Every spring, gardeners are faced with the question of how to properly prepare tomatoes for sowing as seedlings. There are many ways. Experienced ones have already developed their own sequence of actions. And beginners may get confused - some sources advise planting dry seeds, others provide a list of necessary actions that is almost a page long. Of all the operations, soaking tomato seeds before sowing is the most common.
Is it necessary to soak tomato seeds before sowing?
The ability of seeds to sprout depends on many factors:
- size;
- seed density;
- presence of injuries;
- degree of maturity;
- temperature and humidity during storage.
Of course, soaking tomato seeds before sowing is necessary; it will not increase the size or remove the injury, but it will awaken the embryo and give it strength.
Soaking also includes pickling. Treatment with pesticides will destroy pathogenic microflora outside and inside the seed.
Soaking can be both beneficial and harmful. Seeds should not be soaked if:
- sowing will be carried out in dry soil without watering;
- The seeds will be sown in very moist soil.
Vegetable growers refer to soaking as either directly immersing seeds in solutions for a certain time, or placing seeds in a moist, warm place for germination.
Compositions for seed disinfection
When considering whether it is necessary to soak tomato seeds before sowing them as seedlings, it should be noted that this procedure is an effective way to disinfect and awaken them, and activate the growth of sprouts. For this purpose, you can use industrial, pharmacy and home remedies - Fitosporin, Energin Aqua, potassium permanganate, peroxide and other products.
Potassium permangantsovka
Soaking the seed in a solution of potassium permanganate is one of the options for soaking tomato seeds while simultaneously disinfecting them. To do this, add a freshly prepared 1% solution of potassium permanganate for 20-60 minutes. Dip the swollen seeds, pre-soaked in warm water. Then rinse them with water, dry them and sow.
Potassium permanganate solution
Water peroxide
In gardening, hydrogen peroxide is used as a natural pesticide with a fungicidal, stimulating and aerating effect. Soaking the seed material in a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution for 30 minutes. allows:
- soften the seed coat;
- destroy pathogens - fungi and mold;
- activate seed germination;
- strengthen the future root system.
After soaking in peroxide, each seed should be washed, dried and used for planting.
Hydrogen peroxide
Chlorhexidine
A pharmaceutical solution of the antiseptic chlorhexidine has a pronounced fungicidal effect, so some gardeners use it for wet seed dressing instead of hydrogen peroxide or potassium permanganate. Tomato seeds are soaked in a solution of chlorhexidine for 30 minutes. To do this, pour the solution into a plate and place the planting material there or generously moisten a gauze swab with it and wrap the already calibrated seeds in it.
Chlorhexidine
How many days should seeds be soaked?
For nightshade crops such as tomato, soaking cannot be calculated in days. If a seed spends more than 24 hours without oxygen, in a liquid medium, germination will be lost forever.
How to soak tomato seeds before planting so that germination is highest? No more than 10 hours.
Soaking seeds is a hydrothermal treatment. It is most needed by those crops whose seeds contain inhibitory substances (parsley, dill, celery, coriander). Tomato seeds do not have such substances, therefore, they do not need long-term leaching.
Why don't they germinate when soaked?
On average, tomato seeds germinate in 5-10 days, but not later than 12-17. If seedlings do not appear for too long, it is advisable to dig up a few seeds and inspect them. If there are no signs of pecking, the material should be reseeded, but first determine the cause of the failure. It may consist in low quality seeds, improper preparation, including violation of soaking rules, as well as non-compliance with growing conditions. It is important to identify and eliminate all errors, otherwise it will be impossible to obtain strong plantings and a good harvest.
Germination time after soaking
How long it will take for tomato seeds to germinate after soaking depends on the ambient temperature. Tomato is a heat-loving crop. Soaking gives the start. The seed swells and is ready to sprout. Reducing the temperature to 16-17ᵒC will significantly slow down germination. If the temperature is within 8-10ᵒC, then only 6-8% of the seeds will sprout.
