How many years do seeds remain viable?
Germination of tomato seeds is the period of time during which they can germinate under the right germination conditions. According to Order No. 707 of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food dated October 18, 1999, each package of tomato seeds offered for sale must indicate the expiration date.
The germination of seed material is influenced by a number of factors, including their packaging. When storing seeds in paper containers, the shelf life is 12 months. If the seed material is stored in a foil bag or double packaging that does not allow moisture to pass through, it can be stored for up to 24 months.
According to GOST requirements, the standard germination rate of tomato seeds must be at least 95%. If you buy seed material at a gardening store, it is advisable to immediately pour it from a foil or plastic container into an envelope made of breathable paper. This will help extend the shelf life of tomato seeds to 4-5 years.
After 5 years of age, the germination rate of seed material rapidly decreases. They can also be sown, but only after preliminary testing for germination:
- prepare a flat plate or saucer;
- Place toilet paper or a napkin folded in 2-3 layers on a plate;
- spray the napkin with a spray bottle;
- distribute the seeds evenly between layers of damp material, cover on top;
- cover the top of the plate with a plastic bag, creating a “greenhouse” effect;
- leave the container with the seeds warm, at an air temperature of at least +25°C.
After 4-5 days, the first tomato shoots should hatch. It is necessary to carefully evaluate their quantity - if the number of sprouts is less than 30%, such seed material is not suitable for use. If more than 30% of the seeds have sprouted, they can be sown as seedlings.
The main reasons for the lack of seedlings
Sometimes tomatoes do not sprout for a long time after sowing. This means that the seeds were weak or that normal conditions were not created for them.
Factors leading to the death of seed before emergence are:
Diseases
Under the seed shell there are often bacteria in a state of suspended animation. After the sprout appears, they also become active and infect tomatoes with dangerous diseases.
Incorrect seeding
It is necessary to choose the right distance between seeds. If they are sown in a bunch, they prevent each other from growing and hatching normally.
Deep placement of seeds
If you plant the seeds deeper than recommended on the package, or water the soil immediately after sowing, driving them into the ground, then the sprouts will waste time and energy trying to break through to the surface. It is recommended to plant the seed at a distance no deeper than its 3 heights.
Storage conditions and features
For sowing seedlings, you can use both purchased and independently prepared seeds. Many summer residents choose the second option - this helps save money on the purchase of expensive seed material. In addition, by collecting seeds yourself, you can obtain strong and healthy seedlings, adapted to specific growing conditions and its climatic conditions.
For good seed germination, you must follow the rules for preparing tomato seeds:
- To harvest seeds, fruits from the lower clusters are used. They must correspond to all the characteristics of the variety - color, shape and weight. Tomatoes of non-standard shape, with traces of disease or rot are not used for collecting seeds.
- Only ripe tomatoes are used to harvest seeds. Brown fruits should be left on the bushes.
- The fruit must be cut and the seeds squeezed out along with the juice into a glass glass or jar.
- The container with seeds must be left for 3-4 days in a warm place for fermentation. Thanks to this, pathogenic microorganisms that often live in tomato pulp are destroyed.
- After the specified time has passed, the seeds must be poured onto a sieve and rinsed under running water, while removing all fibers and pulp particles. They can cause rotting of the seed during storage.
- Before sending for storage, tomato seeds need to be checked for germination. To do this, fill them with saline solution (1 spoon of table salt per glass of water) and leave for 20 minutes. All seeds that float to the surface must be thrown away - they are hollow and lifeless. For sowing, only seeds that have sunk to the bottom of the container are used.
The germination of seed material depends on its correct storage. In a too humid place, the seeds will begin to germinate; in a dry place, they will dry out.
The best option is storage in glass jars with hermetically sealed lids. They must be placed away from direct sunlight, radiators and other heating sources. It is best to choose dark and dry places.
You can use paper envelopes instead of glass jars. They store both purchased and collected seeds. In this case, you need to monitor the storage temperature - it should be in the range from +5 to +12°C, and the air humidity should not exceed 55%.
When storing tomato seeds, sudden temperature changes and high air humidity should not be allowed. Such fluctuations will not only impair the germination of seed material, but can also lead to its death.
Is it possible to plant seeds that have expired?
Whether it is worth sowing tomato seeds that have expired, each summer resident decides for himself. The germination rates of such material depend on the conditions under which it was stored.
