Artificially created stress is beneficial not only for adult plants, but also for young ones, including seedlings.
The main thing is not to overdo it, otherwise you can only make things worse. If everything is done correctly, the seedlings will hatch synchronously and start growing actively.
In small doses, stress imitates the development cycle, pushing the plant to develop. To ensure that the seeds sprout, you can give them a little shake.
Hardening is one example of creating a stressful situation. Even old seeds respond well to this trick.
When the outside temperature is -2 … -12 °C, the seeds are placed in a plastic bag that will not let moisture through.
They dig a small hole outside, put the packaged seeds in there and cover it with snow.
Hardening lasts 1-2 hours. It all depends on the temperature outside. If it is not very cold, then more time is measured. Otherwise, the limit is 60 minutes.
After 1-2 hours, the seeds are removed from the hole and brought into a warm room. After 3 days, they can be sown for seedlings.