Attention! The optimal temperature for germination of tomato seeds is 22-25ᵒC
It should be noted that temperature parameters must be the same throughout the entire germination period.
The rate of germination is also affected by the freshness of the seeds. The fresher they are, the faster the seed will germinate. The ability to germinate is defined by the term longevity. It happens:
- biological. For a tomato this is up to 8 years;
- economic or marginal. For a tomato this is 4-6 years.
Germination largely depends on the temperature and humidity of seed storage. If seeds are stored in unflooded rooms with high humidity, then durability is reduced by 50-80%.
Fresh tomato seeds after soaking will show viability for 2-4 days.
Instructions on how to properly soak tomato seeds
The exact rules for pre-sowing treatment depend on the substance used for the procedure, but there are general recommendations that must be followed.
- Before soaking, the seeds should be calibrated - select only whole, strong and heavy specimens.
- The volume of the working solution should exceed the volume of seeds by approximately 50-100 times.
- You should not exceed the recommended exposure time for the seed. Sometimes this can lead to an overdose of active substances, and some products may deteriorate.
After soaking, the tomato seeds are washed, if necessary, slightly dried and planted in soil or containers.
Methods for preparing tomato seeds before sowing seedlings
Sowing tomato seeds for seedlings can also be done with dry seeds. However, in this case you will have to wait a long time for seedlings.
Selection of tomatoes for seedlings
When selecting tomato seeds for sowing for seedlings, you can give preference to professional ones, in the specialized store “Everything for the Garden”, or collect your own seeds from the tomatoes you like.
Unfortunately, no one can guarantee the purity of the material. Anything can be packed into a bag. Your own seeds also do not guarantee grade, since a hybrid is possible.
However, if we are lucky and we bought seeds, grew a crop and it meets the description and characteristics of the variety, then such material must be carefully stored and tried to be reproduced.
Selection of viable seed
Initially, calibration is carried out. This procedure is performed in order to select the “full” seed from the “empty”, non-viable one. To do this, use a solution of table salt (sodium chloride, ordinary kitchen salt).
The selection process is as follows:
- Prepare a 3-5% salt solution. To do this, place 3-5 g of salt in 100 g of water at room temperature and stir until dissolved.
- Pour the seeds into the glass with the solution and stir again.
- Leave it alone for 2-3 minutes.
- The seeds that float are drained and thrown away.
- The seeds that have settled to the bottom are washed with clean water 3-4 times.
Those seeds that have settled to the bottom are viable and are taken for sowing.
Warming up
Tomato seeds, unlike cucumbers, do not need dry heating. Moreover, seeds should not be stored in warm rooms, as this will cause them to dry out.
Disinfection
Each vegetable grower decides for himself whether it is necessary to soak tomato seeds before planting in a disinfectant, depending on the epizootic situation in his garden or in the heifer. If year after year there is a wonderful harvest of excellent, healthy tomatoes, then this is not necessary. In case of frequent fungal infections, you need to use fungicides.
At home, the best seed protectant is potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate). For disinfection, you need to prepare a 1% solution. For this:
- 100 g of water is poured into the vessel;
- add 1 g of manganese;
- Stir until the crystals are completely dissolved.
If the seeds are of different varieties, then they are wrapped in bags and dropped all at the same time. If there is only one variety, then you can send the seeds there without bags.
Etching is carried out for 20-30 minutes. During this time, remove the bags 2-3 times and carefully straighten them with your hands.
Attention! The quality of seed dressing will be indicated by the black shine of each seed.
Soaking in growth stimulants
Scientific farmers have proven that there is no point in soaking tomato seeds in growth stimulants. But after germination, if the soil was not prepared for seedlings and there are significant disturbances in the microclimate, growth stimulants can be used.
Bubbling
At home, bubbling seeds is difficult.
The bubbling scheme is as follows:
- the seeds are placed in a vessel with water;
- connect the air or oxygen supply.
Treatment is carried out at a temperature of 20 ᵒC for 12-15 hours.
