Chapter 67 Teaching Villagers to Grow Seedlings
Gu Jiayue did not refuse.
Truly, no one is better suited to explain this than her. After all, she was the one who provided the method, and while she'd tried to use modern language and writing, some parts still seemed a bit complicated. It would be better if she could detail all the steps. Having spent a lifetime farming, she'd surely understand immediately.
"Okay, then I'll go through all the steps. If there's anything wrong or you don't understand, feel free to point it out and we can improve it together."
Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that Gu Jiayue is a teacher. Although her voice is not loud, it is very penetrating.
There were fifty or sixty people sitting or standing in the yard of the village chief's house. As soon as she opened her mouth, everyone gradually quieted down and listened quietly to her explanation of how to quickly grow seedlings.
"Actually, the method is quite simple. The first step is seed selection. This means removing the undesirable seeds and retaining only the healthy, plump seeds free of pests and diseases. So how can we quickly select healthy, plump seeds? There are two methods. The first is to soak the seeds in salt water. Place the seeds in salt water of an appropriate concentration (usually around 10%-15%). The plump seeds will sink, while the shriveled or damaged seeds will float, allowing you to remove the floating seeds."
As soon as Gu Jiayue finished speaking, everyone in the yard became excited.
"Oh, soaking it in salt water? How much salt would that take? We can hardly afford salt ourselves."
"Yes, and the government's control over salt is extremely strict. Even if you have money, you can't buy that much salt, right?"
The village chief's face darkened, and he tapped the table in displeasure. "Quiet, listen to what Jiayue has to say!" Even the hand holding the pipe trembled a little when he heard that it needed to be soaked in salt water.
But as the village chief, he must not look like an inexperienced person.
Gu Jiayue smiled faintly, clapped her hands lightly, and signaled silence. "Didn't I just mention two methods of seed selection? This is the first one. The disadvantage is that it requires a large amount of salt, but the advantage is that it's quick and convenient. But it seems that none of you like this plan, so let me tell you about the second one."
"This second method is both convenient and affordable. Simply replace the salt with wood ash. Take an appropriate amount of wood ash, add it to warm water, and soak the seeds for about half an hour. The high-quality seeds will sink to the bottom of the water, while the inferior seeds will float to the surface. We can just keep the seeds that sink to the bottom."
When everyone heard this, they nodded in agreement.
Compared to salt, wood ash is the most convenient, fastest and most cost-effective method.
Every household needs to make a fire to cook. Even if there are many things in a home, the only thing it lacks is wood ash.
"Okay, let's move on to the second step. The selected seeds need to be soaked in warm water at 50-55°C for one to two quarters of an hour. This process will kill some of the pathogens on the surface of the seeds. After that, let the water cool naturally and soak for a while longer, usually 2-3 days. During the soaking period, change the water once or twice a day to ensure sufficient oxygen in the water to promote respiration of the seeds."
"That's how long it would take using regular warm water, but we're pressed for time right now, so we can swap the regular water for water boiled with willow bark. This way, we can finish it a day earlier. Wet moss can also achieve the same effect."
In fact, the book says to soak the seeds with gibberellin or carbendazim.
But this was ancient times, where were these things?
Fortunately, Gu Jiayue was not completely ignorant. When she was studying, she did quite well in biology.
She remembered that willow bark contains natural salicylic acid, a plant hormone that can promote plant growth and development, including seed germination. It can also regulate physiological processes in plants, such as enhancing seed respiration, allowing seeds to absorb water and nutrients faster, thereby accelerating germination.
Taohua Village is nestled against the mountains and beside the water, with countless willow trees. This is a perfect combination of time, place and people.
At this time, someone raised their hand and asked, "Jiayue girl, I understand everything else, but what does the warm water of 50-55 degrees Celsius mean?"
Gu Jiayue was slightly startled, then she realized that there was no thermometer here and she couldn't get the exact temperature.
She thought for a moment and said, "Put your finger in the water. If it feels quite hot but you can still bear it for three breaths, the temperature is probably close to 50-55°C. We can also observe the state of the water surface. When the water temperature is between 50-55°C, the surface will change slightly. The water will begin to emit a small amount of steam, but it will not violently boil and produce large amounts of steam like boiling water. If you heat water in a container and see the surface of the water tremble slightly but not as violently as boiling water, then it is almost ready."
Everyone nodded, indicating that they understood.
Gu Jiayue continued, "Now we've reached the third step. You can place the seeds next to the stove and cover them with a quilt or something to keep them warm. However, you must check the temperature frequently to prevent excessive heat from burning the seeds, or excessive cold from delaying germination. You also need to keep an eye on the humidity of the seeds and spray them with water regularly. The humidity shouldn't be too low or too high. If it's too low, the seeds will lack water and have difficulty germinating. If it's too high, the seeds will easily become moldy and rot."
"When germinating, don't pile the seeds too thickly; ensure they have good air permeability. Spread the seeds evenly on the germination equipment, preferably no more than 10-15 cm thick, about the thickness of a finger. Also, turn the seeds over appropriately, generally 2-3 times a day, to ensure they have ample exposure to air."
After Gu Jiayue finished speaking, she let out a long sigh.
To be honest, she was quite nervous, feeling a bit like she was giving an open class.
I am a layman in the field of farming, but I am explaining things to these people who have been farming for their entire lives. I really feel like I am showing off my skills in front of an expert.
"Did you understand everything? If you don't understand, please ask."
At the village chief's command, villagers immediately stood up and asked, "Jiayue, if we have 100 kilograms of seeds, how much willow bark do we need to boil water?"
Hmm? Well... she really didn't know. It wasn't mentioned in the book.
Look, look, it really is wrong to show off one's skills in front of an expert!
"There's no set amount, but more isn't always better. Just boil the water until it changes color," Gu Jiayue thought. As long as the salicylic acid in the willow bark is extracted, the problem shouldn't be a problem. "You can chop the willow bark into small pieces. This will make it easier to boil and give you more substances that help the seeds germinate."
Another villager stepped forward and said, "Aunt Jiayue, how do you tell if the seeds are dry or wet?"
The person who was speaking was from the Gu family. According to seniority, he had to call Gu Jiayue "Auntie".
Seeing this man in his fifties calling her aunt, Gu Jiayue found it difficult to accept for a moment.
However, Gu Jiayue was still able to answer the questions he asked.
She took out a piece of paper, took a sip of tea, and sprayed it on the paper, evenly dampening it. "Look, this is just right—there are water stains, but they haven't gathered into a stream."
She sprayed another mouthful of tea onto the paper. "Look, the water keeps dripping down. If it were placed in a basin, it would inevitably accumulate at the bottom, which would indicate there's too much water. But the specifics are up to you to experience for yourself. I trust you can all make your own judgment."
Everyone nodded and even shared their own methods of judging humidity.
The yard became lively again, with everyone exchanging experiences or discussing what tools to use to grow seedlings when they return home.
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