2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
In order for the seeds to give good shoots, it is recommended to process them before sowing. There are now many ways of pre-sowing seed preparation (calibration, hardening, disinfection, stratification, etc.), and vernalization is one of them. What is it, what is the essence of vernalization, and what benefits can it bring to the seeds and the future harvest?
Meet vernalization
Vernalization is an event aimed at encouraging seeds or plants to actively grow and develop through short-term exposure to low temperatures (and although the temperature in this case must necessarily be low enough, it invariably remains positive). By the way, in the scientific literature vernalization is sometimes called vernalization.
Differences from hardening
Vernalization differs from hardening exclusively in temperature. Vernalization is always carried out only at positive temperatures, while hardening is allowed even at negative temperatures. Otherwise, these methods of pre-sowing seed preparation are very similar.
Differences from stratification
Of course, vernalization has some similarities with stratification, but there are also certain differences between them. Stratification is a rather lengthy process in which a wide variety of temperature ranges are actively used. Vernalization, on the other hand, takes relatively little time and can be carried out only at positive temperatures.
Another difference is that vernalization can be carried out both in relation to seeds and in relation to plants (if you want them to bloom as soon as possible, etc.), while stratification covers only seeds.
What else can vernalization be confused with?
Oddly enough, this method of pre-sowing seed preparation is confused not only with cooling, but also with heating. At least, such confusion is often found in articles describing the pre-sowing preparation of our second bread - potatoes.
Of course, both cooling and heating have a common goal - to give seeds or plants a good temperature shock, but the temperatures in this case are very different.
How to carry out vernalization?
First, pre-prepared seeds are soaked in water at room temperature, and as soon as they begin to swell, they are immediately placed in the refrigerator. At the same time, the time of their stay in the refrigerator can vary greatly: if a one-day or two-day aging is enough for celery or chrysanthemum, then the seeds of onions, parsley and carrots will have to be kept in the refrigerator much longer - from ten to fifteen days.
Vernalization can be carried out in another way: the seeds of onions, celery, parsley or carrots, soaked in water and starting to germinate, are scattered in a layer of three to five centimeters and kept on ice at temperatures from zero to one degree. Every couple of days they must be mixed, and just before sowing they are slightly dried.
The most optimal terms of vernalization until the moment of sowing seeds are considered: for celery - 20 - 24 days, parsley - 18 - 22 days, and for onions with carrots - 15 - 20 days.
It is also important not to forget that all seeds intended for vernalization must necessarily be cleaned of impurities of any other crops and from litter, as well as from sick, too small, puny and broken specimens. And they need to be harvested only from healthy crops with high yields. This is the only way to achieve the best results.
Is vernalization carried out for all crops?
Unfortunately no. This method will adversely affect cabbage, turnips and rutabagas, as well as radishes with beets - these crops will begin to shoot and bloom.
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