Seedlings in a sponge: sowing seeds in a sponge. Germinating pepper seeds: proven and new methods Germinating pepper seeds with boiling water

What could be more beautiful than the awakening of a new life, especially if this happens with our participation. Every gardener opens a new season with germination and sowing seeds. I want to see the shoots quickly, but pepper is one of the slow-witted ones, it germinates much slower than radishes or cucumbers. Of course, it’s easier to sow with dry seeds and wait, but it’s much more interesting to germinate it first and make sure it germinates. Moreover, today many methods have been invented; you can experiment with each and become a real guru in this area.

Why germinate pepper seeds

Germinating seeds is an optional procedure. Many gardeners sow peppers with dry seeds for one simple reason: they choose good seeds of productive hybrids from trusted companies. Such seeds are more expensive, there are few of them in the package, and they are coated with a glaze of stimulants and disinfectants. You can’t soak and sprout, and you don’t need to. Shoots appear quickly and amicably.

Seeds in colored glaze do not need to be germinated

Untreated seeds can be soaked and germinated. The main thing is to know why to do it. The intake does not affect the rate of emergence of seedlings. Judge for yourself. At room temperature (+20 ⁰C... +22 ⁰C) peppers from dry seeds germinate in 7–10 days.

You can find information about 15–20 days, but I have not encountered such peppers. Maybe this is the maximum period of germination at the lowest possible temperature - about +16 ⁰C. Most gardeners will not wait 3 weeks for peppers to sprout; they will go out and buy others that sprout faster.

Pre-germination, even in the most advanced method, lasts at least 3-4 days, that is, after so many days the roots of the seeds hatch. You sow sprouted seeds and wait another 4-5 days for germination. As a result, we get: that the whole process of germination lasts about the same time as waiting for shoots from dry seeds. You are only adding more work to yourself.

However, germination is simply necessary if there are doubts about the germination of the seeds: the expiration date has passed, you bought them from an unreliable seller, or you collected your own and you don’t know whether they will sprout. In these cases, germination will help identify viable seeds and discard empty or dead ones.

Video: how a seed germinates (fast motion)

I am sure that germination gives absolutely nothing, especially if you buy good seeds processed by the manufacturer. However, having missed farming over the winter, I’m starting to experiment. And we sow peppers along with eggplants very first. So they fall under the hot hand) I think most gardeners germinate seeds only for this reason. Rather, I want to see sprouts and awaken sleeping life.

Conditions for germinating peppers

Seeds germinate when placed in a favorable environment - high humidity, access to oxygen and optimal temperature:

• Seeds wake up at +15... +16 ⁰C, however, the germination process will take a very long time - 2–3 weeks to a month. After lying in the ground for so long, they are more likely to rot than to germinate.
• The highest germination rate is observed at +25... +30 ⁰C.
• With prolonged exposure to heat above +30... +35 ⁰C, the seeds die.

Humidity is also of great importance, and its level greatly affects the ability of seeds to breathe. Pepper seeds should not float in water or sit in a very damp substrate for more than a day. Without oxygen they will suffocate. Drying out is no less dangerous. The material in which you will germinate the seeds must be moistened so that water is not squeezed out of it, and covered with film to maintain moisture. Take out the seeds every day, ventilate and, if necessary, moisten.

Everything you need for germination: water, air, heat, and for further growth - also nutrition

Methods for germinating pepper seeds

Craftsmen have already invented many methods. The essence of each is to awaken the seeds. In most cases, this is a modernized “grandmother’s” method of germination in a damp cloth. Only, instead of a rag, they use modern household items. However, there are also innovative ones, for example, germination in a hydrogel, as well as extreme ones - with pre-treatment with boiling water.

Germination on cotton pads

This is the easiest way. I use it when there are a lot of seeds and little time. I take clipbucks 15x20 cm according to the number of varieties. These are bags that snap on top. They are sold in disposable tableware departments. I put a label on each one with the name of the variety. Self-adhesive labels are also easy to buy at the office. I pierce each bag in several places with a toothpick for ventilation. Then I take a cotton pad, spread out the seeds, and cover with a second one. Now I spray them well, if necessary I squeeze out excess water and place them in the appropriate clipbucks. All! The first two days I don’t check anything at all. There is air and moisture there. Sprouts appear no earlier than 3–4 days. The method is not suitable for those who are too busy and forgetful. Seeds left unattended can germinate into cotton wool and will be difficult to separate without breaking the roots.