With proper storage, maintaining optimal temperature and air humidity, summer residents receive strong and friendly seedlings even from seeds 7-10 years old. The only caveat is that in this case, seedlings may appear a little later. But this does not in any way affect the growth rate of the tomato and the quality of the future harvest.
How to increase the germination of old seeds
Soaking old seed helps to increase the germination capacity of old seed. To do this, you can use both ready-made stimulant drugs and home remedies prepared independently. Such stimulants help speed up seed germination by softening the hard outer shell, as well as ensure rapid growth and development of seedlings.
Zircon
A popular and affordable stimulant that can be bought at any gardening store. Zircon can be used as a separate product or combined with Cytovit. The combination of these two agents stimulates seed germination, increases the germination of old seeds, and strengthens the immunity of seedlings.
To prepare the solution you will need 4 drops of Cytovit and 4 drops of Zircon, which dissolve in 200 ml of water. Tomato seeds need to be soaked in this solution for 48 hours and then dried thoroughly.
Epin-Extra
One of the most popular growth stimulants, which can bring even expired tomato seeds back to life. It belongs to plant hormones, analogues of natural biological stimulants.
For pre-soaking tomato seeds, use a solution of 5-6 drops of the drug per 100 ml of water at room temperature. The holding time is from 20 to 24 hours.
succinic acid
A budget-friendly and effective remedy that helps awaken even old tomato seeds to active growth. Succinic acid is sold in any pharmacy; it comes in the form of powder or tablets.
To soak tomato seeds, use a solution prepared from 1 g of succinic acid and 2 liters of boiled water at room temperature. The seed material must be kept in this solution for 48 hours, then dried.
Energen
By soaking old tomato seeds that have expired in Energen, you can increase their germination rate by at least 30%. This product destroys the dense outer shell of the seed and stimulates its germination.
Tomato seeds are soaked in a solution prepared from 15-20 drops of Energen per 100 ml of water. The material must be kept in this product for about 5-7 hours, then dried.
Honey
Honey is an effective and natural remedy that helps improve the germination of tomato seeds. Honey not only activates the growth of seeds, but also strengthens the immune system, protecting young seedlings from pathogenic bacteria.
To prepare a honey solution, you need to dissolve 1 teaspoon of natural honey in 200 ml of water. Tomato seeds are soaked for 24 hours.
Aloe juice
A natural seed growth stimulator that improves the germination of expired material. Additionally, it has an antibacterial effect, strengthening the immunity of tomato seedlings.
To prepare the solution, you need to cut off a thick and fleshy leaf from the bottom of the aloe. The sheet, wrapped in gauze or plastic wrap, should be placed on the refrigerator shelf for 10 days. After this, the leaf needs to be crushed and the juice squeezed out through cheesecloth. To make the solution, the juice is mixed with boiled water in a 1:2 ratio, then the tomato seeds are soaked in it for 24 hours.
The shelf life of tomato seeds is an important condition for their germination. To obtain strong and healthy tomato seedlings, it is important to comply with all the conditions for proper seed storage and to avoid sudden changes in temperature and air humidity. Growth stimulants are used to increase germination.
Varieties: which one to choose
Types of crops differ in many characteristics, of which the most significant is the ripening period. To continuously obtain a fresh product, the conveyor method of growing it from seeds by repeated sowing every 10-14 days is practiced.
Knowledge of varieties is necessary, because you can grow good dill using only those that are zoned for cultivation in a given region:
- The early ones include Dalny, Redut, Gribovsky. The period from germination to the start of stemming in the middle zone takes them 35-40 days. The number of leaves formed is 4-6. They begin flowering immediately upon reaching commercial ripeness (faster in heat and drought);
- Mid-season varieties include Lesnogorodsky, Richelieu, Borey and others. Stemming begins 5-10 days later than early ripening ones. They also form more leaves - 6-10 pieces. They have time to form everything - greens, umbrellas, seeds of waxy ripeness;
- more leafy rosettes of late-ripening varieties contain more than 10 leaves. The period between germination and stemming takes 65-70 days, which is why the yield of late varieties of dill - Alligator, Frost, Amazon - is the highest. These are bush crops, so the agricultural technology for cultivating them is different from earlier varieties: they are not sown so densely and must be thinned out, leaving a distance of 15-20 cm.
