Soak or not?

Discussion in 'Fruit and Veg Gardening' started by marlingardener, Apr 7, 2021.

  1. marlingardener

    marlingardener Happy

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    I've always soaked larger seeds (beans, peas, corn, etc.) overnight before planting. I was recently told by another gardener that doesn't help germination and just makes planting seeds "messy". I've never run from a mess in my life, but I am wondering what people on the Stew do--soak or not?
     
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  3. Sjoerd

    Sjoerd Mighty Oak

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    I almost never soak my seeds anymore. However, this year I soaked some peas and pepper seeds. No action yet, but I’ll let you know.
     
  4. mart

    mart Strong Ash

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    We always soaked okra but its a hard tough seed ! I would say it depends on how moist the soil is at planting ! If you have had plenty of rain its probably not necessary ! But if dry,,it helps with germination ! Just common sense !
     
  5. Logan

    Logan Strong Ash

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    I haven't soaked runner bean seeds, but I have with sweet peas, I don't think that it makes any difference. But they say soak chillie seeds in cold tea to break dormancy but they only rot for me.
     
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  6. mart

    mart Strong Ash

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    Mother tried the tea too ! Made no difference ! Pepper needs no soaking ! What kind of chili seed ?
     
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  7. Logan

    Logan Strong Ash

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    QUOTE="mart, post: 394486, member: 9093"]Mother tried the tea too ! Made no difference ! Pepper needs no soaking ! What kind of chili seed ?[/QUOTE]
    The very hot ones, carolina reaper, komono dragon, armagedon and Trinidad Scorpion.
    I just save seed off my own plants that are in the conservatory, can't grow them outside the season is too short. Or i buy some Chillies from the supermarket.They germinate that way.
     
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  8. Netty

    Netty Chaotic Gardener Plants Contributor

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    I soak my bean and pea seeds before planting
     
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  9. carolyn

    carolyn Strong Ash

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    I do soak pepper seeds before putting them on the heat mats. I do have better germination with them. it might be helpful for a very dry garden but truthfully beans as soon as they swell will fall apart so the only way I can see it would work is if you are hand seeding. I use an earthway seeder for almost all my rows of seeded crops.

    Logan superhots take a long time to germinate and grow very slowly. a heat mat helps tremendously to get them started. I usually start mine in Jan to plant in the garden in June.
     
  10. Sjoerd

    Sjoerd Mighty Oak

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    Good advice, Carolyn.
    I have also noticed this tardy-development characteristic of peppers. My Cayenne’s are just now producing their little first leaves, but the ring of fire ones are giving no sign. I am beginning to be a tad uncomfortable because I also have some toms in that incubator on the heating mat. I may have to plant those toms on before removing the tray from the heating pad. It is a bit inconvenient this year, and I did it to myself. I thought the pepper soaking would allow the peps to sort of catch up to the other things in the incubator.

    Netty— what sorts of beans are you pre-soaking?
     
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  11. mart

    mart Strong Ash

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    The very hot ones, carolina reaper, komono dragon, armagedon and Trinidad Scorpion.
    I just save seed off my own plants that are in the conservatory, can't grow them outside the season is too short. Or i buy some Chillies from the supermarket.They germinate that way.[/QUOTE]

    You are brave,, those are little firebombs ! Hottest I ever use are Habanero !
     
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  12. Nefret

    Nefret New Seed

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    I don’t pre soak for the most part and seem to get decent germination in an expected time frame
    Interesting about peppers though. I wonder if they’d be further along if I had? They are taking quite a long time. But I don’t have a heat mat, so there’s that...
     
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  13. marlingardener

    marlingardener Happy

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    Nefret, if you don't have a heat mat, do you have a heat pad used for a human's sore muscles? We have an old one that we use under seed cells. Or, you could put them on top of the refrigerator (it's warm up there) or on a folded towel on top of a radiator. Gardeners are very inventive!
     
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  14. Cayuga Morning

    Cayuga Morning Strong Ash Plants Contributor

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    I just soak my pea seeds
     
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  15. Netty

    Netty Chaotic Gardener Plants Contributor

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    [QUOTE="Netty— what sorts of beans are you pre-soaking?[/QUOTE]
    I soak my Blue Lake and Rattlesnake beans. as well as my sugar snap peas for an hour or so before I plant them. I am planting by hand, but if you were using a seeder it probably wouldn't work because the seeds would stick together.
     
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  16. Sjoerd

    Sjoerd Mighty Oak

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    Those are two bean names that I do not know. I do hope that you will post a pic when they are blooming and when they are beaning.
    I soaked my sugar snappers over night this year. It may have been too long.

    Thanks for letting me know those bean sorts.
     
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