Have you ever wondered why you sow some seeds, and they fail to germinate? A poor germination rate is a significant loss to the farmer. When most don’t germinate, the farmer has to gape on the empty hole for her to get a good yield, which is an additional cost to the farmer.
There are several causes of poor seed germination. These causes are soil, seed, or farmer-related.
Soil-related causes for poor germination
Water, air, and warmth are the significant conditions that must be present in the soil for any seed to germinate. If these factors are absent, no germination can take place. This is why most don’t germinate in arid seasons or deserts.
Seeds-related causes of germination failure
Buying seeds with a Low germination rate
Germination rate is the average number of seeds that can germinate within a period of 5-10 days, expressed as a percentage. A lower percentage means fewer seeds will germinate. Seed breeders must indicate the germination rate on the package.
Always look at the packaging date on the package before buying. Go for the seeds with a higher germination rate to increase to avoid a low germination rate.
Poorly stored seeds
If the seeds are stored poorly and exposed to moisture, premature germination followed by die-off can occur. Therefore, if these seeds are planted, the majority will not germinate regardless of the germination rate.
Expired seeds
Do seeds expire? The answer is yes. But how? As the seeds age, their viability declines with time. The strength of the chemicals used to treat the seeds also declines with time. These combined factors contribute to some extent to poor germination.
Before buying any seeds, look at the packaging and expiration dates. If you want good germination, don’t buy expired seeds.
Check out seed purity, too. This is the percentage of seeds in the packet that are pure. Buy the seeds with the highest percentage.
Farmers-related causes of poor germination
Deep sowing
The depth of sowing seeds is directly proportional to seed size. Most seeds are tiny to medium and do not require deep planting. Most farmers, unfortunately, sow their seeds deeply, covering them with the hips of soil. These seeds germinate well but die before reaching sunlight. Farmers interpret this as germination failure, which is not.
Sc’rchi’g ‘burn’ by fertilizer or manure
Seeds should not come into contact with fertilizer or manure, either on the hand or on the hole, to avoid scorching. Unfortunately, most people don’t care about this. The same hands that apply fertilizer sow the seeds, which, in most cases, don’t germinate. Always clean your hands after applying fertilizers and before touching the seeds.
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why do 70% of your chicks die before their 28th birthday?
How to get a high germination rate
Buy seeds with a reasonable germination rate and high purity that are not expired and in good condition.
Then, ensure the seeds are sowed in the correct depth and are not in contact with fertilizer or manure.
If there is wetness in the soil and warmness, the seeds will have to germinate.
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