Got seeds? Just add bleach, acid and sandpaper - Mary Koga

要種花了嗎？用些漂白水、酸和砂紙吧 - 瑪麗．高賀 (Mary Koga)

譯者: Hao-Wei Chang 審譯者: Marssi Draw

So, the apocalypse has happened.

末日來臨

The zombies have come and gone,

殭屍橫行，然後消失無蹤

and all plant life on Earth has died somehow.

所有大地上的植物都死光了

All you have are some basic supplies

你僅剩基本的物資和

and some seeds of a few types of essential plants.

幾種關鍵植物的種子

So, what should you do

你會做什麼

to make absolutely sure they grow,

確保它們都會發芽呢？

seeing how rebuilding human civilization

因為它們

absolutely depends on it?

是重建人類文明的關鍵

Well, you'd probably think

你可能會想

the last thing you should do

with these crucially important seeds

你絕不會

在這些重要的種子上

is something like poking holes in them,

戳洞

or grinding them with sandpaper,

或是用沙紙打磨它們

or throwing them in acid

或是把它們浸泡在

or hot water.

酸或熱水中

But, in fact, all of these are methods

但事實上，這些方法

that are commonly used

都常被用來

to help seeds start growing.

幫助種子發芽

A typical seed consists of a plant embryo

典型的種子是將植物胚芽

encased in a hard seed coat.

以堅硬的種皮包覆

To start growing,

開始生長時

it needs to emerge or sprout

它必須從內部

from inside this shell.

突破這層硬殼

This process is called germination.

這個過程稱為萌芽

But just as it would be hard

但就像你很難從

for you to get out of a jail cell

沒有窗戶或門的

with no windows and no doors,

監獄逃脫

the embryo might need a little help

胚芽也需要一些幫助

escaping from its seed prison,

沖破外殼的禁錮

and any process that makes this easier

而任何可以損耗種皮

by wearing down the seed coat

讓萌芽更簡單的過程

is called scarification.

稱為割傷處理

This lets moisture and nutrients

這讓水和養分

get through the seed coat,

可以穿過種皮

making the embryo start growing

讓胚芽得以生長

until it breaks through.

直到突破種皮

Now, you might be wondering

你可能會好奇

why it is that plants would need humans

為什麼植物要仰賴人類

to do all these weird things to their seeds

做這些奇怪的過程

in order to grow,

促使種子發芽呢？

and, in fact, they don't.

事實上它們不需要人類

In natural environments,

在自然界中

seed coats are worn down by cold temperatures,

種皮會因為低溫

bacteria,

or even animal digestion.

細菌

或經過動物消化而損耗

Our scarification methods just mimick

我們的割傷處理只是

and accelerate these natural processes

模擬並加速這個過程

to increase the chances of successful germination.

以提升種子的發芽率

One technique we can use is called nicking.

其中一項技術稱為切割

To do this, we make a small cut or scratch

我們必須在種皮上

into the seed coat.

劃一刀或切個小切口

Be careful not to cut too deep!

小心不要切太多

You don't want to damage the plant embryo inside.

你可不想傷到植物胚芽

Another way is to file down the seed coat

另外一個損耗種皮的方法是

using sandpaper or a nail file.

用砂紙或指甲銼刀摩擦種子

Once again, you don't want to file too much,

同樣地，你不能磨太多

just enough to wear down some of the seed coat.

只要將部分種皮磨掉即可

After applying either of these methods,

在使用任何一種方法後

you'll want to spray the seeds with bleach

你要用漂白水噴灑種子

to prevent mold.

避免種子發霉

Seeds can also be soaked in water

種子也可以浸泡在水中

to soften the coat.

以軟化外殼

One way to do this

其中一種方法

is to place the seeds in a nylon bag,

就是將種子放在尼龍袋中

then place the bag into hot water.

將袋子浸泡於熱水中

Turn off the heat immediately

然後馬上關閉熱源

and allow the water to cool to room temperature

讓水冷卻至室溫

before removing the seeds.

才拿出種子

It's important not to heat the seed for too long

關鍵在於不要將種子煮太久

as this will kill the embryo.

因為會傷及胚芽

Again, you'll want to spray them

你一樣要在處理後

with bleach afterwards.

噴些漂白水

Finally, you can try immersing the seeds

最後，你也可以試著將

in a sulfuric acid solution.

種子浸入硫酸溶液中

Make sure you're wearing protective goggles and gloves

記得操作這類危險物質時

要帶護目鏡和防護手套

any time you work with such a dangerous substance.

Place the seeds into a wire mesh pouch

將種子置於金屬網袋中

and immerse the pouch in the solution for ten minutes.

將袋子在酸液中浸泡 10 分鐘

Then take out the pouch

拿出網袋後

and rinse it with clean water.

以大量清水沖洗

Take out the seeds and, as before,

拿出種子以後

spray them with bleach so they don't get moldy.

一樣要噴灑漂白水避免發霉

If you try all of these methods,

如果你嘗試完所有方法

you will see that some of them

你會發現有些方法

are more effective than others,

對特定幾種種子特別有效

and some work best for different types of plants

有些種子具有堅硬外殼

that have harder or thicker coats.

則需用另幾種方法處理

So, knowing what seed scarification techniques work best

知道哪幾種刻痕處理效果最好

will be useful if you ever need to survive a cataclysm,

可以幫助你在大災難後存活

start a farm,

建立農田

or just want to plant in your own garden.

或是在花園中種種花草