It is advisable to treat pepper seeds before sowing: apply agrotechnical techniques that improve the quality of planting material. In principle, this is not necessary, because dry ones will also sprout over time. But in order for the decision in favor of one method or another to be balanced, you need to know everything about proper preparation pepper seeds for planting.
The seeds do not require any processing, including soaking, and are fully prepared for planting by the companies that sell them. It's all imported planting material, as well as those seeds domestic producers, which are covered with a nutritious shell - panned, encrusted, plasma, etc. They are sown dry.
Such seed material is pre-treated with fungicides against diseases. There must be an indication of this on the packaging.
The question of whether it is necessary to soak seeds before planting primarily arises for those raw materials that have not undergone pre-sowing treatment or have been prepared independently.
Pepper is sown for seedlings in February, and in regions with cold climates - at the end of January. This is done so early because peppers have a long growing season: depending on the variety, the seedlings will be ready for planting permanent place in 60-75 days. This is quite a long time.
In addition, pepper seeds differ from the raw materials of other crops in that they do not have very high germination energy. They often take a very long time to hatch, and even then they don’t germinate at all.
This depends on many conditions: the variety, storage conditions and how correctly the pre-sowing treatment was carried out.
Pepper seed germination rate:
That is, soaked grains will hatch much faster - most of them will germinate within a week.
Properly prepared seeds have strong immunity. They will grow into strong shoots that can withstand the vagaries of the weather, pathogens, and pest attacks. Therefore, the harvest will be abundant and healthy.
Soaking will help to identify weak, diseased, non-germinating seeds at an early stage. It is especially important to carry it out if there is the slightest doubt about the quality of the planting material.
In addition, soaking will make it possible to select the most viable specimens - those that will be the first to produce strong shoots.
It is imperative to soak pepper seeds if the sowing time is missed for some reason. This will reduce the time allotted by nature for the embryos to awaken to life.
Considering that some of the grains do not germinate, in this case you should soak the pepper seeds in larger quantities so that you have plenty to choose from for hardy specimens.
All this is true both for gardeners in the northern regions and for those who grow peppers in the south.
All seeds have a dormant stage, when the ripe embryo waits out the cold season. For peppers, this period lasts 3–6 months. The growth process begins in favorable conditions when absorbing water - in the swelling phase. Soaking serves as a stimulant, an impetus for growth.
Preparing seeds for planting consists of several stages. All of them help to awaken the embryos.
This is sorting seeds by size. It is based on the fact that large grains are more viable and are able to quickly grow into a healthy, productive bush.
Simultaneously with calibration, the seeds are carefully examined to identify specimens that are unsuitable for planting.
The raw materials are sorted, assessing their condition by eye. Empty, too small, discolored, mechanically damaged, unevenly colored and traces of insects seeds are discarded.
But not all small grains turn out to be of poor quality. The small size can be caused by weather conditions during their formation, improper agricultural practices when growing peppers, and even by the part of the fruit where they were located.
Based only on this sign, you can throw away full seeds. On my own small size does not affect either the germination rate or the quality of the future pepper bush, especially if favorable conditions are created for it.
Planting material purchased in a special store does not need calibration. Moreover, there may be very little of it in the package. You should definitely check your seeds.
In order not to waste time on seeds that are unable to germinate, they are checked for germination. That is, they identify those that obviously will not sprout and discard them.
Germination is the percentage of seeds that germinate on time in good conditions, to their total number. For pepper, the norm is 70% germination.
Pepper seeds become unviable various reasons. It can be:
Some of these shortcomings are identified at the calibration stage.
The method of soaking in clean or salt water helps to find grains without germs - empty, consisting of one shell. They are much lighter than fertile ones, so they do not sink. The density of the saline solution is higher than that of pure water, so it is better at identifying non-germinating specimens.
But this method is not 100%. The fact is that pepper seeds are very light, so even the best ones may not sink. In addition, manufacturers carefully dry the seeds to increase their shelf life. Such grains will remain floating on the surface, even if they are of high quality.
In addition, large seeds are also not germinating. But they will definitely drown under their own weight.
As for the saline solution, it is made at 3–4% (30–40 g of salt per 1 liter of liquid). The seeds are dipped into it for 5–7 minutes, stirring the suspension with a spoon. Those that sank are likely to be good. And those that remain on the surface may be empty.
