38 year old seeds popped!

[Natural high]

So far, today not much progress, they definitely will need a jump start, I have about 150 seeds of the Afghan x Cambodians, I am going to take some of your guys' advice as well as dole out a few to some people I can trust to love, preserve and work with these oldies. the taps arent rotting or anything they just arent making much progress. but I cracked a few and the embryo or whatever you would call it is definitely alive in them.

As a seed ages its energy stores are depleted, so they will need to get light early so they can produce more sugars for continued growth. I would place them on the surface of a pot of fine vermiculite, using third strength nutes and a reasonable amount of florescent light. You could also carefully remove the shell from the cotyledons so that chlorophyll can be produced asap.

 

[Illuminate]

Awesome

 

[Bumbatar]

Do not touch them with your bare hands the oil from your skin will prevent them from absorbing water.

 

[Natural high]

Do not touch them with your bare hands the oil from your skin will prevent them from absorbing water.

Good point. It could also introduce fungi or bacteria which could spell disaster for old seeds. A couple of pairs of fine tweezers usually works well I find, along with some off the shelf 2.5x magnifying glasses.

 

[LungCooking]

This should be interesting!

 

[igrowone]

watched many old seed threads
this is the first that looks like it may get some legitimate plants
best of luck on this adventure

 

[GoatCheese]

Very cool. Post some pics if you get some of those Mazaris going. I really wanna see some of those!
Good luck!

 

[dubi]

Welcome SacredC

What an exciting find! I would pay special attention to the seed lots from the 70s and 80s, higher chances to find rare old school genetics and uncontaminated landraces there.

Sometimes old seeds can germinate but later don't have enough energy to produce healthy roots. If you have enough seeds of the lot that has germinated then i would recommend you to try to germinate some directly in soil.

I also would try to talk as much as i can with the generous old man that shared the seeds with you, he must have a ton of knowledge over his shoulders and guess he should be very happy that a younger is interested in his work and experiences.

 

[xet]

Direct sow dry beans in super-soil. The endophytic fungi will awaken and fuel them.

Best of luck

 

[icon]

this is very cool would love to see the mazari too.... subbed!

 

[wutwut]

hermies,, hermies everywhere,,, no no just joking! hope we see something special!!

 

[AgentPothead]

This thread demands pictures!

 

[SacredC]

They didn't make it past tails. Going to heed some people's advice and try to give some a bumpstart with various techniques, as well as attempt to sow directly in soil. Sorry for the let down still have about 80 of them

 

[xet]

They didn't make it past tails. Going to heed some people's advice and try to give some a bumpstart with various techniques, as well as attempt to sow directly in soil. Sorry for the let down still have about 80 of them

Good luck friend.

I thank TazmanianMagic for posting this video about Endophytic Fungi https://youtu.be/bxjwCEBJqfM

A few minutes in it shows a seed sprout in a reproduction of soil vs in water.

Here at 9 minutes https://youtu.be/bxjwCEBJqfM?t=538

 

[AgentPothead]

They didn't make it past tails. Going to heed some people's advice and try to give some a bumpstart with various techniques, as well as attempt to sow directly in soil. Sorry for the let down still have about 80 of them

Damn dood. Hopefully better luck with the next batch. Best of luck!

 

[Bumbatar]

Maybe put rooting hormone on them mixed with sugar water it would be like hooking the Frankenstein corpse up to the lightning rod in the castle laboratory.

 

[mexicani-ar]

 

[Gry]

Salute for being up front about the results.

 

[Medfinder]

Salute for being up front about the results.

THIS...

maybe 3 or more may pull through...

 

[JustSumTomatoes]

You sir are a lucky man. I love it when old seed stock is discovered, it's like if you could return an extinct animal back to life. I've kept all of my seed stock in airtight bags with silica gel packets like the ones you showed. Maybe if this all works out we might have a new lesson to be learned in seed preservation. Hope to see some real old school plants out of this, you truly found a hidden gem.

Subbed.