Before sowing seeds, gardeners try to process them in various ways, but they do not always need it. You need to know one rule: do not overdo it with disinfection, otherwise it will kill the germ in the grain. Now I will tell you which seeds need to be prepared and which should be sown without additional procedures.
Do not perform all of the above procedures at once, use only the necessary minimum. Even the most viable planting material will not be able to withstand all the pre-sowing operations, and this is not necessary, good healthy seeds will germinate without any sophistication. One disinfection or growth stimulation is enough.
Selection by quality and size
Seeds are easy to sort with saline solution, immersed in liquid. Those that have surfaced are unsuitable for landing. Rinse and dry the rest.
The largest seeds will sprout together. Small grains are also viable, but it is advisable to sow them separately, since such sprouts will develop more slowly.
How to determine seed germination
Tomato seeds can remain viable for 4-5 years. If you doubt the freshness of the seeds, then you need to check them. Place a few seeds in damp cheesecloth. Make sure it doesn't dry out.
After about 10 days, full-fledged seedlings should form. If most of the seeds have germinated, the whole batch can be used for sowing.
Seed disinfection
There are several ways to disinfect seeds. I use potassium permanganate for this purpose. I immerse the seeds in the prepared solution for half an hour. Then I wash and dry.
If you find the presence of a viral infection, you can eliminate it using heat treatment. For tomato seeds, such manipulations should be performed. First, the seeds are kept for a day at a temperature of at least +30 ° C, two days - at +50 ° C, then a day - at +80 ° C.
seed hardening
I usually harden heat-loving tomatoes. Manipulation is performed after soaking. Then I keep it in the refrigerator for about 10-18 hours. I take it out and leave it indoors for 5-6 hours. The hardened seed material can be sown.
Enrichment with fertilizers
To stimulate germination, seeds are treated with humic fertilizers. To do this, take liquid fertilizer (50 ml), dissolve in water (1 l) and soak the seeds before sowing for a day.
You can use ready-made mixtures of microfertilizers or carry out pre-sowing treatment with infusion of ash powder. Dissolve wood ash (20 g) in liquid (1 l), let it brew for two days. Before use, strain the solution and put the tomato seeds in there for five hours.
Growth Regulator Treatment
In the store you can buy any growth stimulator designed to process planting material. Before use, be sure to read the instructions attached to the drug. For example, the "Zircon" tool increases the survival rate of crops, the germination of sprouts, and increases immunity to diseases. To prepare the solution, take 0.025 ml of the product, dilute it in water (100 ml) and soak the seeds before sowing for about three hours.
Which seeds do not require treatment
Seed material covered with bright paint does not need to be processed. Such seeds are called inlaid.
They are sown dry in moist soil and then regularly watered.
Determine if tomato seeds need special preparation before sowing, select a method if necessary, but do not overdo it, excessive manipulation will only cause harm. Quality seeds from trusted manufacturers usually germinate without problems.
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