fresh seeds

hi everyone,
i have a question regarding fresh seeds, can you grow plants from using fresh seeds right off the fruit.
for example, if i take a ripened coffee bean from the tree or a hibiscus seed from the pod and sow it without drying will it grow?
because most of the time the seeds people sow are dried not fresh but if you have fresh seeds can you use them right away ?
thanks.

It depends entirely on the plant species. Some seeds lose viability very rapidly after maturing, and so can only be successfully germinated when fresh, e.g. willow species, where it is a matter of days to seed death.
Seeds of certain other species can only be germinated after the seeds have been dry-stored for a matter of months.

Edit: Correct typo.

This message was edited Feb 14, 2015 10:06 AM

Ditto alta.

Often the seeds that must go through a dormant period come from temperate or colder climates where the dormant period is very cold. Some of these seeds will grow when very fresh, even without the dormant period. Just for a few days after harvest, though.

Hibiscus is a genus with many species. Many are tropical, so it is my guess that fresh sowing is probably going to work, and older seeds may or may not work. Similarly, coffee is more tropical, so probably won't need a dormant period.

If you have a good supply of seeds try it both ways:
Plant some fresh, and save some in a dry, cool place (I would not try chilling a tropical seed) for various times.

I agree wholehearted with the above, it is always more difficult to give precise reply advice as we dont know what conditions you have to offer the seeds, your experience and your climate / temps etc BUT between both the experienced gardeners above, they have given great advice, I have no idea of your zone or anything so as mentioned above, I'd go with trial and error, that way you begin to learn how plants actually begin their life and the after care they require.

Good Luck and kind Regards.
WeeNel.

To clarify by restating the point, it's not about the grower's conditions, experience, climate or temperature... it's an inherent property of the species itself, whether the viability of a seed requires that it be planted fresh, or not.

I totally endorse the other point though - yes, just try growing things and find out for yourself.

Do you not require some kind of experience with seed germination to know IF you want to germinate a tropical type of plant (coffee) and can only provide freezing, cool or damp conditions, no matter what the the inherent properties of the species are, an inexperienced person will NOT know the seeds inability to germinate as they have given the seeds wrong starting conditions,

Even IF they can offer the correct germination temps by giving heat or light or both, BUT after germination, without the right conditions the germinated seed needs to survive, the growers hopes of growing any plant and learning about germinating viable seeds, and care and the requirements needed.
I doubt there are many if any, new gardeners starting out into propagation, can learn all that in one sewing of seeds. best to take it on and give the best conditions you can along with good aftercare than NOT try at all.
.
I took it that NONE of us new what experience, temp, site for starting the seeds and the light could be offered, I made that clear in my reply when I said it is difficult to give precise advice without being given that info.
Kindest Regards
WeeNel.

You mention ripe seeds that are not dry. I don't consider seeds ripe until they dry on the plant. Most seeds don't drop off the plant until they are dry. A good way to start any particular plant is to google the germination instructions for that specific plant.

You can also look in Dave's Garden Plant Files for information about the plant.

Maturity of the seed is in question if you plant fresh. Avocado will sprout from fresh seed, a pepper plant will not unless the fruit had matured to its fullest and begun to die. Luck with your seed!

irameez, are you carrying around those little plastic baggies for seeds in your purse yet? It's a sure sign you've become a seed addict. They are absolutely necessary for any trips to the bontanical garden, but I have even found some nice seeds in the shopping center parking lot.

Very true. lol.

I think altagardener probably said it best by saying "... it's an inherent property of the species itself, whether the viability of a seed requires that it be planted fresh, or not."

I once asked the very same question as you many years ago on one of these forums. I remember the responses not being very informative, but it made me think about what happens in nature. Most plants don't reseed themselves until the their seeds are fully ripened and dried. Then I recalled the many times I bought a fresh ripened avocado and when cutting it open found the pit already splitting and beginning to send out a root. The point here is that if you research the plant's inherent properties as to how it reproduces in nature, you'll be able to answer your question in regards to most any individual species.

This message was edited Mar 21, 2015 1:27 AM

And we are lucky that some dedicated scientists have made these observations for us (or more to the point, done extensive, controlled study on seed germination mechanisms)... specifically, see the publications of Dr. Norm Deno. His work tells us which species have short seed viability and require immediate planting or (for the more tolerant ones) moist storage, which require a period of dry storage (I'm not referring here to "mature" seeds vs. green ones but instead, to species whose mature seeds need months before germination inhibitors break down enough to allow germination to occur), and those species that act "as we expect".

This message was edited Mar 21, 2015 1:57 PM