i was gifted a seed stash from an old pot dealer from nyc's favorite batch of santa marta gold from 1973. anybody have any techniques they use for reviving old seeds?
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tricks for sprouting old seeds...
- Thread starter bodhiseeds
- Start date
do the paper towel method, but after they soften up a little bit like overnight take a razor blade and cut down the seam of the seed...don't go to deep because you don't want to damage the insides...just enough to open the seed up a lil bit.
i did this method on some 10-15 yr old northern lights...you won't get good germ rates or nothing but you only need a few to get a mom or make fresh seeds...good luck
i did this method on some 10-15 yr old northern lights...you won't get good germ rates or nothing but you only need a few to get a mom or make fresh seeds...good luck
I heard you can get some sand paper and put it in a container and then put the seeds in. Then shake it them around and let them get roughed up a bit. This will weaken the shell and maybe make a few sprout. Like T2U said all you need is a female and male to make more seeds. Hell even a female or male would work because you could keep a female as a mom and use a male for a hybrid. Good luck.
G
Guest
I'm becoming a fan of "wick" technology.
It delivers just the right amount of liquid for any given purpose. I will try wicking my next seeds. Will be interesting at least.
It delivers just the right amount of liquid for any given purpose. I will try wicking my next seeds. Will be interesting at least.
Here's an 'ol trick Steve Tuck taught:
Seed cracking method for old seedstock.
Use a screw-top glass jar, w/ metal lid. Punch a hole thru the lid to fit an air hose. Seal w/ silicone sealant. When dry fill jar w/ water,seeds and if possible, a few drops of DMSO. Screw on lid and attach hose to fish pump. Run it for 24-48 hrs.
Proceed w/ normal germinating technique.
Seed cracking method for old seedstock.
Use a screw-top glass jar, w/ metal lid. Punch a hole thru the lid to fit an air hose. Seal w/ silicone sealant. When dry fill jar w/ water,seeds and if possible, a few drops of DMSO. Screw on lid and attach hose to fish pump. Run it for 24-48 hrs.
Proceed w/ normal germinating technique.
there is a thread around here about this man who soaked his old seeds in strong black tea (ambient tempt. of course!). it seems the acidity of the tea helps to soften the seed when soaked for long enough, then changed to either a glass of fresh water or paper towel method... my two cents.
peace and good luck getting those seeds going, sounds like a real nice gift!
peace and good luck getting those seeds going, sounds like a real nice gift!
WhiteWolfman
Member
freeze em,
freeze em,
Freeze them overnight and sprout them the next day is a tecnique i have used with decent results! GOOD LUCK!
freeze em,
Freeze them overnight and sprout them the next day is a tecnique i have used with decent results! GOOD LUCK!
Brownpants
Active member
Soak seeds for 24hrs in RO/DI water at temps around 78 F. After 24 hrs squeeze seeds end to end between fingers to see if shell opens a little or not. If not then either squeeze between fingers harder till shell pops or use needle nose plyers (carefully) to pop open shell. Then germ seeds in water again or by paper towel method till tap roots show.
Good luck
-BP-
Good luck
-BP-
WhiteWolfman said:
Uh when you freeze seeds you expand any moisure that is left in them which causes cell rupture. That would be to iffy for me to try.
You can use Gibberellic acid for old seeds. I do have the Gib acid but i don't know the amount needed for tough germination. I'd be happy to send you some bodhiseeds, if you can find the amount (PPM) needed.
wow!!! you guys have got some creative techniques. thanks for all the info. if they sprout ill post the pics...
peace
b
peace
b
Please consider the Tuck method. The trick w/ the old seeds is to get moisture into the very kernel of the seed. The DMSO will automatically do this, and the pressurized air will help as well. Also a drop or two of Thrive Alive will help w/ depleted "food" within the seed.
It's really worth the effort! Best wishes, HL
It's really worth the effort! Best wishes, HL
Brownpants
Active member
Highlighter said:
Getting moisture into the seed is only half the battle. You have to make sure the shell is able to open with the increasing hydrostatic pressures. It's like launching a missile but the silo doors are stuck............Splat. Larger seeds are more likely to have this problem than the smaller ones.
-BP-
I agree Brownpants. Being under constant pressure inside the jar, helps weaken the seed husk, as well as get air and moisture within.
C
Chamba
every six months on Og there was a similar thread......rarely did we ever get to see a finished plant from one of these old seed stashes
I hope you get at least 4 or 5 females to choose from
there has been some good advice so far..everyone has their own way to get seeds to become plants!
the is how I germinate old sativa seeds
never try to germinate more than a quarter ~ half of them at the one time in case of disaster
chill the seeds in the fridge in a sealed container.....
warm temps, moisture and patience are essential for germinating tropical sativas ...under normal conditions some will take several weeks to germinate and others will pop in 3, 4 or 5 days....I've never germinated seeds that old, but I'd expect you will be lucky to get 5% ~ 20% to germinate..it all depends where and how they were stored. Old seeds are not as strong as young seeds, so don't shake the film cannister or whatever they are in. Some use sandpaper to help break the seal and get the shells to crack open..this works as does picking up the seeds and gently cracking inbetween your teeth, just hard enough so you feel the "crack"
soak the seeds in warm water overnight.....28 ~ 30 C / 85 ~ 89 F...
