Three main reasons why seedlings do not appear, and how can you guarantee seed germination?

Unfortunately, sometimes it happens that seeds planted on seedlings never germinate.
And it seems that the sowing was carried out correctly, and the soil is of high quality, but there are still no shoots. Dear readers!
For you, we have created communities on social networks in which useful articles and interesting ideas are published several times a day! Subscribe and receive useful content in a convenient format! In today’s article we will try to figure out why the seedlings do not sprout, and whether this can be somehow corrected.

Common reasons why seeds do not germinate

First of all, let us outline the main reasons why seedlings do not appear:

• Low air or substrate temperature.
• Poor quality substrate (heavy, “poor”, contaminated with viruses, bacteria or fungi).
• Sowing too deep or too shallow.
• Bad (old, diseased, dry) seeds.
• Unsuitable conditions for germination have been created.
• Excess or lack of moisture in the soil.
• Features of the variety or hybrid (late emergence of seedlings).

ON A NOTE. Most often, beginning gardeners make mistakes by planting grains too deeply and choosing the wrong temperature conditions. Other reasons are less common.

Temperature

Seed germination is directly dependent on soil temperature. The air temperature in the room and the temperature of the soil in which the seeds are located differ by 2-3 degrees. For germination, this is a serious value, and often it is critical.

• Coriander: cultivation, properties, application

For example, at temperatures below 8 ⁰C, tomato seeds practically do not germinate; at a temperature of 10 ⁰C, tomato seeds only begin to germinate two weeks after sowing, and the last seed can germinate on the 29th day.

That is, a lower soil temperature than that required for germination can greatly delay the emergence of seedlings, and they will appear unevenly. The optimal temperature for this process is 18-24 ⁰C. And only if high-quality seeds were sown, constant soil moisture and optimal temperature were ensured, you will get the first shoots of tomatoes on the third day, and they will sprout en masse, almost one hundred percent, on the fifth. If you are able to meet all three conditions, you will not have a question why the germination of seeds is extended.

I will not dwell on the question of soil composition and crop lighting, because these two components for seed germination do not play an important role. Let me just remind you that the soil should not be too dense and should not contain herbicides and other dangerous chemicals, and germinating seeds do not need light at all.

All the best.

The seeds have expired, until when can you sow them?

To guarantee germination, it is necessary to sow young seeds collected at the end of the last summer season. If you use purchased ones, then those that were packaged last year.

The older the grains, the worse they germinate. Each plant has its own “expiration date”.

The table below shows the maximum germination times for seeds of various crops.

NOTE! This is background information. Everyone has a friend, relative, distant acquaintance who planted seeds 10 years ago and they sprouted. This also happens, but more often than not, after the expiration date, the grains sharply lose their germination capacity.

Content

• 1. What to consider when sowing seeds
• 2. How to test seeds for germination
• 3. Why the seeds may not sprout
• 4. Instructions for germinating seeds of different types 4.1. Annuals
• 4.2. Biennials
• 4.3. Perennials
• 4.4. Vegetables

As a rule, self-respecting manufacturers provide on the back of the seed bag all the necessary information about sowing and the timing of seed germination. But what if it is completely absent or varies from company to company?

PHOTO: Select seed suppliers provide basic information about the plant using visual diagrams.

Improper seed storage conditions

The most unobvious reason that the grains did not germinate is inappropriate storage conditions for the seed material.

Moreover, both the summer resident and the store may be to blame. Seeds should be stored at air humidity not exceeding 60%. If the indicator is higher, then the seeds will begin to “wake up”, and since there was no planting in the ground, the grains will waste their energy.

The temperature regime is violated

Of course, each crop requires its own temperature conditions for germination. But the general rule is that seeds love warmth.

The average value is +27 degrees. At this temperature, the grains will sprout fastest. The lower the temperature, the later the shoots will appear. And at very low values ​​(for vegetable crops this is from 15 to 18 degrees), the seeds will completely die.

At the same time, overheating is destructive, so do not allow the temperature to rise to 30 degrees.

Seed quality

The quality of the seeds is of great importance, and I have said this several times. Typically, high-quality, proven seeds from leading companies are more expensive than seeds from little-known manufacturers, but you should not save on buying seeds.

Well-known companies value their reputation and therefore pay great attention to product quality control. Of course, the price is also influenced by the fact that the company is well-known and recognizable, but what is more important is that its products are of high quality.

We buy expensive professional seeds year after year and don’t regret it. If you are a commercial vegetable or flower grower, spending a little more money on good seeds but growing a great crop or beautiful flowers from them will recoup your investment many times over. High-quality seeds always give good results.

• Daffodil bulbs

How long does it take for the table to rise?

In order not to be nervous about whether the seeds sprout or not, it’s time to replant or it’s too early, we have compiled a table for you where we have collected information on the timing of sprouting for the main vegetable crops.

REFERENCE INFORMATION. The table shows average values. In each specific case, the germination period will depend on the conditions created.

Unsuitable soil

However, sometimes even quality material does not sprout, and this happens as a result of our mistakes, for example, because the soil is too heavy, too dense, preventing the germination of a small embryo.

The soil for seedlings should be light, air- and moisture-permeable, so that the sprout can easily pass through it.

• Lovage: cultivation, properties, types

How to stimulate seeds before planting

To avoid this situation, the seeds can be “awakened” before planting.