You can mark different varieties this way

Germination on toilet paper or napkin

1. Take a disposable plastic container with a lid.
2. Cover the bottom with several layers of toilet paper or napkins.
3. Wet the paper with water from a room sprayer or syringe.
4. Spread out the seeds and cover the container with a lid.

Pepper seeds placed on top of damp toilet paper

This is also a simple method, but safer for seeds. Even if the roots become overgrown, they can be easily separated from the soggy paper.

Germination in a sponge or on foam rubber

You will need a regular sponge, which we use to wash dishes. If there are many varieties of peppers, you can buy several small sponges of different colors - each for a different variety. And to save space, it’s better to take one large one and do the following:

1. With a sharp knife, make cuts to the middle of the sponge, and if it has a hard layer, then to it.

   It is more convenient to make cuts with a sharp stationery knife

2. To know which variety is which, mark the first row with a permanent marker or make a cut. In your gardening notebook, write down: in what order the seeds were laid out, for example, 1 - Candy, 2 - Single, etc.

   Mark the first row with a number or notch

3. Soak the sponge in the melt water and squeeze until it is just damp.

   Soak the sponge well in water and wring it out

4. Place the seeds evenly in the slots in one row. If there are a lot of seeds, repeat all steps with the next sponge.

   Place the seeds in the slots

5. Place the sponges in a container or other container and wrap them in a bag.

   To retain moisture, place sponges in a bag

Sprout under conditions favorable for peppers, open, ventilate, check every day.

Germination in a snail (rolled paper, diaper)

1. Fold a simple plastic bag in half lengthwise and spread it on the table. You will get a strip the same width as toilet paper.

   You can cut the bag or film

2. Spread toilet paper on top in several layers (5-6). You can use napkins or paper towels.

   Place toilet paper on the film

3. Wet the paper.

   Wet the paper from a sprayer or syringe

4. Spread the seeds out 1 cm from the top edge.

   The seeds should be spread evenly along one edge

5. Roll it up.

   Roll the cellophane and paper with seeds into a roll

6. To know which variety it is, wrap the roll in a seed bag. Secure the entire structure with rubber bands, tape or thread.

   The roll is wrapped in seed bags and can be secured with an elastic band.

7. Place the roll of seeds in a glass or tall container filled with water in a 1–2 cm layer. Wait for germination.

   Rolls with seeds should be placed with the bottom edge in water

The good thing about this method is that you do not get seeds with root buds, but shoots. But it is impossible to grow seedlings in such a snail, since it has no nutrition. At the latest, 5–7 days after the sprouts appear, they will need to be planted in the ground. To do this, unfold the snail, carefully separate the plants from the paper and plant them in pots.

Video: germinating seeds in a snail and sponge

Germination in hydrogel

Those who have not yet adopted hydrogel can begin to master this material by germinating seeds on it. There are two types of hydrogel:

• Aqua soil with granules in the form of balls, cubes and pyramids.
• Soft to powder.

For germination, it is recommended to take one that consists of granules, preferably square ones. Round ones are used for decoration. Powder is not suitable at all. After soaking in water, it turns into jelly. The seeds fall inside and suffocate without oxygen. This hydrogel is used in indoor floriculture, mixed with soil to retain moisture.

Use a hydrogel consisting of granules

The process for germination is very simple:

1. Fill the granules with water according to the instructions. Please note that they increase 10-15 times, that is, a teaspoon is enough to germinate pepper seeds.
2. Drain off excess water and spread the seeds over the surface, pressing lightly. Granules that are too large can be cut with scissors.
3. Cover the container with gel and seeds with film or glass.

The method, as in the case of the snail, allows you to obtain seedlings with cotyledons, but you can not rush to plant them, but grow them until the first picking. However, this will require more hydrogel - a layer of 3–5 cm, and the emerging seedlings will have to be watered with a solution of fertilizer for seedlings, that is, fed.

Video: seedlings of peppers and eggplants on hydrogel

Germinating pepper seeds in sawdust or cat litter

In modern conditions, it is easier to find wood filler for cat litter than simple sawdust. The filler is pressed dehydrated granules, so they must first be soaked.

If sawdust is not available, wood cat litter is suitable.

