Soak or Not Soak Seeds Before Planting is the Question - AgNet West (2024)

FAQs

Soak or Not Soak Seeds Before Planting is the Question - AgNet West? ›

By soaking the seed, it enables the new growth from the inside to push through the hard shell and grow. The seeds that could benefit from a good soaking include: corn, pumpkin, beans, chard, beets, and peas. The seeds you shouldn't soak include: carrots, lettuce, radish, celery, turnips, and spinach.

Almost all seeds can be pre-soaked, but it is large seeds, seeds with thick coats and wrinkled seeds that will benefit most. Small seeds benefit less and are difficult to handle when wet. Examples of seeds that benefit from soaking include peas, beets, cucumber, corn, squash, pumpkin and beans.

As a general rule of thumb, your seeds will sprout even if you don't soak your seeds before planting, but with soaking, the germination time decreases, and the germination rate increases. Seeds that have a continual flow of moisture to uptake have much higher chances of success.

The technique is proven by biological scientist. During the study the tomato seeds were soaked for 12, 24 and 36 hours, and the best results were achieved after a 24 hour soak. So if you have older seeds or you late with the sowings then you can just soak the tomato seeds in water for a day to speed up the germination.

Nasturtium, Sweet Pea, Milkweed, Lupine, and Morning Glory seeds ready to be scarified and soaked. Although most wildflower seeds can simply be scattered on bare dirt, there are several varieties that will have a better germination (sprouting) rate with just a little extra work before planting.

Put the seeds in the bowl and soak for up to 48 hours. Again, different seeds require different soaking times but 48 is generally the maximum.

Your body can better absorb nutrients if you soak nuts and seeds. Nutrient-dense nuts and seeds include nutrient inhibitors that guard and guarantee the survival of those nutrients. By soaking nuts and seeds, you can reduce or get rid of the harmful and nutritious inhibitors that are absorbed into the water.

If the seeds sink, they are still viable; if they float, discard, because they probably will not sprout. Question: Can the seeds that sink still be planted? Answer: Yes. Sow the seeds directly in the soil if it is the proper planting time or thoroughly dry seeds and plant when it is the appropriate time.

Cover trays with plastic wrap to keep the moisture level constant. Plastic wrap ensures a constant moisture level. If more water is needed, let it wick up from the bottom. Seeds are very sensitive to the extremes of overwatering and underwatering.

Seeds absorb water when soaked. This makes them soft and big. Soaked seeds germinate faster. It is also easy to cook them.

Should you water seeds right after planting? ›

Moisture Matters – After planting, water seeds with a gentle mist or shower. Avoid using a strong splash or spray, which can dislodge seeds. It is vital to keep soil consistently moist.

WAIT A WHILE AND THEN...

The viable seeds will sink to the bottom while the pulp and unviable seeds will float. Carefully pour off the unviable seed and floating pulp. Then, add more water and repeat this step until only heavy, viable seeds remain. This process is known as water winnowing.

By soaking the seed, it enables the new growth from the inside to push through the hard shell and grow. The seeds that could benefit from a good soaking include: corn, pumpkin, beans, chard, beets, and peas. The seeds you shouldn't soak include: carrots, lettuce, radish, celery, turnips, and spinach.

And while starting seeds indoors under lights or in a sunny window is a very popular method, there is an even simpler way. Direct sowing is the method of planting the seeds directly into outdoor garden soil. There is no special equipment, and there are no little pots and flats to mess with.

Sow some right before the promised rain and another batch right after the rain so both batches of seeds can lodge in moist soil from the first rain and then get another sprinkling with the next rain to settle the seeds in even further.

Pre-germination - Submerge seeds in water for 12−24 hrs or until small shoots appear at the end of the seed. In colder weather, seeds may need to be soaked for 36−48 hrs.