Germination
Wet germination will help you get quick 100% germination.
To warm up do this:
- Place a paper napkin, a piece of toilet paper or just a piece of cloth in a vessel (plastic container, Perti cup, even saucer);
- pour water so that the litter is well soaked;
- lay the calibrated seed;
- wrapped in a plastic bag;
- sent to a warm place at a temperature of 22-24ᵒC for 2-3 days.
After a while you can take a peek. A living seed will be visible to the naked eye. It will show a small embryonic, white root. If there is no root, the seed is dead. It will no longer be possible to wake him up with any drugs.
Rules for selecting viable tomato seeds
The viability of planting material lies in its ability to germinate and grow to the state of an adult plant. Therefore, before proceeding to the main processing, it is recommended to inspect the material. Specimens that are too large or small in size, specimens that are damaged, have a strange shape, or color should be rejected.
Viable seeds should then be selected and hollow ones should be discarded using the following procedure:
- Prepare a saline solution - stir 1 tsp. salt in a glass of warm water.
- Pour the planting material directly into the water and stir lightly with a spoon.
- Let them sit in the solution for 10 minutes.
- Seeds that have sunk to the bottom can be considered viable - rinse them with clean water, dry them and safely plant them as seedlings. But specimens on the surface of the water are most likely unsuitable for cultivation; they can be thrown away (or also planted as an experiment and compare the results).
Advice! Seed material that is stored improperly can become very dry, which is why it will most likely float, but this does not mean that it is unsuitable. So, be careful.
What to soak tomato seeds in before planting
Amateur vegetable growers, in pursuit of productivity, are trying in every possible way to invent new methods for pre-sowing treatment of tomatoes. At the same time, soaking tomato seeds before sowing in some solutions is justified, but in others it is useless and even dangerous.
In potassium permanganate
A solution of potassium permanganate works as a disinfectant and fungicide. Thanks to him, the seed undergoes a kind of “sterilization”. Details are described above.
In aloe juice
Aloe juice contains mineral and biologically active substances and is very popular among amateur vegetable growers. Its effect has not been scientifically proven. However, old aloe juice contains hydroxycinnamic acids, they work in the same way as zircon. In addition, the juice has a bactericidal effect and perhaps some pathogen will lose its virulence due to its effect.
In hydrogen peroxide
Soaking in hydrogen peroxide supposedly reproduces the bubbling effect. When the seed is exposed to air or oxygen. In this case, H2O2 is used as an oxygen solution. Farmers have conducted many experiments and have not scientifically proven the positive effect of hydrogen peroxide on the intensity of germination of tomato seeds.
In epin
The instructions for the drug recommend soaking the seeds in a 0.05% solution (this is only 2 drops per 100 ml of water). However, scientists know that brassinosteroids, phytohormones, which include epin, are needed to maintain immunity under stress factors. In addition, there are already a lot of these hormones in young growing cells. That is why there is no point in soaking the seeds. In addition, the drug quickly decomposes and the plant, especially the seed, is not able to accumulate it in reserve. But when planting seedlings in open ground, plants can be treated.
Note! Epin is a lifesaver. It is used for stress. Seed germination is normal and Epin does not help.
In phytosporin
The active ingredient is phytosporin Bacillus subtilis. This is a bacterium, a rod. It is in a controversial state. Once in a moist nutrient medium, it begins to actively feed and reproduce. If there are pathogenic microorganisms on the seed, the bacteria will neutralize them and “eat them”.
To soak tomato seeds before planting, make a solution of 0.5 teaspoon of powder and 100 ml of water. Dip the seeds and leave for 2 hours. Sow without washing.
Attention! In the light, microorganisms quickly die. It is better to carry out work in dark containers.
In vodka
Such soaking is simply nonsense. There is no rational grain in this. Yes, they are used to quickly ripen tomatoes. But no benefit was found for the seeds.
