Why Soak Seeds? Plain water, H2O2 & more!
Вставка
- Опубліковано 15 чер 2024
- Should you soak seeds before sowing? If so, how long? And should you add anything to the water? In this short video I'll discuss the pros and cons of seed soaking. I'll also go over some of the common seed treatment options to combine with a soak: hydrogen peroxide, seaweed extract, gibberellic acid and hot water treatment.
If you find these videos useful, here are a few things you can do to help us out:
Send a tip: www.buymeacoffee.com/fvrosefarm
Have a look at our Amazon shop: www.amazon.com/shop/fraserval...
Drop us a "Like" on our Facebook business page:
/ fraservalleyrosefarm
Leave a review of our farm on Google:
g.page/r/Cfi8qXv8QReZEBE/review
For shareable articles on roses and gardening:
www.fraservalleyrosefarm.com/... - Навчання та стиль
Last year when soaking old seeds (55% germ in a wet paper towel test) I put them in a 75F/24 degree water bath overnight using an immersion circulator. I got close to 100% germination in peat pots after. One story isn't proof but I'm trying it again this year and hoping to see similar results. I thought it might inspire someone else to try it too.
The paper towel moistened in a zip lock baggy works well for seeds who need a bit of persuasion, like lychee and cherry.
@@gwbuilder5779Have you tried coffee filters before? I found they also work very well because they stay moist like a paper towel, but the fibers of the filter don’t allow for fragile seedling roots to get entwined and stuck. So when transplanting the seedling it’s easier to remove them without damaging them.
@@alyssa0411
I actually prefer to sprout new seeds in a shallow cookie/baking tray with a thin layer of water so I can monitor the sprout rate and then plant them directly into soil.
Once I know the behavior of a particular seed, they go straight into soil for propagation because I know what to expect.
I have experimented with several different types of medium for sprouting, but it is only for understanding how each seed will sprout in that medium.
All the results are fairly similar, anything that holds moisture will cause the seeds to sprout and if left un-monitored, mold, mildew and die.
All of these methods are fine for a few seeds and beginner growers, but they are not practical for actual propagation because once you understand how the process works, it is far more successful and productive to simply plant directly into the soil and monitor your results. Each step that can be eliminated is more time your young seedlings are growing stronger and healthier without being disturbed.
Eventually they will be up-potted or planted in the ground, but the longer they can remain unbothered, the better plants you will have.
It is fun to try different ideas, although after more than 50 years of growing the process is pretty basic, know the germination rate and particular needs of the seeds you are planting and you will see consistent success.
Of course there are anomalies, but not very often.😉🤙
wow!! interesting topic, I usually wing it and decide based on intuition, this is interesting stuff!!
Hugely informative video! Thank you!
Very interesting. I'm surprised you didn't mention sinking or floating!
I never understood the recommendation for hydrogen peroxide before. I always thought it was to sterilize the outside of the seeds. This makes a lot more sense.
This makes me wonder: have you read anything about how they go about germinating ancient seeds? I know I've seen headlines once or twice about this being done with seeds found during archaeological digs.
I heard the same thing - I think one was an ancient lotus seed! So cool. I'm with you: I wonder what method they start with on such a unique situation.
I have used a shallow cookie sheet and spread out pumpkin, kobacha, cucumber and other flat seeds, misted them with a spray bottle several times over a couple of days and have very consistent success.
I am thinking of buying some camellia sinensis seeds this next year and I hear the soaking and cracking process is interesting. I've never done that before, so I guess there will be new things to research and learn.
Soaking will definitely increase the success ratio of just about any seed, but it is important to understand what type of conditions each seed prefers for best success.🤙
I have just finished my students research on the topic of seed soaking in different solutions for maize hybrid
THANK YOU! I’ve had only failures germinating lupins and never thought of that with them. I soak sweet peas. And other big seeds. 🤦🏻♀️
Great video!