The simplest way is soaking in water. We take cotton wool or gauze, moisten it in water and put the seeds on it. Cover the top with the same piece and place in a warm place. Periodically moisten the cotton wool.

In a few days the grains will hatch. We plant them as seedlings.

The second method is soaking in a growth stimulator. You can take any. Most often they use Epin or Zircon. We prepare a working solution and place the grains there, after which we sow.

The third method is bubbling. During this procedure, the seeds are exposed to oxygen, which helps them awaken. You will need an aquarium compressor. Place the seeds in water and turn on the compressor for 12 hours.

The fourth method is stratification. The essence of the method is to expose the seed material to extremely low temperatures and then transfer it to heat. In this way, natural conditions are imitated, when spring comes after winter and the seeds “wake up.”

IMPORTANT! You cannot stimulate seed material that has already been processed at the factory. These are, for example, coated seeds.

What to consider when sowing seeds

• pay attention to the temperature preferences of each specific plant in order to get seedlings as quickly as possible;
• Please note that pelleted seeds take longer to germinate than untreated seeds , so you can add 2-3 days to the time indicated on the bag;
• take into account the depth of seeding; buried seeds will take longer to germinate . Information about this can be found in specialized literature or seen on the packaging;
• Pay attention to the light requirements of the seeds; some plants take a very long time to germinate or do not hatch at all in the absence of sunlight or, on the contrary, may die from it.
• be sure to clarify the need for procedures that facilitate the germination of seeds of individual plants (scarification, stratification, soaking, freezing, etc.). Otherwise, you may also not wait for the shoots;
• do not expect miracles from the use of special stimulants (Prorostok, Epin, Stimul, NV-101, etc.). They will undoubtedly increase the percentage of seed germination and reduce the germination time, but only within the limits of the biological characteristics of a particular species ;
• seeds from Western producers may take longer to germinate, because they are sometimes overdried to increase shelf life. In order to speed up the germination process, you can use the bubbling method;

At home, a regular aquarium compressor is used for bubbling. The compressor hose is placed at the bottom of a container (500–700 ml), two-thirds filled with water at room temperature. Seeds in fabric bags are placed directly on the bottom of the jar. The procedure time depends on the culture. For example, watermelon and pepper - 36 hours; carrots, spinach, onions and melon - 18–24 hours; radishes and salad - 12 hours; legumes 6–10 hours. After processing, the seeds are dried and sown.

IN THE PHOTO: A compressor with a tip in the form of a flat round stone is also suitable for bubbling. This design of the aerator will allow the entire thickness of the water to be maximally saturated with air.

• Keep a diary, recording at what time certain species/varieties sprout in your conditions ;
• different varieties and hybrids, despite belonging to the same species, can germinate at different times . It is better not to sow different varieties in a common container.

Is it possible to influence the germination of already planted seeds?

The simplest thing you can do to make the seeds germinate is to cover the containers with seedlings with film or glass and place them in a warm place.

This way we create a greenhouse effect that improves germination.

If the deadline has passed and no sprouts are visible, you can try to revive the crops. There are several ways.

• Temperature changes. Take the seedlings outside or into a cold corridor for 2 hours, then return them back.
• Treatment with a growth stimulator. Prepare a solution of Epin or Succinic acid and carefully water the substrate.
• Place the crops under a UV lamp for 12 hours.

Techniques for slow-germinating seeds

There is a special technique for slow-germinating seeds, after which they are able to germinate in gunta within 4-5 days. The seeds of carrots, celery, dill and parsley contain essential oils, which make it difficult for moisture to penetrate inside. Therefore, when planted dry, seedlings will appear only on day 20-25.

The procedure is carried out as follows:

1. A fabric bag is filled with seeds and immersed in hot water (t=+45-+50C).
2. Rinse in water for some time to get rid of essential oils and leave in water until completely cooled.
3. Wash again and scatter to dry.

A few more interesting ways to speed up the germination of slow-germinating seeds

They are placed in a bag and buried outside in cool soil 2 weeks before planting. The location of the “treasure” is marked with a stick or other identification mark. Remove before sowing and dry on cloth or paper. They germinate already 4-5 days after planting.

Another method involves steam treatment. Inside the plastic bucket, a wire frame is prepared, on top of which the fabric is placed. Boiling water is poured into the bottom of the bucket, and seeds are poured onto the grate located above (on the cloth). The container is closed with a lid, and the seeds are left to “breathe over steam” overnight. This way their germination rate increases many times over.

To make carrot seeds germinate faster, they are treated with vodka. Thanks to alcohol, essential oils evaporate faster and moisture penetrates the seed, speeding up the germination process. The seed material should remain in vodka for more than 10-15 minutes. Then it is washed in running water and dried.

Answers to frequently asked questions

Why are there no shoots?

With a high degree of probability, either the planting was too deep or the seed was of poor quality.

The second option is too early.

Is it possible to speed up the germination process?

Yes, but it’s better to take care of this issue before sowing.

What to do if nothing helps and the seeds don’t germinate?

Re-sow in new soil, following all the rules of agricultural technology.

Sowing too deep

Another reason for poor germination may be too deep seed placement. There is a rule: the depth of immersion of a seed in the soil should be equal to three of its diameters.

An exception to this rule are small-seeded plants: their seeds should simply be spread over the surface or sprinkled only on the side so that the top of the seed can see the light. Because the smaller the seed, the less strength its sprout has to penetrate the soil.

Planting too deeply can greatly delay germination or prevent germination altogether.