Then the seeds are washed so that no salt remains on the surface and dried on a sheet of paper. It is important that the raw materials do not stick together, otherwise the following stages - disinfection and treatment with nutritional compounds will not have the desired effect.
Seeds of imported, hybrid varieties and coated planting material should not be tested in this way.
Seeds harvested independently need protection from pathogenic microbes. This also applies to all cases where there are doubts about the health of planting material.
Treating not only destroys pathogens, but also makes the seed material able to resist new infections.
If the seeds stick together, they are separated. You can either gently grind them, or put them in water again immediately before work.
Seeds must be moistened before disinfection, since chemicals can burn the dry shell, causing the planting material to die.
Methods for disinfecting seeds:
Etching is carried out with water at room temperature. When finished, the pepper seeds should be washed with running water and dried.
After disinfection, you can carry out bubbling - enriching the seeds with oxygen. The method is necessary if they have low germination energy, that is, they germinate unharmoniously and at different speeds.
Bubbling speeds up the emergence of pepper seedlings by about a week.
For processing, use a compressor from a home aquarium. The tip of the device is lowered to the bottom of the jar and oxygen is released.
Rules for bubbling:
Planting material is placed in a jar; it should float freely in the water.
At home, the method is necessary in cases where it is necessary to awaken old seeds that have lost their viability. In pepper they retain the ability to germinate for 3 years. If stored in unsuitable conditions, for example in the cold, then only 1–2 years.
Dry the bubbled pepper seeds on a paper sheet away from direct sunlight.
Then it is useful to process the planting material nutrient solutions. This fills the seeds with microelements and stimulates their growth.
If the germination procedure is not carried out, this is done 2 days before sowing.
After this treatment, germination increases and the time required for germination decreases. The shoots will grow strong and healthy. Pepper bushes will be able to resist diseases and the influence of unfavorable weather, and will produce a large harvest.
Feeding should be done after disinfection of the seeds, otherwise during the disinfection process everything useful material will be neutralized.
The drugs are dissolved in moderate hot water with a temperature of 40–45°C. Pepper seeds, placed in cloth bags, are dipped into the solution when it has cooled to room temperature. It is useful to hold them in warm water 2-3 hours - this will help the nutrients penetrate the shell faster.
You can use folk remedies:
Aloe juice not only enriches grains nutrients, but also destroys microbes. Therefore, preliminary etching is not required in this case.
Ready-made products are effective for saturating seeds with useful substances. They are used strictly according to the manufacturer's instructions.
| A drug | Peculiarities |
| "Energen" | Natural environmentally friendly growth stimulator. For seeds, it is better to use one that comes in liquid form. |
| "Epin-Extra" | Analogue of natural biostimulants. Available in ampoules. Ready solution cannot be stored for more than two days |
| "NV-101" | Natural product, safe for people and animals. Available in liquid form. To soak the seeds, dilute 2 drops in a liter of water. Processing time - 12 hours |
| "Zircon" | Anti-stress drug, growth regulator. Preparation of a solution for pepper seeds - 10 drops per 1 liter of water. Soaking time - 8 hours |
| "Ideal" | Made from an extract of waste products of earthworms. For soaking, 5 ml of the substance is diluted in 1 liter of water. Processing time - days |
| "Ivin" | Growth regulator. Analogue of natural phytohormones. Solution for spraying 10 g of pepper seeds - 1 ampoule per 20 ml of water |
| "Obereg" | Activates the immune system, increases resistance to diseases. To soak or spray pepper seeds, dissolve 5 drops in 5 liters of water. Soaking time - 1 hour. The solution is viable for 1.5 hours |
Only one remedy is used; there is no need to use multiple medications. Repeated processing will also be unnecessary.
It should be borne in mind that the germs themselves contain the required amount of enzymes, amino acids, proteins, carbohydrates and fats. Before germination, while they are in the dormant stage, they have low metabolic activity. Therefore, they will not be able to absorb all the beneficial substances from the nutrient mixtures, and the emerging seedlings will require new fertilizers.
After all the procedures, pepper seeds can be planted, but it is better to germinate them before doing so. The conditions for seed germination are moisture, heat and oxygen. Water activates the formation of seedlings by penetrating the substances that make up the seeds. Soaking helps speed up this process.
