How to properly soak pepper seeds before planting seedlings: rules for pre-sowing preparation and processing

To grow good pepper seedlings, you need to make a lot of effort, and therefore, you should first carry out pre-sowing preparation of the planting material. The germination of seeds and the level of immunity of future shoots largely depend on how well it will be carried out. To avoid mistakes, you should study the basic rules for processing pepper seeds before sowing for seedlings.

Basic rules and recommendations for choosing pepper seeds

The choice of seeds must be approached responsibly, because this also determines how productive this year will be for you. You should buy planting material in specialized stores or on proven Internet sites.

Many gardeners buy seed from their hands on the market, as it is much cheaper there. However, in this case, one cannot be 100% sure that it is of high quality (especially when it comes to variety).

There are several basic criteria to rely on when buying pepper seeds (like any other vegetable):

• The seed package must contain full information about this product (GOST, manufacturer's address, recommendations on agricultural technology, belonging to a variety or hybrid) with the current expiration date.

Note! Seeds of pepper, both hot and sweet, are capable of relatively quickly losing their germination (they are stored for no more than 3 years, then the percentage of germination decreases markedly). Therefore, you should not shop in reserve.

• Pepper variety should be selected taking into account the climatic characteristics of your region.
• Decide which seeds you need - varietal or hybrid.

By the way! If in the future you wantcollect your own seed material of peppers (prepare seeds), then you need to give preference exclusively to varieties, and not to hybrids, since the latter are not able to maintain varietal properties (traits) in the new generation. However, it ishybrid peppers, usually, more resistant to disease and always bring decent and stable harvest.

How to pick a good variety of sweet peppers

Note! The site already has several detailed review articles about the most popular and best varieties of sweet peppers, which will definitely help you make the right choice:

• The best varieties of sweet bell peppers for outdoor and greenhouse cultivation.
• Yellow and orange peppers.

Video: pepper seeds - how to choose the right varieties

Features of the selection of viable pepper seeds

Before carrying out pre-sowing treatment, you must first visually inspect the pepper seeds. First of all, too small, as well as those with obvious signs of damage to the outer shell, should be discarded.

Then it is required to identify all hollow specimens that are not able to germinate. In this case, the following procedure should be applied:

1. Dissolve 5 g of salt in 100 ml of warm water.
2. Pour the seed into it for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Instances that have surfaced should be thrown out, since they are not capable of full-fledged shoots (they are empty).
4. Seeds that have sunk down must be washed with clean water and dried until the characteristic flowability appears, since they should be used for planting, and before being processed.

Presowing selection for viability will help to reject poor-quality material at the initial stage and significantly increase the overall percentage of germination.

Video: ways to prepare seeds for sowing

Popular ways to prepare and treat pepper seeds before sowing seedlings

Gardeners, as a rule, distinguish several basic methods of seed preparation, each of which has its own characteristics and rules. Therefore, before starting the procedure, it is necessary to get to know them better in order to do everything correctly, so to speak "according to science", avoiding serious mistakes.

Important! If you bought pelleted, granulated or glazed pepper seeds, then no additional preparation is needed for such planting material. They are already processed and covered with a special nutritious shell. Seeds must be sown dry so as not to wash off the protective film.

Video: preparing pepper seeds for sowing

Warming up

As a rule, seeds are not stored under optimal conditions, but at low temperatures. Because of this, they are in deep rest, which means that they will be very reluctant to ascend. Therefore, in order to increase their germination, it is necessary to carry out heat treatment.

The most popular way to heat pepper seeds is to use batteries. In this case, the seeds must be poured into a bag made of cloth (gauze) and placed near the heating devices a month before planting (you can tie or hang to the battery). Or put thick cardboard on top of the battery and sprinkle the seed onto it. It should be borne in mind that the temperature in the room (and the battery itself) should not fall below +20 .. + 23 degrees.

Etching or disinfection

This method of seed treatment before sowing is carried out in order not to bring the pathogens of bacterial and fungal infections, which are most often found on their surface, into the soil along with the pepper seeds.

There are several options for carrying out this procedure, therefore, which one to use, everyone decides for himself.

Important! After dressing (disinfection) by any means, the seeds must be washed.

Seed disinfectionusing potassium permanganate known to many.

However, it should be said right away that this is a rather ineffective (old-fashioned) method of seed dressing.

