How many of these old seeds, stored 20 yrs in bad conditions, will germinate?

Quick poll for you. These are some (33) old seeds that have been in storage since the early 2000s. Until 2k14 or so they were stored at room temp and low humidity. 2014 until now they were stored in an uninsulated attic, ie -40C in the winter and +40c in the summer with widely varying humidity.

My question is simple; how many seeds should be put in a glass of water so that only 2 germinate and none have to be destroyed because of the legal plant limit?

Will post updates so you can see if you were right.



If anyone is interested the seeds are all mixed but are mostly white widow and blueberry kush, probably some og kush and northern lights too. Came from a variety of sources including growers and bag seed.

I've read that you can use H2O2 to soak and clean them first. Ive had success with old (2 or so years) poorly stored bag seed by soaking them for 24+ hours and the paper towel baggie method.

I would try a few different methods to germinate them, and you will get a better success rate if you do that. One is using sand paper to scuff the rim of the seed a little, another is using a certain dilution of h202 during the soak, and the other two are using a certain acid which I forget the name of but hopefully this helps point you in a good direction. Good luck!

Interested.

It's the hot attic temps that are the problem. I wouldn't be too optimistic. But hopefully you'll surprise.

GA3

Xcoregamerskillz said:

I've read that you can use H2O2 to soak and clean them first.

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Nizza said:

I would try a few different methods to germinate them, and you will get a better success rate if you do that.

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Thanks, I will definitely try a few methods, thinking 2 IBA, 2 h2o2, and 2 just water although that may be optimistic. Maybe 4 in each.

xtsho said:

It's the hot attic temps that are the problem

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I know. Plastic (nylon) that was stored in the same place at the same time turned to dust on contact : ( harder plastic and leather seemed fine though.

Have you tried crushing one to see if it too turns to dust?

Nizza said:

I would try a few different methods to germinate them, and you will get a better success rate if you do that. One is using sand paper to scuff the rim of the seed a little, another is using a certain dilution of h202 during the soak, and the other two are using a certain acid which I forget the name of but hopefully this helps point you in a good direction. Good luck!

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I have some 20 year old seeds.....
I've tried sandpaper, nail clippers.....and a bunch of other ways. Most I get is a shell that splits and I can see the tap root just pop out......that's it....it just stops.

2ml H2o2 17.5% per litre works wonders for seed germination speed, if you have nitrozyme its worth adding.

I think if you roll the seeds between your fingers and they don't fall apart they germinate, if there ruined/non viable I'd expect them to fall apart.
Give each a roll between your thumb and index finger.

xtsho said:

Judean date palm - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

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Throw them in some cow shit?

My vote is 0

I assume less than 5

I've been storing my seeds in a safe downstairs in my basement in the original packaging they came in.

It's possible you may be surprised but don't count on it. Do 2 at a time, when they don't open do 2 more. Chances are they are long dead but who knows, life does try to find a way. Being as how good seeds from reputable breeders are available readily these days I would personally scrape them a bit, soak in water for 24 hours and throw into some paper towel. Half at a time not expecting them to pop and see how it goes. Good luck.

Alot of old seeds i think the problem is that all there energy has been pretty much used up laying dormant doing nothing so they germ sprout tails and die theres tricks that are supposed to help personally ive popped alot of old seeds using no special methods but i think it depends on storage tbh

I like 30 ml h202 per 500 ml water, soak 12-24 hours, then plant them in a root riot/rapid rooter and give them a small amount (maybe 5 ml) of a kelp/fulvic acid solution. Alternatively you could soak for 12 hours in the h202, then move the seed to a kelp/fulvic soak for another 12. These methods have been proven time and time again in studies, and it's worth using them on prized old seed. The hydrogen peroxide chemically scarifies the seed, as well as kills any nasty stuff it picked up off our fingers LOL. Of course, basic germination techniques and hygiene are just as important as anything else you do-keep warm, moist not wet, etc.

Sorry about the late update. Time goes by so fast, and nowhere had h2o2.

BigBadAbe said:

Have you tried crushing one to see if it too turns to dust?

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Star Dog said:

Give each a roll between your thumb and index finger.

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Somehow I divided the number of seeds in the op. Out of 66 seeds, only five were crushed by rolling. Or a bit under 8%.

In the name of science the following treatment was given to sets of three seeds.
1) straight into a glass of water
2) straight into a glass of diluted h2o2 (15mL per 300mL)
3) soaked in diluted h2o2, then in 15mM iba, both for 30-45 min, and left in a glass of diluted h2o2
4) treated as above but planted directly into a 75:25 mix of potting soil:vermicompost

So far 48h have passed - all of the seeds sunk between 12 and 24h although the untreated ones in h2o2 keep floating back up. No seeds have cracked open. Temperature is a constant 26-28 degrees.

Should I move them to plug trays to get them some oxygen or give them another 48h submerged?

If in the end nothing germinates, the remaining 61 seeds will be tested in this way, or 15 by each method. Any changes I should make to the methods?

Thanks to everyone for the help figuring out what to do with them.

Star Dog said:

2ml H2o2 17.5% per litre works wonders for seed germination speed, if you have nitrozyme its worth adding

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xtsho said:

Judean date palm - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

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DarkWeb said:

Throw them in some cow shit?

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And others

Rurumo said:

I like 30 ml h202 per 500 ml water, soak 12-24 hours, then plant them in a root riot/rapid rooter and give them a small amount (maybe 5 ml) of a kelp/fulvic acid solution.

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Thinking maybe I should test a 5th method alongside. And for 3/4 go change the 40ish minute soak in iba to 12h..

germination station 99% success