What are tomato seeds soaked in?
Preparing tomato seeds before planting is an integral part of growing a crop. Depending on what the tomato seeds are soaked in, the yield may increase.
Soaking tomato seeds
Before soaking, the grains must be prepared - select the empty ones and warm up the remainder. This allows the seed to be disinfected. As a result, the palatability and strength of the fruit are increased.
Why soak the grains
There are several positive aspects to this procedure. First, soaking the seeds increases the yield by 50-70%. Secondly, future seedlings acquire immunity to diseases such as:
- phomosis;
- gray or white root rot;
- blackleg;
- stem decay.
Each farmer decides for himself whether it is necessary to soak tomato seeds before planting or not to waste time on this. However, untreated seed tends to grow unevenly. As a result, the harvest will ripen at different times.
In addition, processed grains germinate faster. This reduces the risk of seed destruction by harmful insects and rodents.
Seed processing
Seed soaking is carried out several days before sowing. Only the largest and heaviest seeds are suitable for this procedure. Their large size guarantees sufficient fiber for viable seedlings. Next, it is necessary to separate the hollow grains from the healthy ones. To do this, you need to prepare a solution with the addition of table salt. Its standard proportions are 1 tbsp. for 250 g of water. Fill the seed with this solution and leave for half an hour. Empty seeds will remain on the surface, while healthy ones will eventually fall to the bottom. But before the soaking procedure, you need to prepare the seed material. This includes:
- warming up;
- manganese treatment;
- mineral processing.
Heating and processing with potassium permanganate
Before soaking tomato seeds before planting, they must be dried. To do this, you can use the battery by installing an iron pallet on it.
After warming up, the seed is recommended to be disinfected. Most often, this procedure is carried out using a solution of potassium permanganate. The grains are placed in liquid for 20 minutes. Some farmers use a heated solution of hydrogen peroxide for disinfection if potassium permanganate is not at hand.
Mineral treatment
Before you soak tomato seeds, you should decide on the composition of the solution. There is inlaid planting material available from specialized stores. These grains are deep green, blue or pink. Similar characteristics are also indicated on the packs, so you can immediately find out whether to soak tomato seeds in mineral solutions before planting or not.Inlaid grains can be soaked in regular water.
Treatment of home seeds before planting
Seed treatment stimulates further plant growth
However, the seeds obtained from homemade tomatoes are recommended by experts to process them. Bioactive substances that can be added to the treatment fluid include:
- humate;
- zircon;
- epina
Humate is an acid salt extract that has stimulating properties. For 1 liter of water, you can add 10 g of this component. Under the influence of humate, the seeds adapt more easily to unfavorable conditions.
Epin is of plant origin. It also stimulates the growth of planting material and reduces the risk of many diseases. In 100 ml of water, it is necessary to dilute 2 drops of the drug, and then cover with a solution of grain.
Zircon is used to strengthen the root system and accelerate stem development. This medication is diluted in proportions of 2 drops per 300 ml of water. It should be noted that zircon is considered a potent agent and an overdose can lead to toxicity of the grains.
Soaking the grains
The volume of water for the procedure should be 100 times the volume of the seed. The grains do not need oxygen when they swell, so they will not suffocate under the pressure of the water.
The tomato seeds should be wrapped with gauze and placed in warm water. The liquid temperature should not exceed 25 degrees. Stir the seeds as they soak. Fresh and poorly dried grains can turn the water brown. In this case, the fluid must be changed periodically.
The process takes 12 to 18 hours depending on how much grain. It is not recommended to soak the seed material before sowing in solutions containing salt or ash extracts. These substances have a depressing effect on the grain, thereby slowing down the vegetation of the plant.
After water procedures, the grains are dried using a paper napkin or cloth, after which they make a bookmark for growing or sowing. Tomatoes are often grown in seedlings, so soaking is carried out immediately before planting the seeds in boxes.
Water treatments
There are several types of processing
In addition to the classic soaking, there are several water treatments for planting material. These include:
- bubbling;
- pelleting;
- stratification.
Bubbling
Bubbling is the soaking of the planting material in oxygen-enriched water. At home, a similar procedure can be carried out using aquarium compressors:
- Clean liquid is poured into a container with a volume of 5 liters.
- An aquarium compressor is installed.
- Add seeds.
- Connect the compressor.
- After 24 hours, the seeds are ready to use.
Sparging takes a little longer, in contrast to the classic soaking - 20-24 hours. Tomatoes grown from oxygen-fortified seeds have a richer flavor.
Pelleting
Pellet coating is the build-up of a protective film around seeds by soaking the seeds in various nutrient solutions. The easiest way is to prepare the mixture yourself. For 100 g of seeds:
- 1 kg of peat or humus;
- half a liter of warm liquid.
The mixture must be put in a warm place for a day, and then add seeds to the solution and also leave for a day. After this period, the seeds are ready for further processing.
Pelleting begins 4-5 months before sowing and is most often used in large-scale production. The mineral coating serves as an artificial protection for the seeds and maintains the required amount of nutrients even in unfavorable growing conditions.
Stratification
Stratification is a method of seed treatment that creates the most natural conditions for planting material. Most often this method is used for late varieties to speed up the growing season.
Mix wet sand and peat in a wooden box or pot. Grains should be dripped into this mixture. After the container is placed in a cold room. The ambient temperature must necessarily remain in the range from 3 to 0 C. In such conditions, the grains are stored for a month and a half. Periodically, the seeds are mixed with the soil and watered in moderation. Grain must be dried before planting.
Boiling water treatment
There is also a method for treating seeds with boiling water. It is used if the grains are too hard. To soften the protective layer, the planting mineral is wrapped in cheesecloth and dipped in boiling water for 15 seconds.
After that, the grains are immediately placed in cold water. Some farmers recommend doing the opposite - first freeze the seeds, and then pour boiling water over them. As a result, the shell of the grain bursts and allows the tomato to germinate faster. In some cases, the surface of the grain is notched or the entire planting material is ground with coarse sand.
Conclusion
Whether or not to soak tomato seeds before planting is up to the owner of the plot, but the preparation of the seeds affects the quality and quantity of the crop. This fact has been repeatedly confirmed by agronomists around the world.
Before you start soaking the grains, you should also decide on the type of solution and the method of processing. Depending on the choice, you can influence the resistance of the seedlings to diseases or the taste of the crop.