How Old is too old for saving seeds

[Tomstrees]

I received seeds of Mozark from Bill Jeffers last season that were saved from 1964 by a professor from a university (thats what it said on package anyway) and I was able to start 3 plants out of 15 seeds - I was really amazed -

Could be the way they were stored, could be the way they were saved - could be a hoax ! Who knows -

Also, I have started seeds of "Maryann" from Carolyn that were saved in 1992? -


~ Tom

[strmywthr3]

worth, that's funny, I was thinking the same thing when I saw the thread title!!

Originally Posted by Worth1

I’ve known people in their 80’s and 90’s that save seeds.8)
That’s the way I see the thread every time I see it, (((How old is too old for saving seeds))).
I don’t think a person ever gets too old to save seeds.

That’s just my opinion on the subject and some folks may think that 50, is too old to save seeds.

Worth

[Hairy Moose Knuckles]

Hey Barbi, Hello there! I didn't know you were here too!

[strmywthr3]

yep, I'd noticid you here too. your ID is pretty noticeable! lol

Originally Posted by Hairy Moose Knuckles

Hey Barbi, Hello there! I didn't know you were here too!

[nctomatoman]

Well, a few results are coming in for my old seed germination project. And it is not encouraging....

Of the 50 varieties of seed I planted (between 21 and 17 years old, up to 25 seeds of each variety), there is life in two cells:

Mortgage Lifter Pesta Strain, actually from 1993, has two germinated seeds at 19 days (but with stuck seed coats) - March 12.

Verna Orange, from 1990, has one seed germinated on March 18 - 25 days, also a stuck seed coat.

In my general plantings, I have Cherokee Purple from 1993 that has a few successful (no seed coat) seedlings, and Brandywine from 1994 also with a few. This is 15 and 14 year old seed.

So, even given that I will keep the old seed flat in appropriate conditions to see if anything more develops:

With no presoaking, pretreatment, microwaving, etc - and no special drying or storage - the results of my experiment indicate the following guidelines:

Tomato seed germinates pretty well for 12 years (my 1996 seed is doing quite well this year) - then falls off to more of a challenge at 14 years, is touch and go at 15 years, and at 16 years or older, is likely to fail.

The next step for me, I suspect, is to take the same age seed next year and try some presoak or pretreatments to see if germination can be made to occur.

[ceresone]

My, and here I thought someone was going to tell me I was too old to be saving seeds--that my kids would have to be "going thru my stash" and throwing seeds away afer MY demise!
Seriously, I seal mine in a glass jar with silica jel, and freeze, I understand, and have proven, they dont get too old.

[rxkeith]

my oldest seeds are my great uncle steves italian plum saved in 1992. in 2005 i was still getting 65% germination with a pre soak, and a pinch of blue stuff although several were just stems, no leaves. i skipped sowing them last year. i sowed my last 7 seeds from 92, and after 3 weeks with only a pre soak, i have 1 seed just starting to germinate. too soon to tell what kind of shape it will be in. seeds were wrapped up in the same piece of aluminum foil from 92, and stored mostly in the basement. not bad for a wispy leaf scrawny looking italian.

update

one healthy seedling so far. the seed coat looked like it was stuck on pretty good. i put a drop of water on it a few times yesterday, and LEFT IT ALONE. that did the trick.

keith

[TZ-OH6]

Could someone describe the microwave method? how long? what power setting? Submerged in water? Dry?


I found some store bought dried chiles (3 varieties) packed away from a move six years ago. I de-seed them for cooking so I have a lot of seed to play with. One variety sprouted easily but two others, although showing signs of development, never sprouted before mold got them after six weeks.

I'm going to try various chemical/nutrient baths as well.

Also... is there any type of household fungicide that I could use to prevent mold. I'll be germinating on paper towels.

Thanks

[dice]

Also... is there any type of household fungicide that I could use to prevent mold. I'll be germinating on paper towels.

1 part drugstore hydrogen peroxide to 10 parts water. Dip the
towels in it, then insert the seeds, place in an open plastic
baggie in a warm place. (If they have not germinated in two
weeks, you can close the baggie while you wait, so that the
paper towel does not dry out completely.)

After a couple of weeks, they may look like they are molding,
but that is probably just stuck on paper from the paper towel.
(I have had some old tomato seeds germinate after 6 weeks.)

[Love2Troll]

Originally Posted by TZ-OH6

Could someone describe the microwave method? how long? what power setting? Submerged in water? Dry?

Hi TZ,

New to me. I would like to know exact method too.

Mold...

I've been testing a system that infuses tap water with an extra oxygen atom by passing air through 4,500 volts of electricity. It's deadly on mold and I'm using to sterilize my starting mixes and the seeds that I plant this year. Supposedly kills bacteria and viruses.


JohnT

[carolyn137]

Could someone describe the microwave method? how long? what power setting? Submerged in water? Dry

*****

I didn't read the whole thread to see if I'd mentioned the Microwave method here or not.

Back in the early 90's Craig and I tried a number of different ways to either wake up tomato seeds that were totally non-viable or to increase the viability of seeds.

At the time the instructions were to put it on high for about two minutes and seeds just on a paper plate, dry.

We found no difference at all so abandoned that method.

Tried giberellic acid with and with knitrate at different concentrations and ratios, k nitrate alone, soaking in this or that for how long, all with controls.

I can't speak for Craig, but if I have problem seeds all I do is to soak in water o/n with a pinch of blue stuff, that's granular Miracle Grow or Peter's or Schultz, OR add a few drops of seaweed or fish emulsion.

The addition is b'c it's known that nitrate ion is important in seed germination.

But frankly, I think it works just as well with just a plain o/n water soak, making sure that you stir the seeds so they drop to the bottom and don't float.

And I know the above wasn't ALL that we tried.

[dice]

Papa Vic used weak tea water to pre-soak those 1964 Mozark
seeds, and that worked, too.

[TZ-OH6]

Wow, if seeds sat on a hotspot in my microwave for 2 minutes they would be crispy critters.

[Love2Troll]

I've had pepper seeds refuse to germinate in 30 days or more. I let the soil mix dry out and reused it weeks later with tomato seeds. Darned if the pepper seeds didn't sprout.

[tantaw0]

Craig I stared some seeds this year that were 6 years old. I planted 10 seeds and I was amazed that 9 of them germinated. I have actually started tomato seeds that were 10 years old and got 80% germination. I guess what I am trying to say is that I don't have a clue when tomato seeds are to old! I wish I could get my hands on some 12 or 15 year old seeds to see what the germination rate would be. That would be a fun project for an old man that has got nothing but time on his hands!