Soaking and germination of vegetables

Soaking and germination of vegetables

Seed soaking and germination is one of the important aspects of vegetable nursery. Germination soaking provides conditions such as greenhouse, humidity and water suitable for seed germination, and, through certain stimulation, the seeds will begin to germinate and take root. Soaking seeds is to allow the seeds to quickly absorb water to reach the required water content for germination. As the oxygen dissolved in the water enters the cells, the enzymes in the seeds begin to activate and respiration is enhanced to promote faster germination of the seeds, while also killing insect eggs and germs attached to the surface.

Suitable seeds for immersion

Generally, seeds with hard, thick shells are more difficult to absorb water for germination, such as bitter melon, snake melon, loofah and celery, etc. Coated seeds are not recommended for immersion.

Dry seeds

Drying seeds can improve the permeability of the seed coat, thereby increasing the germination rate of the seeds, and has a certain disinfection and sterilization effect. When drying the seeds, placemats, white cloths, etc. to dry them. During the drying process, you should frequently turn them over to make the seeds evenly heated. The drying time is 2 to 3 hours. It should be noted that the seeds cannot be placed directly on the cement or metal surface to prevent the seeds from being scalded by excessive temperature.

Soaking seeds in warm soup

After drying the seeds, place them in a small clean pot or large bowl, pour in 50 to 55 ℃ warm water and stir constantly, stop stirring when the water temperature drops to 30 ℃, and then soak for 8 to 12 hours to allow the seeds to absorb sufficient water.

Seed soaking with medicine

The seeds must be soaked in water for 1 to 4 hours before soaking the seeds with the chemical, and then put into the prepared chemical solution. The seeds can be covered with a mesh bag and immersed in the liquid for disinfection. After reaching the specified time, they can be removed immediately and rinsed with clean water.

Germination

After soaking, the seeds are germinated, drained, wrapped in towels or gauze, and placed in a suitable temperature environment for germination, the temperature being determined according to the different seeds. During the germination process, ensure that the seeds are moist, and sow the seeds in time when most of the seeds show the radicle length of about 3 mm, as the radicle length is too long to break easily when sowing.