment 15-18 degrees;

Good lighting.

If the conditions are not met, the sprouts are drawn out and thinned. Growth inhibitors, for example, Athlete, will help to cope with the problem. If the seedlings are doing well, but you want to strengthen them root system, take a closer look at Ribav-Extra's assistant gardener.

In open swimming

And, of course, you need to be able to properly plant seedlings in open ground. To increase the chances of sprouts taking root in a new place, treat them with Zircon or micronutrient fertilizers. All recommendations for the use of drugs can be found on their packaging.

You should not immediately purchase all of the listed drugs at once. But now, if something happens to the young sprouts, you will know what to do.

The quality and quantity of the crop in our beds is largely determined by the condition of the seed material. Regardless of its origin (purchased or self-harvested), before sowing seedlings, a series of preparatory activities. Pre-sowing preparation of seeds consists of a set of techniques that increase their germination, promote successful growth and proper development of plants in the future. Where to start? How to reject weak and how to disinfect healthy seeds?

Main types

In most cases, pre-sowing preparation involves:

• seed calibration;
• disinfection and heating;
• stratification and scarification (if necessary);
• vernalization (for cereals and grain crops);
• hardening;
• soaking in water;
• treatment with nutrients;
• germination.

IMPORTANT! It should be borne in mind that not all cultures need to use one or another method of preparation.

Calibration

The first step in preparing seed for planting is its mandatory sorting. Not all seeds purchased from a store or set aside from last year's own crop may be suitable for sowing - empty and pest-damaged specimens are often found among them. That's why experienced gardeners calibrate or select the best seed.

Selection with 3% saline solution

Most often, saline is used for calibration. Prepare a working solution from the following ingredients:

• Water- 1 liter;
• Salt- 30 grams.

Dissolve in a jar of warm water table salt. Lower the seeds and mix. Hold for 10 minutes.

Empty and weak grains will float to the surface during this time. They should be drained along with the solution.

Seed rejection in saline solution

Good specimens will remain at the bottom. They are washed clean water and dry.

ATTENTION! Dry the seeds washed with water in a dark and well-ventilated place. A radiator or a sunny window sill is not suitable for drying. In heat and in the open sun, the grains can become unusable.

Selection with an electrified stick

Another sorting method that is used for small grains is sizing with a plastic stick.

For this you will need:

• sheet of white paper;
• a small piece of cloth;
• thin plastic stick.

Seeds are scattered on paper. Rub a stick on a dry cloth and pass it over the inoculum.

Lightweight empty shells are quickly attracted to electrified plastic. They are removed, leaving only suitable for sowing.

The seeds selected during the sorting process are carefully inspected. Instances with irregular shape, with a damaged or necrosis-affected membrane is discarded. It is unlikely that such seed will be healthy and give a good harvest.

IMPORTANT! Saline calibration is not suitable for seeds harvested two to three years ago. During such a long period of storage, their density changes, so sorting should be carried out only visually.

Disinfection

The next stage of seed preparation before sowing is or dressing. In specimens selected for planting, pathogens of fungal, viral and bacterial diseases may be hidden. In order to destroy them and exclude progressive infection, pre-sowing treatment with special preparations and means is carried out.

There are two types of disinfection:

• dry - with the use of powder chemicals;
• wet - dressing seeds with solutions of chemicals.

With dry disinfection, the seeds are dusted with fungicide powder. For this type of treatment, it is best to purchase drugs in specialized stores and garden centers.

Preparations for dry disinfection of seeds
Name	Indications for use	culture	Processing method
Gamair	, fusarium wilt, clubroot, powdery mildew	White cabbage and cauliflower, tomatoes, cucumbers	Crush 1 tablet into powder and dust the seeds on the day of sowing
Alirin-B	, white and gray rot, septoria	Tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, cabbage
Ordan	Late blight, peronosporosis, powdery mildew, Alternaria	Tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplants	Dusting with fungicide powder the day before sowing
Fundazol	Fusarium, powdery mildew, gray rot, anthracnose	Tomatoes, cabbage

Most often, during pre-sowing preparation, experienced gardeners carry out wet dressing of seeds. Most accessible way is treatment with a 1% or 2% solution of potassium permanganate. The concentration of the potassium permanganate solution and the pickling time depend on the crop being treated.

• 1% composition - used to disinfect onions, celery, tomatoes, radishes, lettuce, physalis, corn and legumes. The exposure time is about 45 minutes.
• 2% composition - pumpkin, cabbage, eggplant, dill, carrots and peppers are processed. Etching time - no more than 20 minutes.

Seed treatment can be done with a soda solution.

A composition is prepared from water and baking soda at the rate of 10 g of the substance per 1 liter of liquid. Seeds are placed in the solution for 20 minutes.

As alternative dressing before sowing, 10% hydrogen peroxide is suitable. The solution is heated to about 40-45 °C. Then the seeds of vegetable crops are lowered for 7 minutes.