In general, the procedure for disinfecting seeds in a solution of potassium permanganate usually occurs as follows:

• dissolve potassium permanganate in the amount of 1 gram per 100 ml of water so that the 1% solution acquires a rich dark pink hue;
• pour the seed into a bag made of several layers of gauze (or other fabric);

By the way! You can just pour the seeds directly into the solution, and then strain it.

• dip the seeds into the resulting solution and keep for 20-30 minutes;
• at the end of the procedure, rinse the seeds under clean water (it is possible from the tap, but it is better to stand or filtered).

Another very popular (there are many videos about it on the Internet) method of disinfection involves use of hydrogen peroxide.

However! Scientific tests show that hydrogen peroxide is a completely ineffective etching method, like potassium permanganate.

Disinfection of seeds with hydrogen peroxide is carried out in the following sequence:

• take a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution;
• pour the seed into a bag made of several layers of gauze (or other cloth);
• pour the solution for 30 minutes;
• rinse with clean water.

Much more effective than hydrogen peroxide, especially potassium permanganate, is the dressing of pepper seeds in a solution sfir trees ("Brilliant Green")... So, you need to take 1 ml of 1% pharmaceutical solution and dissolve in 100 ml of water. Then soak the seeds in this solution for 30 minutes so that they have time to thoroughly paint over with brilliant green.

To prevent development black leg and other fungal diseases in pepper seedlings, it is recommended to carry out seed treatmentwith help Fitosporin (prepare solution according to instructions).

Note! Disinfection of pepper seeds in a solution of "Fitosporin" is one of the most effective methods of processing pre-sowing material.

However, there is an opinion that "Fitosporin" is not a preparation for dressing, but for colonization of roots and soil with antagonistic microflora. Therefore, it is best to dress the seeds, wait until they hatch, and only then, when sowing, spill with Fitosporin.

Another very effective way to dress pepper seeds is to soak them in chlorhexidine... Take 0.05% pharmaceutical solution and, without diluting, soak the seeds in it for 30 minutes. Then be sure to rinse under clean water.

If you love using natural remedies and are an adherent organic farming, then your choice is an infusion of crushed garlic and aloe juice.

• Garlic infusion done as follows: crush 2-3 cloves, pour 100 ml of water and let it brew for a day (24 hours). Etch for 30 minutes.
• Concerning aloe juice, then it should be mixed in equal proportions with water, that is, to get 100 ml of solution, take 50 ml of aloe juice and 50 ml of water. Place the seeds in the solution for 30 minutes.

Important! In the case of using special preparations, always follow the instructions, not "from memory"!

Video: preparing seeds for planting - the results of disinfection in solutions of various dressing agents

Soaking seeds in growth stimulants or how to increase their germination

To stimulate the biological forces of pepper seeds, it is necessary to saturate them with nutrients using special preparations. This will help to increase the vigor of seed germination, increase the rate and percentage of germination.

Important!Soaking pepper seeds in growth stimulants should be carried out immediately after their disinfection.

The most common growth stimulants are:

Interesting! There is also a very simple procedure soaking seeds in ordinary water, in other words, softening their shell (the seeds should only swell), which will accelerate their germination.

• "Zircon"-used to improve seed germination. For soaking, dilute 0.025 ml of the drug in 100 ml of water, which is enough to process 10 g of planting material (hold for 2-4 hours).
• "Epin" - also used to increase seed germination and germination. To soak, dissolve 0.05 ml of the drug in 100 ml of water and soak the seeds (10 grams) for 2-4 hours.

By the way! You can also soak seeds in growth stimulants such as "Energen"And"NV-101".

Gardeners who prefer not to use off-the-shelf commercial preparations can soak pepper seeds using folk remedies... The most common recipes are:

• Honey. For processing, prepare honey solution in this proportion: 1 teaspoon of honey in 1 glass (200-250 ml) of water at room temperature. The seeds are poured into a saucer and poured with this liquid so that it only slightly covers them. Processing is carried out within 4-5 hours.
• Ash... To soak in infusion wood ash, it will take 1 tbsp. l. pour the ash with 500 ml of warm water and let it brew for at least 48 hours, stirring the mixture from time to time. Then soak the seeds,wrapped in a gauze bag, within 3-5 hours.

And you can also prepare such a solution for disinfection, awakening and stimulating seed growth: take 1/2 tablet nicotinic acid (1 tablet - 50 mg), 1/2 tablet succinic acid (1 tablet - 0.5 g), 1/4 tablet ascorbic acid and 1/2 tablet glycine, and then dissolve them in 0.5 liters of water.