It is better to use melt water. If the water is from the tap, it needs to stand for 24 hours.
To germinate pepper seeds, use cotton pads, natural fabric, and napkins. The processed seeds are placed between layers of the selected material, placed on a flat plate and placed in a warm place.
The matter is moistened from time to time so that there is no water on the saucer, otherwise the seeds may rot. It is enough to hold the napkin in which the planting material is wrapped while wet. If the seeds are completely flooded, they will simply suffocate in the absence of oxygen.
To prevent the fabric from drying out, you can place the plate in a plastic bag. It is tied so that it remains inside air gap. Every day the bag is opened slightly for 5–10 minutes to ventilate.
Pepper seeds can germinate at +16°C, but this temperature is too low for them. They will rise for a long time and unfriendly.
The best temperature for germinating pepper seeds is 23–27°C. They should not be placed on a radiator or stove - there they may dry out or burn.
If the seeds are old, then before soaking you can try to return them vitality. To do this, place them in a thermos and pour them in for 20 minutes. hot water with a temperature of about 48 C.
Soak the seeds for one to five days. You can't hold it for long. You shouldn’t even wait until all the sprouts hatch, otherwise they may all die.
Sprouted and swollen seeds are sown until the sprouts stretch out and intertwine. When the seedlings are still tiny, they are less likely to break when planted.
This procedure increases the resistance of seeds to low temperatures. It is carried out by keeping the seed material in the refrigerator at a temperature of +1–5°C for up to three days. Before hardening, the seeds are soaked and germinated. The swollen seeds with the beginnings of sprouts are taken out into the cold. This is done by wrapping the seed material in a damp cloth or paper. The bundle is placed in a bag.
To a greater extent, this procedure is necessary for the seeds of those plants that sow in early spring into slightly warm soil.
Hardening is not necessary for pepper seeds. This vegetable is a heat-loving plant and does not tolerate cold. If you keep its seeds in the refrigerator, it will still not become frost-resistant. In addition, the pepper seedlings will stand on a warm windowsill. Therefore on initial stages Hardening does not play a big role in growing peppers. It is much more important to accustom grown seedlings to cool conditions before planting them in the beds.
Soaking the seeds before sowing is not a necessary step for peppers, but is highly desirable. The time spent treating them will save hours of work in the summer as the bushes grow healthy and strong. As a result, the efforts will pay off handsomely with a bountiful harvest.
Nature has endowed seeds with a powerful thirst for life, but the strength of their germination does not always ensure smooth, beautiful shoots. Pepper embryos can and should be helped to hatch before planting using the soaking procedure. Find out from the article and the photos attached to it how to do this correctly and in what time frame to provide yourself with strong seedlings.
Unlike crops whose seeds germinate on their own and very quickly: wheat, barley, pepper does not have high germination energy. Its seeds will hatch unevenly and not all of them. As a result, the vegetable grower will receive uneven seedlings of different ages, which are inconvenient to work with. Some seedlings, in addition, will almost certainly be affected by fungal and bacterial diseases. Therefore, there are three reasons and, accordingly, technologies for pre-soaking pepper seeds:
Attention! Pepper has a negative attitude towards pickings that damage the root system, so it is advisable to prepare peat cups or tablets for hatching seedlings.
The drug for freeing pepper seed shells from bacteria and fungal spores is selected based on price and availability. More often than others, they use ordinary potassium permanganate (a pale, slightly pink solution) and the microbiological preparation “Fitosporin”, which perfectly suppresses the growth of fungi.
It is convenient to soak in disposable plastic cups. First, a piece is glued to the outer wall of each cup. masking tape, on which the name of the variety is written. Comparing the name on the package and on the glass, pour the seeds onto the bottoms and completely fill them with the Fitosporin working solution, which is prepared according to the instructions on the package.
Pepper seeds are kept in a disinfectant solution for about an hour, after which they are washed. To do this, pour the solution from each cup through a strainer and pour a small amount water, shake and drain again.
Attention! Seed purchased in a store has already been treated by the manufacturer, so the disinfection step can be skipped.
“Fitosporin” itself has a certain stimulating effect, however, to complete the effect, it is advisable to use one of the following drugs:
Pepper seeds are poured with the prepared solution in the same cups in which they were disinfected. The exposure time depends on the chosen drug: for example, for Zircon it is 3-4 hours. After this time, the liquid is drained again through a strainer, but the seeds are not washed.
