OLD Seeds & NEW Seeds

onewish....those old seeds that you germinated in the paper bag....did you put them on top of the frig or in it? I have so many old ones, and I hope to germinate all of them this year.

I have some more germinating now, but they are the new ones, so they don't count and the peas are buried under the snow, so they probably won't be coming up until it warms up a bit.

I wrapped mine in damp paper towel and put them in a zip bag... think it was just on my desktop next to the computer... OCD.... have to look everyday

Well, I did no realize when you collect all these seeds you were suppose to plant them. LOL. I have thousands of seeds I have collected over the last 4 years. But they have not been in the refrigerator but tin cans in the garage. And the garage, even though insulated can get to be 95 degrees. I have a very large raised holding garden that I use when I receive plants shipped that are not large enough or strong enough to go directly into the garden. I think I am going to kludge up an incubator and sow some seeds and see what happens. I have seed starter kits but not enough for all these seeds., And I have an EZ Clone so I am also right now starting cuttings. I am a 67 little young lady and I think I have finally gone to far. But now you all have got me started. I hope my body stays stupid and does not realize that I am old. Thanks. This will be fun. Anyone here know how to germinate a Texas Laurel tree. I am doing cutting but I have several hundred seeds.

LOL, Sharon you will still see seeds that you want besides all of the ones in the cans. But, no, they don't do anything in the cans. You have to do something to help them produce whether it be vegetables or flowers, or trees, etc. They cannot do it in cans. Don't try to do all of those seeds. You will be overwhelmed. Just pick out a dozen or so, whatever you want, but don't try to grow them all. I you do, you will never try it again.

LOL!

Ok, Jnette, when you start your petunia seeds in vermiculite, do you put them in a ziplock or sow on top of a container? I am not clear on this, as today, I am starting a lot of seeds and I will be doing the petunias as well. I think some petunias will go right in the cell packs...I should at least a few on heat, and maybe I can transfer others to the heat, once the first batch germinates.

I just have 2 heating pads, wrapped in towels. I did check the soil temp...as I was fearful that they would cook...tiny lobelia is coming up too. The old seeds, not yet, so I will report when they show their leaves. Oh, I take that back....someone sent me some tomatoes...very special ones.

Now normally I am opposed to GM foods...but this is a tomato with some blueberry genes and it is vigorous! I think I will prick them out today into cell-packs. I started them on 2/27, on heat. What I am opposed to is if the GM foods are not labeled as such, then people can make a choice. I am not sure how this one will taste, and it has been so long, I don't even remember who sent it to me. I think I will check on my old DG and GW mail, maybe there is something there about it. It is always best if I can figure out the dates. I should have put a separate label on the back of the envelope. Aw....shoulda', coulda'.....no more...all with notes and labels!

Anyone else have trouble with this...it should be simple, but it does cut down the time one takes...I will try and figure out a way to do it, as well as quicker...

Have fun, and I 'll be back later, as it is a good sow day!

I don't put petunia seeds in a zip lock. Only if I plant them in a square cake pan first and put them in a gallon zip lock. They fit right in there nicely. I don't use vermiculite. I suppose I would/might if I had some. I just put them in a soiless seed starting mix. Pro-Mix.

Here is a tip by the way. If you are starting seeds in the house, always use a soiless planting mix or you will have a house full of gnats. Just as though you had ripe fruit lying on your kitchen counter.

That is what I do with both tomatoes and petunias. I try to start them on a heat mat and then move them so others can take their place when they germinate. Not a good idea to use heating pads. You should use the heat mats that are made specifically for plants. You could either cook the plants or start a fire.

Ok, I have been home all the time that the heating pads were on, and the soil thermometer say the soil temp is 70 degrees. Should I turn off the heat when I go out? Will this damage the seedlings-to-be? I tried taking the alyssum off the heat too soon, and it killed almost all of the seedlings, as well, I took off the plastic bags and I think the soil dried a bit as well. All the others are doing well. I transplanted some of the tomato seedlings, maybe toon soon, as they did not have there true leaves up yet, but I think I may have successfully done this before, as they look fine.

I was a bit concerned about the heating pads at first, but now I remember that I used them before, many years ago with success. I use towels to protect them from direct heat, I do not put them directly onto the mat. Also, they are in a thick plastic tray and the heating pads are underneath wrapped in towels.