1. Start with disinfection. Place sawdust or filler in a metal bowl (plastic can become deformed) and pour boiling water over it. Let the granules swell well.
2. Stir the sawdust with a spoon or spatula, making sure that all areas have undergone heat treatment and the granules have crumbled.
3. When the sawdust becomes warm, squeeze out the excess water and transfer it into a container for germination in a layer of 3-5 cm. Leave a little for sprinkling the seeds on top.
4. Spread the pepper seeds evenly over the surface of the sawdust and cover the top with a layer of no more than 0.5 cm.
5. Cover with film and keep in conditions favorable for seed germination.

Sowing in sawdust is very similar to usual - in the ground

It is difficult to find sprouted pepper seeds in sawdust; fortunately, there is no need to do this. Wait for the sprouts with cotyledons to appear and plant them in pots.

Germinating pepper seeds with boiling water

In none of the above methods I specifically indicated the number of days after which sprouts will appear, because I don’t believe the screaming headlines: “The seeds sprouted in a day (an hour, 6 hours, etc.)!” And I don’t want to repeat them. While treating my own seeds with boiling water, I understood the essence of the trick. And this is what happened. After scalding seeds for the first time in my life, I was worried and after a few hours I began to check what happened. And I discovered that one seed already had a long root sticking out, and all the rest were intact, not even swollen. Of course, my eyes widened. I’m shocked: is it really true that they germinate so quickly from boiling water? I sowed this seed, but it did not sprout. All the others hatched on day 3-4 and grew well. This is the only time period that I can voice: after treatment with boiling water, high-quality pepper seeds from a reliable manufacturer, which subsequently sprouted shoots and seedlings, germinated for at least 3 days. And what sprouted earlier died, but then I still didn’t understand why.

And recently I saw a video where a female video blogger literally boiled nigella onion seeds wrapped in a rag for 30 minutes. As a result, when they were taken out of the boiling water and unwrapped, it turned out that most of them had white sprouts. It’s good that this gardener said that not a single one of these seeds sprouted.

Video: shock! The seeds hatched after 30 minutes

It turns out that under the influence of boiling water, the shell of the seeds softens, the embryo inside begins to unfold, a tender root breaks through and immediately dies in boiling water. This probably happened to my pepper seed because it was the only one out of all ten that had a damaged shell. Boiling water got into the crack, which led to a fatal consequence. Therefore, you can only keep the seeds in boiling water for a few seconds, and only if they are not mechanically damaged. Although damaged ones and without boiling water, most likely, they will not sprout.

Methods for treating seeds with boiling water that you can trust:

• Take two cups. Pour boiling water into one, ice water into the other. Place the seeds in a linen or gauze bag alternately in one or the other. Hold each for no longer than 3 seconds. Repeat this several times, ending with cold water.
• Dip the seeds in boiling water for 1-2 seconds, then immediately cool under cold water.
• Place the seeds on top of: sawdust, toilet paper, cotton pads, sponges or soil and pour boiling water over them. The water should be completely absorbed and not remain on the surface.

By the way, one of the reasons for the non-germination of seeds after treatment with boiling water is that too much water was poured. If the seeds don’t cook, they will simply suffocate. The substrate for germination must be moist and loose.

If you use boiling water, pour as much of it as the soil or other germination material can absorb.

There are many ways to germinate. Knowing the principle of this process, you can experiment and create your own technologies. Or you can buy good seeds and sow them dry without any hassle. If there is a lag in terms, it will be small. And taking into account the time that you will spend on germination and the possible mistakes of a beginner, there is no reason at all for this agricultural technique, except to check the seeds for germination or engage yourself in interesting experiments with boiling water or try to get seedlings of peppers on aqua soil.

February 16th, 2014

Have you already sown the seedlings? Where were you in a hurry? Especially for those in a hurry (and not only) Yulia Podolkhova has prepared a luxurious article with useful information and illustrations.

Spring is coming. And all of us, gardeners, are already beginning to want to sow and plant something. We take out from our boxes bags of seeds that we willingly bought somewhere, and maybe even seeds that we collected with our own hands. How many different ones do I have! And tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and all kinds of flowers - you want to place everything on your plot! Yes, so that there is a harvest - and with beauty together! I’m holding the bags in my hands, and I’m excitedly anticipating how it will all hatch, germinate, and delight me with vigorous green growth every day.

