Is it necessary to soak basil seeds before planting and how to do it correctly

Fragrant, or camphor, basil, also known as regan or rayhon, is a capricious tropical plant. In the middle zone it is grown in pots on the windowsill, in greenhouses and open ground. In the latter case, to ensure rooting, seedlings or cuttings are used - pre-sprouted and sorted planting material. Growing spices from seeds yourself is a troublesome process that requires care and knowledge of the growth characteristics of a delicate plant.

The need to soak basil seeds before planting

The herbaceous annual shrub has a delicate structure. It is afraid of frost, does not tolerate drought well, is picky about the chemical composition of the soil and needs abundant watering. Nature has provided protection mechanisms. Each seed is placed in a dense shell of oils (vegetable wax) - a ready-made concentrate of nutrients, which, upon germination, provides the seedling with conditions for gaining vegetative mass.

It takes at least a week to dissolve this shell, even at room temperature. In spring soil, cool and loose after digging, there are no such conditions. A seed thrown into the ground may not sprout at all.

Is this necessary and what will happen if you ignore this processing stage

To dissolve the oily coating in which the basil seed is placed, at least two factors are needed - temperature and humidity. This is how the plant “understands” that conditions are favorable for germination and it is possible to move from a dormant state to an active one. If at least one of the requirements is not met, no such signal is received. The embryo “believes” that it is still too cold outside and waits in the wings.

The average germination rate of good quality seeds thrown into the ground without preparation is 30%. Experiments have confirmed that failure to comply with at least one of the conditions (low temperature with high humidity or abundant moisture at temperatures below +20°C) gives the same result.

Important! The oily coating is not a consequence of artificial seed treatment by the manufacturer, but a natural defense mechanism. The germination rate of planting material from different brands is approximately the same, but for varieties bred for different climatic zones it may vary.

How long before planting should I soak?

Before carrying out operations with seeds, calculate the timing of planting basil and the form of cultivation. Seedlings of the heat-loving spice can only be transferred to the ground by the beginning of June, when in the middle zone the risk of night frosts has already been eliminated. The bushes are transplanted into the greenhouse earlier - in mid-May. From the moment when the hatched seeds turn into viable plants, 30-40 days should pass. To calculate the optimal date for starting seed processing and cutting, you need to subtract another 7-10 days from this period for germination.

Important! An express method for accelerating seed germination before planting directly in open ground takes 3-4 hours. The technique is only suitable for southern latitudes. In the northern regions, seedlings will either die due to cold soil or will not have time to grow due to the short warm season.

Final calculations show that seed processing for planting in open ground should begin a week before the intended day. To prepare high-quality seedlings by June, seed activation should be started no later than mid-April. Having the opportunity to transfer the bush in a pot, you can germinate the seeds at the end of March.

Selection of seeds before soaking

Raykhon seeds are shaped like pine nuts and the size of sesame. Conscientious producers carry out seed sorting during harvesting. The gardener himself should also do this before processing - strong, viable seeds have a better chance of sprouting and growing.

The seeds are scattered on a white cloth and examined, sorting one by one. Deformed, damaged or different colors from the general black-glossy mass are removed. The same applies to seeds that have a suspicious coating on them. Perhaps these seeds became damp and were dried again.

Important! Planting material, if properly stored, does not lose its viability for 4-5 years.

Warming up

In mountainous and southern regions, seeds are heated under the sun, spreading them in a thin layer on a brightly lit table. This is not enough for the middle zone, and trying to replace sunlight with an ultraviolet lamp will lead to nothing.

Before soaking, the seeds can be warmed up:

• tied in a rag bag and placed on the radiator;
• placing it in a thin layer on a heating pad;
• placing under a terrarium lamp.

It is not recommended to use an incandescent lamp. Excessive and directed heat can kill the active part of the seed. The optimal temperature for warming up is up to +30…+35°C. Time – 3-4 hours.

How to properly soak basil seeds

The main condition for the rapid germination of regan grains is the artificial dissolution of the oil-ether shell. This cannot be done without soaking. For the procedure, warm water, solutions of fertilizers and potassium permanganate, and even vodka are used.

Important! You should not soak the seeds by pouring them into a glass. A shell that has swollen to the point of jelly will be difficult to wash off.

