last years left overs

[bookwormom]

hi guys, I noticed I have quite a bit of seed left over from last year, what is your experience with older seed? I have had good luck with it in the past. Zebra mentioned someplace soaking it in hydrogen peroxide. does that help older seed?

[zebraman]

Hey Bookwormmom;That is 2-3 oz of warm water w/1 Tbls.H.Peroxide.Also with Pepper and Tomato,eggplant rolling them up in moist paper towel and placing roll into plastic ziplock bag and putting in warm place (top of Refridgerator).
Also Gibberelic acid,however this is a bit pricey.-

Also seed from last year is Not old.I was referring to seeds that were 5-10 years old.However the presoak will still work wonders.-

[leera]

bookwormom........

Many of the peppers and tomatoes I grew last year were from seeds that were 4-7 years old.

Give 'em a try and see if they grow........you never know.

I didn't do anything special to them or treat them with anything either,the older seeds do sometimes take a little longer to come up,but I have always had good luck with them.

[bookwormom]

thanks guys, like I mentioned, I always had good luck before, but I just read an article that said to NEVER use seed from last year. since it was in countryside mag. I thought I will give it some credence, and who knows, with all t he manilpulations going on in this country, maybe something has changed.

[zebraman]

Hey Bookwormom:I read the same article and have No idea as too what they are referring to.Their point seems to be with hybrid and not OP.Tomato seeds remain viable for 7-10 years.Anasazi and N.M.Cave bean were "re-discovered" in baskets coated in Pine Pitch,in Anasazi cliff dwellings after sitting for over 1500 years and were still viable.-

[Smoky]

Many hybrid seeds (super-sweet corn in particular) won't germinate at a very high percentage, even after just one or two years. They are selected for that, plant them or toss 'em out. I wonder why I ever did use them at all. OP for me now.

[leera]

Some seeds do lose their usefulness after a short amount of time......I've read that onion seed and carrot seed does not last well at all.......

But I've also planted onion seeds that were 3-4 years old with no problems.

I haven't read/seen an article like the one you mentioned though,so I wouldn't know what it was referring to. Maybe genetically modified ones?Seems like those would be in a class like hybrids,and the seeds would not produce a repeat of the parent plant.

I am strictly sticking to OP seeds/plants from now on.......

[bookwormom]

hi Zebra, is that the 3% hydrogen peroxide you get at the drug store? do you ever use it to spray your plants with?

[zebraman]

Hey Bookwormom;Yes you can use the 3% to soak seeds.No I don't for the spray but you need the 35% food grade from the Health Food Store.-
You can also use Gibbrelic acid but its more expensive and requires quite a bit of knowledge and exact measurements.

[bookwormom]

never heard of Gibrellic acid. I guess I'll do a search. so I take it you do not use it 35% strength but dilute it.? I read it is supposed to keep bugs at bay, too.

[Smoky]

jlhudson sells the GA and things to use it with, directions etc.

[Smoky]

http://www.jlhudsonseeds.net/
Plus......they are the only seed place I know of that will take seeds you collect or grow in on a trade for seeds they have, pretty cool. You have to ask for the seed-saving pamphlet when you order.
I should add that GA is really for folks that are in the business of germinating hard-to-grow seeds. If it helps get 90% germination instead of 30%, you can see there'd be a profit motive there. I'm 60 and have gardened most of that time and never felt the need to use it, but then I've had some failures too, lol.

[zebraman]

Hey Bookwormom;Overcoming dormancy isn't the only use for Gibberellic Acid.Plant Nurseries use it to induce premature flowering on young "Bedding plants".

GA does increase fruit set and total yeild in greenhouse tomatoes,however the resulting fruit may be partially or entirely seedless.

Pollination within self-incompatible clones and between closely related species(like W.Squash)can sometimes be forced with the application of GA and cytokinin to the flowers at the time of hand pollination.

I also use "Smoke Disc's" for germinating Heliconia's and Protea's.
Also check out
http://www.rancidsawdust.com/limited.htm