Many gardeners speak well of aloe juice as a growth stimulant. The juice must be prepared in advance. To do this, cut and wash several leaves of the plant, wrap them in paper and put them in the refrigerator for two weeks. The juice extracted from the cold-treated leaves is squeezed, diluted in half with water and poured over the seeds for a day.
The most important thing when soaking pepper seeds in water is not to let them rot, since they will take several days to germinate. It is important to follow the rule: there should be no puddles in the germination container.
The most convenient equipment for pre-planting soaking is cotton pads and Plastic container from cakes. The discs are soaked in water and lightly squeezed. Seeds are placed on one disk, distributed evenly and covered with a second disk. The resulting “sandwich” is lightly pressed down so that the damp cotton wool comes into contact with the seeds, and placed on the bottom of the container.
The filled container is placed in a T-shirt bag, tied and hung in the bathroom near the heated towel rail, which will provide warmth and humidity. Every day the structure is opened and ventilated for 5-10 minutes.
Attention! The seedlings need to be transplanted into peat tablets as soon as the roots appear. Otherwise, they will grow into the cotton fibers.
Soaking the seeds is a desirable procedure when growing peppers. It allows you to get an early and strong harvest with minimal consumption of individual seedling containers.
The qualitative and quantitative indicator of the yield of any agricultural crop depends on how carefully the seeds are prepared for the upcoming sowing. This process is quite troublesome, as it can include many stages: calibration, disinfection, heating, panning, germination, hardening, bubbling and stratification. The list is quite extensive, but we will consider only the process of soaking the seeds of the most common crop -.
Many people wonder what is the purpose of soaking seeds? This is done in order to:
Soaking the seeds of any crop, including pepper, before planting provides more favorable conditions for their germination.
Imported seeds and hybrids, which are designated F1 on the packaging, are not subject to this procedure.
As a rule, such seeds are treated with a special gel containing pesticides. Despite this, some gardeners still soak the seeds of hybrid peppers, and the pepper grows beautifully. Therefore, do as your instinct tells you. If you decide to experiment, try it, what if your efforts lead to a good result? Just keep in mind that you cannot sow seeds of varieties and hybrids in one container: seeds of varietal peppers germinate much faster than hybrid ones.
The germination process should begin at the end of February or at the very beginning of March. If there is still snow, collect it in some container and melt it.
It is best to germinate seeds in melt water, as it has a special “living” structure. Melt water helps to activate biological processes occurring in the seed and stimulates its growth.
Now let’s do some steps that will help significantly speed up the process of sprouting.
Experienced gardeners advise treating the seeds with a solution of potassium permanganate before germination. It will help get rid of harmful microorganisms and some diseases that accumulate in the seeds and begin to appear during plant growth.
To do this, dilute 1 gram of potassium permanganate in a glass of water and dip the seeds into the resulting solution (it should be slightly pink). After 20-22 minutes, carefully drain the water, covering the glass with gauze to retain the seeds in the glass. After this, the seeds should be rinsed and laid out on paper to dry.
Only “homemade” seeds, those collected with one’s own hands, should be subjected to this procedure. Purchased seed material usually goes on sale already processed. chemicals and you just need to soak it in water.
After the seeds have been disinfected, they need to be warmed up by placing them on a windowsill in a sunny place or placing them in water heated to 40 degrees. Some gardeners keep seeds in a thermos with warm water. Under the influence of more than high temperatures Pepper seeds begin to activate their ability to grow, which significantly increases germination.
Carefully place the seeds on the surface of a napkin or gauze folded in several layers and cover the top. Moisten the surface well with water, press lightly and place in some container with a lid. Place this container in a warm place.
Every day, while the seeds are sprouting, open the lid for ventilation. The seed germination process will take a long time, so you should be patient. Different kinds peppers sprout in different terms, some even require at least 22-25 days.
Keep containers with seeds in a warm room where the temperature does not drop below +24 degrees. On heating device should not be placed, as the top soil layer dries out quickly and the delicate surface may be damaged. root system pepper It is better to keep the crops on the windowsill on the south side.
As soon as the seeds have sprouted, they need to be replanted. To do this, use peat tablets or regular plant pots. Be sure to plant sprouted seeds on time, otherwise they will grow into gauze or a cotton pad and then are easily injured when replanting.