Several years ago, when starting sowing, I was faced with the following question: my seeds are all different. For example, tomatoes are large, but petunias are very small - how to deal with them? How to soak, at what depth to sow? What to do to disinfect seeds? And is it necessary to do this at all? When should you start sowing them for seedlings? And if you don’t need to grow seedlings, then when should you sow them in the ground?

If you have similar questions, congratulations! You and I are equally infected with the “planting disease”, full of exciting experiments and learning with our favorite plants.

There are no clear answers to all such questions; each gardener does something in his own way, as he does best. But there are still basic rules for growing seedlings, dictated by nature itself. And if these rules are neglected, there is a high probability that the seeds will not sprout at all.

Rule 1. Soil is the basis of seedlings. I always prepare a soil mixture for my plantings. In good soil, small plants grow well and are healthy and strong. One day last year I didn’t have enough prepared soil for all the pots, so I just sowed some seeds in soil from the garden. These seedlings were sharply different from the rest - they were stunted in growth, the leaves were smaller in size. The plants turned out less strong. Questions arose regarding diseases.

I use soil from the garden only as the basis for my soil mixture. I collect it in a bag in the fall - before the ground freezes, and put it in the shed. If your soil is clayey, like mine, I add half a bucket of sand to a bucket of soil. This will make the soil lighter. I also add a bucket of rotted compost here. If there is no good compost, I add vermicompost and peat (half a bucket each). I add ash to the resulting mixture - at the rate of one glass per bucket of the mixture. If the earth and other components were cold, I leave the mixture until it warms up to room temperature.

Next, our soil needs to be revived, because the basis of soil fertility is organic matter and beneficial microorganisms. To do this, I add 3 cups of EM-bokashi to a bucket of soil mixture. I mix everything well and moisten it with EM-A solution from a sprayer (1 tablespoon per 1 liter of water). The soil mixture should be moist, but not wet (it is taken into a lump that easily disintegrates). Then I pack it in a plastic bag (you can take a garbage bag), be sure to squeeze out the air and put it in a warm place for 2-3 weeks (near the radiator). You can grow any seedlings in the resulting soil.

Rule 2. Processing and soaking seeds- different things. If we want to treat seeds for prevention against fungal diseases - blackleg, etc., then we do this according to the instructions for the preparation in which we want to process. For example, this can be done in Fitosporin (4 drops of liquid preparation per 200 ml of water) for 20-30 minutes. Or in Emochek solution (1 ml per 1 liter of water) for a couple of hours.

And if we want to soak the seeds so that they sprout, then we need to do this only in clean water. It is advisable to take melt water, as in nature (you can get it in the freezer). I like to soak the seeds before biting - this saves at least a couple of days compared to sowing dry seeds in the ground. But we also need to be careful with pecking - as soon as a barely noticeable white root appears from the seed, we immediately sow it.

You can soak it in different ways. For example, we take a cotton cloth, soak it in melt water, put the seeds on it in one layer, fold it in half and place it in a plastic bag with holes in a warm place. After a while, unroll the fabric and take out the sprouted seeds. In order not to get confused in the varieties, it is convenient to sign each rag with a ballpoint pen.

Another option. Take a clean sponge (for washing dishes), pour the seeds on it in one layer, put it in a container with a transparent lid (it’s convenient to use disposable dishes for cakes), pour water into the bottom. This method is convenient because you do not need to check the moisture content of the sponge. It will absorb as much water from the bottom of the container as it needs.

Well, a very simple way to soak seeds is to put them at the bottom of a glass and fill them with water so that it only slightly covers them. Over time, the seeds will begin to absorb water and will need to be topped up. But in no case should you completely fill the seeds with water - they will “drown” without air.

Last year I soaked the same variety of tomato in all three ways - I wanted to determine for myself which method was more convenient.

After 4 days of soaking, I turned to my containers. It turns out that the seeds in the sponge sprouted first, and we should have looked at them earlier. They outgrew and began to take root in the sponge itself. In the fabric wrapped in a bag, white roots have just begun to appear - it’s time to sow them. And not a single seed has sprouted in a glass of water. The seeds absorbed water and I needed to constantly top it up. For myself, I decided that I would soak it on a sponge - this way the seeds will sprout faster, and there will be no additional hassle of adding water.