I have been using Jiffy Mix, though I add a bit of vermiculite, as the mix does not wet easily by itself. I could not find Pro-Mix, and it is too costly to order by mail or internet, due to the shipping fees.

I might be a bit like Sharon, as I have a lot of seeds, and I am trying to at least get some of the oldest started first...no, I will not grow every single seed, but I do have a good start. My plan is to start the most important ones first, then WS many others as well as some samples of perennial seeds by the Deno method.

Sorry, I don't like to cry wolf, but maybe I am getting cautious in my old age. I just don't think a few seeds are worth taking a chance on burning your whole house down and possibly you included, and maybe pets?

Do whatever you feel comfortable with I guess.

Now you are scaring me...no, seeds are not more important than our home.

I just don't know anymore...about heat mats. I have a whole garden that germinated in the fridge!! Right now I have over 200 seeds that germinated in the fridge and just got them all outside in a cold frame. I know some seeds need heat to germinate..But geez. After this fridge fiasco..I wonder. I have plants that "The Book" says are annuals and they are all coming up from the roots..Plants that are not suppose to take cold..All alive! I just don't know anymore. I say DO WHAT WORKS..But don't burn the house down..LOL

LOL, Kim what are you doing to the seeds to make them so prolific? How do you explain all of these seeds that people, including myself, have had for years and they haven't sprouted in their packages?.

I guess Evelyn what I am saying is that you can use the hot pads many times and nothing happens, but it only takes once.

Put it all in the bath tub.

The petunias that I sowed on 3/7 are already showing a bit of green! How long do they usually take?

Old seeds - Sub-Artic Plenty Tomato sowed 2/27 shifted to cell pack 3/5 Gurney 1990

Super Beefsteak Tom. sowed 2/27 shifted to cell pack 3/7 Burpee 1991

Aunt Ruby's German sowed 2/27 shifted to cell pack 3/7 Pinetree '03

Blueberry Tomato - sowed 2/27 shifted to cell pack 3/7 Oregon State '08

Homestead Tomato - sowed 2/27 shifted to cell 3/7 Ferry Morse 1987

How long do they take for what? to be moved? What did you plant them in? Not sure what you want them to do. Tomatoes will grow much faster than petunias.

Oh, sorry..."How long does it usually take for petunias to germinate?"

These were old tomato seeds, and they germinated about 3/5, from a 2/27 sowing. I don't usually wait for the true leaves on tomatoes. Especially if they are stretching. They look good and are getting bigger already, as I buried them almost up to their leaves. They are dark green and look strong. I transferred them from those plastic boxes (mini-seedbeds) which were wrapped in plastic bags on heat, then transferred to cell packs, no wrap, no heat.

Just be sure the tomatoes get plenty of light.

Petunias need heat to germinate fast if at all.

Thanks, Jnette!

The petunias are on heat and light...the light about 12 hrs. I have only sowed blue and yellow so far. next come the mixed. I put them directly in cell packs this time, since the seeds are so small, was that right? I will do some more tomorrow, as I have been in the city all day today.

That is fine, however when you put lights on plants they should be on about 16 hours per day.

Whoops...not 12 hours...about 14-16, sorry!

Kim_M, whar seeds germinared in the fridge? I have a lot, and this would save me a lot of time. Did you do deno, or in containers?

Thanks!

Yes, that's amazing, I always thought all seeds had to be warm to sprout, not cold! May have to try that.

Here's one for you. Verbenas need dark to germinate. They say to put a black plastic over them. I put an unfolded black plastic trash bag over mine. Under the dome. I am going to see if I can't put it on top of, around the dome. First time I have ever done this.

Interesting--do keep us posted!

Well so far what germinated cold (in fridge) was surprises.

All Penstemons
Lavatera
Impatiens Balfourii
Tropaeolum Azureum
Delphinium
Aconitum
Astrantia
Alpine Sea Holly
Anthyllis

And a few more I'll have to look up those are just off the top of my head

just wanted to let you know my marigold crackerjack seeds from 1999 .. I WS'ed them.. and they germinated today

Wow, congrats!!!

Wow! I love those marigolds..

you never know

:)

Well, my verbenas that germinated in the dark came up looking like white hairs so I now have 10 of them under lights. Don't know, I have never grown plants like this.

