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The Seed Exchange

wanted: ots seed problem

11 years ago

I have traded alot of seeds on here for years and most of them don't germinate. Most don't have a date on them. Could you guys please date your seed packs! It is so disappointing and back breaking to plant the seeds, water them, wait and they don't come up. I have good luck with store bought seeds, so I know it isn't my fault!

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Comments (7)

brandon7 TN_zone7
11 years ago
Hmmm, almost all of my seeds from trades over the years have germinated. In fact, I think I've had better luck with GW trades than from some commercial seed companies.

I have noticed that some of the people on here aren't familiar with things like seed stratification and recalcitrant versus orthodox seeds.
debbiep_gw
11 years ago
Not many problems with my seeds from here either.A few over the years but not many.I do research germination info beforehand.
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kchd
11 years ago
Ditto for me, too. I've only been trading seeds on GW for a little over a year, but have not had any problems with seeds I've received from other traders. I also have had good luck with lots of older seeds that have been properly stored. On the flip side, I have had problems with some cheaper commercial seeds, esp. herbs. And sometimes I've gotten surprise germination months later.

I also get a lot of seeds that require special treatment, like scarification or stratification, by the nature of the plants I like (natives). So I always do a google search by the seed name and tack on the words "propagation by seed." For example, I'd google for "Ilex decidua propagation by seed"
poisondartfrog
11 years ago
No real problems here either and I have done hundreds of trades for both "easy" to germinate seeds and those that require special handling.

This post was edited by poisondartfrog on Mon, Jan 7, 13 at 10:55
browneyedsusan_gw
11 years ago
I have rarely received seeds via GW that don't germinate.
Susan
davsher
11 years ago
This is not a problem for me. on any of the sites I am on. all the frend I have met and traded with have very good seed as far as I'm concered. I'm sorry you are having a problem, hang in there. davsher
xiangirl zone 4/5 Nebraska
11 years ago
This might be a good link for this website: seeds that did not germinate. Kind of like rate and review, one could list seeds that didn't germinate for them and where they came from. If I found out I was sending everyone seeds from a sterile plant I'd be mortified, but I'd rather know and stop doing it.
Another good topic for the website people. I asked a lot of questions when I started and learned how to send seeds, mark seeds, harvest seeds, etc. I think it would be a good thing to have an "expectations page". I had no clue about formal names, cultivars, hybrids, etc. I have sent people things that weren't seeds at all, they corrected me and I made it right. Even simple things like how to package seeds can be done 101 different ways, but there's no introduction tour or obvious central place to go with questions (in my opinion).

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