In water

There are no water quality requirements for this method. All you need is a seed container and a small piece of gauze or bandage. Procedure:

1. Seeds (can be preheated) are poured onto a piece of gauze and tied, forming a bag.
2. Water is poured into a glass up to +50…+60°C, and the bag is lowered.
3. The liquid is changed to warm every hour (6-8 times).
4. Wash the grains from mucus without removing them from the fabric.
5. Before planting, the seed material is slightly dried.

In wet cloth

For this method, use cotton pads, a bandage (not sterile) or a piece of soft fabric (flannel). Procedure:

1. The seeds are poured at intervals onto the prepared cloth. If there is a large amount of seed material, several layers can be made.
2. The resulting envelope is spilled 2-3 times with warm water +50...+60°C and wrung out. After 15 minutes, when the fabric has cooled, repeat.
3. After extreme flooding, the envelope is wrung out and placed in a film or bag, which is placed near a radiator or a warm fireplace for a day. After 24 hours, the material is ready for planting.

In vodka

Alcohol dissolves the oily coating faster than water. To reduce the soaking procedure to 15 minutes, vodka is enough. Process:

1. Basil seeds are wrapped in gauze in one layer.
2. The envelope is poured or placed in a container with vodka.
3. After 15 minutes, the envelope is washed with warm water.

What to do next

Additionally, the seed can be etched with potassium permanganate (place in a slightly pinkish solution for half an hour). This will increase germination and prevent fungal infections. The root-forming preparations “Kornevin” and “Zircon” have the same effect. The seeds are immersed in the mixture prepared according to the recipe for an hour. Soaked seeds are ready for planting after airing or lightly drying for 3-4 hours.

Reference. The earth in which the grains are planned to be placed is heated to +70°C (can be done in the oven) or cooled after calcination to +100°C.

A common technique is to plant seeds in a snail made of cardboard, film or burlap. Procedure:

1. Soft cardboard or burlap is spread thinly. Moisten.
2. A thin layer of etched and mineral-enriched soil is scattered over the fabric.
3. Seeds are placed on the soil at a distance of at least 2 cm. The material is rolled up.
4. Large rolls are carefully cut with a paper knife. Water it and place it near the radiator.
5. When the basil sprouts and gets stronger (in 2-3 weeks), the rolls are taken to the main planting site and unrolled.
6. Ribbons with seedlings are sprinkled with loose soil and watered again.

Both snails and cups for seedlings are placed near a radiator or fireplace so that the sprouts sprout faster. The top of the pots or boxes is covered with cling film to create a greenhouse effect.

A method similar to snails, but without soil, is reproduced with toilet paper. It is important to take a roll without fragrances and dyes - gray, loose. Process:

1. The paper is spread out and moistened with a spray bottle. Not too much so that it doesn’t break up ahead of time.
2. Seeds are distributed over the surface.
3. The paper is carefully rolled up like a rolled-up cigarette.
4. Warm water is poured into a narrow glass.Place the roll so that there is 1-2 cm of paper in the water. The rest will draw in water on its own, but in smaller quantities.
5. After 7 days, when shoots appear, the paper will practically dissolve. It can be carefully disassembled and the shoots transferred to the main planting site.

Read also:

Is it possible to plant basil before winter and how to do it?

The best ways to preserve basil for the winter

When is it time to plant soaked seeds?

Soaked seeds can be sent to open ground if the ground has warmed up to +28°C. Immersion depth is 4 cm. To be sure that morning frosts will not kill the hatching sprouts, the surface of the bed can also be covered with film or burlap.

Provided the temperature is suitable, seedlings appear by the end of the first week. Throughout this period and in the future, basil must be actively watered. The growing season lasts 40-70 days depending on the variety.

Read also:

When to collect and how to properly dry basil.

Plant compatibility: what to plant basil next to and why it is important.

How to properly freeze basil for the winter: a selection of the best methods.

Conclusion

Basil seeds are soaked in order to dissolve their natural protective and nutritional coating. If this is not done, in the climate of most regions of Russia, the capricious heat-loving plant may simply not grow. The best ones are selected from the mass of seeds, heated and soaked in a damp cloth or vodka to awaken and remove the oil cover. In June, upon reaching a stable +28°C, the seedlings are transplanted into the ground.