Thanks so much
This is a great topic, and I appreciate you talking about it. Last year, I soaked my coneflower seedheads for about an hour or two, simply to soften the seedheads. I had great results compared to when I soaked them for too long (they drowned) or when I didn't soak them at all (too painful for my fingers). I'm about to sow milkweed seeds, and I'm wondering if I should soak them for a little while. I might experiment by soaking some of them and not all of them, and then giving them a surface sowing in a seed bed. Thanks for the tips, especially the one concerning lupine seeds because I am planning to sow them soon and I wasn't sure what exactly to do with them.
Awesome idea to trial both ways! I've never had to soak asclepias to get reasonable results, but I suppose there was room for improvement.
For lupine I scratch the seed on sandpaper and get 100 % germination. I kept reading they were hard to germinate but I either got lucky or a quick rub on sandpaper seemed to be enough to scarify them and let water in.
@@MyPetZombie84 Thanks for the help. I might scratch some of my lupine seeds to experiment.
Pepperhead (somehow happily found my way here!) popping in just to confirm that peroxide baths can take superhot germinations from a month+ to just a few days.
Thanks for jumping in on the topic - nice to hear it directly from a pepperhead!
Thank you.
Interesting Jason. It surprises me you did not mention cold storage methods. I try and stick seeds in the fridge for a couple months if I selected them.What do you think about this?
Thanks - I did mention the cold stratification a couple of times (as my reason for starting seeds now, and one of treatments) but I felt like a full discussion on that part of it belonged in a separate video. I've done it in a much older video, but it's probably about time to give it another look. Yes, I cold stratify (either in the fridge or naturally with outdoor temperatures) for roses, many shrubs, trees and some perennials - but the method and duration varies from variety to variety, so I have to do a little research each time.
It's a trick or trip to try and simulate mother nature or speed it up. It's as if there's no actual recipe for it. "Giberallic" acid (GA3). Thanks for sharing!
I soak a lot of my seeds too
I love allium (edible) and as prices soar, i like to grow as much as i can. Allium seeds germinate fast fresh. Last year i dump a whole pack of bunching onion in a small pot. They grew and i let them stay for a bit before i replant them. As i was gathering the (hardened) young bunching onions i noticed some of the seeds that failed to germinate earlier were germinating, in full harsh sun.
Things a bit different with a mongolium onion. Twice already i tried (in ordinary seeds germinating condition) the seeds sprout root but then they stop growing. Obviously the seeds still viable but what makes it stop the germinating process is completely unknown. As i have some seaweed extract and plant hormone i'm going to give those a try. If not i need to do some reading on that smoke thing
Thanks - I hope you solve the Mongolian onion problem. Sounds tricky to cultivate, but interesting for dry locations.
Thank you Jason for this wonderful information. I am constantly trying to find out more about seed germination techniques, so this is very helpful. I have been using the 'fridge to stratify seeds that require an extensive cold period, as I live in subtropical 🌴🌲🌳🐨Australia. We do get cold during the winter. Some years the cold nights are between 0-10 C but these temperatures only last 6 -8 weeks on average. Either side of this, the night temps are in the low --mid teens C. Is this cold period long enough for most seeds needing a cold period? The winter day temps are usually anywhere from 14- 22C, however early June and late August occasionally get as high as 28C This is very annoying when you want to plant bulbs and seed that require a longer cold period. I wish that I could find a chart or book that would provide more information about seed germination and stratification. Should I sow my poppy and aquilegia seeds in Autumn or Winter? Most of my poppies germinated from a mid winter sowing, but I only got one aquilegia germinate in a punnet, and this died due to damping off. Also, what ratio of 3% hydrogen peroxide should I use to start seeds and which seeds benefit from this? Sorry to ask you so many questions. 🍃🌱🥀🌴🦘
For simple germination enhancement (not disinfection) I saw H2O2 rates between 0.1 and 1%. I like to do my aquilegia seeds in late summer so they get the benefit of growing through the cool autumn season, and I think that may make sense for your climate as well.
