Saving seeds - techniques

[loulac]

Originally Posted by joseph

Drop a tomato in the forest. It's going to spend months fermenting. Eventually the seeds will germinate.

How true. From my own experience I'd suggest more than one month.

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by Kazedwards

Few question about seed saving.

First can you ferment seeds too long?

Also my containers don't get a thick mat in the top. Does that mean I'm not doing it right? Most the time I don't add water and it's all juice. It will get a clear thin film but not a white mat.


-Zach

Yes,you can ferment too long and can see both seeds germinating,or if you've not kept the liquid level up,dark brown to black seeds appear, not good.

Nope,just seeing a thin mat does not mean you are doingit wrong, I've seen the same.

It all depends on the acidity of the variety you're fermenting and which fungi drop in.

I'm not sure of your last statement there,you said all juice,but you would have broken apart the tomato es you used so there should have been more than just juice.

When I get that thin layer on top I look for the gas bubbles on the inside of that plastic container to moniter fermentation and when I see few gas bubbles I go ahead and process the seeds,not a problem.

I also wanted to mention that I see more of those thin layers when the temps drop in the Fall since fermentation is dependent on temps and also the specific fungi involved as to growth temps of those as well.

Carolyn

[Kazedwards]

That's good to know. Thanks for the help Joseph and loulac.

Carolyn what I mention by all juice is I didn't add water. Everything in there came from the tomato.


-Zach

[MrBig46]

Because I have a problem with some diseases that could be transferred seeds, so I did experiment with their treatments with NaClO (1%) for 5 min. Then I seeds rinsed with water and dried them. Result me quite surprised. Of the twenty seeds germinate only twelve, while the control sample of untreated seeds germinate 19. Probably will be needed still some neutralization. I have to try it
Vladimír

[dmforcier]

MrBig, NaClO (sodium hypocholorite, or bleach) is pretty strong, though 5 min exposure to 1% doesn't sound like a lot. Rather than neutralize, you might just soak them in water for a longer time to dilute any left over bleach.

(Also, try the germination test again with a different batch. That seems like a big difference (12 vs. 19/20) but might be within normal deviations.)

Alternatively, try H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide), which in my experience acts like a weak bleach.

BTW, do not mix NaClO with anything, especially H2O2 or ammonia.

[dmforcier]

Okay, I've got a bunch of seeds from pepper pods that I let go too long before seeding. Lots of fungus among us .. er .. them. Peppers don't have the same gel envelope that toms do, but the seeds are wrapped in clingy placenta that the fungus bugs love to infect.

I'm going to try at least the Oxi-Clean method first.

WARNING! I'm cleaning off 7 Pot Primo seeds. Primo is one of the hottest peppers of all. As soon as I dumped the seeds (about 2 Tbsp this batch) into the solution, I was assailed by 7 Pot Primo gas and had to flee the room. Nasty stuff! Still coughing.

[KarenO]

I think an underemphasized aspect of seed saving is ensuring labelling with the correct identity. work with only one variety at a time and label each very clearly as you go. seeds all look the same and it is very easy to mix them up.
KarenO

[dmforcier]

Very good advice. I keep a spreadsheet record of my inventory, as well as labeling all seed packets.

Last year I started taking the records one step deeper. I record the grower (sometimes me, sometimes not), his immediate supplier, and, if known, where that supplier got his seed. So I can go back at least 2, sometimes 3 generations on each batch.

[dmforcier]

Well the Oxi-Clean method worked pretty well. I left the seeds in until the solution stopped foaming -- nearly 3 hours. Then soaked them in clean water before drying. Next time I'll do this outside.

Now I need to get some more hydrogen peroxide - and clean some more pods - before trying the other method.

[kurt]

Originally Posted by joseph

Drop a tomato in the forest. It's going to spend months fermenting. Eventually the seeds will germinate.

As said above.
I asked myself years ago why is the term placenta is used in the seed narrative.
Seems in nature the placentas are nourishment,fertilizer for emerging seedlings(mycos/bacterias,beneficials).Thenroots utilize
The seed vendor I know says without processing it would be impossible to market,sort count, seperate,package.
Since I rarely try those Artisan,Heritage,cute monikered maters I stick to what the wife wants.
We like the heirloom saved stable seeds.I do and will experiment at another garden some new found heirlooms with provenance(history and original seed packs).
I think I read here about a "Donald Trump" mater.
I have even got some good store boughts stabilized.
I pick out the best plants tastiest mater eat half,hand to wife,she rinses in sieve,slams the sieve onto parchment paper scatter the seed,dry,then I fold origami style,mark,and in the deep freeze they go in mason jars with the rest.Next season,innoculate (Azos)as per a member here(thanx Ami) float in mild fert solution,and off we go.
Bad experiences with the "who knows what you get "and what comes with it when acquiring seeds from the swaps.
I like to follow my original vendors catalogs and will buy new stock and inject into regimen for comparison intermittently.I enjoy following and researching the origin and landrace of maters.

[MrBig46]

Originally Posted by dmforcier

MrBig, NaClO (sodium hypocholorite, or bleach) is pretty strong, though 5 min exposure to 1% doesn't sound like a lot. Rather than neutralize, you might just soak them in water for a longer time to dilute any left over bleach.

(Also, try the germination test again with a different batch. That seems like a big difference (12 vs. 19/20) but might be within normal deviations.)

Alternatively, try H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide), which in my experience acts like a weak bleach.

BTW, do not mix NaClO with anything, especially H2O2 or ammonia.

Germination 19/20 corresponds to the germination of seeds guaranteed by the contractor (in this case Stupické polní rané SEMPRA Prague). 12/20 is completely wrong. I guess I'm the seeds rinsed with water little In other tests, I did not continue, because I discovered that the problem was not in the seeds but in the substrate.
Vladimír

[KC.Sun]

Has anyone tried a hot water seed treatment when saving seeds? How do you feel about it?