Video: how to increase seed germination - an easy way

Worth knowing!Soaking pepper seeds in growth stimulants can be carried out immediately after disinfection. After this procedure, the seeds should be planted, since they are no longer subject to long-term storage.

By the way! In these solutions, you can not only soak the seeds, but also germinate. Read more about this preparation method below.

Germination

If it is necessary to significantly accelerate the germination of pepper seeds, it is recommended to apply the germination procedure.

To germinate pepper seeds, you must:

Important! You need to germinate correctly: if you just immerse the seeds in water, then no effect will follow, because oxygen is required to awaken them.

• Pour out seed into moist multilayer gauze, or better yet, use cloth rag (they can grow into the cheesecloth with roots).
  

It is even more convenient to germinate in cotton pads: lay out the seeds on the lower disk, close the upper one. Pre-wet the discs!

• Then put on a saucer (or in another container), and cover the top with a plastic bag (cling film) so that the moisture does not evaporate quickly, in other words, create a greenhouse effect.

Important! A cloth, gauze, cotton pads should be constantly wet, but not in a puddle of water.

• Remove the container with soaked seeds in a warm place, such as a kitchen cabinet.The optimum temperature for germination of pepper seeds is +23 .. + 28 degrees.
• When the seeds hatch and germinate, and this usually takes 2-3 days, immediately plant them in the ground.

By the way! Pepper seeds can also be germinated on a sponge.

Video: how to quickly germinate pepper seeds in foam rubber

Hardening

This procedure is especially important for the preparation of seeds of heat-loving crops (which include pepper) for growing in cold regions with a harsh climate, as it allows you to prepare seeds and increase the resistance of future plants to temperature extremes during plant growth.

Hardening pepper seeds before sowing for seedlings is carried out in the following sequence:

Note! Before hardening the seeds, they can be disinfected and / or soaked in one of the growth stimulants... In this case, the seeds should only be wet or swollen, but never germinated, maximum - slightly hatched.

• place the seeds in a moistened cloth in a container and close it, for example, tie it with a bag (to retain moisture), but not completely, so that oxygen is available inside;
• put a container with seeds in the refrigerator under the freezer, in other words, on the top shelf (where the temperature is + 2-4 degrees).

Important! The container with seeds is left in the refrigerator only overnight, during the day it must be taken out and left on the table (in room conditions);

• repeat the contrasting content for 4-5 days, and then immediately sow the seeds into the ground.

Video: how to properly harden seeds

Idea! Alternatively, hardening can be done in a slightly different way. Soak the seeds in cold water (+ 2-4 degrees), after a while (2-4 hours) drain and put in warm water until they hatch. When the seeds hatch a little, pour cold water again for several hours, and then sow into the ground.

Advice! Instead of regular water, you can use special (previously named) solutions to disinfect and stimulate growth.

Bubbling

With this procedure, you can saturate the seed with oxygen, thereby washing out essential oils and other growth inhibitors that any seeds have (especially for umbrella crops - carrots, dill, celery, parsley) and which prevent their germination. Simply put, it is a great way to speed up the germination and germination of pepper seeds.

For the procedure, you can use an aquarium compressor, or buy a ready-made device for bubbling seeds.

Diagram of the simplest device for bubbling seeds:

Sparging of pepper seeds is carried out in the following order:

• pour the seeds into a container (for example, a glass vessel or jar);

If you want to bubble several crops at once, then, of course, different seeds need to be wrapped in different bags (cloth or gauze) so that they do not mix.

• fill them with warm water (40-50 degrees);

By the way! You can add one of the growth stimulants (Zircon, Epin, honey, ash) to the water.

• lower the compressor hose to the bottom and turn on the oxygen supply;
• the duration of bubbling seeds is from 4-24 hours;
• at the end of the procedure, strain, dry (so that it is convenient to sow) and sow in the ground.

Note!It is not necessary to use all procedures for processing pepper seeds at once before sowing, since not all of them are combined. As a rule, the standard scheme is as follows: rejection (especially self-harvested seeds), heating (optional), disinfection (mandatory), soaking and germination in growth stimulants, or soaking and hardening (use less often). But bubbling is more exotic, it is mainly intended for owners of aquariums (as well as for umbrella crops, for example, for preparation of carrot seeds).

Thus, preparing pepper seeds for planting seedlings is an important step in obtaining good seedlings, strong seedlings and a future generous harvest.Therefore, all procedures should be followed clearly and correctly.

By the way! After all the measures for the preparation and processing of seeds have been completed, you can proceed to direct sowing of pepper for seedlings.