Germinating Seeds

[MrBomDiggitty]

I've got some new seeds (less than 1yr old) that I've had good luck germinating in a wet paper towel. Takes 2-3 days (keep em in a cool dark place) and they sprout lil tails. I only have 5 or 6 of these left, but from what has grown from the rest, they're nice... real nice.

I've also got these ooooold seeds someone gave me. They were kept in an old film canister and I'm told they're some in the canister up to 10 years old. They look like they're still in fair condition... and there is close to 100 of them.

Does anyone recommend a more efficient germination method? I heard about letting em sit in a bowl of water, but I'm not sure on the details of this method. I almost want to just put all the old seeds into germ an see which ones sprout.

Suggestions?

 

[Kanye WeED]

I've got some new seeds (less than 1yr old) that I've had good luck germinating in a wet paper towel. Takes 2-3 days (keep em in a cool dark place) and they sprout lil tails. I only have 5 or 6 of these left, but from what has grown from the rest, they're nice... real nice.

I've also got these ooooold seeds someone gave me. They were kept in an old film canister and I'm told they're some in the canister up to 10 years old. They look like they're still in fair condition... and there is close to 100 of them.

Does anyone recommend a more efficient germination method? I heard about letting em sit in a bowl of water, but I'm not sure on the details of this method. I almost want to just put all the old seeds into germ an see which ones sprout.

Suggestions?

same method should work man, a seed is a seed is a seed is a seed

dont care if its 100 years old, some might not be vialablebut the same method will still work

im sure there are other opinions that might say that other methods would work also tho!!!

 

[xlatit]

I have heard of using a little bit of some type of acid to help them. Also cutting with a knife through the tough exterior shell. A drop of hydrogen peroxide maybe? I think I have heard all of these mentioned. Maybe a seed soak for a couple of days before the paper towels or something.

 

[FreezerBoy]

I have heard of using a little bit of some type of acid to help them. Also cutting with a knife through the tough exterior shell.

These are both methods of Scarification and simulate the damage a seed might receive passing through an animals digestive system. I use a #11 Xacto blade and shave the sides where it will later split.

There's also Stratification though I can't actually vouch for it as I've since determined my seeds were DOA. Place seed between two damp sponges in tupperware and place in the fridge for 2-3 months. This supposedly simulates the passing of winter.

 

[Budley Doright]

I just got done with a bunch off seeds that were on average several years old....



I soak mine in water for 24 hours....

If they have not opened....



Then took some tweezers....


grab a seed between thumb and index finger from the ambilical end...(where it was attacted to mom)and put it in the tweezers (pointy end)so the tweezers grab the edge where they will split...

and squeeze until the pop open... they do in fact normally pop so you can hear it....

This method takes a bit of practice but gives the seed its best shot....

too much pressure and you damage the seed....


I began using this method on seeds which did not open after some days....

Ive been so delighted with this method I now use it on all my seeds....

 

[KnuckleHedd]

I just started some Freebies I got in 2006. God bud x Dreamweaver. Mod gave them to Gypsy for freebies because of germination problems. 13 germed in 36 hrs, but 2 of them still hadn't popped in days. They were rock hard seeds, so I thought they mabe the hull was too hard. I carefully cracked them between my teeth and 4 or 5 hours later they had a little tap root protruding and I planted them. I now have 15 seedlings from the 15 "problem" seeds. I'm sorry I try them sooner.

 

[Budley Doright]

I just started some Freebies I got in 2006. God bud x Dreamweaver. Mod gave them to Gypsy for freebies because of germination problems. 13 germed in 36 hrs, but 2 of them still hadn't popped in days. They were rock hard seeds, so I thought they mabe the hull was too hard. I carefully cracked them between my teeth and 4 or 5 hours later they had a little tap root protruding and I planted them. I now have 15 seedlings from the 15 "problem" seeds. I'm sorry I try them sooner.

<<I carefully cracked them between my teeth and 4 or 5 hours later they had a little tap root protruding and I planted them.>>


Im absolutely convinced that some viable plants simply cant get out of their seed shell....

I suggested this method teeth or tweezer will clearly work.....

many said that had I left them alone they would have sprouted....

That may or may not be true....

But cracking the seeds this way narrows the time from first to last seed germinating....

 

[N. Accumbens]

I carefully cracked them between my teeth and 4 or 5 hours later they had a little tap root protruding and I planted them.

LOL

Seeds from areas which are prone to drying out can take longer to sprout. It is assumed that scuffing and scarifying are proficient and beneficial methods used for the speeding up of this sprouting process.

Any seeds sprouted in an indoor environment, that come from areas which are commonly dry ( subsaharan africa, desert regions of the east- orient) and have acclimatized to the area; should be scuffed or scarified, and then if possible stratification methods can be used to further help germination.

Seeds from sri Lanka that had been many years old had been sorted for size, shape, and color, then scuffed and placed in between two sponges as mentioned earlier. The sponge must first be rinsed through and soaked for a few minutes, a minimum of three times, but preferably five times; in a container or flood of hot water! This is to remove any sulphides that have been impregnated into the sponge before purchase. These sulphides are used to combat mold formation in the sponge, but can also COMPLETELY DESTROY SEED VIABILITY! . So rinsing a new sponge in hot water is critical for this process to work.

The Sri lankan seeds that had been scuffed were placed in between the two sponges on the new moon. Two weeks later no growth, nor splitting of seed shells had been identified. Water had been added to soak the sponges lightly whenever drying out was observed, on average every 48 hrs. Hygiene practices must be strictly observed during such long germination techniques. Three weeks later, first signs of sprouting had been identified. At this point all the seeds had been placed in organic soil in small half liter containers at about 0.5 cm depth. The seeds that had spouted in the stratification sponges pushed through the top layer of soil within forty eight hours. Another few specimens also showed signs of germinating within another forty eight hours, the rest had had decidedly become nonviable, either through transport, storage, or problems with germination method consistency leading to either dehydration or the development of molds.

The strongest survive!

NAcc

Hoping to learn to pop seeds dentally! Nice Burnt Rope!