Germ'd versus UnGerm'd seeds

[slohemian]

I was wondering if anyone has done a test or came to any conclusions regarding plant health of a germ'd seed versus a plant that was a seed placed in dirt.

Is there any difference between planting a germ'd seed versus planting an ungerm'd seed? Obviously TIME would be one difference, as far as sprouting goes, and probably success rate of seeds popping... Anywho I started pondering the question when thinking about how seeds are germinated, and how they go thru a little more stress than a non-germ'd seed.

 

[Sammet]

I normally germinate my seeds using the presoak for 24 hours and then kitchen towel method but have currently just dropped some beans into some peat pucks straight out. I'm keeping the peat pucks in a heated humidity dome and I expect they should germ like normal. I think that if you're using seeds that aren't too old there shouldn't be any reason why they don't germ straight into soil in the same way as they would out of it.

 

[slohemian]

Oh im sure that both will sprout, i have no doubt there. My suspicion is the health of the germ'd seed when it is a plant, versus the health of a plant that started as an ungerm'd seed. For example, would a non-germ'd seed have a larger yield... etc etc.

The only reason i question the matter is because a seed that goes thru the papertowel method for example, will go thru more stress than its counterpart, in its critical stages.

Just food for thought. Any ideas?

 

[Sammet]

I'll let you know in about 3 months

 

[JWP]

I had a lot of problems with damping off. I used to go by the philosophy that stress was good for the plants even as seedlings and only the strongest would survive. I soon realized that was a foolish philosophy. How could i stress the plants evenly to find out which were truly the stong and which were just lucky.
So now i dont like to handle them once they have poped. I will soak in water for a few hours then paper towl them and put them on my modem for at least 4 hours to warm through then into a medium. The only time i would handle them after that is to remove a seed case which may be stuck.