In chlorhexidine
Chlorhexidine is a bactericidal drug that acts on gram-positive, gram-negative microorganisms and some fungi. Theoretically, the drug can work as a disinfectant, but its practical effect on tomato seeds has not been proven.
In succinic acid
Manufacturers claim that tomato seeds must be soaked in a 0.004% solution of succinic acid before sowing. To do this, use 4 ml of a stock solution with a concentration of 1% and dilute it with 100 ml of water. Soaking is carried out for 4 hours.
The practical effect of soaking seeds in succinic acid has not been proven by scientific farmers. Dibasic saturated carboxylic acid, which is succinic acid, improves the processes of cellular respiration. It is necessary for rapidly growing cells, not the seed. It also does not work as a fungicide.
In potassium humate
The basis of the “work” of potassium humate and all humic fertilizers is the ability to form water-soluble salts with ammonium, potassium, and sodium. That is, making minerals available for absorption by the plant’s root system.
No matter how manufacturers claim the advisability of soaking seeds, this has not been proven. Therefore, there is no need for such a procedure.
In the root
Indolinebutyric acid promotes root growth. It doesn't work at all when processing seed. No matter how the manufacturer tries to prove the opposite, scientific studies have not confirmed the advisability of using root when soaking tomato seeds.
The moment of diving is a completely different matter; the drug can be used there, especially if the seedlings are weak.
In energen
The basis of the drug is humic acids. An excellent product, but not for seeds. It is advisable to use it for seedlings, especially if sowing took place in “random” soils. Humates will significantly improve the bioavailability of soil minerals.
This drug works well at the time of seed germination. As soon as the tomato shoots appear, you can water them with the energin solution.
In honey water
Honey is an excellent food product and should be used for its intended purpose. The enzymes that the bee deposits in honey are very useful for humans and increase immunity - this has been proven, but for the seed it is nothing. Experiments have shown that carbohydrates do not in any way affect the germination of tomato seeds.
In zircon
A number of laboratory studies conducted with tomato seeds and zircon prove that hydroxycinnamic acids do not affect seed germination. There is no need to soak the seed in zircon solutions.
In milk
Milk, like honey, is a food product. It is not advisable to use honey for soaking. It contains fats, proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, etc., but it has nothing to do with the seed.
What is it for
Still, is it necessary to soak tomato seeds? What does soaking do to the seed? According to experts, this procedure allows:
- achieve seed swelling, accelerate their germination, stability and simultaneous emergence of seedlings;
- disinfect seed material, reducing the possibility of sprout disease by 50%;
- increase productivity up to 30%.
This procedure requires not only tomatoes, but also peppers and other cultivated crops. Soaking their seeds is carried out after calibrating the seed, which involves rejecting small, damaged and empty specimens.
It is easy to calibrate the seed, regardless of its size and quantity, by placing the seeds in a saline solution (1 tbsp extra salt per 1 liter of water), and all the empty seeds will float and the good ones will sink to the bottom.
Having rejected the seed material in this way, you can begin to soak and disinfect it. To do this, it is placed in a fabric bag and placed in warm water - warmer than room temperature, but not hot. Its volume should be 25% less than the material being processed, so the water covers the seeds only a couple of centimeters. The duration of the procedure is 12-18 hours, and during the entire period it is recommended to change the water 3-5 times, as well as periodically remove the bag of seeds from the water to provide them with a sufficient amount of oxygen.
Failure to follow the above recommendations will result in the seeds suffocating. As an alternative to soaking, you can use bubbling, a procedure during which the seeds are placed in water saturated with oxygen. A similar effect is achieved using an aquarium compressor.
Method for germinating seeds using toilet paper
The option of germinating tomato seeds using toilet paper is quite original, simple, and minimal in financial and time costs. The advantages of this method are as follows:
- toilet paper contains the minimum substances necessary for the germination of grains;
- minimal care for seeds (no need for fertilizer or fertilizing).
In order to obtain sprouts from tomato grains using toilet paper, you will need a plastic bottle/glass, plastic film (or several bags) and a roll of toilet paper:
- Cut strips of polyethylene 10 centimeters wide so that the seeds are placed in one row.
