What is the best way to soak carrot seeds for fast germination?

Summer residents almost always carry out pre-planting seed preparation. Knowing how to properly soak your carrot seeds before planting can help you get even seedlings in less time. In addition, in the process of soaking, substandard seeds are sifted out by themselves. Each composition for this procedure is used for a specific purpose.

Do I need to soak carrot seeds before planting?

Inexperienced summer residents are often tormented by doubts about whether it is necessary to soak root crop seeds before sowing. In principle, carrots can also be sown dry. The advantages of this method are time savings and no training whatsoever. However, such a landing has much more disadvantages than advantages. Seedlings will have to wait much longer, some of the seeds may not germinate at all, in the future the crops will have to be thinned out. The land will need to be watered frequently so that the seeds can absorb enough moisture and swell.

It is better to spend a little effort and prepare the planting material. This can be done in a number of ways.

For example, as soon as the snow begins to melt, dig in a damp cloth bag with seeds in the ground. Throw snow on top of the hole and leave for 10-12 days. After the allotted time, remove the seeds, mix with dry sand and scatter over the garden. The crops will need to be covered with foil. With this method, carrot shoots appear in about a week.

To accelerate sprouting, bubbling is also used (treatment of seeds in water for a day with oxygen pumped by a compressor) and independent granulation in a mixture of peat and humus. However, the simplest and most affordable method of preparing seeds for rapid germination is soaking.

Soaking compounds

Stimulating and nourishing solutions are mainly used to soak carrots.

• Stimulants give seeds energy for active growth, provide future seedlings with strong immunity and resistance to adverse conditions (temperature extremes, drought).
• Nutrients supply the planting material with important trace elements, which gives the carrot seedlings additional strength.

How to soak carrot seeds in vodka?

In vodka, carrots are soaked in order to quickly sprout. This method, at first glance, seems rather unusual, but it is popular among summer residents. What is the justification for the use of such an unconventional means? The fact is that the alcohol contained in vodka dissolves the essential oils contained in the shell of carrot seeds during soaking.

The oily film serves as a protection for the seed and therefore partially prevents its rapid germination. For convenience, the seed is poured into a cloth bag and then dipped in vodka. It takes 10 minutes for the essential oils to completely dissolve. After processing, the seeds, together with the bag, are washed in running water, then dried and sown in the garden.

How to soak carrot seeds in milk?

For such processing, only natural and fresh milk is used. Powdered dairy products will not work. The higher the fat percentage, the better. After soaking, fatty milk forms a protective film on the surface of the seeds. The duration of the procedure should be 10-12 hours.

The milk is preheated to 40 ° C and poured into a bowl or deep saucer.The seeds are immersed in a container, covered with a film on top and removed to a dark place. Do not exceed the processing time, otherwise the milk may turn sour and have the opposite effect. After the procedure, the seeds are not washed, they are laid out on a sheet of white paper and slightly dried before further sowing.

In the process of soaking in milk, the seed coat becomes thinner, and useful substances penetrate inside, contributing to the awakening of the seed and faster germination. After this treatment, seedlings will appear on the 7-10th day.

Soaking in a solution of wood ash

To properly prepare a solution of wood ash, add 1 teaspoon of ash powder to 1 glass of hot water and let it brew for 24 hours. After that, the seeds are lowered into the glass, after putting them in a gauze bag. The solution itself should be filtered before soaking.

Processing time in this case is 3 hours. The substances contained in the ash nourish the seed, which helps to increase germination even if the seeds are stale. Elements such as potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and calcium have an easily assimilated form in an ash solution and are well absorbed.

Use of purchased drugs

Industrial formulations used to soak seeds can be purchased at a gardening store or at a regular pharmacy. Most often used for this purpose:

• Hydrogen peroxide. It can be taken for soaking in its pure form, or diluted (take 1 teaspoon of pharmacy peroxide in a glass of water). In the first case, the processing time should not exceed 20 minutes. In the second, the seed is left in solution for 4-5 hours, at the same time allowing it to swell. The active components of peroxide disinfect seeds, saturate them with oxygen and help dissolve the film from essential oils.
• "Epin-extra". The drug is a growth stimulant and adaptogen. Its use increases the defenses of embryos in seeds and future plants. A sharp change in weather conditions will no longer have a strong negative impact on the seedlings. Crops that were treated before planting with "Epin-extra" give a better yield. The drug is available in liquid form. To prepare the solution, use 1-2 drops of the product per 100 ml of water. The required processing time is 24 hours.
• "Potassium humate" or "Sodium humate". Humic compounds are obtained as a result of hydrolysis of peat, brown coal. Both products are environmentally friendly and safe fertilizers. They are also quite suitable for soaking carrots before planting. To prepare a solution, add 1/3 teaspoon of "Potassium humate" or "Sodium humate" to 2 liters of water and keep the seeds in it for 1-2 days. During this time, the planting material is impregnated with useful substances.

After treatment with drugs, the seeds are not washed. They must be slightly dried for flowability and immediately used for planting. Sowing is carried out after the soil warms up to 4-6 ° C. You can pre-germinate seeds at room temperature by wrapping them in a damp cloth and holding them for 4-6 days.

When using the same carrot seeds with and without soaking, the result will vary. It is better to spend a little time preparing the planting material and get excellent strong entrances, and in the future, a good harvest.