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How Les is Currently Germinating Old Seeds
- Thread starter Lester Beans
- Start date
I’ve also taken a razor blade and sliced off the tips of cotyledons encased in membrane (seed coat gone but membrane to stubborn to remove). This allows the cotyledons to be able to open and expose the meristem and first true leaves. Most of the time this works but is a last resort.
Interesting you mention this, I just had one of these fastened at the tips of the cotyledons. With the leave tips snipped off, the cotyledons opened up within a couple hours. Timing is everything.
NEED 4 SEED
Well-known member
Hey, we all know the moment when the 20 year old seed is lying in the box for 23 days between tissues starting to get mouldy, h2o2 didn't bring it to life too. It looks slimy and it's over.
Not so with these brand new seeds (20-30 days after harvest) that I have just tried to germinate because I couldn't wait (Chimera Cookies x GDP). In the beginning I thought I sacrificed them through my impatience. The first seed cracked its shell after 5 days, probably. Then, one after the other, started to pop over the next 4 weeks at least! Two of ten didn't pop after all. The curious thing about this is, these seeds didn't take on any mould during that month in the damp box, where old seeds would have been mush or needed special care. So thats my observation: If you're trying to pop really fresh seeds, give them time and don't throw them away after 5 days.
Not so with these brand new seeds (20-30 days after harvest) that I have just tried to germinate because I couldn't wait (Chimera Cookies x GDP). In the beginning I thought I sacrificed them through my impatience. The first seed cracked its shell after 5 days, probably. Then, one after the other, started to pop over the next 4 weeks at least! Two of ten didn't pop after all. The curious thing about this is, these seeds didn't take on any mould during that month in the damp box, where old seeds would have been mush or needed special care. So thats my observation: If you're trying to pop really fresh seeds, give them time and don't throw them away after 5 days.
mikeandnaomi
Active member
use your fingers $0
I currently have 8 seeds from 2006 sitting in Solo shot glasses (with small holes drilled into the bases for drainage) sitting in a tray resting directly above my light. I used the vermicompost from an aerated tea I made as a medium.
As of right now they are about 14 hours old. If they pop, I'll take pictures.
The seeds are from some supposed OG Kush outdoor I picked up from a buddy. They were kept in the plastic bag I bought the ounce in, kept in a drawer for a few years before being moved to a freezer, where they've lived up until 24 hours before being dropped into the vermicompost.
As of right now they are about 14 hours old. If they pop, I'll take pictures.
The seeds are from some supposed OG Kush outdoor I picked up from a buddy. They were kept in the plastic bag I bought the ounce in, kept in a drawer for a few years before being moved to a freezer, where they've lived up until 24 hours before being dropped into the vermicompost.
I was given some 20 year old seeds of some killer that was going around here. My buddy says, I been meaning to give you these for the last 12 years lol. Damn dude.
We shall see if I can get these to crack. Stored in a pill bottle in a dresser drawer. Ugh
We shall see if I can get these to crack. Stored in a pill bottle in a dresser drawer. Ugh
Night4wings20
Active member
I'm actually trying that now. Nothing special just threw the old seeds on top of the soil layer I put on 8+months worth of compost. It's winter here so I don't expect anything right now but maybe the winterizing outside (of the seeds) then the warming of spring will activate the microbes in the compost layers which in turn I hope will encourage the seeds on top to sprout.
Fingers crossed
Nice plan NW!
Best possible shot as far as I'm concerned. In the spring if they have not popped, chances are they never would without a lab, if even then.
Please let us know if you see any volunteers!
Best possible shot as far as I'm concerned. In the spring if they have not popped, chances are they never would without a lab, if even then.
Please let us know if you see any volunteers!
Night4wings20
Active member
Will do Lester
It's been 48 hours, and nothing has broken the surface.
Being the impatient SOB I am, I went digging a little bit. 4 of the 8 have cracked and the tail has emerged. I replaced the vermicompost so they can continue on their journey.
The remaining 4 don't look like they've even cracked yet, so I'll give them a few more days.
ETA- 12 hours later, and all 4 popped above soil. Two of them right side up, two of them upside down. So I gave those two a gentle replant, and put them back in with the unopened ones. I assume they'll be above dirt correctly tomorrow when I get home from work.
2nd ETA - 10 hours later, they're both above soil the right way.
I remembered I promised a picture if they sprouted.
The one on top showed up tonight.
2nd from the bottom hasn't moved from that position since this morning. I already removed the membrane, but I might have been too rough with her. I'll wait and see what happens.
ETA - He's dead, Jim. Tap root went no further than 1/4" below the soil and stopped. Other 4 are trucking right along, with 2 still under soil.
The one on top showed up tonight.
2nd from the bottom hasn't moved from that position since this morning. I already removed the membrane, but I might have been too rough with her. I'll wait and see what happens.
ETA - He's dead, Jim. Tap root went no further than 1/4" below the soil and stopped. Other 4 are trucking right along, with 2 still under soil.
Night4wings20
Active member
I'm actually trying that now. Nothing special just threw the old seeds on top of the soil layer I put on 8+months worth of compost. It's winter here so I don't expect anything right now but maybe the winterizing outside (of the seeds) then the warming of spring will activate the microbes in the compost layers which in turn I hope will encourage the seeds on top to sprout.
Fingers crossed
Nothing yet, just started the 2nd month of spring. I'll keep an eye on the seeds for another 2 or so months and finalize this little experiment.
Crazy Chester
Well-known member
Inspired by Lester and GOT_BUD?, I have put some old seeds - Purple Kush x ? and Sour Diesel x (Blowfish F2 x freak Trainwreck S1 male) - into two little cups each that I made from tin foil and put six of each variety in them with a pinch of compost (because I didn't have worm castings) and enough water to make the mix muddy.
They have been in a humidity dome with a heat mat under it for about a day now.
I will update my progress with germination here as it proceeds.
If this doesn't work, I will try it again - adding Lester's laborious seed washing procedure prior to adding compost and water.
They have been in a humidity dome with a heat mat under it for about a day now.
I will update my progress with germination here as it proceeds.
If this doesn't work, I will try it again - adding Lester's laborious seed washing procedure prior to adding compost and water.
Crazy Chester
Well-known member
It's because seeds and clones don't last forever and are very hard to preserve over the course of decades. A strain you are enjoying now may become nothing more but a memory decades from now if nobody has seeds or clones of it anymore. But, if you really liked it and had some old seeds you made years prior - you'll keep trying to pop those old seeds, because that's your only option.
Bumping this thread to maybe help some folks and to get some new stories of how folks are popping seeds these days.
Happy Holidays everyone!
Happy Holidays everyone!
