The simplest and most affordable way to pickle seeds before planting, and at the same time to disinfect them, is a potassium permanganate solution. Of all the protectants, it is he who has the widest spectrum of action.
Instruction manual
1
Potassium permanganate belongs to chemical disinfectants and has a very wide range of actions. But treating them with seeds does not guarantee that the seeds will be completely and completely decontaminated, since potassium permanganate does not affect infections that live inside the seed. But potassium permanganate copes well with pathogens of infections on the surface of the seeds. The treatment modes for achieving effectiveness for different seeds are different, they process seeds with a solution of different degrees of concentration: both 1% and 2%.
2
A solution of potassium permanganate 1% processes tomatoes, physalis, onions, celery, lettuce, corn, radishes, all legumes, the duration of the treatment session is at least 45 minutes. A solution of 2% is used for pumpkin crops, dill, carrots, parsnips, cabbage, eggplant, pepper - processing lasts at least 20 minutes. All processing procedures are carried out in water at room temperature, with the obligatory washing of planting material subsequently running clean water.
3
In order to prepare a 1% solution of potassium permanganate, it is necessary to dissolve 1 g of potassium permanganate in 1/2 cup of water. To prepare a 2% solution, 2 g of powder is taken for the same amount of water. It is not advisable to take more water, since even this amount is excessive for soaking the seeds. With such a responsible occupation as seed dressing with potassium permanganate, you can not rely on the eye, and therefore it is best to measure the powder on special scales or take it in an already finished small packaging.
4
In the event that it is not possible to get the scales, you can use the following method, measuring the potassium permanganate powder on the eye. For a solution with a concentration of 2% in this case, take one teaspoon without a slide in 1.5 cups of water. After this, a solution of 1% can be prepared in various ways: 1 teaspoon is diluted in 3 glasses of water, or, taking part of a 2% solution, add to it an amount of water equal to its volume. The solutions obtained in this way cannot be distinguished in percentage terms from each other by eye: both have a dark, almost black structure. Seed treatment with less concentrated solutions cannot provide for disinfection, and in addition, the effectiveness is little more than just keeping the seeds in clean water.
5
There will be no disinfection and dressing as a whole will not have the proper effect if the seeds are stuck together. Such planting material must either be rubbed with hands until homogeneity is achieved, or previously soaked in plain water until disconnected. Tomato seeds are especially prone to such coalescence, and for them grinding is much more important for seed germination than even potassium permanganate dressing itself.