IMPORTANT! After disinfection planting material Be sure to rinse with clean water.

warming up

One of the most reliable methods of disinfection when preparing seeds before sowing is heat treatment or heating. The method guarantees the destruction of almost all disease-causing and pathogenic microorganisms.

Heating is carried out with exposure to hot and then cold water. It is easiest to use a gauze or fabric bag and a thermos in the process. The process is carried out as follows:

• liquid heated to +50 °C ... +53 °C is poured into a thermos;
• seeds are placed in a prepared bag, which is tightly tied and lowered into a thermos for up to half an hour;
• after that, the bag is immediately placed in a container of cold water for about 2-3 minutes.

During heat treatment, it is important to observe temperature regime and hold interval. Depending on the specific type culture parameters may vary.

IMPORTANT! After the heat treatment Germination losses can reach 30%. This result should not be considered a deviation from the norm. During exposure to high temperatures, the death of non-viable or diseased embryos occurs.

Stratification

Some types of vegetables need to carry out such a method of pre-sowing preparation as stratification. The procedure involves placing the seeds in the maximum favorable conditions and pursues the following goals:

• ensuring a better distribution of nutrients within the embryos;
• increasing the resistance of the embryo to temperature changes in open ground;
• acceleration of germination;
• growing healthy and strong specimens of plants.

Stratification is not required for all types of vegetables. However, tomatoes, some varieties of flowers, woody plants and shrubs must be subjected to the procedure. Stratification time depends on the specific type of crop and can last from several weeks to three months. This fact must be taken into account when preparing seeds for sowing. There are cold, warm and combined stratification.

Cold

It provides for moistening the seeds with water and placing them in a cold place. In everyday life, the lower chamber of the refrigerator is most often used for these purposes.

The process of cold stratification before sowing tomatoes:

• the grains are placed in a cloth, rolled up and moistened;
• the fabric is placed in a plastic container with a layer of sphagnum moss laid out on the bottom;
• the container is placed in the refrigerator for a period of two to three weeks at a temperature of about 2 ... 5 ° C.

Longer cold stratification is necessary for pine, spruce, arborvitae.

Seeds of mountain pine are placed in wet sand and kept in the refrigerator for about a month with constant monitoring of moisture conservation.

It will take 2 to 3 months for blue spruce to germinate, while the sand can be replaced with coconut substrate.

For clematis, coconut is replaced with a mixture of equal parts of earth, peat and sand. The time of stratification of clematis depends on the size of the seeds. Large specimens will need 2 - 3 months, the average one will be enough. Small specimens are placed in a wet disc moistened with water and sent to the refrigerator for a day.

Similarly, they do the preparation of seeds of turnips, cabbage, rutabaga.

IMPORTANT! Do not allow excess moisture. If the seeds float in a container of water, they will become moldy and rot.

Warm

The temperature for warm stratification should be 25…28 °C. For these purposes, special small greenhouses are built, which are placed on the windowsill with south side at home. Such a process is necessary for the germination of the lumbago.

The grains of the plant are laid out on moistened foam rubber, covered with a second piece on top and wrapped cling film. In the greenhouse, the backache should be until the sprouts appear - it takes an average of two weeks to one month.

Combined

Combined stratification involves alternating conditions.

Lemongrass seeds are initially kept warm for a month in wet sand - the temperature in the greenhouse should be 20 ... 28 ° C. Then they are sent to the refrigerator for the same period.

Gentian seeds are stratified in soaked hydrogel - the first two weeks at a temperature of 20 ° C, the next in the refrigerator. Then sown in a pot with clay soil and leave warm for one to two weeks until sprouts appear.

Primrose seeds, when preparing before sowing, are stratified in a damp cotton pad, first placing it in the refrigerator for 7 ... 14 days, then the seeds are released and simply laid out in heat.

Scarification: breaking the hard shell of seeds

Since the seeds of individual plants have a strong shell, they require additional processing, the methods of which contribute to their germination. This goal is pursued by the scarification procedure, the task of which is to break the hard shell. Weaken the cover in one of the following ways:

• Mechanical.
• Chemical.
• Thermal.

During mechanical processing, the shell is deformed with a file, a needle, sandpaper or a special scarifier.

Chemical scarification is carried out in specialized laboratories by etching grains with acids.

For thermal scarification, the seeds are placed in a cloth bag and alternately dipped three times in boiling water, then in cold water. After each time, specimens with a cracked shell are selected from the bag.

The method is used in preparation for sowing clover, alfalfa, morning glory, lupine, sweet clover, kobe, hawthorn, dog rose, sweet pea, pelargonium.

IMPORTANT! Scarification is required only for seeds collected by oneself. When buying them in stores, it is not necessary to carry out the procedure, since manufacturers sell materials ready for planting that lack a strong shell.

Vernalization

It is carried out in order to stimulate the growth of plants and their more intensive development. The procedure provides for a short exposure of the seeds to low positive temperatures. At home, gardeners prepare planting material by soaking it in warm water. When the grains swell, they are cleaned in the refrigerator for a short time.