Really interesting topic. I've got 1 question: I am currently stratifying some rose seeds. I usually soak them in water for 24 hours before starting the stratification process; but I hear that I should opt for a hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) treatment instead as it would inhibit formation of fungus during stratification. Would you recommend a H2O2 soak for rose seeds before stratification?
Sounds reasonable for a little help disinfecting.
What seeds are you starting now?
Penstemon 'Zuriblau', verbascum 'Southern Charm', Franklinia alatamaha, Trillium kurabayashi, Hovenia dulcis, Clerodendrum trichotomum, Angelica 'Vicar's Mead', Alstroemeria 'Dandy Candy', Scabiosa caucasica 'Perfecta Clear Blue', Liriodendron tulipifera, Sciadopitys verticillata - some require warm treatment before cold, others just requiring cold or a lot of time for germination.
@@FraserValleyRoseFarm
lol, after thinking I did well on my all of my seed ordering, Im reminded of how much I’ve been wanting to try the Souther Charm, Verbascum. 😊 Quite pretty!
It’s like my seed list is never finished.
Hi Jason, how would you know if a seed is old? Is there really such a thing as not viable seeds? Also how do you germinate fresh seeds? Thank you!
Hi Raymund. The best way to know if a seed is old is simply to keep records of when it was harvested or purchased, and if purchased, hopefully it's from a reputable source that marks year of harvest/marketing on the pack and expires old stock. Yes, there definitely non-viable seeds. When I harvest rose seeds, I'll find some that never developed a full seed inside the shell. Even initially viable seeds can rot or be exposed to heat and moisture (usually) in a way that renders them non viable. For most fresh seed (esp. of veggie and annual varieties) it may be as simple as giving them moisture and temperatures in the 21 - 25C range. Others require special treatments such as scarification (physically nicking the seed, for instance) or stratification (cool, moist treatment for a duration) before they'll sprout.
@@FraserValleyRoseFarm Thank you very much! You always have good answers. Merry Christmas!
Thanks Raymund. Merry Christmas to you and your family as well
I've been having problems with my rose seeds rotting during stratification. The first 2 batches i gave them around 4 months in the fridge and they never germinated, just rotted out. The last batch of seeds i soaked in a diluted water and H2O2 solution (maybe 4:1 ratio) for about an hour, then soaked in regular water for 24 hours before putting them in a moist paper towel and in the fridge. 2 weeks later, I started seeing signs of mold on the seeds. So i soaked the seeds again in a 1:1 ratio of H2O2 and water for a couple hours and put them back in the fridge last weekend. Hopefully i get some roots this time 🤞
Best luck! I was thinking of getting a small (lab style) hotplate stirrer to maintain water at 50C for the required 30 minutes, as the results seem quite positive. Maybe not worth it for the amount of rot I deal with though. H2O2 seems like a reasonable alternative.
V interesting -I’m experimenting with a brief seaweed soak for cover crops though this makes them harder to spread. Thinking I might just dry mix the kelp powder into the seed and water in well as an alternative. Do you know which types of seaweed are meant to help?
This is one are where there's loads of research published - with different species of seeds and of seaweed (here's one example, on tomatoes: www.mdpi.com/2674-1024/2/4/33 ) And while it's really good to see so much evidence, it makes it difficult to nail down a single formulation that can be used on a wide range of seeds without a deep dive into the topic. For that reason, I relied on the seed company I featured briefly in the video - they've tested their formulation on a number of their seeds and found it to be effective. Better to rely on their expertise, I figured, than to have to start testing from scratch on my end.
@@FraserValleyRoseFarm thanks for that, turns out I’ve been using a mixed kelp powder where one of the species is a germination inhibitor! (At least on tomatoes anyway). You live and learn …
I've been germinating my rose seeds for over 5 months and still nothing! Nothing is spouting. Kept in refrigerator in damp napkins sealed in sandwiche bags
Sorry to hear it - some parents are better at producing viable seed than others, and at a certain point you may need to "call it" and end the effort. One thing I might do out of curiosity is crack open the seed shell of one or two and see if there's a viable embryo inside, or it's just empty.