Plant sprouted seeds in pre-prepared soil. Take small containers or pots, fill them with soil and carefully plant the sprouted seeds at some distance so that they do not interfere with each other as they grow. Containers with crops should be placed in a place where there is diffused light. Seedlings should be watered periodically, not allowing the top layer of soil to dry out.
Experienced gardeners note that it is much easier for those grown from soaked seeds. Plants are less susceptible to disease, grow better and produce a good harvest.
Every gardener looks forward to the spring warmth when planting can begin. vegetable seeds to the garden. The only way to get the harvest earlier is to grow seedlings. Today we will touch on the current topic of growing sweet peppers, define best option, how to grow peppers and figure out whether you really need to soak pepper seeds before planting.
In principle, bell peppers are not difficult to grow, but you have to face some difficulties willy-nilly, and the first thing that can make you worry is the slow germination of the seeds. In order for them all to rise together, and not discordantly, a whole algorithm of actions was found. Don't be scared, they are all simple, affordable, and do not require additional costs. The process of germination of pepper seeds will proceed without problems if the seeds are soaked before sowing.
According to vegetable growers, you need to take into account whether the variety you are growing belongs to the type of pepper, which is determined by the growing season. When growing seedlings, we must not forget that the plants will spend almost half of their life in containers, and the second half - on the ground under open air or in a greenhouse (it all depends on your capabilities). Early varieties bear fruit on average after 17 weeks, middle varieties - 18 weeks, late varieties - from 19 weeks or more (the countdown begins from the moment the shoots appear). Pepper varieties have also been bred that require 14 weeks or more to ripen the fruit; they are classified as super early.
Since pepper planting (transshipment) is carried out only after establishing warm weather, care should be taken to prepare the seedlings in advance. That is why the cultivation of pepper begins earlier than other crops, taking into account the length of the germination period and the long development period of seedlings, including picking and time for adaptation in new pots (no less than 10-15 days).
Good bell pepper seedlings can be obtained only under favorable conditions, which can be created very simply at home or in a greenhouse. The first thing that is important for a demanding crop is warmth. At +23-25 o C, the seeds will germinate relatively quickly, and the pepper seedlings will begin to grow. The soil mixture plays an important role. Preference should be given to special soil for seedlings from the store; it includes everything necessary for seed germination, has a balanced composition and the necessary lightness. Acidic and dense soil is not suitable for peppers.
Plants need light immediately after seedlings appear. It’s good to have a wide, bright window sill where the sun often peeks in. Without access to windows, you will need artificial lighting (at least 10 hours and no more than 12 hours of lighting per day). In very cloudy weather, it is recommended to use phytolamps, the light from which will protect the seedlings from being pulled out.
It is impossible to imagine growing peppers without watering; the soil must be moist and never dry. It is important to know that too wet soil is detrimental to the crop at any stage of growth, especially before germination, when the pepper is covered with glass or film to create greenhouse effect. Overwatering can lead to the development of blackleg.
Special additives serve as an additional source of nutrition during seedling growth. Fertilizer can be purchased at any flower shop.
Not all vegetable growers are inclined to believe that soaking pepper seeds before planting seedlings is a necessary measure. You can quite safely plant pepper seeds directly from the bag into a prepared container with soil and wait for germination. However, not all so simple. By definition, seeds do not have the ability to germinate in short time, and a long wait for seedlings only delays the time when it will be possible to plant peppers in open ground. This means that harvest time for such plants will come much later. Are you ready to wait, and will they allow weather and climate bell pepper ripen?
In most cases, it is still recommended to soak the pepper seeds before sowing. Prepare the seeds (no matter sweet or hot pepper) the simplest thing is in a pink solution of potassium permanganate. You can use a solution with a concentration of 1-2%, soak the seeds in it for 20-30 minutes. This time will be enough to prevent fungal and viral diseases for paprika plants. In addition, you can soak the seeds in aloe, peroxide solution or boric acid, but you need to choose one thing.
Thus, we soak not so much for germination as for disinfection. Please note that purchased planting material can be pickled, which should be indicated on the package. In this case, soaking is not performed, either to get rid of pathogenic spores or to speed up germination.
