Practical Growing Tips to Improve the Germination Rate of Autumn Spinach
Spinach is a common vegetable with strong adaptability and can be grown all year round. However, because spinach seeds have a hard seed coat and do not easily absorb water, germination is difficult, so the germination rate of spinach is relatively low. Now is the time to plant autumn spinach, so how can the germination rate of spinach be improved? Let's take a look together.
1. Seed selection
To prevent spinach from being infected by diseases during the growing period, before planting you can pick out the plump, full seeds from the spinach and place them in the sun to dry for 4-6 hours. After sun-drying, use a fungicide to sterilize the seeds, which can effectively reduce the occurrence of diseases during the spinach seedling stage.
2. Seed soaking
The surface of spinach seeds has a layer of gelatinous substance. If this is not treated before sowing, the seeds protected by the gelatinous coating cannot fully absorb water from the soil, making it more difficult for the spinach seeds to germinate. Therefore, before sowing, the seeds need to be pre-treated to promote germination. For soaking spinach seeds, hydrogen peroxide can be used. Soak the spinach seeds in a solution of hydrogen peroxide stock solution and water at a ratio of 1:4. To allow the seeds to absorb water more fully, stir while pouring. The soaking time can be determined according to the local temperature. When the temperature is around 25 degrees, the soaking time is about 1 hour; when the temperature is 20 degrees, the soaking time can be extended to 2 hours.
3. Germination treatment
After soaking, the spinach seeds need to undergo germination treatment. Remove the seeds, rinse them clean in clear water, then drain off the water. Wrap the seeds in a damp gauze and place them in a cool, moist, well-ventilated place to begin germination. To keep the spinach seeds in a constantly moist state, spray water on the gauze morning and evening during germination. Generally, under suitable temperature conditions, after 2-3 days the spinach seeds will develop white tips, and then they can be planted.
4. Planting management
Before sowing spinach, water the plot to be planted thoroughly, then evenly scatter the spinach seeds over the soil and cover with a thin layer of soil. When the midday sun is strong, the soil dries out very easily, which affects the germination rate of spinach. Therefore, to ensure the germination rate, after broadcasting the seeds you can cover with a layer of rice straw and water morning and evening, continuing until two true leaves have grown.
The above is an introduction to how to improve the germination rate of autumn spinach. We hope it helps you. If you want to learn more related knowledge, please stay tuned to us.