HelpfulGardener.com

Hi all-
Looking for some advice. My uncle passed and was into gardening bigtime. I think he bought seeds every year and just kept collecting the leftovers. They were in an airtight plastic jug that he kept in his basement (next to his indoor grow table for seed starting) I want to try starting from seed this winter for next year. Are these seeds worth the trouble of finding out they are good or not. I know some of these packs are probably atleast 5 years old, some are dated some are not?!?! Any help would be apreciated. Thanks,
Jim

I have found old packets of seed around my house from time to time. I usually pre-sprout them between layers of damp paper toweling, to determine if they're worth planting in the ground. It's critical to keep the paper towels wet, if you want to try this.

For very small seeds, I just pre-sprout a part of the packet ... just enough to give me an idea of the percentage that will germinate if I plant them. If I place 20 seeds between the towels, and only 5 of them sprout, I'll know about how many plants I'll get when I sow the seeds in the ground.

If I'm working with larger seeds ... peas or beans, for example ... I'll put them all out between the towels, and then just plant the ones that sprout.

I have been invited to participate in an attempt to sprout and grow some seeds that are at least from the 60's. We, in this experiment will try every thing we know, can imagine and all that we can learn from anyone into accomplishing this task.
The seeds: 1960's White Burley Tobacco
Talk about tiny seeds, dust is large in comparison!
We are also being supplied with:
Brassinolide is a naturally occuring plant steroid normally found in small amounts in all plants. By applying it to plants improves plant growth through improved root growth, better seed germination, plant photosynthesis, resistance to cold and water shortage.

and Gibberellic Acid another hormone to help germinate the seeds.

I had the idea of thinning the seed shells, like you do sometimes with okra... but with seeds that are like dust? I think perhaps placing them in a vial of rough sand might work.
Any and all suggestions welcome.
Is this a challenge, or is this A CHALLENGE? Wish me well, and shoot ideas to me, if you come up with any... Thanks
Ozark Lady

You might try wetting with willow water. It's a root stimulating cold tea made from soaking crushed or cut up willow twigs overnight.

You might also consider the Fukuoka seed bomb method for some part of your supply. The clay in the seed bomb will hold moisture around the seeds as soon as the bomb gets some water from dew, rain, or irrigation.

Fukuoka-sensei (Masanobu Fukuoka, his name Western style) joined his ancestors in August 2009 at the age of 95 or 96. We've had several discussions here at THG about his seed balls.

Just enter "Fukuoka" under the Search the Forum option at the top of the page and you'll find them. Right off the top of my head, I'd say there are less than ten threads.

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9

I will search for the seed balls idea. And read those posts. Thanks so much for the suggestions.
Willows don't grow around here, I have thought and thought trying to think of where one might be. I wonder if a person would need to find willow seeds, and could you use them? Or sprout them, then use them? Any suggestions? Are there house plants in the willow family that one could use in place of a willow tree?

You should certianly try them, with proper storage lots of them should be fine and germinate . I'm testing seeds that had been misplaced several years ago, and some of them are dated 2004.
https://growingtaste.com/storage.shtml gives a chart of seed viabilty. It should help you. Good luck.

do you think seeds that you buy for a spice will germinate

They will if they are fresh enough.

You need to keep fresh spice anyhow, so if they won't germinate, I would get some new spices!

Someone, I forgot whom, on here was starting spices. Now who was it?? I am getting forgetful... (wanders off shaking head, darn I hate it when I know and then just poof, nothing between the ears! grrr)

thanks ozark lady I'm going to try on a wet paper towel :)

Do you have to put the seeds and damp paper towel in a ziploc baggie? Or can you just leave them between the damp paper towel? Do they need to be in a dark warm place or????? Never done this before, and they are seeds of a plant I have no idea what it is.---Anybody????? Thanks in advance.

I don't put the damp towels in a plastic bag. I think that might make the seeds prone to mold. JMO.

I just moisten the paper towels under the faucet and spread them out on my kitchen countertop. I lay the seeds out on them, then fold the towels so the seeds are covered. I usually use about 3 thicknesses of paper towel on the bottom and another 3 layers on the top. I fill a spray bottle with plain water and use that to spray the towels daily, so they don't dry out. I don't put them in a dark place, but I don't put them in direct sun, either. That's my method, anyway. Not what anyone could call 'scientific', but it works for me.

Kisal---Thank You, I will try them that way. I have them in a very small kitchen? Needs re-doing badly, but it doesn't have a window.. Will that be OK? The light is on in the evenings. Or I should put them somewhere else to get a little more light?

the greenest wrote:do you think seeds that you buy for a spice will germinate

It depends on the spice. If the seeds were harvested when too young, as is sometimes the case with mustard, dill, sesame, etc, then they probably won't. Also some seeds are roasted/heated before sale to dry or improve flavor. All you've got to lose, however, is a little time and a pinch of your spice.

the greenest wrote:do you think seeds that you buy for a spice will germinate

actually last year? I spilled some mustard seed all over the stuff I was trying to grow with the light from my aerogarden I really didnt think they would germinate so I left them alone and most did germinate (I cant make this up) so I had to pull mustard from most of those containers

the mustard seeds were atleast a year old to start with think they migghta been 2-3 years old not certain tho

bottom line? if you want take no more then 20 seeds and try see what happens it might suprise you