Small seeds benefit less and are difficult to handle when wet. Examples of seeds that benefit from soaking include peas, beets, cucumber, corn, squash, pumpkin and beans. In a bowl, cover your seeds with warm water and leave to soak for 6-24 hours.
Hot water seed treatment has the beneficial effect of priming seeds, resulting in faster germination than untreated seed. However, the treatment can decrease germination rates, especially of older seed (more than 1 year old) or seeds that were grown under stressful environmental conditions.
As a general rule of thumb, your seeds will sprout even if you don't soak your seeds before planting, but with soaking, the germination time decreases, and the germination rate increases. Seeds that have a continual flow of moisture to uptake have much higher chances of success.
Speed Up Germination
Using warm water also helps speed up this process. While they have moisture levels that need to be met before they can germinate, seeds also have temperature sensors. These prevent the seeds from germinating when it is still too cold, risking damage to the new and vulnerable growth.
Examples of seeds that benefit from soaking include peas, beets, cucumber, corn, squash, pumpkin and beans. 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.
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.
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.
Some commercial vegetable seed companies routinely use this method (as well as other more stringent decontamination methods) to eradicate pathogens. Hot-water seed treatments are effective because hot water soaks into the seed for a brief time and kills disease-causing organisms, without killing the seed itself.
There are a few steps you can take to make seeds germinate faster. Soak seeds in warm distilled water for 24 hours before sowing to soften the seed coat and speed up germination. You can also use a heat mat to keep seeds in the best temperature range to help them germinate quickly.
Temperature influences the moisture content, hormone function, and enzyme activity that occurs during seed germination. Warm temperatures accelerate the chemical reactions in seeds and accelerate cell formation for development.
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).
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.
Soaking. Soaking is beneficial in two ways; it can soften a hard seed coat and also leach out any chemical inhibitors in the seed which may prevent germination. Anything from 1-3 hours in water which starts off hand hot is usually sufficient. If soaking for longer the water should be changed daily.
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.
Seeds absorb water when soaked. This makes them soft and big. Soaked seeds germinate faster. It is also easy to cook them.
When seeds are soaked in water, they begin to warm up and produce carbon dioxide. Seeds are dormant, or at least close to dormancy. When we provide them with warmth and moisture they start to grow. Was this answer helpful?
Vinegar is an aqueous solution of acetic acid, which inhibits the process of seed germination. Higher concentration of acetic acid may destroy the seed vigor and inhibit the germination of seeds. Overall, vinegar can kill the seeds, the leaf, and possibly the entire plant.
The answer is, no, you don't technically need to soak the seeds before sowing, but it sure does speed up germination big time. We are all aware that seeds in the wild can germinate without our assistance.
Planting too deep (or not deep enough).
Small seeds such as basil, onions, and carrots should only be covered very lightly with soil or vermiculite. That's because these little specks of seeds don't have the energy within them to push through a lot of soil when they germinate.
Some seeds like Allium 'Purple Sensation' and Eryngium giganteum need a long period of cold-moist stratification with alternating temperatures. These are the most difficult seeds to germinate.
Soak. Soaking the seeds even in plain water helps to saturate the embryo with moisture and to awaken it. Medium and large seeds are subject to soaking, small seeds are quickly saturated with moisture already in the ground. Use warm water for soaking.