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Minnesota([email protected])

I realize there is a seed starting message board, but thought I may get more people to read this here.
Last year I had three 940 Mombert 00 seeds. I soaked them, filed them, and put them in moist paper towels, then in a plastic baggie. I put them on a heating mat, with a folded up bath towel, in between the seeds and the heating mat. Not one germinated.
I tried the advanced seed starting method on 5 seeds recently(removing the seed coat). The seeds were from 2000 and 2001. After a day and a half, none germinated, and I started smelling a smell, like they might be staring to rot. I had these in the paper towel, etc., but with no heating mat.
Am I doing something wrong, or are many seeds from 2000 and 2001 already unviable.
I have three more 940 Mombert seeds ready for this season. What would you recommend that I do to try and get one of these to germinate. I really want to give this seed a try in my patch.

4/23/2006 1:39:35 PM

Minnesota([email protected])

Also, is there a way to tell, after removing the seed coat, if a seed is viable, or not? Is color an indication?

4/23/2006 1:41:19 PM

Connecticut, USA

Sounds like your burning them up. You should not "smell" them germinating. I have used a heat mat in the past and burned seeds too. You want to keep the temp around 85 degrees. The seeds could take a few days to pop (not a day and a half).

This year I am going to use a small cooler and hot water bottles for heat. You should be able to germinate seeds from 2000 and 2001 without any problems.

4/23/2006 2:17:11 PM

Minnesota([email protected])

Thanks for your reply Ken. The ones I tried recently, were on top of the refrigerator(no heating mat). These shouldn't have gotten too warm. The 940s last year may have gotten too warm though.

4/23/2006 2:31:25 PM

I found in testing here that you have to leave the bag open when using the advanced method,,I now have 100% on the last 8 tests various ages on the seeds back to '99

4/23/2006 2:35:42 PM

ENGLAND

Doug. I see that there is no mention, in your above description, of you using a thermometer to check on the temperature when trying to germinate the Seeds. Too Hot, Too Cool, Too Wet are all factors to look at here and i would suggest doing a few test germinations with any spare Seeds you may have plenty of. Do a temperature set test without seeds in the baggies and place a propagation thermometer into one baggie and adjust the thickness of the bath towell under and above the test baggie until you have a steady 84 to 88. Then test germinate a few Seeds and see if you have cracked the problem.

Just my one pennies worth
Regards
Mike

4/23/2006 2:53:14 PM

Wood River, IL ([email protected])

Doug I'm a rookie at this, but here's what has worked for me. I filed, and chiped the point off so the embryo is showing. Put them between a damp paper towel, in a zip lock bag and then taped them to the top of our computer monitor. The seed had roots about 1 inch long in 30 hours. I've done 4 test seeds and now my 4 planting seeds, and 100% came up. good luck!

4/23/2006 2:59:37 PM

Santa Cruz, CA

We tried germinating three different ways. Our results are on the Diary diary section under "Creekside." Good luck- Kristine and Riley

4/23/2006 3:22:53 PM

San Diego

doug, I sue the advance method every year and have near 100% germination. Make sure your paper towels are moist but not too wet, zip up the zip lock baggy tight, and put it on top of a vcr or something that feels just very slightly warm. Touch the object such as the vcr with the palm of your hand, you should feel a very very slight warm feeling, hardley noticeable. That is the kind of surface you want to use. Should get root growth by 36 hours, hopefully by 24 hours. Jim

4/23/2006 4:40:32 PM

San Diego

"use" :) not sue

4/23/2006 4:40:55 PM

Nashville, TN

I've tried the advanced method - but it just didn't work for me.... Here's the modified method I've used with 95-100% germination on almost 40 seeds (aged from '99 to '05) this spring...

pinch/file both sides along tip. Do not remove coat. Plant tip-down in moist medium (I used Miracle-gro seed starting soil). Water with warm water. Let it drain. Then set pots in one of those commercially-available 'seed starting' trays. Set on kitchen table with florescent grow light laid over the top cover. Heat will stay around 80-85 if your house is kept around 70.

Had 90% coming up through the soil in 4 days, had 95% with first leaves by 6 days. Right now up to 99% germination (sprouted with first set of real leaves developing) at 7 days.

4/23/2006 6:38:14 PM

Long Island,New York

It seems that the 940-00 doesn't germinate well anymore.

4/23/2006 7:00:25 PM

[email protected]

Potassium Nitrate & GA3 soak for 6 hours at 85°F. Then into a BARELY MOIST paper towel kept at 85°F.

I suspect the seeds are too hot & too wet. Use a thermometer right in there with the seeds. Check the temperature often as cheap heaters are greatly affected by line voltage fluctuations throughout the day.

4/23/2006 10:17:33 PM

Syracuse, NY

http://bigpumpkins.com/MsgBoard/ViewThread.asp?b=3&p=140742

i just three days ago tried this with pudding cups, the little clear ones. simply wet a paper towel really well,
in the bottom cup, stick another into it and thereby squeeze the water out (probably as hard as you can squeeze
them together, tilted over the sink to drain the cup),
snip the edges off of a few test seeds (three fit in there nicely) and place them on their sides on top of the moist paper towel; put the other cup into the bottom cup, apply slight pressure to make sure the seeds are in excellent contact with the paper towel, and set that puppy aside, after labeling with seed(s), time and date.
no BS! seeds start to sprout in like 2.5 days, have a
very usable root in 72 hours. NO heat required, just room
temperature. that's it! i have not yet tried it on OLDER seeds (like '02 or earlier) but i tested most of my '05s this way. i wish someone would try it and say 'oh yeah!' eg

4/24/2006 6:50:31 PM

Appalachian Mtns.

I grew the 940 Mombert 2000 last year and it germinated fine, 2-3 days.
I've got another one going now and so far the seed is "plumping" up like I've always noticed before germination.

4/25/2006 6:40:52 AM

Appalachian Mtns.

Correction...grew it in 2004, (558 Little)

4/25/2006 6:41:46 AM

Minnesota([email protected])

Thanks or all the replies.
Kyle,
What seed starting method are you using?

4/25/2006 11:52:28 AM

Sioux Falls, SD [email protected]

I use 3 gal jugs hot tap water in an insulated cooler. Usually takes about 48 hr. Other methods I've tried run risk of temp. spike.

4/25/2006 2:35:40 PM

Appalachian Mtns.

Doug,
I have Folger coffee cans sitting in an aquarium, heated by 2 electric heating pads underneath...cheap piece of board over the top to keep heat in. The soil stays at 75-78* and after I file, I place the seeds directly in the soil. Most seeds germinate within the 3 to 4-day window period.

4/26/2006 6:49:27 AM

Minnesota([email protected])

Thanks for all the help!
All seeds had sprouted by yesterday. The 940 Mombert was one of the first ones(yippy!!!). I hope I can get something similar to the two beauties Bob Troy got, when he grew them. Kyle, yours wasn't too shabby either:-).
I pre-sprouted them in moist paper towels, in between two paper plates, and covered with a plastic baggy. I put these in an insulated cooler, with a gallon jug of hot water. The temps. stayed mostly in the 80-90 degree range. I added fresh hot water regularily.

4/30/2006 2:40:04 PM

ENGLAND

Doug. Great to know that you have successfuly germinated those Seeds, good luck for the rest of the Growing Season.
Regards
Mike

4/30/2006 3:37:40 PM