Carrot germination: how to speed up and soak seeds

If you plant radish and carrot seeds at the same time, then by the time you can pick the first radishes, carrot sprouts will just begin to appear on the surface of the earth. The very dense shell of the seeds and the high content of essential oil lead to the fact that it takes at least three weeks for the seed to germinate. And we should add to this the extremely low percentage of germination of carrot seeds, which barely reaches 60%. When gardeners, after three weeks, find that only part of the seeds has sprung up, they produce additional sowing, and therefore the harvest time is shifted by almost a month. Therefore, knowledge of some secret techniques and the germination of carrots will help you carry out the necessary pre-sowing preparation, which will provide you with friendly and healthy shoots.

Germination of carrots: the choice of planting material

Now in agricultural stores there is a huge selection of planting material. You can buy regular carrot seeds, granular seeds coated with a special nutrient formula that accelerates seed germination, and seeds glued to a special tape (one of the most convenient options for planting evenly). The main thing is, when buying seed, remember that the initially low germination rate of seeds during storage decreases every year. So when buying, first of all, pay attention not to the expiration date, but to the date of collection of seeds - it makes sense to purchase only those that were harvested last year.

Carrot germination: the effectiveness of soaking carrot seeds

The seeds of many crops are soaked before planting precisely in order to accelerate their germination. However, in the case of carrots, this method is more useful for sorting, since when soaking or prolonged rinsing under hot water, not only essential oils that inhibit germination are washed out, but also nutrients necessary for seedlings to grow stronger. Therefore, fill the seeds not with hot, but with warm water, part of the planting material will float to the surface - these are dummies, they can be thrown away. Leave the rest of the seeds in water for a couple of days (the water should be changed from time to time), during this time they will swell and be ready for planting. You should not wait for the sprouts to appear, as they are extremely fragile and there is a high probability of breaking them when planting. If you did not keep track of the seeds and they nevertheless hatch, then they must be planted very carefully and already in warm ground. If it is necessary to slightly delay the development of germinated seeds, then you can keep them in the refrigerator for several days at a temperature of about 4 degrees Celsius.

Pelleting

Fortunately, soaking is not the only way to affect carrot seeds, some of which will not only speed up the emergence of seedlings, but also contribute to hardening the plants. For example, if dry carrot seeds are folded into a cotton or linen bag, put on a dish and covered with moist and cold soil on top, then after about 9-11 days the seeds will swell and they can be planted, the seedlings will appear in five days, which means the seed germination period is reduced almost a week. You can make your own seed shells rich in nutrients, like the dragees available at agricultural stores.Such treatment will help the seeds germinate faster, facilitate the sowing procedure (the seeds will become larger), will allow you to maintain the required distance between the seeds and, as a result, facilitate planting maintenance. Having planted seeds in a nutritious shell, you will see the difference even before harvesting - the seedlings will be more friendly, the tops are powerful and bright, the immunity of the plants will be noticeably stronger. To prepare a nutritious shell, you will need an infusion of compost or mullein, peat and humus. Pre-sort the seeds, selecting only those that are suitable for planting. Pour dry planting material into a container, add peat, previously wiped through a sieve, as well as humus and liquid compost there. Close the container tightly with a lid and shake it for a long time. In the process of this action, an initial layer of the shell is formed around the seeds. After that, you need to add a little of each of the components of the nutrient mixture and repeat the procedure again. As a result, you will get lumps - seeds covered with a nutrient mixture, which must be laid out on a paper towel and dried well. This process is called pelleting, preparation of seeds according to this recipe takes time and is accompanied by a special "aroma" of the nutrient mixture, but this method of planting can be called one of the most effective.

Using a hydrogel

Hydrogel is a wonderful synthetic material that can be successfully used not only for growing or decorating indoor plants, but also for germinating seeds. The advantage over ordinary soaking is obvious - being among the hydrogel balls, the seeds will definitely not rot or mold, since the environment is not dense and heterogeneous, which means that air flows freely to the planting material. Seeds should be spread out on a hydrogel that has absorbed moisture, covered with another layer on top and left for 7-8 days, then immediately planted. This method reduces the seed germination time by almost half, that is, its advantage over conventional planting is obvious.

Carrot germination: preparation of nutrient solution

You can soak the seeds in a specially prepared solution and then harden them. To prepare a solution for 1 liter of water at room temperature, you will need 1 tsp. humate sodium, potassium, preparations Energen or Effekton, as well as to any of these substances, add 2 tsp. ash. Leave the seeds in this solution for 24 hours, then rinse and place in the refrigerator in the vegetable compartment, after four days the seeds can be planted.

Bubbling

This is the soaking of the seeds, combined with the passage of air, that is, aeration of the water. Experienced gardeners claim that such preparation can reduce the germination time of seeds to two weeks, instead of three. You will need a pump or compressor for the aquarium. It will take about a day to sparge the seeds, perhaps a little less if the shell of carrot seeds begins to open. A little liquid fertilizer can be added to the water. Dry the finished seeds and you can immediately start sowing. But when preparing the seeds in this way, it is not necessary to abundantly shed the furrows before sowing, otherwise the sprouts may begin to rot.

Vernalization

This is a set of actions aimed at hardening the culture and increasing frost resistance. For carrots, this method is used very successfully, after such treatment, the seedlings grow stronger faster and more actively build up the green mass, the root crop develops quickly and without deviations. The planting material should be soaked for a while in melt water, warmed to room temperature, and then placed in a refrigerator for a couple of weeks and kept there in damp gauze at a temperature of about 0. At the end of this process, the seeds swell and are ready to hatch, so they can be planted in previously prepared moist and loose soil.After that, you can cover the bed with an opaque film for 10-14 days to keep warm and slow down the germination of weeds.

It is very important to properly prepare the seeds for planting, half of the success in growing carrots depends on it. But it is also important to plant these seeds correctly and take care of them in a timely manner, providing watering, weeding and loosening of the soil. Based on the information received, you can choose the most convenient method for preparing planting material and, thanks to this, harvest a rich harvest in the fall.