Is it necessary to germinate seeds: myths and realities of agricultural technology

06.01.2023 15:02
Updated: 13.04.2023 07:40

Germinating seeds allows you to get early shoots, but not everyone knows whether it is necessary to do this before sowing for seedlings.

Most farmers are convinced that the natural process of germination and emergence of seedlings can only take place in the soil, and water only washes away the nutrient medium.

Let's try to figure out whether this is really true and which gardeners are under the delusion.

Opponents of sprouting

After the fruits are formed and the seeds appear in them, the seeds are covered by a special nutrient medium, thanks to which, after falling into the soil and when certain conditions occur, the seed wakes up and a sprout appears.

In addition, all the elements necessary for the sprout are in the soil, not in the water, so many people sow in the soil.

Seedling
Photo: © Belnovosti

Proponents of sprouting

Opponents emphasize control, which is not possible when sowing seeds in the traditional way. This way, you can evaluate the quality of the sprouts, weed out everything that did not hatch at all, and prepare a new batch of seeds.

In addition, in order for the seeds of heat-loving plants to sprout, they need to be kept in greenhouse conditions, which is not always convenient when sowing in pots and tubs.

Experience and practice

Placing seeds in water can have the opposite effect, causing the embryos to suffocate instead of germinating. Therefore, it is best to place them on damp cloth or paper. In addition, if the process is delayed, mold may appear in the humid environment or the seeds may rot.

But even when sowing in soil, if the temperature regime is not observed, no one is insured against failures. The seeds can also rot or get steamed.

Therefore, the final word still remains with the sowing of sprouted seeds, if only because the gardener in this case can control the process and make a timely decision to carry out additional sowing, rather than wait until the situation becomes completely clear.

Igor Zur Author: Igor Zur Internet resource editor


Content
  1. Opponents of sprouting
  2. Proponents of sprouting
  3. Experience and practice