Oldest seeds you’ve popped & how?

Kami Samurai

Well-Known Member
Hello everybody,
I have a question about germinating old seeds. (11 & 6 year old seeds). Questions actually...
What is your oldest successful germination? How were you able to accomplish this, and what method did you follow? I’m aware of most methods to do this but not a lot of people speaking with actual experience. Also does anyone have experience with gib-acid? My main concern with using gibberellic acid is that it can cause a polyploid mutation. Polyploid mutations can result in a sterile plants which would defeat the entire purpose of this project (Open pollination preservation).

Does anyone have a simple bio catalyst recipe they use as well? I’m going to start with the older ones since there is only 5 regs, Subcools Jesus OG Kush. Norstar already has F2 stock if anyone is interested in the genetics. If you have a simple tek like just H202 and sandpaper with success on anything around this old? I also was thinking about using the monster garden kit but I have to check if the gib acid is in there.

If there is anyone in here with reliable method of using gibberellic acid without causing mutations in any of their experiments.
I remember reading a thread a while ago I can’t find where they used this on some old seeds but I can’t find it. I already have this as well.

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Thank you for your time reading my questions, I know it’s a lot and am grateful for any help. :peace:
 
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conor c

Well-Known Member
Tomato seeds soak the water you gonna use in it for 24 hours the enzymes help aid germination kinda like some use kelp for one of the dudes on here suggested adding pinto bean juice to aid in replacing the lost food stores of old seeds i yet to test this one another tip i do use tho is fresh worm castings sprinkle a lil of that in the hole your putting your seed in the microbes help so yeah on a side note tbh i germinate most of my seeds using the paper towel method and always have had good success with it but its straight into soil/compost if there old or proper landrace i only advise that method for strong healthy fresh seeds of domesticated types it be a waste with old ones or many landrace stuff i find as for oldest ive popped 20+ kinda hard to tell as it is a mixed batch of bagseed only some of what i kept is labelled and i got 600 or so all mixed up somes stuff ive found some came from friends or older relatives so yeah hard to get an exact number there
 

Jamie0715

Well-Known Member
oldest seeds were 2-3 year old bag seed. i read all these tricks on how to germinate, but with all my experiences i have only ever used toiletpaper and water in a dresser drawer and can only remember 1 seed never germinating. could be just luck of the greenthumb but that simple method has never failed me.
 

Kami Samurai

Well-Known Member
Test #1

I did 1 cup Bottled water to 1 tabelspoon 3% Hydrogen Peroxide.
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I’ll check in after 12 hours but I tapped the seed and it floated back to the top.
 
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xox

Well-Known Member
ive germinated seeds that were close to 10 years old, if your doing the paper method id suggest changing the paper towel everyday to prevent mold if mold grows on the seed its toast usually. peroxide n water is good to sterilize the outside of the seed. best advice is to create the perfect climate as far as humidity and temp goes while waiting for it to pop. i believe there are some kits online for germinating old seeds but i haven't personally tried one. the older the seed the slower it is to germinate ive seen some seeds take 14 days to germinate usually after that length of time id say its toast.
 

xtsho

Well-Known Member
I started some ACE Guatemala seeds last November that had a 2017 date on the pack. I did soak them for a few hours in tap water before planting them straight into dirt. I've germinated older seeds the same way without doing anything special.


I've used GA3 in the past on old seeds with mixed results. Mostly non cannabis varieties of plants.

Ultimately how the seeds were stored is going to be a major factor as to whether they germinate or not.
 

Hobbes

Well-Known Member
.

I've got a couple of dozen seeds left from my first grow back a couple of years before 9/11 - I guesstimate the seeds are 25 years old. A friend scarfed them from one of his dad's weed bags, and they were rich so the dad probably got some unique and exotic weed.

It was the weirdest cannabis plant I've ever grown, no branches - just acorn like colas growing out where the branches should be. I flowered 12 of them under 2 400 watt lamps, they didn't turn out very good and I only got a half a gallon from the whole grow.

I plan on germinating one of these seeds, or attempting to, and put the one plant beside 3 other photos, see how it turns out.

.
 

PadawanWarrior

Well-Known Member
In 2018 I popped some bagseeds from Tahoe for fun that were about 20 years old. I just threw them in soil and they came up. So I decided to actually try growing them. Got all the shit and took everything out of my closet. Found out I could get clones and tossed the bagseed plants. Should still have some of the seeds.
 

Cookie Rider

Well-Known Member
My in laws have 45-50 year old tomatoe seeds- grandma’s seeds.
They’re attempting to pop them.
Stored in a paper bag in a basement this whole time.
I don’t think they’ll pop, but I’ll post up if they do.
Trying straight to soil and paper towel methods.
 

conor c

Well-Known Member
I started some ACE Guatemala seeds last November that had a 2017 date on the pack. I did soak them for a few hours in tap water before planting them straight into dirt. I've germinated older seeds the same way without doing anything special.


I've used GA3 in the past on old seeds with mixed results. Mostly non cannabis varieties of plants.

Ultimately how the seeds were stored is going to be a major factor as to whether they germinate or not.
Well mate i know you been doing a bit of looking into/reading into tissue culture you been reading into embryo rescue much that sounds like a god send for seeds that might be too far gone for other methods
 

conor c

Well-Known Member
Should I go straight to soil or paper towel everyone? I have my kids 2 month check up rn so it’s moving when I get home and I’ll delete this comment.
Imo with your seeds the 6 years old is nothing to worry about its the 11 yo id be more catious with most of the stuff ive grown has been from seeds that are at least 3 years old apart from my first grow long ago i cant ever remember popping anything i ordered like straight away apart from that one occasion
 

grayeyes

Well-Known Member
For heat I am going to leave the ceramic plates containing the wet paper towel on a plugged in modem. They pop in 3 days without heat. Let's see how heat effects them.
 

Blackbeard

Well-Known Member
Over the winter I popped some 17 year old seeds. I stored them in the fridge all that time. I added some hydrogen peroxide to some spring water and did a 12 hour soak.
Then I planted them in some seed sprouting soil and put them on a seedling heating mat. Planted 3 seeds all 3 popped and grew out like any other seed.
 
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