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Hey guys, I’m back from a ten year hiatus. I have half a dozen seeds to choose from, but I have a few questions about the germination process. In my early growing days, I used freshly purchased genetics, which I assume were fresh seeds. I had no problem getting a 99-100% germination rate. I used the wet paper towel method, placing them between two plates with a heating pad. I also had some success germinating seeds using the paper towel method in a ziplock bag next to a heat source.
Most of my seeds now are about a decade old. I know there are several threads on germinating old seeds, but most of them involve germinating seeds that are 20+ years old. One thread was about germinating seeds from 1972! Mine have only been in storage for 10 years.
Storage-wise, my seeds were refrigerated for the first two years, but were then kept outside of refrigeration. They were stored in layers of ziplock bags / envelopes away from heat, light, moisture, and air.
Do 10-year-old seeds fall into this same category of germinating ‘old’ seeds? I.e. are 10-year-old seeds considered old old? Should I use the same technique as seeds that are 20, 40, 50 years old?
First re-attempt
To re-wet my feet, I tried germinating two feminized seeds from the stash. I soaked for 24 hours in a shot glass of bottled water until they sunk when tapped. I used a combined method of the one described above, using tap water in paper towels inside a bag inside two plates around a heating pad. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m rusty, my small sample size (2 seeds), feminization, or because of their age, but one seed displayed evidence of mildew and the other has not cracked. I believe utilizing the ziplock bag to contain air and moisture may promote mildew. Should I keep using the paper towel method, just without the ziplock bag?
Next Steps Based on Research
I spent a few hours browsing ICMag and reading on germination techniques for old seeds. It seems like everyone has their own method, without a clear consensus. Plus, I’m not sure 10-year-old seeds should be germinated the same way 20/50-year old seeds are. However, the threads seem to suggestion the following things I'm close to trying:
Advice I’m hesitant to pursue:
Main Questions
Most of my seeds now are about a decade old. I know there are several threads on germinating old seeds, but most of them involve germinating seeds that are 20+ years old. One thread was about germinating seeds from 1972! Mine have only been in storage for 10 years.
Storage-wise, my seeds were refrigerated for the first two years, but were then kept outside of refrigeration. They were stored in layers of ziplock bags / envelopes away from heat, light, moisture, and air.
Do 10-year-old seeds fall into this same category of germinating ‘old’ seeds? I.e. are 10-year-old seeds considered old old? Should I use the same technique as seeds that are 20, 40, 50 years old?
First re-attempt
To re-wet my feet, I tried germinating two feminized seeds from the stash. I soaked for 24 hours in a shot glass of bottled water until they sunk when tapped. I used a combined method of the one described above, using tap water in paper towels inside a bag inside two plates around a heating pad. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m rusty, my small sample size (2 seeds), feminization, or because of their age, but one seed displayed evidence of mildew and the other has not cracked. I believe utilizing the ziplock bag to contain air and moisture may promote mildew. Should I keep using the paper towel method, just without the ziplock bag?
Next Steps Based on Research
I spent a few hours browsing ICMag and reading on germination techniques for old seeds. It seems like everyone has their own method, without a clear consensus. Plus, I’m not sure 10-year-old seeds should be germinated the same way 20/50-year old seeds are. However, the threads seem to suggestion the following things I'm close to trying:
- Gently wash the seeds for at least 3-4 minutes
- Soak the seeds for 24 hours in a mixture of tap water and hydrogen peroxide*
- Utilize paper towel method without bag to circulate air
- Don’t pre-soak old seeds at all*
- If you pre-soak old seeds, only do so for 5-12 hours*
Advice I’m hesitant to pursue:
- Crack / scuff the bean to make it easier to sprout
- Plant directly in soil (with no humidity dome)
- Plant seeds in coco noir or a verm or other mix
Main Questions
- Are 10-year-old seeds old enough I should treat them as “old,” and follow the same methods for 20 & 40-year-old seeds?
- If I continue with the napkin germination method, should I keep the ziplock bag, or should I utilize the two plates and check throughout the day? (i.e. remove humidity)
- Is there another germination method or technique I should be utilizing for seeds this age?