In a bowl, cover your seeds with warm water and leave to soak for 6-24 hours. Smaller seeds and those with thinner coats need the shorter time, and larger seeds with thicker coats need the longer period. Some seeds will naturally float, and some will stay below the surface.
Too much soaking in water and a seed will drown. It is recommended that you only soak most seeds for 12 to 24 hours and no more than 48 hours. The seeds of some species of plants can survive longer soakings, but you should only do this if the specific instructions for this species recommend so.
Just long enough for the seeds to swell but not so long that they might begin to sour and rot. Overnight is usually good. Many sources recommend 8-12 hours and no more than 24 hours. Again, too much soaking and the seeds will start to decompose.
By soaking the seed, it enables the new growth from the inside to push through the hard shell and grow. The seeds that could benefit from a good soaking include: corn, pumpkin, beans, chard, beets, and peas. The seeds you shouldn't soak include: carrots, lettuce, radish, celery, turnips, and spinach.
After soaking, plant your seeds immediately into moist soil. If the seeds are allowed to dry out after being soaked, they will most likely not germinate. To prevent wasting the effort of soaking, keep the soil moist until the seeds have fully germinated.
One method to check for seed viability is the water test. Take the seeds and place them in a container of water. Let the seeds sit for 15 minutes. If the seeds sink, they are still viable; if they float, discard, because they probably will not sprout.
Make sure to strain and rinse the nuts or seeds after soaking to eliminate the residual water which contains the absorbed enzyme inhibitors and toxic substances. Once you have given them a good rinse, enjoy them immediately or store them in your refrigerator for later.
Soaking seeds can certainly speed up germination, and encourage a batch of seeds to germinate at a more uniform pace. However, there's little evidence that soaking improves overall germination rates for most high-quality seeds.
Seeds absorb water when soaked. This makes them soft and big. Soaked seeds germinate faster. It is also easy to cook them.
The seeds will swell with absorption of the water. Plant the seeds in the soil or seed mix immediately. This pre-soaking will hasten germination by a few days and up to a week.
Like most things in gardening, there are always exceptions to this rule of 2-3 seeds per hole. If you're planting large seeds like cucumbers, melons, or pumpkins, you should only use one seed per hole. However, you can still plant seeds close together and then thin them out once they've established themselves.
Some seeds take a long time to germinate, and seed soaking can help to speed up the process. By soaking seeds in lukewarm water for 8-12 hours (some can go up to 24 hours, but never more than that), you help the seed to break dormancy and germinate faster.
You can soak seeds for longer, but most shouldn't be kept in water for longer than 24 hours. Aim for 8-12 hours for the soaking sweet spot. If your chosen seeds have a very hard outer shell, they may benefit from a process known as scarification.
Soak seeds in tap water for 12–48 hours (depending on how hard the seed coat is) before planting. If seeds do not absorb water, another treatment must be used (Seeds which have absorbed water will swell.) (Figure 26).
Garden plants' roots require aerobic soil with lots of oxygen. If you put too much water in your seed trays, your seedlings' roots won't be able to breathe and the plants will drown to death.
Pre-Soaking.
This method could be the fastest way to germinate seeds. Place seeds in a shallow container in warm water and leave them for 16 to 24 hours (smaller for 16, bigger for 24). Remember not to expose seeds to temperatures higher than 80°F (26.6°C) and not to pre-soak seeds for more than 24 hours.
Seeds need to be moderately moist to sprout. Seed germination is highly dependent on watering. Too dry and they won't get the message to sprout, too wet and they will rot in the dirt.
Water dissolves the minerals in the soil so that they become available to the seed. Because water has a neutral pH, it balances the soil pH and makes it favorable for seed germination. Imbibition of water causes the seed coat to swell and allows the cells of the embryo to rehydrate.
Cover your nuts or seeds with filtered water and salt. Let soak overnight (18 to 24 hours).
Short-soak nuts (cashews, macadamias, and pine nuts) have the highest fat content and require only 2 to 4 hours soaking. Do not soak these nuts for longer than 4 hours. Soaking them for extended periods of time break down their health-promoting oils.
Because they absorb moisture more easily, they also need to be dried at a higher temperature to make sure they completely dry out. When soaking nuts, add 1-2 tablespoons of coarse salt to the filtered water. Before drying the nuts be sure to rinse them to remove the salt residue.
Take your seeds and put them in a container of water. Let them sit for about 15 minutes. If the seeds sink, they are most likely still viable. If they float, they probably will not sprout.
The majority of seeds grow most effectively in the dark. Light, which is essential for seedling growth, may actually hinder the germination process. The three primary and necessary conditions for a seed to germinate are water, oxygen, and temperature. Thus, Light is not necessary for a seed to germinate.
Most seeds can last for several years when they're stored properly. Seeds that are stored in a cool, dark, dry place will last through their expiration date. When a seed experiences less-than-ideal storage conditions, its longevity, and viability decline.