Safest way to germ old seeds

Olday

Olday

Well-known member
I’ve read up on it and “think” I know but wanted to put it out to the veteran group here as you never know who is writing these things

Short story - the only seeds I have are all at least 10 years old (decent selection but still). I wish I could say they have been kept in the fridge / freezer but they have not, however they have been in a cool/dark/dry space

What I “think” I’m planning to do is to make a canister (film size/medication bottle) that is lined with sandpaper, insert beans and shake it up

Then in a warm (80 degree?) moist environment (my clone done on top of a thermostat controlled heating pad) put them in a wet paper towel and than that towel inside of a baggy

Then pray and play lots of Grateful Dead songs for them.


Anything else i should/shouldn’t be doing?
 
Warm moist dirt ina tray in the dome. I’ve found if that isn’t working they won’t germ with any other tech. Just my experience. Have to get that shell to soften before it goes rotten. I can see were scuffin um a bit would help.
 
Warm moist dirt ina tray in the dome. I’ve found if that isn’t working they won’t germ with any other tech. Just my experience. Have to get that shell to soften before it goes rotten. I can see were scuffin um a bit would help.

Also insure the tray drains

One more point, set up the tray and dome and let it get to temp before planting, including the soil.
 
personally I'd just throw them away but it never hurts to try..a simple test, squeeze one seed and if it crumbles its adios..then again you might get lucky with one or two..I had 10 year old seeds sitting in my office drawer and managed to get one to pop and it never made it..many generous folks here at TCC with good genetics so why not start fresh..
 
The 'safest' way to do this is to get someone else to do it, then if it fails ya can blame it all on them, harrrrrrr.
 
I was also going to mention the Vitamin B thing like superThrive but you have to get the dilution correct. I just finished using some in my aero cloner and I used a bit too much :(
 
superthrive and H202 for older seeds. Soak in a jar at first after rubbing, more complete soak that way, for a day or two, then go to paper towel.

Weak seeds after germinating when tiny, often do better in a dome, but keep the soil a bit dryer if doing that.
 
I don't know the name of the thread, but there is one here about germing old seeds.

The method uses H2o2, a small jar with lid and an aquarium pump that the line goes through the lid to pressurize the jar. You might want to search the thread, if not, Uni may beat you to it.

I haven't tried it yet but every seed run I add a few of the 10 year old seeds to see if anything develops (like Rosso stated). I'm like 1 for 50 on that method. What happens is the pulp inside the seed dries out and dies, hence the crumbling.
 
Ghost said:
I put them in a moist paper towel overnight so the shell softens a little. Then I take them out and use a pair of hemos to gently help crack the seam and I put them back in the moist paper towel. The next morning and they're splitting open.

That's the thing with old seeds. I've found that the seam becomes almost glued and the shell becomes somewhat moisture resistant.
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i do the same thing!
 
Thank you all for the tips! - I’ve got a few or more from 5 different strains soaking now. I suspect the suspense will be painful :kendo2:
 
oldsog said:
i do the same thing!
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This is part of the plan, given that I had a couple crumble when scuffing, I’m not worried about killing them as much and would rather know sooner than later. Best case, it helps.
 
[MENTION=3811]Hard Drop[/MENTION] - former seedbank was a complete loss (they were 10+ years old). I’ve changed my seed storage ways and freezer and fridge are in play accordingly
 
That was part of what I think it was, basically kept at room temp and put into the fridge for stretches of time. Lessened learned and all’s well that ends well
 
Olday said:
That was part of what I think it was, basically kept at room temp and put into the fridge for stretches of time. Lessened learned and all’s well that ends well
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Olday, I just germinated two lines 15 yrs old, comming threw the dirt in the last few days, most cracked pushing tails in two days, pushing threw the ground in another two.

Here’s how I store my seed, I use a brown paper grocery bag, in the bottom are three large desiccant packs, each seedline is in a plastic sandwich bag, inside a gallon freezer bag, with a desiccant pack in each of those. All rolled up nice in the grocery bag in the fridge. Works fairly well.
 
To germinate, wet paper towel in a baggy, i blow the bag up, dunno, been doing it since day one. Place in grow room, 78F. Once cracked I plant in cups, and then set a clear lid over all the cups, those lids that fit your trays, I have some short ones, makes a little humidity dome in the cup.
 
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