The period of vernalization depends on the variety of crops.

• It is enough to hold celery and chrysanthemums in the refrigerator for 1-2 days.
• Carrots, onions and parsley are kept for about 10-15 days.
• Beets, cabbages, radishes, swedes and turnips do not need vernalization.

hardening

The following technique, which accompanies pre-sowing preparation, is necessary for heat-loving plants. Hardening is carried out in order to increase the cold resistance of seeds and adapt them to planting in open ground. The whole process can be broken down into the following steps:

• planting material in in large numbers laid out in cloth bags;
• soaked in warm water (20 ° C) and kept for 6 hours for pumpkin and 12 hours for broccoli, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, black onions;
• transferred to a refrigerator or cellar and kept for 12 hours at a temperature of 1 ... 3 ° C.

After hardening, sowing can be carried out a few days earlier than the allotted time.

Soaking in solutions

The soaking procedure allows you to accelerate the appearance of the first shoots. Before sowing, the seeds are placed in bags or cotton pads, placed in plastic containers with water and covered from above. Soaking is carried out by alternating conditions - first, the grains are kept in water for 3 hours, then they are removed for 6 hours and again immersed in water.

Another way to prepare is to spread the seed on the bottom of a stainless steel bowl or pan, moisten and cover with a damp cloth. The soaking temperature should be:

• for cold-resistant crops, about 15…20 °C.
• for heat-loving - not less than 25 ° C.

Soaking time depends on the plant variety:

• pumpkin, legumes and cruciferous - from 12 to 20 hours;
• nightshade - from 24 to 40 hours;
• onion, grain and spicy - from 50 to 70 hours.

For soaking, it is best to use melted water.

Instead of water, hormones and growth stimulants are often used. They accelerate the process of development of the root system of the plant and give a tangible quick effect. You can soak planting material in the following groups of drugs:

• growth hormones - commercially available formulations containing cytokinins, gibberellins, auxins and heteroauxins;
• growth stimulants - Epin, Albit, Energen, Zircon.

IMPORTANT! When using hormones and growth stimulants, you must strictly follow the rules for their preparation, specified in the instructions. A high concentration of the substance can kill the embryos.

Enrichment with nutrients and biologically active substances

To improve the processes of nutrition and metabolism, seedlings can additionally be artificially enriched with nutrients. The procedure is useful for small seeds of species such as tomatoes, carrots, cabbage, onions, zucchini, beets.

Processing technology

Preparation is carried out 2 - 3 days before sowing.

As a source of nutrients, fertilizers are used, which contain copper, magnesium, manganese, zinc, nickel, chromium, boron, cobalt and other macro- and microelements.

• Substances are diluted in warm water.
• After that, planting material is soaked in the prepared preparation.
• Withstand the day.
• Dry.
• Sown for seedlings.

ATTENTION! In some cases, it is allowed not to keep the grains in the nutrient liquid, but to spray. When preparing a solution, stick to 0.1 ... 0.3% concentration.

In the preparation of seed material, humates have proven themselves well:

• sodium humate.
• Potassium humate.

A liquid preparation is prepared at the rate of 1/3 teaspoon of the preparation per 1 liter of water.

• The grains are soaked overnight.
• Bulbs - for 8 hours.

More in a simple way enrichment of the culture with microelements is their soaking in an extract from wood ash. For preparation, 1 - 2 tablespoons of ash are dissolved in 100 milliliters of water at a temperature of about 20 ° C. The duration of soaking is no more than 4 hours.

Germination

Sprouting is a longer pre-sowing process. Germinate crops to ensure guaranteed production a large number seedlings. To wait for seedlings, the seeds are kept in water twice as long as when soaking. For species such as pumpkin, corn, peas and beans, instead of a wet cloth, it is better to use prepared sand - washing, drying and sieving it thoroughly, it is generously moistened, after which large seeds are placed inside.

IMPORTANT! Germination is completed immediately after the appearance of the first sprouts - approximately 3% of the total volume of seeds. They should be sown immediately. Longer holding of embryos in water can lead to their decay.

Folk remedies

As methods of pre-sowing treatment, techniques using folk remedies are often used.

• The use of hydrogen peroxide - the composition is prepared at the rate of 1 teaspoon of peroxide per 250 milliliters of water, soaking takes no more than 20 minutes;
• The use of vodka - planting material is placed in a gauze bag and lowered into vodka for 15 minutes;
• Exposure to boric acid- grains are immersed for half a day, a day in a composition prepared at the rate of 0.2 grams of acid per 1 liter of water;
• Treatment with honey solution - the seeds are left for 5 - 6 hours in water with the addition of honey at the rate of 1 teaspoon per glass of water.

The mentioned compositions are natural growth stimulators.

As alternative source nutrients, aloe juice can act in the preparation of seeds. Prepare the liquid as follows:

• Aloe leaf plates are cut and washed.
• Stacked in plastic bag and placed on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator.
• Withstand for 7 days in the cold.