They are not perennials. Summer Hill Seed. No heat, 20 to 25 days to germinate according to the pack. I put it on th top shelf of my unit and forgot about it. So, I finally thought about 'cause I had forgotten how long to germinate and when I had even put it up there. So, took it down in one week and they were coming up. Looked like white hair. I had planted them in 6 pack ponies. One seed per and 6 seeds in each pack. They are coming up now, a few each day. The first ones I did this with are getting little green leaves when they get the seed head off of their 2 'new' leaves. Not sure if they are true leaves or not.

Very strange little plants. Now, not knowing anything about verbenas I got some pink perennial seed in a swap and winter sowed them. I guess maybe I should bring them inside and maybe stick them in a closet or something.
c

Hi all, interesting thread. I would like to hear a report on the seed germiating success.
I WS Rainmaster petunias, an heirloom, and I had excellent germination. I re-potted them in little cell packs. Since then, I have planted some in my window boxes and some in a garden. They are slow to grow. Growing annuals are a lesson in patience! It takes them so long to actually bloom and then we have a freeze and poof it's all over. I still have many petunias to either plant in containers or other gardens.
I WS allysum in the containers you get berries in that was mentioned above. I put wet paper towels on the bottoms and then Pro-Mix. I had great germination. I have planted many of them in containers with my amjyrillis and others. They have started to bloom.
I had very old marigold seeds: 80's they did not germinated. I had some from the 90's and I had weak germination. I had year old marigold seed, Crackerjack, and I had great germination.
I purchased a garden heat mat, (I assume that is what the above discussion is about) and had very poor luck with germination. I guess I don't know how to use it yet. I could not find any information as to how to actually use this mat. The soil became very dried out and I wasn't sure how to keep them moist since it is electricity.
I have had seed for years and years-going back to the 80's. I experimented with a lot of the seed this year: the Deno method, to see if the seed was still viable. If it was, then, I planted a bunch of it. My dad always did this with his wheat seed to get a percentage of seed germination.
To the person that could not get Pro MIx--Fertilome puts out a nice soil for starting seeds or potting plants. I have used both.
I took a bunch of the very old seed and put it all together and still plan to plant it out in one of my gardens just to see what will grow. Probably nothing~!
I planted Aquilea, 'McKenna Giants, mix and wonderful germination. I plan to plant them in their permanent place this fall. I have really good luck WS perennials and planting them in the fall.
I also had very good luck with perennial snapdragons, annual snapdragons, candytuft, shasta daisy, and foxglove. I do foxglove every year and plant it in the fall for flower the next spring/summer. It germinates very easily. I have tons of MG that come up from seed every year.
I am still wanting to grow Thunbergia 'Blushing Susie', (clockvine or blackeye susan vine). I had great WS germination last year, but failed to get it sown this past winter. Do you think it's too late? Any suggestions to speed things up? I really like this plant.

LOL, yeah buy one like I did. Just kidding. Won't hurt to try.

I discovered that the verbena did better for me under the lights and on heat. BTW Birdie, did you get a thermostat with your heat mat? You need both or you will burn your plants. Yes, it will also dry them out. I normally use a dome when I use a heat mat. Once the seeds have pretty much germinated I take them off the mat and the dome off and just have them under lights.

Sounds like you are doing everything right with your wintersowing. Much better than I did. I found that all of the warming during the day and freezing every night that went on for 2 months or more sure didn't help them much. Anyway, it was a fun experiment, but I lost a lot of good seeds by trying it.
I

Yes, I did verbena last year from seed in doors. I put it in a container like a cool whip container with no light. I had poor germination, but did get some plants to grow. And you know, I don't need 50! I thought the Verbena seeds were rather tricky to get from seed to bloom.
No, I didn't get a thermostat. Nice to know about a thermostat, and the dome and that you take the seeds off after germination.

Doesn't your mat have instructions on the back of it? I think it probably talks about a thermostat.

No, Jnette, it does not mention a thermostat.

Must be a different brand than I got.

I tried the mat thing..years ago. I just don't do it anymore. I started getting tired of babysitting everything...LOL.

LOL, I am with you Kim. On another thread I was told that I was confusing my brugs. So, I sure don't want to do that. I promised to quit doing what I was doing. Long story, don't ask.