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Upper Strasburg, PA

I need to revise some advice I gave about starting old seeds with the paper towel & bag method. I just got 7/7 germination of 407* Welty seeds from 2000 with this method. What I am thinking is that this method can work great as long as there is not excessive moisture and this method is probably more susceptible to temperatures going out of an ideal range.

4/11/2021 4:14:22 PM

Syracuse, NY

Hi - did you soak the seeds in anything other than H2O and for how long if so and at what concentration first, what was the germination temperature and range attempted at, for how long and how did you arrive at the optimum moisture level before the seeds were left on their own to germinate? Folded anything, how many times...I've often seen this method successfully utilized but on any OTHer than my own seeds and OUTside of, say, 7-10-year-old seeds, have had minimal luck; Twice bitten and from minimal effort after when numerous oldies and 2-869.5 Calais didn't sprout = ouch! Once mower recoil is fixed and growing surfaces in check, will be SO interested in your method---eg

4/12/2021 1:55:35 AM

Georgia

For future reference, what temps did you use and how did you maintain moisture without over doing it?

4/12/2021 10:09:14 AM

Upper Strasburg, PA

Gave the paper towel a few sprays and laid the bag on top of a seedling flat in my spare bathroom that is around 85 degrees with the heater running. 2 days later, 7/7 had roots. Transferred them to soil that day. I have 5 seedlings out of the 7 now. The other 2 didn’t make it. Sometimes the oldies have enough juice to sprout a root, but they burn out or rot before they produce a seedling.

4/20/2021 12:41:27 AM

Upper Strasburg, PA

Soaked in water for about 2 hrs while watching a hockey game. Didn’t sand them.

4/20/2021 12:42:44 AM

Grittyville, WA

Once there is a root you can strip the seed coat off and plant with the cots halfway out of the dirt. The cots will start to green up after a day or so. Then you are good to go, even with the weakest ones.

4/20/2021 6:20:36 PM

Upper Strasburg, PA

I hadn’t thought of stripping the shell off after the roots grew... they were white seeds too, so it would have been easy. That’s a bummer. I have done the half out method with old seeds before and had success staying ahead of rot that way too. Oh well... 5/7 is pretty solid- good chance to preserve the genetics with 5 plants. Gritty, you’re one of the first 4 to request a plant. Send me an email to work out shipping before it gets much bigger. Tmpumpkins@gmail.com

4/20/2021 11:12:40 PM

Ca.

I have germinated my seed every year this way. It works great normally in a few days roots break out. I get a paper towel just a bit damp and put the seed on it and fold over once then put it in a ziploc bag left open. Next I put the bag in a coat pocket in the closet. after rooting I put seeds in pots. I'm 11 days in from start on 4 seeds this year and all are out of soil and growing great. Would post pictures but not sure how

2/15/2022 9:29:33 PM