Seed Storage Techniques and Post-Harvest Handling Methods for Herbaceous Flower Seeds

Most herbaceous flowers are robust; even if thrown on the ground, they can propagate into a large patch, and they do not require much management, are easy to grow, and look very beautiful. So what are the seed storage techniques for herbaceous flowers? How should they be handled after harvest to achieve a high germination rate? What methods are there?

I. How to handle herbaceous flower seeds after harvest for a high germination rate.

1. Clean and select flower seeds properly

After harvest, seeds must be cleaned. Those pulled up whole should be dried before threshing; those harvested together with the fruit should have the peel, pulp and various attachments removed. Flower seeds are small and light; some seed coats have fuzz or short spines, and easily adhere to or become mixed with living impurities such as sclerotia, galls, insect eggs and weed seeds, as well as non-living impurities such as residual leaves and sand.

2. Dry properly

Herbaceous flower seeds that need sun-drying after harvest must be dried together with the fruit husk; do not place the seeds on a cement drying yard or in a metal container under direct sunlight, otherwise the vitality of the seeds will be affected. The seeds can be placed on canvas, reed mats or bamboo mats to dry. Some seeds are sensitive to light, so the natural air-drying method can be used, that is, placing the seeds indoors in a ventilated, rain-sheltered place to let them dry naturally. Generally, the moisture content of herbaceous flower seeds is below 7%.

II. Key points of storage techniques

1. Choose the correct packaging method

Flower seeds are generally small in quantity, short-lived and expensive. In most cases, polyethylene-aluminum foil composite film bags are used, with an outer paper seed bag. Flower seeds containing aromatic oils should be stored in metal cans, wooden boxes or colored glass bottles. Cans and aluminum foil bags can also be vacuumed or semi-vacuumed when sealed to reduce the amount of oxygen in the container. The outside of the seed bag should be clearly marked with the seed name as well as the year, month and day of harvest and the period of use.

2. Low-temperature, moisture-proof storage

Seeds that have been cleaned and dried to a certain moisture content and packed in aluminum foil bags or metal cans should be stored under dry, sealed, low-temperature (2-5°C) conditions. Seed bags or cans should be placed on shelves or platforms about 50 cm above the ground; never let the seed bags touch the ground directly, to prevent moisture damage. A small amount of seeds can be stored in a desiccator. The desiccator can be a glass bottle, a small-mouthed covered jar or urn, a plastic bucket, etc., with quicklime, silica gel, dry plant ash, charcoal, etc. placed at the bottom as a desiccant, and the seed bags placed on top, then sealed and placed in a low-temperature, dry place.

3. Stack reasonably

There are many varieties of flower seeds with different grades, but generally the quantity of seeds is not large. In the warehouse, they should be placed on shelves about 50 cm from the wall and 50 cm above the ground, with labels indicating their position, quantity, packaging, etc., to prevent mixing.

4. Ventilate at the right time

Seed respiration generates a great deal of heat, and timely ventilation can lower the temperature and disperse moisture. The general principle is: ventilate on clear days, keep closed on rainy days, do not ventilate on snowy days; ventilate when it is freezing cold; open early and close late, open less at noon; do not open when there is fog at night. Natural ventilation is mostly used; mechanical ventilation can be used where conditions permit.

5. Check frequently

The warehouse should be inspected promptly; after the seeds pass through summer or winter, the moisture content and germination rate of the seeds should be tested. Set up temperature and humidity meters at multiple points in different parts of the warehouse, assign specific people to measure at fixed times, and keep good records. Be sure to maintain a low-temperature, low-humidity environment for flower seed storage, to prevent the seeds from molding or the germination rate from decreasing.