What's the oldest tomato seed ever germinated?

[dheideman]

Who knows the oldest seed successfully sprouted? Ideally officially on record, but I'm curious about anecdotes, too. The stat I've usually heard is the oldest was about 50, a handful of 30+, and pretty decent germination with not too much difficulty from about 15 years.

What's the oldest seed you've personally ever germinated? What are your favorite tricks for waking up old seeds? Tea, MG, bleach, something else?

[ContainerTed]

My best is 22 years. This year, I also got an ~15 year old (possibly Brandywine) to show up and It's in the main garden right now.

Sorry, but I didn't get the Guinness folks to verify them.

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by dheideman

Who knows the oldest seed successfully sprouted? Ideally officially on record, but I'm curious about anecdotes, too. The stat I've usually heard is the oldest was about 50, a handful of 30+, and pretty decent germination with not too much difficulty from about 15 years.

What's the oldest seed you've personally ever germinated? What are your favorite tricks for waking up old seeds? Tea, MG, bleach, something else?

The record for waking up old seeds is as follows.

A precursor to the various USDA stations was in Cheyenne Wyoming where they kept their tomato seeds in filing cabinets at ambient temps and humidity.

When the new USDA station in Ames, IA opened, everything from Cheyenne was sent there and when checked for germination there were two varieties,not named, that were 50 years old.

My own personal record was waking up seeds of September Dawn that were 22 years old.

In many threads here I have posted what I do to either up % germination for a variety or more often,what to do if there are seeds with no germination, and the latter depends on seed age as well as how stored, etc.,as to what I do for treatments.

Carolyn

[AlittleSalt]

My best is 13 years old (2003). They germinated just like the more recently saved seeds.

[retiree]

I germinated a 1996 Alicante seed in 2013 and a 2000 Magnus seed in 2015. I only

planted one of each and both germinated in a normal period of time, producing healthy

plants. I was a bit surprised.

[Donna Mattingly]

My best was 25 year old tomato seed. I didn't do anything special -- started 12 of the seeds and ONE of the 12 made it and grew out into a healthy plant. They were saved by my husband's uncle in 1990 and that one was successful for me in 2015. He'd stored the seeds in an old medicine bottle in his garage all those years.

[ilex]

Spanish cuarentena was recovered from 1950's-60's seed found inside a gourd, forgotten in somebody's farm. Date is from memory, but was around 50 years old.

[Tormato]

A few years ago, Ace 55, seed from 1965, distributed when an Auburn U freezer brokedown. I still have a few seeds to try, again.

[Starlight]

Originally Posted by Tormato

A few years ago, Ace 55, seed from 1965, distributed when an Auburn U freezer brokedown. I still have a few seeds to try, again.

That was the saddest day. You couldn't help but cry. Years and years of research and collections of heirlooms all lost.

[Jimbotomateo]

Originally Posted by Tormato

A few years ago, Ace 55, seed from 1965, distributed when an Auburn U freezer brokedown. I still have a few seeds to try, again.

65 was the year my dad and I picked up 12 tomato seedlings from the feedstore . We planted them in a pen we had kept baby calves in a few years before. Turned into a jungle! . Brings back great memories! . Jimbo

[Cole_Robbie]

Gibberellic Acid is great for waking up old seed, at least from what I read.

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by Cole_Robbie

Gibberellic Acid is great for waking up old seed, at least from what I read.

Please read post #10 in this link

http://www.tomatoville.com/showthrea...iberellic+acid

Carolyn

[Cole_Robbie]

ok, thanks. I tried to search earlier but it told me the word was too long.