If you have hundreds of seeds, pick out the darkest and fullest and heaviest seeds as these will have a higher success of germinating
place seeds on damp tissues in a low glass dish or container (with the lid slightly ajar) with a tissue wick or two hanging down from under the seed tissues and dipping into a reservoir a few inches away, lower position.
have your new potting soil pots ready for the germinating seeds..I plant when they first crack the seeds and rarely wait until they have long tails as many do here...be gentle, use a tiny spoon to lift the germinating seeds off the wet tissues into the soil, then cover the seeds and mist with a fine spray to dampen the soil/seeds
I'd plant them about quarter of an inch deep and also make sure to maintain warm soil temps or you will get poor results (that's if they are viable that is?)
best of luck with those old Gold and make sure to take clones to plant outside as early as you are able in Spring '07..most tropical sativas need a long growth period, strong sun and decent weather in Nov and December but with an early start they might finish in your area?
I hope you get at least 4 or 5 females to choose from
there has been some good advice so far..everyone has their own way to get seeds to become plants!
the is how I germinate old sativa seeds
never try to germinate more than a quarter ~ half of them at the one time in case of disaster
chill the seeds in the fridge in a sealed container.....
warm temps, moisture and patience are essential for germinating tropical sativas ...under normal conditions some will take several weeks to germinate and others will pop in 3, 4 or 5 days....I've never germinated seeds that old, but I'd expect you will be lucky to get 5% ~ 20% to germinate..it all depends where and how they were stored. Old seeds are not as strong as young seeds, so don't shake the film cannister or whatever they are in. Some use sandpaper to help break the seal and get the shells to crack open..this works as does picking up the seeds and gently cracking inbetween your teeth, just hard enough so you feel the "crack"
soak the seeds in warm water overnight.....28 ~ 30 C / 85 ~ 89 F...
If you have hundreds of seeds, pick out the darkest and fullest and heaviest seeds as these will have a higher success of germinating
place seeds on damp tissues in a low glass dish or container (with the lid slightly ajar) with a tissue wick or two hanging down from under the seed tissues and dipping into a reservoir a few inches away, lower position.
have your new potting soil pots ready for the germinating seeds..I plant when they first crack the seeds and rarely wait until they have long tails as many do here...be gentle, use a tiny spoon to lift the germinating seeds off the wet tissues into the soil, then cover the seeds and mist with a fine spray to dampen the soil/seeds
I'd plant them about quarter of an inch deep and also make sure to maintain warm soil temps or you will get poor results (that's if they are viable that is?)
best of luck with those old Gold and make sure to take clones to plant outside as early as you are able in Spring '07..most tropical sativas need a long growth period, strong sun and decent weather in Nov and December but with an early start they might finish in your area?
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Heady NUGs
Member
Have always used luke-warm distilled water, and change the water if any fuzzy stuff appears.
I have some seeds that I made from a cross of California Orange/Hash Plant and a DJ Short female about a year and a half ago. For some reason these seeds are abnormally large and not very dark, yet were fully mature when picked. I have tried twice to germinate them normally with the 'paper towel' method and nothing sprouted. So with the last five seeds I soaked them in paper towels again, but in a plastic bag over my warm ethernet router this time. It has been three days and nothing yet, so I decided to use Chamba's method and crack the seeds slighly and carefully between my two front teeth. It was amazingly easy and cracked open just slightly to let the embyo escape if she decides to sprout. Next, I placed them back in their bags into the tissue, and am going to leave them to see if it makes any difference.
The reason I think my seeds won't sprout even though they are new is that the shells seem abnormally tuff, and I believe the embryo inside does not have the strength to crack open the shell. I believe it is the same with old seeds. As they dry out with age they get hard and are not easy too absorb enough water to make them soft. Also I believe the food source inside the seed dries up also.
Hopefully this method will work for me this time as it is the last of this seed stock I have. I'll let you all know how it goes. Good luck everyone sprouting those old seeds.
TGT
The reason I think my seeds won't sprout even though they are new is that the shells seem abnormally tuff, and I believe the embryo inside does not have the strength to crack open the shell. I believe it is the same with old seeds. As they dry out with age they get hard and are not easy too absorb enough water to make them soft. Also I believe the food source inside the seed dries up also.
Hopefully this method will work for me this time as it is the last of this seed stock I have. I'll let you all know how it goes. Good luck everyone sprouting those old seeds.
TGT
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C
Chamba
Heady NUGs said:
change your wick reservoir water daily and change the tissues after 4 or 5 days before fuzzy mold appears on your seeds..
the other way is to place the seeds into soil after 3 or 4 days of soaking on the warm wet tissues....this what I usually do... place the seeds on tissues for 3 ~ 5 days, then plant them (regardless whether they have cracked or not)
it's the combination of warmth and moisture that triggers seeds to germinate..for tropical seeds think tropical conditions - dripping wet humidity and warm to hot temps.
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Igt, sometimes seeds look mature but for some reason the plant aborted the seeds. I bleieve this is from growers keeping the lights close to the plants like they would for sensimilla production. Next time try backing the lights off a bit and feed the plants high levels of kelp, potassium, sulfur, and calcium. It happens to the best of us.