- Lay a strip of toilet paper on each strip of film, maybe in two layers, moistening it with water.
- Place the tomato seeds on the paper so that the distance between them is 2-3 centimeters.
- Lay down another layer of toilet paper moistened with water, and cover with a strip of film on top. Roll these ribbons into rolls and wrap them with an elastic band.
- Place the resulting rolls in a plastic glass with the seeds facing up and pour in water so that it does not touch the grains themselves. Leave the glass in a warm place for several days. The future seedlings will be enriched with oxygen from the air, and will receive moisture from wet toilet paper. As a rule, with this method, the first shoots from the seeds appear on the seventh day.
It is possible to use a plastic bottle cut lengthwise. Place two layers of toilet paper at the bottom, generously moistened with water. Lay out the tomato seeds and wrap the bottle tightly with cling film, making holes in several places, and leave the resulting structure in the sun. Thus, oxygen enters the container and creates a greenhouse effect, in which seedlings will appear already on the third or fourth day.
The process of spreading tomato seeds on toilet paper for further germination is shown in detail in the following video:
Right choice
How to prepare tomato seeds for seedlings? If you have decided to grow your own tomatoes, then this should be done from the very beginning. You need to buy not seedlings, but seeds. This is the only way to be sure that all the important nuances of caring for them will be observed.
It is better to buy grains for sowing, but you can also collect them (only from a high-quality harvest). There is always a picture of the expected harvest on the packaging. It is important to study the packaging dates indicated on the packaging and the weather conditions that a particular variety can withstand.
In regions where the climate is cold, it is better to choose early varieties. In warm areas you can try growing late varieties. It is important to consider the place where the future seedlings will be planted. There are special varieties for greenhouses, open ground, and even for the windowsill of a house.
Trending Pilaf with chicken and shrimp
Once the variety has been chosen, another question arises: how to process the seeds so that the harvest pleases with its quantity and quality without causing major problems?
Preparing tomato seeds for sowing as seedlings begins with selection. After the purchase is made, the pack is opened and selection for further care begins. They are poured onto a paper surface and only those that are large and dense are selected. Empty, small ones will have to be thrown away.
Liquid with table salt will allow you to properly prepare the seeds by determining their density. As soon as the grains fall into such a solution, you can immediately determine the quality part. Dense seeds end up at the bottom, while hollow ones float to the surface.
Even purchased grains from a pack contain many microbes and fungi. When they fall into the ground, they begin active life. The first shoots emerge weak and die. Therefore, preparing tomato seeds for planting seedlings cannot be done without disinfection.
A recipe based on potassium permanganate is effective and popular. But it needs to be done correctly. A solution that is too saturated or an increase in the time the grains remain in it affects the speed and quality of germination. Tomato seeds should be kept in potassium permanganate for no more than 35 minutes.
Just add 1 g of potassium permanganate to the water and mix well. After the grains have been in this solution for the allotted time, they are washed with plain water and left to dry completely in a warm room.
Preparatory steps
Preparing tomato seeds for sowing includes procedures to strengthen the plant, reduce the risk of disease and increase the number of harvests in the future. Before planting seedlings, seeds must undergo disinfection, hardening, bubbling and additional feeding.
Many vegetable growers, sparing time and effort, wonder whether it is necessary to soak the seeds? It is not possible to treat tomato seeds before planting without soaking. Seeds can be covered with a thin layer of melt or rainwater for 48 hours. If you pour too much water, they may rot.
There are many other solutions for soaking tomato seeds that gardeners use. You can use juice from aloe leaves or a purchased solution. Treatment of tomato seeds before sowing can be carried out with solutions based on sodium humate, zircon or epin extra. They stimulate growth and strengthen cultivated plants.
Pre-sowing preparation of tomato seeds is continued with the hardening procedure. Soaked grains must undergo a hardening stage. Hardening of tomato seeds before planting is recommended to withstand unfavorable weather surprises in the future (wind, hot days or cold nights).
