20+ year old seeds, let's grow 'em

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NotSure

NotSure

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I appreciate your enthusiasm. I am a simple man, weighing and tracking cup weight throughout a plant's lifecycle sounds like a special torture to me. I just grow the dang things. No notes, no measuring, no sir.
I just put them in a clear cup inside of a red one. You can water precisely and monitor root growth progress. Makes it really easy
 
NorthernOrganics

NorthernOrganics

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I just put them in a clear cup inside of a red one. You can water precisely and monitor root growth progress. Makes it really easy
Neat idea. Have you ever had issues with water collecting in the space between the cups? I could see that some fungus gnats having a party up in there.
 
0ttomanfarmer

0ttomanfarmer

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It's amazing how long seeds could last, of course under the right conditions, which usually means kept cold/dormant.
Going to put my seeds into the fridge right now :D

To recap:
Two out of 24 seeds planted are growing so far. The first six were in a paper towel and scarified, they turned to mush. Then I soaked six in a strong peroxide solution (24hr) and planted them all in one planter, one grew, looks great now. I looked for the other 5 seeds in the soil, didn't find them and they got mixed into the soil, lone ranger took over the planter. Then I planted six seeds directly into moist fluffy soil with mycorrhizae, nothing has popped yet. Then soaked six more in a weak peroxide solution (24hr) and planted in the same planters off to the side, one popped. Still have 11 in the dirt that could still germinate. It seems that both times I soaked a batch of six seeds in a peroxide solution, I got one to go. That will be the first step going forward. Let's hope for some more to pop. View attachment 1319168View attachment 1319169
Grats my man. Well done!
 
NotSure

NotSure

52
18
Neat idea. Have you ever had issues with water collecting in the space between the cups? I could see that some fungus gnats having a party up in there.
I don't put holes in the clear cup so no water collects between them, the greatest advantage for me is more precise watering because I can see the soil moisture level and root progress. In the past I transplanted the seedling usually too soon based on surface vegetation. I can now gague root growth without disturbing the soil in any way. I also water sprouts and seedling with a fine spray and you can watch the water progressively wet to the bottom. This wasn't my idea, I picked it up somewhere, works well, I haven't over/under watered since.
 
TSD

TSD

2,795
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I would imagine they would lose their vigor over time. Idk how long it takes, but seeds 2000+ years old have been germinated.

But that’s why the world seed bank is in a very controlled environment - to slow down deterioration as much as possible.

It’s awesome to see such old seeds sprout, though.
Anyone read about the seeds they found in a squirrel buried in ice, he had eaten but not digested them, and they sprouted them? 32,000 years old. I was like cool... but what if there's some plague in that squirrel too lol.
 
E

elusiveshame

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Anyone read about the seeds they found in a squirrel buried in ice, he had eaten but not digested them, and they sprouted them? 32,000 years old. I was like cool... but what if there's some plague in that squirrel too lol.
So Pixar was right after all...
 
NorthernOrganics

NorthernOrganics

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Tonto is no more. The hull of the seed didn't release, I had to remove it, but not soon enough. Poor baby couldn't open its leaves.
IMG 20230118 145357284

The lone ranger is lone again, but still growing, albeit a little slowly.
IMG 20230118 145438900

I put 12 more seeds into a 2:1 water:peroxide solution.
IMG 20230118 150007672
IMG 20230118 150319859

I've got to get at least one to go 🤞. I dug up the other seeds, they were all black and mushy.
 
NotSure

NotSure

52
18
Anyone read about the seeds they found in a squirrel buried in ice, he had eaten but not digested them, and they sprouted them? 32,000 years old. I was like cool... but what if there's some plague in that squirrel too lol.
Did they name it Audrey II
 
V

Vanthcity

62
18
Anyone read about the seeds they found in a squirrel buried in ice, he had eaten but not digested them, and they sprouted them? 32,000 years old. I was like cool... but what if there's some plague in that squirrel too lol.
nature is a magician. But we my admit that experince of the authro helped much more then natures powers
 
Harpua88

Harpua88

Supporter
2,043
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I don't put holes in the clear cup so no water collects between them, the greatest advantage for me is more precise watering because I can see the soil moisture level and root progress. In the past I transplanted the seedling usually too soon based on surface vegetation. I can now gague root growth without disturbing the soil in any way. I also water sprouts and seedling with a fine spray and you can watch the water progressively wet to the bottom. This wasn't my idea, I picked it up somewhere, works well, I haven't over/under watered since.
Watering seedlings with a spray bottle is a good idea.....but in a way that keeps the actual spray/water off the seedling. I use a thick piece of paper or something to block the spray from hitting the seedlings to prevent stem rot.
 
Harpua88

Harpua88

Supporter
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Anyone read about the seeds they found in a squirrel buried in ice, he had eaten but not digested them, and they sprouted them? 32,000 years old. I was like cool... but what if there's some plague in that squirrel too lol.
"Dude......your weed tastes......furry, and kind of nutty....."
 
Harpua88

Harpua88

Supporter
2,043
263
Tonto is no more. The hull of the seed didn't release, I had to remove it, but not soon enough. Poor baby couldn't open its leaves. View attachment 1321239
The lone ranger is lone again, but still growing, albeit a little slowly.
View attachment 1321240
I put 12 more seeds into a 2:1 water:peroxide solution. View attachment 1321238View attachment 1321241
I've got to get at least one to go 🤞. I dug up the other seeds, they were all black and mushy.
You're doing noble work. I hope you can somehow save the genetics, but you're doing the best you can.......good job and we are all pulling for you......

Pulling for you....hahahaha! Yeah.....
 
GNick55

GNick55

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sometimes with seeds that don’t pop with 3-4 days than start playing with temp and humidity.. say your room is temp 75 humidity 60, than raise it to 80 and 70% next day adjust again go back lower.. nature never stays exactly the same.
 

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