A Detailed Guide to the Latest Seed Germination Methods for Celtuce

Celtuce prefers cool conditions, and the optimum temperature for seed germination is 15-20°C. If the temperature is above 30°C, the seeds cannot germinate. Autumn celtuce is sown in early autumn, when temperatures are relatively high and germination and seedling emergence are difficult, so germination treatment is generally required before sowing. Let us take a look together below!

Seed collection methods for celtuce

For celtuce seed collection, it is best to save seed from spring celtuce that has overwintered, and seed plants should be isolated from other varieties by about 1000 m. Select and keep plants that grow vigorously and have the characteristics and traits of the variety. After thinning, maintain a spacing of more than 33 cm between plants and rows, remove old leaves, increase fertilizer and water, and earth up the soil to promote side branch growth.

At flowering time, appropriately remove some branches and insert stakes to prevent lodging. Water cannot be lacking during the flowering period, and irrigation should be reduced after the flowers fade. 20-25 days after flowering, when the leaves of the seed plants turn yellow normally and the seeds are brown or silvery gray with white pappus, harvest them in time.

Treatment methods for celtuce seeds

Autumn celtuce is generally sown in July or early August. At this time it is the hot, high-temperature season, and the seeds do not germinate easily. In production, measures such as low-temperature treatment, hormone soaking of seeds, and red light irradiation are often used to promote germination.

1. Low-temperature treatment is the most commonly used method, that is, first soak the seeds for 12-24 hours, then put the seeds in a bag and place them in a cool place such as a cave or a well, or directly place them in a refrigerator, keeping them below 25°C and moist. After 3-4 days, when 80% of the seeds have sprouted, they can be sown.

2. If hormone soaking is used, dry seeds can be soaked for 3 minutes in a 100 mg/L hormone solution, rinsed, and then sown, which can greatly increase the germination rate of celtuce seeds under high-temperature conditions. Treatment with 0.1% thiourea can also promote germination.

3. Irradiating celtuce seeds with red light can also promote germination at high temperatures, but infrared light can inhibit germination.

Sowing times for celtuce seeds

1. Spring celtuce: raise seedlings in a greenhouse from December to March, and raise seedlings in the open field from mid-February to late March.

2. Summer celtuce: open-field cultivation from April to mid-to-late May, and from late May to July use shade net covering, direct sowing, or high-density planting.

3. Autumn celtuce: from July to September, sow with shade net covering, and raise seedlings for transplanting.

4. Overwintering celtuce: raise seedlings in the open field from October to November.