In order to harden future plants, you need to place the grains in a wet towel and leave them at a temperature of 20 degrees for approximately 12 hours, then move the towel to a cold place for 7 hours. The seeds need to be hardened in this way for three days. Throughout this period, you need to monitor the temperature and humidity of the air, otherwise the planting material may rot or mold.
Hardened seedlings will not succumb to temperature changes and will withstand bad weather.
Treatment of tomato seeds before sowing requires a disinfection procedure. Seed disinfection is carried out using a wide variety of recipes; the most popular are prepared based on potassium permanganate 0.1% and hydrogen peroxide 10%.
Before sowing, tomato seeds also require a procedure such as bubbling. It allows the seeds to swell, become saturated with oxygen and then germinate faster. The seeds are poured with half a glass of water and stirred (bubble) periodically for 4 hours. If you have an aquarium in your house, you can connect the tube to the compressor. The grains will be even more enriched with oxygen. After a while, they are placed on a dry cloth to dry completely.
Pre-sowing treatment of tomato seeds to increase yield is carried out with feeding. The following recipe is popular. Nitroammophoska, sodium humate and wood ash are poured with a liter of water. Tomato grains in potassium permanganate are kept in a specially made gauze bag, which is dipped into the resulting solution for half an hour. After this, the seeds are kept in a wet towel until they begin to germinate. As soon as the first sprouts hatch, they are transplanted into prepared soil.
To ensure that the treatment of tomato seeds before planting is not in vain, each stage must be performed correctly. They take into account the location of further planting of seedlings, taste, height of bushes, weather conditions and other factors.
What to soak in
Drinking water from the city water supply is absolutely not suitable for preparing solutions and germinating seeds, as it contains harmful chlorine. In a desperate situation, you can use tap water that has been standing for 2-3 days.
Melt, rain or bottled water is very suitable for soaking.
Disinfection
Disinfectant solutions are used to disinfect (treat) seeds in order to minimize the incidence of plant diseases.
Hydrogen peroxide
(3% solution). It must be diluted with two parts of water. Keep the seeds in this solution for 3 to 12 hours, rinse with water and dry.
Potassium permanganate
(1% solution). Soak for 15-20 minutes.
Boric acid
. Take 0.2 g of the drug per 1 liter of water. Keep in solution for 24 hours.
Fitosporin is an effective modern drug. Use according to instructions.
Stimulation
Stimulating treatment guarantees excellent seed germination. For this purpose use:
aloe juice Cut off the three-year-old lower leaves and keep in the refrigerator for a week. Then grind and dilute the resulting juice with water in a 1:1 ratio. Soak the seeds for 18-24 hours;- potato juice
. Freeze a few potatoes in the freezer and then let them thaw. Grate the potatoes, squeeze out the juice and strain it. Soak tomato seeds in juice for 6-8 hours; - infusion of wood ash
. Pour 2 tablespoons of powder into 1 liter of boiling water and leave for at least 2 days. Immerse the seeds in the infusion for 5-12 hours; - ready-made growth stimulants
- Epin, Zircon, Energen and others.
After soaking in the stimulating solution, the seeds are not washed and are either immediately germinated or planted to obtain seedlings in a greenhouse or open ground. If planting is not done immediately (not on the day of soaking), then the seeds are dried.
How to soak properly
To properly soak tomato seeds, you need to follow the step-by-step instructions.
- Before carrying out the procedure, be sure to calibrate the seeds. There is no point in processing empty and lifeless seeds; even after soaking, they will not germinate.
- The volume of processed seed material should be approximately 50 times less than the volume of the prepared solution.
- In no case should the exposure time of the solution specified in the instructions be exceeded. This can lead not only to an overdose of active components, but also to rotting of the material.
It is most convenient to wrap the seeds in gauze and lower them in this form into a container with a solution. The liquid must be at room temperature – no higher than 25°C.
