starting old seeds question

[ddsack]

Originally Posted by MsCowpea

Here is how the C. Rick Tomato Genetics Research Center
treats old seeds or seeds that are difficult to geminate. They use bleach.

http://tgrc.ucdavis.edu/seed_germ.aspx

Very interesting, I copied the article for reference. I often have a 10+ year old packet of commercial seeds that I wish to re-grow for fresh seeds. Normally, they may just take longer to germinate, like 10-21 days. I will have to do a side by side of bleach vs blue fert soak and see if it makes a difference in speed and percentage. Last year I had some 17 year old Brandywine Yellow from the original TGS envelope, seeded the rest of the packet, maybe 18 seeds. I kept 4 plants that came up fairly early, but many more straggled in late. Did not keep a total count, since I didn't need more.

[Nan_PA_6b]

When I first received Post Office Spoonful seeds from the discoverer, they were 8-9 years old. It was my first time trying to grow old seeds. I planted about 20, then some more, hoping to get a plant or two. A few came up at first, then more trickled in until 40 days in I had 25 seedlings.

[roper2008]

I wonder if this works with peppers. The bleach treatment.

[imp]

Originally Posted by Nan_PA_6b

When I first received Post Office Spoonful seeds from the discoverer, they were 8-9 years old. It was my first time trying to grow old seeds. I planted about 20, then some more, hoping to get a plant or two. A few came up at first, then more trickled in until 40 days in I had 25 seedlings.

I like many of the currant tomatoes, but did not think even age would slow those guys down!! For me, they grow into monsters of plants and so many wonderful but oh-so-tiny tomatoes that I often felt like it was a jungle in there! 25 seedlings may well have been able to take over a larger part of the city!!

[eyolf]

Thank you, Dee.
Im baaaack....after 8 years.

And I am trying to resuscitate some old seeds saved since then.

[ddsack]

Originally Posted by eyolf

Thank you, Dee.
Im baaaack....after 8 years.

And I am trying to resuscitate some old seeds saved since then.

If there are any varieties you are looking for, just let me know, including your Heshpoles, though I think mine are from 2011, since I've been testing way too many new varieties! Glad to see you back and posting!

[clara]

This year, I'm trying to revive some of my old seeds, only self grown seeds from 2008 and the following years up to 2016. I've pre-soaked the seeds from 2008 to 2015 (not 2016) in diluted fish emulsion for 48 hours, then put some into zip lock baggies, some directly into the usual starting mixture. Those from 2008 did not show up yet (11 days), but I'll wait. The others from 2009 and the following years already did - all after 5 days and MUCH better in the soil than in the baggies. I have much more seedlings than I had expected, from some varieties 100% germination.

The seeds from 2016 did very well without any pre-treatment, so will hopefully do the varieties from 2017 - 2019 which are still waiting.

[Marko]

Two weeks ago I sawed 12 seeds of 2008 season Paul Robeson. They were sown in starting mixture and put on a radiator, soil temp was 28°C (82°F). First came up in seven days and two followed next day. They were very week and took three days to loose seed coat. I'll transplant other tomatoes tomorrow, but this one will have to wait at least one week more.

[eyolf]

Originally Posted by ddsack

If there are any varieties you are looking for, just let me know, including your Heshpoles, though I think mine are from 2011, since I've been testing way too many new varieties! Glad to see you back and posting!

I have two Heshpoles One from 2008 seed and one from 2010 up at first true leaf. So Im OK there,

I love Kotlas: tasty little snack-size tomatoes and got 50% germination from 2008 seed.

Im more worried about one of my selections from Big Boy and Better Boy. I found a beautiful 8-12 oz smooth pink globe on one plant back in about 1998, and pursued that...and a big pink Beefsteak that likely resembles Teddy Jones. The Beefsteak is up, but Im not getting any pink globes. And Im probably the only person in the world that has it.

Thanks for responding.

[ddsack]

Hang in there, eyolf! I'll cross my fingers that your BB pink globe will appear in a little while.

[eyolf]

A report: one BB pink globe has sent out a feeler.

Hooray!


In other news, I divided 200 2008 Heshpole seeds into two groups, bleaching one per the instructions and letting the other soak up nitrate. Now they are warm and snug in sandwich bags under lights. I also divvy'd up an old packet of Hung Wax pepper seeds and did the same.


Finally, using the site on a phone isn't any fun. Further reports may have to wait until.Im near the desktop.



https://www.dropbox.com/s/spiyvt3a02...14458.jpg?dl=0

[ddsack]

Yay! For the BB pink globe! I know you will baby that one!

It will be interesting to hear the results of the bleach vs nitrate pre-treatments. Some seeds should be popping up by now.

[eyolf]

So far, no report on the bleach vs blue soak.

I do have a couple of pink Teddy Globes struggling to shed their seed coats, and may try to help them.

As regards the rest:
A selection from J. Hutson called "Orange Russian" back in 2004: 100 seeds bleached and 100 nitrated ( nothing yet)

100 each of Faribo Gold from 2005; nada.

100 each of Lycoprea #1 (a rugose dwarf from SSE, last grown in 2009) Nada.

100 each of F3 out of Better Boy from 2004; nothing yet.

Hungarian hot wax pepper from 2009; nothing yet.

Ground Cherry from 2012; nothing yet.

All seeds kept at about 78-80 degrees.


Sent from my moto x4 using Tapatalk

[hl2601]

fingers crossed for you!

[eyolf]

A quick report:
Added 200 seeds from the 2008 Heshpole; I got ONE sickly germ so far from the nitrated seeds I planted on Feb 27 (It is surviving alongside a 2011 growout)
The bleached Heshpoles from 2008 have germinated about 5% thus far. None from the blue soak
The bleached Farobo Golds have given me 6, none from the blue soak, and none from the Feb 27 (yet)

Nothing on the Russian Orange (dissapointing: think a carrot-colored Azoychka with a deeper flavor)
The F4's...nada. I'm not worried about them; the F5's delivered exactly one tomatoe plant of 40 that excited me.
Ground Cherries and peppers can take a long time, so we wait.

As a side note, my daughter asked for a few tomatilloes; she and her current boyfriend made homemade green salsa last fall from green ones the neighbor gave them. I havent grown them since 2010; purple sprouted after nitrate soak almost immediately; still waiting for green.