What are the methods for germinating Malabar spinach seeds

Malabar spinach (Basella alba) gets its name because of its delicate fragrance and the crisp, refreshing bite it has when chewed, just like eating wood ear fungus. Its seed coat is fairly hard, so the seeds do not germinate easily. Therefore, the seeds need to be pre-treated for germination before planting in order to increase the germination rate. Let's take a look at the detailed introduction below with the editor.

1. Seed selection

First, select plump seeds and spread them in the sun for 1-3 days so that their surface dries out; at the same time, the sunlight can also kill pathogens on the surface. Put the sun-dried seeds into clean water and rinse them once, then scoop out and remove the empty shell grains floating on the water surface. You can also add dish soap to wash them more cleanly.

2. Seed soaking

Put the washed seeds into a container, add 25-30 degree warm water to the container, then add gibberellin, salt and white vinegar, etc. to the warm water, and soak them for 48 hours. During the soaking period, rub the seeds once every 2-4 hours. At the same time, to prevent the water quality from deteriorating, change the water 2-3 times a day, and after each water change, add gibberellin, salt and white vinegar again.

3. Prepare the germination environment

Take out the soaked seeds, air-dry their moisture, and put them into a gauze bag for later use. Then go to a constant-temperature germination box, lay a sand bedding layer at the bottom of the box, then lay a layer of sterilized soil on the sand bedding layer, and then lay a layer of cloth. Place the gauze bag containing the seeds on top, cover it with a moist towel, and every 2-3 hours take out the towel, soak it wet, and cover it again.

4. Constant-temperature germination

Keep the temperature inside the germination box between 30-35 degrees. After one day of germination, take out the seeds. If any seeds have already sprouted, pick them out, while the unsprouted seeds continue to germinate. Every 3-5 hours, take out the seeds again, pick out the sprouted seeds, and continue germinating the unsprouted ones. Continue this way until all the seeds have sprouted.

The above is an introduction to the methods for germinating Malabar spinach seeds. We hope it can help you. If you want to learn more related knowledge, please stay tuned to us.