product needed that softens the shell on old seeds

[TREE KING]

i just ordered some seeds that im pretty sure are years old and i wanna make sure i get the best germination rate. can you guys recommend a product i can use to soften the shells as much as possible?

 

[yortbogey]

yes, sandpaper.... and get to scuffing......

 

[MJBadger]

H2o , small container of water with seeds in a propogator 24hrs or so & you are done .

There is no need to complicate the issue with anything but water , it`s been used for decades & still works

yes, sandpaper.... and get to scuffing......

as long as you don`t scuff the wrong part of the seed .

 

[TREE KING]

i knew someone was gonna say scrape em but i dont wanna take the chance of fucking them up. i wish there was a youtube video or something on how to do this cause i dont know exactly how hard to scrape them

isnt there some type of tea product thats supposed to soften the shell? MJBadger theres no complication as long as the product doesnt move the ppm

 

[Saran]

The seed knows what to do,,,, just give it some water.

 

[TREE KING]

The seed knows what to do,,,, just give it some water.

yeah? even when its 10 years old?

 

[yortbogey]

scuffing seeds is EASy.....
just take pill bottle line w/ fine grit sand paper
add seeds....and shake ,shake,shake.... usually.... 5 solid minutes....

easy~peasy......

 

[summitoker]

soak them for 24hrs in a cup of water before transferring to a paper towel to germ.....a few skuffs with sandpaper where the 2 halves of the shell join together may help. And a few drips of peroxide in the soak water and the water used to soak the paper towel

 

[TREE KING]

ok guys i think i got it im gonna try what yortbogey said with the pill bottle and then do a couple drops of peroxide. hopefully the seeds dont get destroyed when im shakin the bottle lol. thanks guys

 

[vertigo0007]

Pill bottle, broken emery board/nail file, sshhhhaaaaaake.

 

[yortbogey]

the seeds will not get destroyed....during the automated scuffing via the pill bottle....

it's actually a age old technique that mimic's the life cycle of a seed.... that has been eaten by birds and passes thru there digestive system .... to soften the husk...
lay in the bird poop germinate AND BEGIN AGAIN......

 

[TREE KING]

the seeds will not get destroyed....during the automated scuffing via the pill bottle....

it's actually a age old technique that mimic's the life cycle of a seed.... that has been eaten by birds and passes thru there digestive system .... to soften the husk...
lay in the bird poop germinate AND BEGIN AGAIN......

makes sense to me thanks yortbogey

 

[Malibu Barbie]

scuffing seeds is EASy.....
just take pill bottle line w/ fine grit sand paper
add seeds....and shake ,shake,shake.... usually.... 5 solid minutes....

easy~peasy......

What yortboogie said ^^^

But I'm far too lazy to shake, shake, shake. I (securely) attach the film canister to my dog's collar and we play frisbee for 30 minutes or so. Seeds scuffed, dog happy and exercised and I'll get good germ rate. Win-Win situation

 

[MJBadger]

2 days ago i soaked 8 seeds from a packet of around 150 iv`e had in the fridge 5-6yrs just to see if they were viable so i could send them out . Today 6 of them are showing tails so i know they are ok .
If you do decide on soaking give 24hrs at least & then tap them , IF THEY SINK IN THE WATER THEY ARE GOOD , IT THEY SPLIT & SHOW A TAIL THEY ARE GOOD . Then just put them in the compost .
I have lost seeds germed in a paper towel probably because they have suffered damage to the shoot during planting , i have lost no seeds with soaking & planting .

 

[Harry Gypsna]

Someone I know soaks them in tea, cold obviously.
No idea if it has any effect.

 

[TREE KING]

Someone I know soaks them in tea, cold obviously.
No idea if it has any effect.

i remember hearing about that years ago i wish someone had a tea product they could recommend just incase

 

[Arthritis_sucks]

I use this high tech tool to help old seeds crack by filing down the edge a bit .

 

[Agaricus]

1 drop of mild dish soap in the soak water, it reduces the surface tension so the water in effect makes better contact with the seed, soaks in easier. Kind of like makes the water wetter. Peroxide's good too, as suggested before.

 

[TREE KING]

1 drop of mild dish soap in the soak water, it reduces the surface tension so the water in effect makes better contact with the seed, soaks in easier. Kind of like makes the water wetter. Peroxide's good too, as suggested before.

1 drop in how much water?

 

[TREE KING]

I use this high tech tool to help old seeds crack by filing down the edge a bit .
[URL=https://www.icmag.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=39514&pictureid=954688&thumb=1]View Image[/url]

sorry i forgot to say before i got 50 seeds it will take too long to scratch them 1 by 1 thats why i like the pill bottle idea. thanks though