How to soak parsley seeds in vodka to speed up germination? The benefits of processing, tips and step-by-step instructions

Growing parsley from seeds is a difficult and troublesome process. The quality of seedlings is influenced by many factors: from poor seed to unfavorable weather conditions. In order for the parsley to grow better, it is advisable to pre-prepare the seeds.

One of the unusual but effective treatments before planting is to soak the seeds in vodka. This article describes in detail how to quickly germinate seed with vodka, and what is required for this. The article also describes how to use other means for soaking, a table with a step-by-step procedure is presented.

Effect of alcohol on seed

Parsley seeds have a protective coating of essential oils that prevents moisture from entering. Vodka is an alcoholic beverage that can evaporate fats, so it does a good job of neutralizing essential oils from such seed.

The use of vodka speeds up the process of softening the rough seed coat of parsley. Having a strong scarifying effect on the seed, vodka promotes the swelling of the seeds and the faster appearance of green shoots. Scarification is the deliberate superficial damage to the hard shell of the seed (to speed up the germination process).

Vodka has a disinfectant property: it prevents seeds from contamination with fungal, bacterial and viral pathogens. Seeds that have undergone vodka prophylaxis have higher immunity and better vitality..

Keeping parsley seeds in vodka combines several stages of pre-planting, shortening the time for healthy seedlings of greenery to be born.

What to choose?

There are no special requirements for the choice of vodka for the soaking procedure... An ordinary canteen "white" with a strength of 40 degrees will do. If there is no ready-made vodka available, you can independently dilute alcohol with water, observing the proportions: dilute to 35-45 degrees. A more aggressive alcoholic environment will harm the seed.

Treatment before sowing: step by step instructions

The following is a detailed algorithm for the correct procedure.

Stage	Actions
What to soak (capacity)	For the procedure, it is convenient to use shallow dishes, on the bottom of which you need to pour a small amount of vodka. A saucer, plate, bowl, or a washed container left over from food is perfect. The seeds must first be placed in a natural fabric bag (gauze or canvas). Then lower it into a container so that the liquid completely covers the seeds.
Inspection and selection of seeds	Since the temperature storage conditions, the moisture level and the age of the seed material affect its germination, it is necessary to pre-select the seeds before soaking and sift out unwanted elements. Inspection. Having distributed the seeds in one layer, you need to carefully examine their external condition. Seeds with mold stains and other contaminants must be destroyed. Seeds of the correct shape and color are further tested. Soaking in saline. Defective and empty seeds, immersed in salt water (1 tsp salt per 1 liter of water) for 7 minutes, will float up, and full-fledged ones will settle to the bottom. It is they who need to be washed from salt and dried. Sorting. Large and healthy seeds should be separated from small ones. They can also be planted, but it is better separately from large ones, since they rarely give good shoots.
How long should the seeds be kept?	The processing time of seeds in vodka is limited to 15 minutes. Failure to comply with this period leads to the fact that the seeds are preserved or burned. This time is quite enough for the liquid to cope with its tasks of dissolving fats, disinfecting and softening the inoculum.
Processing after soaking	After soaking the seeds, preparation for planting is carried out. Place the removed bag so that the absorbed vodka can drain. It is imperative to rinse the cloth with seeds several times under running water at room temperature.

Actions after soaking: when can you plant?

The seeds will be ready for sowing after they have dried.... Parsley seeds no longer need further processing. But some gardeners, for better growth, immerse already treated seeds in a growth stimulant solution before planting.

Aloe juice diluted in warm water is used as a home growth accelerator.

Alternative to liquids containing alcohol

Vodka is just one of the options for soaking parsley seed. You can also replace an alcoholic drink with other non-alcoholic liquids:

1. Melted snow or other clean natural water.
2. Boiling water.
3. Aloe juice.
4. Potassium permanganate solution.
5. Warmed milk.
6. Infusion of wood ash.
7. Hydrogen peroxide.
8. Diluted honey.
9. Ready-made biological stimulants:
   • Zircon and Albit;
   • Energen;
   • Bioglobin;
   • Pennant;
   • Gibberellin;
   • Ecost;
   • Thiourea;
   • Epin and others.

It might seem wild to an inexperienced gardener to use vodka to soak parsley seeds. But, as the experience and reviews of summer residents show, this alcohol not only does not harm the seeds, but also, on the contrary, has a positive effect on the seedlings of culture... Whether to use alcohol for soaking the seeds or leave it to be taken "inside" - each summer resident decides for himself. But it's still worth trying this method in your garden at least once.

We suggest watching a video on how to properly soak parsley seeds in vodka:

Watch the video: 7 FATAL MISTAKES: Why Seeds Not Germinating or Sprouting? (October 2021).