Old seeds

[hughlardass]

Hi all, I have some seeds of indeterminate age that I have been trying to germ. I soak them in clean warm water until the shell cracks open, then place them in jiffy pellets in a humidity dome, and then nothing happens. First round, waited 10 days, second round is going on 7 days. Can seeds that are not viable still open in water?. Is there something I can do to insure success? Thanks

 

[CocoJoe]

If the radical doesn't start to show they are dead.
Old seeds can be soaked 24 hours. If they don't crack, they may be carefully hand cracked. If you see white you have a chance. Black is dead.
When soaking old seeds I change the water often. Does it help? maybe.
Around a temp. of 80 degrees is needed.

 

[hughlardass]

The radical is showing when I transfer them from h2o to the jiffies, its after that I get nothing. I am wondering if they might only have enough fuel to crack the shell, but not to complete the germ cycle?

 

[CocoJoe]

I don't care for jiffies. Rubber dirt, yes?
I use coco.
But old seeds if the radical starts to extend should grow.
Rinsed coco bricks or bales for me.

 

[hughlardass]

Jiffies are peat, last time I checked peat is not rubber, coco is not dirt. Rockwool is basalt. I need to find out if the jiffies have been treated with hormones or fertilizers. I was also thinking that if the radical shows, the seed is viable. But that is not the case. I am wondering if anyone else has had this problem with jiffies using old or new seeds. I plan on not using the jiffies again, but that will be out of ignorance unless I can figure out the problem.

 

[hughlardass]

So I was checking out what people like to use for seed start medium, decided to try rapid rooters. In the process was looking at coco, which I think I will also use as a grow medium, come to find out that the coconut fiber(coco tek) is mixed with latex rubber!. There's your rubber soil