I’ll say a few words about pelleted seeds from foreign companies. They are treated with a fungicidal preparation and are colored. Such seeds cannot be soaked, but must be sown dry. If you still decide that you need to soak them, first wash them thoroughly from the preparation in which they were treated.

Rule 3. Sowing depth- the smaller the seeds, the less soil they need to be sprinkled. For example, tomato seeds are sown to a depth of about 2 cm, and petunia is not covered with soil at all.

I like to sow such seeds in peat tablets. I put the tablets in a cake container (with a transparent lid) and pour water into the bottom. The tablets become wet and increase in volume. I place 2-3 seeds directly on top of the peat tablets, pressing them down a little. I drain the excess water that is not absorbed by the tablets. And cover the container with a transparent lid. (Again, you can use cake pans).

I put it in a warm, dark place with a temperature of 18°-20° C. About once a day I open the container and wipe the condensation from the lid. After 7-12 days, the first shoots of petunias begin to appear. This moment is very important (and this applies not only to petunias, but also to all vegetable and flower seeds).

As soon as you notice the first white shoots, you should immediately place the container with peat tablets in a brightly lit place (with a temperature of about 20°C). If you miss this moment, the plants that sprouted first begin to stretch out literally within a day, and eventually fall.

We continue to wipe off the condensation that forms on the glass or polyethylene. Next, when the first true leaves appear, the seedlings need to be hilled up to the cotyledons.

This must be done very carefully and preferably with two matches or toothpicks. When 3-4 true leaves appear, you need to start moving the glass or lid to form a gap. This is how we accustom our small-seeded seedlings to fresh air. After a couple of weeks, we remove the lid altogether.

I would like to draw your attention to the phrase “to a brightly lit place.” An ordinary window sill in February and until mid-March is not a brightly lit place. In order for it to become like this, it is better to hang a lamp above the seedlings to illuminate the plants. Good results are achieved by special fluorescent lamps for plants with purple light. If suddenly the seedlings begin to stretch out, then you need to either increase the illumination or somehow reduce the temperature. Keep in mind that lamps increase the temperature in the nursery. Conventional incandescent lamps have no effect.

And it is better when the lamp hangs above the plants at a distance of 15 cm, no more. As the seedlings grow, the lamp will need to be fixed higher. To ensure that the light from the lamp is less scattered, you can attach a regular reflective film, which is used to cover windows on the sunny side in apartments in the summer. An example of such a “nursery” for seedlings can be seen in the photo.

A few words about containers (cups) for seedlings. They must be rigid enough so as not to damage the root system when moving the boxes, and must have drainage holes. It is advisable that the walls are not transparent - the roots die from direct sunlight.

Place a thermometer next to the seedlings on the windowsill so you can monitor the temperature. Seedlings should not stand on cold window sills with cracks - this will cause the soil with the roots of the seedlings to become supercooled, and the seedlings may begin to get sick, or even stop growing altogether. If such a situation arises, place at least a sheet of foam plastic on the windowsill. Temperature control is an important factor in successfully growing seedlings. Because of the cold soil, you can wait a very long time for germination and waste your seeds.

If the seeds are not too small, for example, tomatoes, peppers, then I sow them in seedling trays or cups. When growing in cassettes, as soon as the leaves of neighbors begin to touch each other, picking will be required - moving the plants into larger containers.

When space allows, I use glasses. Important: I fill them with earth only up to half so that later, as the seedlings grow, it is convenient to add soil. I sow the prepared tomato seeds to a depth of about 2 cm. I compact the hole in the ground where I put the seed. I pour the mixture on top and also compact it a little so that the roots of the sprouted seeds can better cling to the soil.

I place the glasses with the crops in a warm, dark place (about 20°C), covering the top with film or a lid. When the first white shoots (“loops”) appear, I immediately remove the film and place the box with glasses in a brightly lit place at a low temperature (15°-16°C) for 4-5 days. This way the seedlings will be strong and will not stretch out.

When the seedlings grow, I begin to move the glasses apart so that the leaves of the plants do not close together, otherwise they begin to slow down in growth. I was convinced of this by personal example, when the year before last I sowed peppers in half-liter glasses and immediately after germination I illuminated them with a plant lamp. But my friend approached the matter in a more simplified way - she simply sowed seedlings in long plastic boxes for balcony flowers, and hung an ordinary lamp on top of the boxes. She didn't monitor her temperature at all.

