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Ask The Yard Doctor Canadian Winter Sowing Seed Saving

testing germination

4 years ago

Last summer, when we were house hunting, we stored our belongings for a month. As a result my seed stock was exposed to some pretty hot temperatures. I'd like to test their germination so I know what I need to order. Do you think pretty much all seed will germinate in paper towel? Has anyone else ever tested a rather large variety of seeds all at once? Any tips?

Comment (1)

plays inthedirt
3 years ago
I just tested radish seeds packed for about 7 years ago & was amazed by the germ rate! (We did a move a couple years back & you know how it takes a while to figure out where garden things should go, so it slows you down for a while) Tips-get a roll of towels ( if you can find one!) and cheap little sandwich zippy bags. Oh, and a marker to write on the bags. Seeds that need a cold period should spend some time in the fridge before testing-I'd check the specific type to find how long to chill them. I think I should check if the seeds are still good before wasting my garden space on......nope, or storing stuff that....nope either!
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germination test
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Comments (4)
In searching a bit I see that coneflowers do indeed need stratification. do others test germination? No, I just do my best at letting the seeds or seed pods mature, brown and split if they are the splitting kind of seed pods. I then harvest them and let them dry additionally before packing them for storage in a cool, dry, dark place. If seeds are properly harvested, they 'should' be fine. It is kind of a crap-shoot though when trading as some members maybe aren't as knowledgeable as others are about the proper maturing and drying of seeds. The Seed Saving Forum is a great place to learn about harvesting seeds at the appropriate time. Remy is our resident expert there fielding a lot of the questions with good info. hth...sorry, don't know how to really test them when needing stratification. If they were harvested properly, they should be fine. If you Winter Sow them, you would then later know for sure if they are viable or not. hth Sue
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Have Tomato Seeds want Wisconsin 55
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I grew several Heirloom tomatos last year and have saved seeds for this year. Not sure if they cross polinated, but tested germination rates and they are 80 to 100% germination. I have a limited number, but would be happy to trade for Wisconsin 55, stamps or unique seeds/plants. The varieties I have are: Black from Tula Azores (only a few seeds) Cherokee Purple (only a few seeds) Big Black (probably Cherokee Purple- Great tomato) Black Plum (another fav of mine) Black Cherry (super good producer of wonderful large cherry sized fruit)
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Interesting : -) I don't think this has anything to do with Led Zeppelin Kashmir. haha Kashmir is a region in India/Pakistan, famouse for many things like a fine wool. And of course Kashmiri chili is one of their favorite. Now that I witness a lot of interest in this chili, I happily announce hereby that the seeds taken from a pod have germinated successfully, in about 5 days. >>>>>>>>>> 85 % germination Rate I investigated and learned that the pods are equally tasty in green stage. They are the GREEN ones in the picture. Look a lot like Cayenne to me. Seysonn This post was edited by seysonn on Mon, Nov 10, 14 at 18:41
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Mozark -- 1964
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Comments (1)
There are several really decent varieties developed by Dr Lambeth. Mosage is another one.
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