How should flower seeds be stored, and how to prevent and control diseases and pests of edible fungi

After the seeds are harvested and dried in the sun, select plump ones free of diseases and pests for storage. When storing, pay attention to sorting them by category to avoid mixing them up. The lifespan of flower seeds varies depending on the maturity of the seeds and the storage conditions. Some seeds cannot be stored, as they lose their germination rate as soon as they are stored, such as begonia. Generally, the vitality of flower seeds can be maintained for 2 to 3 years or longer. If stored too long, not only does the germination rate decrease, but the seedlings also grow poorly after germination.

The storage of flower seeds should pay attention to the following aspects:

Keep dry Keeping dry is an important condition for preventing seeds from deteriorating. The moisture content should be kept at 12% to keep the seeds' life activities stable. Once the seed moisture content is found to be too high, they should be turned and dried in the sun immediately to prevent them from heating up, rotting, or being damaged by frost.

Control temperature High temperatures increase the respiration of seeds, directly affecting seed quality and germination rate. Storing them at 2°C to 3°C can reduce the respiration rate of seeds, thereby maintaining the seeds' vitality for longer.

Clean environment The seed storage room should be cleaned thoroughly, cracks and mouse holes should be plugged with lime, the walls should be whitewashed with limewater, and then an appropriate amount of chemical agent should be used for disinfection. For seeds collected and stored by home flower growers, after drying, they can be hung in a cloth bag in a ventilated, dry place, which is a relatively reliable storage method.

Adopt different storage methods. Some seeds are suitable for wet storage, such as nandina, papaya, peach blossom, plum blossom, and rose; while the seeds of water lily and lotus need to be stored in a bottle filled with water; the seeds of peony, Chinese rose, and osmanthus need to be stored in sand; some need to be stored by freezing, such as iris, delphinium, and betony; the seeds of tree peony and white magnolia should be sown as soon as they are collected; and some drupe seeds and seeds with harder seed coats should be stored in a pit (a layer of horse manure, a layer of soil, and a layer of seeds) sealed.