Dioscorea NIPPONICA

Sowing and germination

Dioscorea seeds are flat, with a wide membranous wing, germination is low and falls quickly, so they are sown as fresh as possible. Before sowing, they are soaked for 12-24 hours in a weak solution of potassium permanganate or in a solution of a growth stimulator: balanced plant vitamin supplement, natural plant growth stimulant, amino-acid plant fertilizer, anti-stress adaptogen solution or root development stimulant. Stratification is required: swollen seeds are kept in damp sand at 3-5°C for 2-3 months. Sowing is carried out in the spring, in a loose, moisture-intensive substrate of peat and sand, to a depth of about 1 cm. The sowing is moistened with a spray bottle, covered with a transparent lid or placed in a greenhouse and germinated in the light at a temperature of 18-22°C. Shoots appear after 3-6 weeks, unevenly. The crops are ventilated daily and condensation is removed.