According to tradition, she and I exchanged some of the seedlings, and I planted them and my pepper on May 10 in the same bed. (By the way, by agreement, she and I grew the same variety of peppers, taken in the same place). Its pepper was 2 times less in height and number of leaves. In addition, my root system occupied almost the entire half-liter glass, while the seedlings from the box had a volume of about 100 ml.

Once a week I water the seedlings with a solution of Healthy Garden + Ecoberin + Emochki or a solution of Optim-humus. Such life-giving cocktails give my seedlings strength and vigor - they grow faster, the leaves have a brighter green color and the plants do not suffer from diseases.

If you are growing plants for yourself and not for sale, then I do not recommend sowing tomatoes in February. Especially for those who are just starting to grow seedlings. During the sunny days of April, the plants on the windowsill always catch up with those that have suffered for a long time on cloudy days.

The number of days from germination to planting seedlings in the ground is 55-70 days for tomatoes, 60-75 for peppers and eggplants, and 25 days for cucumbers. Thus, if we plant seedlings in the garden after the threat of frost around May 10, then we need to sow tomatoes around March 10.

It’s a good idea to sometimes look at the lunar calendar to see when the best sowing days are. I can’t say that I plant everything strictly according to the lunar calendar, but when I’m going to do it and I see that this day is especially favorable on the calendar, my mood improves. Plantings are easier and faster, in high spirits, and the results are better!

There are also nuances in growing seedlings - seed storage periods, etc. Kizima’s book “Strong seedlings - rich harvest” was a good help for me. It tells specifically about each crop: at what depth, how long to wait for germination, at what temperature. I recommend it to everyone who wants to briefly, specifically and clearly learn the nuances of growing seedlings.

Having your own seedlings is the key to a good harvest. Grow seedlings and have fun with little plants!

Soaking the seeds- an important stage on which the result of all subsequent works of the gardener and gardener largely depends. When choosing a drug intended for these purposes, remember Epin (on sale now you can often find it under the name "Epin-extra")!

Why do you need soaking?

Soaking solves three problems at once:

• Checking seed germination;
• Acceleration of the germination process;
• Protection of future seedlings from pests and diseases.

Soaking methods

There are several ways to soak, the most common of which are:

• The seeds are laid out on a flat surface between two pieces of damp cloth and placed in a plastic bag;
• Foam sponges are immersed in the composition and wrung out. The seeds are laid out between the sponges, the resulting “sandwich” is fixed with rubber bands and wrapped in PET film;
• A cloth-covered stand with seeds lying on it is placed in a small bucket. A soaking composition is poured into the bottom so that the ends of the fabric are immersed in it, and the seeds themselves are located above the liquid level. The bucket is tightly closed with a lid.

The latter method is the most convenient, since it does not require constant control of the fabric’s moisture, as in the first case, and does not interfere with the flow of fresh air, as when using sponges.

For soaking, you can use both homemade and purchased products:

• sodium humate, potassium permanganate, soda, tincture of chamomile, valerian, oak bark...

A very popular means for soaking seeds today is “Epin”.

In order to soak seeds in Epin, it is not necessary to place them on a cloth or sponge. Simply prepare the solution in a glass according to the instructions and drop the seeds into it. And so that you don’t have to catch them from there for a long time, the planting material can be wrapped in gauze, tied with a thread and lowered into the solution in this form.

The solution remaining after soaking can be used to spray seedlings or water the soil. But just remember that the prepared solution is stored for no more than 2 days.

How to soak seeds in Epin

Epin is a synthetic substance that is an analogue of a natural stimulant that accelerates plant growth, activates its protective functions, and strengthens the immune system. Epin can increase yields by 15–20% if used correctly:

• Careful adherence to dosage:
• Before use, the product should be shaken thoroughly;
• Unused solution can be stored in a cool, dark place for no more than 48 hours.

Seeds should be soaked in Epin-extra immediately before sowing, after the seeds have gone through all other stages of processing: disinfection, heat treatment, pickling in potassium permanganate, etc.

Epin is used primarily for difficult-to-germinate seeds, since it has the ability to accelerate the emergence of seedlings. It is advisable to soak the seeds of the following crops in Epin:

• tomatoes, peppers,
• flower crops,
• celery, parsnip,
• onion.