There are a number of drugs that allow you to germinate seeds before planting peppers (epin, zircon, phytosporin and some others). Using a solution of the drug, it is possible to awaken the most difficult seeds and even those that do not germinate without soaking. You should choose a stimulating drug based on your needs, because each of them has a specific effect on seeds and plants.
Much attention is paid to the water in which you plan to soak the pepper seeds. Preparing for planting seedlings begins with such little things. Take, for example, melt water, it is obtained directly from snow. The main thing is to find clean snow outside so that it is not oversaturated harmful substances, settling from the air. Having brought it into the house, you should melt it, or rather, wait for the third part to melt, and throw away the excess. Received pure water after filtering, it can be used to soak bell pepper or chili seeds.
By the way, caring for pepper seedlings requires high-quality water, and moisture from melted snow is good for this. You can moisten it with a spray bottle, irrigating young shoots, or simply use it for watering from a watering can.
To awaken seeds before planting after dressing in a solution of potassium permanganate excellent results gives soaking in clean melt water for six hours, and then in water with the addition of aloe juice.
If you soak pepper seeds before planting, then germination seed material will speed up significantly. This important stage in the process of growing a healthy and strong plant, which in the future will be able to please its owners with an excellent harvest.
Preparing pepper seeds for planting begins with careful selection:
Next, the pepper seeds are soaked and germinated in order to disinfect them and prevent the future bush from being damaged by diseases. This preparation of grains helps to soften their film, speeding up the process of germination and germination. Used for disinfection and growth stimulation different compositions, each of which will help benefit the young plant.
A growth stimulator for soaking pepper seeds before planting is an excellent solution. The solution helps plants adapt to fluctuations in humidity, temperature, light, and increases resistance to lack of light, hypothermia, overheating, waterlogging, and drought. Soaking pepper seeds in Epin solution before planting accelerates their germination and stimulates growth. But the most important thing is a drug with biological active substances reduces the sensitivity of crops to unfavorable conditions and increases their resistance to diseases.
Epin is sold in small packages that are stored in the cold and dark. How to soak seeds:
The biological product from Echinacea is a powerful growth stimulator with high root-forming activity and a pronounced increase in seed germination. It is stored in the light room temperature. Zircon - proper soaking of pepper seeds before planting:
Along with industrial growth activators, natural nutrient mixtures can also be used to soak pepper seeds before planting. Their advantages are obvious - there is no need to spend money on buying drugs and once again treating the grains with chemicals. Baking soda is also useful for soaking; it enriches the seeds with minerals. This way they are cleared of pathogens; such crops are almost a third more productive than untreated crops. How to soak pepper seeds in soda before planting:
To disinfect seeds at home, potassium permanganate is often used. This treatment helps get rid of bacteria and fungal spores, which can subsequently damage the plant. Peppers from seeds that have undergone similar treatment grow healthier. Disinfection is carried out immediately before planting or treating grains with growth stimulants.
Soaking pepper seeds in potassium permanganate before planting:
Pharmacy peroxide is an excellent oxidizing agent; it perfectly disinfects everything that is irrigated with it. Treatment seed material This drug disinfects it and increases germination. How to soak pepper seeds in peroxide before planting:
To achieve excellent germination of seed, it is best to organize its disinfection and soaking before planting in several stages:
After disinfection, undiluted aloe juice can be used as a nutritional composition, obtained from the leaves of a plant older than 3 years, which were kept in the refrigerator for a week before the procedure. The seeds are kept in it for 24 hours, then laid out for germination without washing the juice. For high-quality processing, before planting, you can soak pepper seeds in biostimulants from the store - Epin, Zircon, Humat.
The process of germinating pepper seeds begins in late February or early March. After disinfection and soaking, the grains are placed on gauze and covered with it on top. The seed material is placed in a closed plastic container with holes for ventilation, moistened with water (preferably melted water) and placed in a warm place (with a temperature not lower than +24°C). Every day, while the grains are sprouting, the lid should be opened for a short time.
There is no exact answer to the question of how long it takes pepper seeds to germinate when soaked. This is a long process and you need to be patient. Different varieties peppers germinate at different times, on average from 7 to 15 days, but some species may take up to 20 days. As soon as the seeds have sprouted, they are transplanted into peat tablets or ordinary pots. It is much easier to care for peppers grown from soaked seeds - the plants get sick less and produce a good harvest.
