Should seeds float or sink.

[DirtDevil]

I threw some seeds in a cup yesterday and they all floated, I thought they were supposed to sink.

The seeds are nice and hard and look just fine.

Aren't they supposed to sink?

 

[Dignan]

They'll sink when they absorb the water through their shells. If a seed is still floating after 2-3 days (stir the water to be sure surface tension isn't to blame for keeping it afloat before you toss it in the garbage), then the seed is likely not viable.

Once they sink, go ahead and put them into paper towels or into your sprouting/growing medium of choice.

Peace-

Dig

 

[Hindu Killer]

Seems I read in a old Ed Rosenthal book that either dead seed sinks and live seed floats, or live seed sinks and dead seed floats.

 

[bounty29]

LOL Hindu, so a dead seed either floats or sinks and a live seed either sinks or floats?

A lot of people throw them in a shotglass to start germination, and then when they sink they'll put them into soil or sometimes paper towels until they've got a small taproot, and some people leave them at the bottom of the shot glass until they've got a small taproot, but everyone does it differently.

 

[Paddi]

and some people leave them at the bottom of the shot glass until they've got a small taproot

I do mostly, and then in soil.

Paddi

 

[phate]

thats how i germ. i put em in a cup till they are sunk for 12 hours. then into the growing medium.

 

[Hindu Killer]

Just what I read....years back..havent ever experimented with it.

 

[DirtDevil]

The seeds sunk after about a day. Usually I just do them in wet paper towels this was the first time I actually tried germinating in just water. It actually seems faster. Some had tap roots at 3 days.

 

[little j]

slightly off topic but sense we are here talking about seeds,,, we all know a good mature seed is dark, maybe spotted. just look at all the pics the seed sites have of turtle shell looking seeds. so, i bought my first batch and many of the seeds are greenish or plain jane looking but not particularly what i would say a mature seed looks like. i know that they can all pop to be a plant but i thought the standard (according to the site pics) was dark spotted etc. a couple were like this in each batch but i was surprised. any thoughts.

 

[DirtDevil]

they shouldn't be greenish, they should be able to survive a good squeeze.

 

[frostynugs420]

lol...atleast you reminded me to pop my seeds for tuesdays mission

 

[DirtDevil]

Tuesday's mission?

 

[Jochsmokes]

i did both this year direct planting in peat pellets and water germing. i don't know why but the directly planted seed seem to be devloping leaf sets quicker and has passed the water germed seedlings under same light? does this seem crazy? i know their the same strain so it just puzzled me

 

[hempybucquet]

Mine sunk like a rock, cracked within 24 hours, taproot unfurled up and was ready to plant the next morning. It has been about 24 hours, see if they have cracked and then plant them tomorrow morning into your seedling pots with the taproot pointing down!

Good luck!