In Epin you can soak vegetable and flower seeds, potato tubers, flower bulbs, rhizomes, seedlings - any planting material.

Dosage

According to the instructions for use on the package, the dosage for preparing an aqueous solution of Epin should be as follows:

• For vegetable seeds, 1-2 drops of Epin are dissolved in 100 ml of water (half a glass). At a temperature of 20 to 23 degrees, the seeds are soaked for 4 to 6 hours;
• For seeds of flowering plants, take 4 drops of Epin per 100 ml of water, and the soaking time is 8 – 10 hours at the same temperature (on average 20 degrees);
• For seeds with hard skin, it is allowed to increase the soaking time to 12 - 18 hours.

Instructions for use and dosage from the drug manufacturers

Instruction No. 1:

Instruction No. 2:

Seedling care

Epin will also be useful for subsequent plant care. Use it to spray picked seedlings, and their root system will develop faster. Spraying with Epine is also indicated under stressful weather conditions, as well as in cases where it is necessary to stimulate the formation of shoots in a plant or reduce the percentage of pesticides and nitrates in future fruits.

There are plants whose seedlings are not grown in large quantities, just a few copies.

For example, a large harvest of hot peppers is, in principle, not needed unless you are a fan of Asian cuisine. Hot peppers are in demand in winter recipes in very small quantities.

It must be planted completely separately from sweet peppers, otherwise the sweet peppers will become bitter. You can plant 2-3 plants in a corner of a tomato greenhouse. I haven’t tried it. Who cares: what if the tomatoes have a bitter taste?!

In our open ground, pepper does not produce a harvest. You can plant it in a garden bed, but only with shelter. You can come up with various shelters, but nothing better than the good old arcs has yet been invented...

So, what can you sow 3-4-6 pieces of red hot pepper seeds into? There are several options to consider:

1. in a snail made of film and toilet paper
2. into the cochlea from the substrate and soil
3. in a plastic container for toilet paper
4. in a plastic container on the ground

In the end, my choice fell on a newfangled option: seedlings in a sponge. It’s worth trying it at least once and forming your own opinion.

Sowing seeds in a sponge is done as follows:

1. a couple of dish sponges need to be wetted
2. spread the seeds on the surface of one sponge (the one that is softer)
3. cover them with a second sponge
4. place in a plastic bag

Sowing seeds in a sponge

But I spotted an option with one sponge on the Harvest Garden channel, where sowing seeds into a sponge is done a little differently. And I did this:

1. several cuts are made in the sponge to half its height
2. seeds are placed in the cuts
3. the sponge is placed on a polystyrene tray (from under the food)
4. is spilled with hot water. The excess water that remains after the sponge is saturated with water is drained from the pan.
5. The sponge along with the tray is placed in a plastic bag and on a shelf in a warm place

You can wrap it in newspaper for a day, which retains the heat received from hot water longer...

What is good about sowing seeds in a sponge:

• Sponge takes up little space: twice as much as a medium-sized plastic container
• perfectly retains moisture for a long time, which is necessary for seed germination
• the seeds located in the section of the sponge are tightly clamped with an elastic material saturated with moisture
• foam rubber is a heat-insulating material, which means that the seeds are not only moist in the sponge, but also warm

I took a medium-sized sponge for washing dishes. It made three cuts (with scissors), into each of which I placed three pieces of hot pepper seeds. In the end, I got 9 pieces. However, it’s a bit much, but...then I’ll offer it to my neighbor. In any case, the seedlings won’t go to waste.

Moreover, you can use a sponge that has already been in use to sow seeds, especially since housewives simply throw them away without thinking about the fact that they can somehow be used for gardening purposes.

And, in general, our industry produces a huge number of different foam sponges and, depending on their size, you can grow seedlings in a sponge in much larger quantities. Although why, if there are 5-6 seeds in bags: just a whole bag will fit in one sponge!

When the seeds in the sponge hatch and the first loops appear, you will need to remove the plastic bag and expose the sponge to the light. From time to time, check the moisture content of the sponge, which, when opened, on the one hand, will begin to evaporate water intensively, and on the other hand, the sole of the sponge always holds water for a long time and is almost always wet, so it is not in danger of losing moisture completely... If it seems that Once it has dried, it will not be difficult to add water to the pan, from which the sponge will take as much water as it needs.