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Location

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Date Posted

Farmville, Virginia ([email protected])

Just curious....how many years on average will most AG seeds last before they will no longer sprout? I have several dating back as far as 2002. All are in zip lock bags and in a dry location.

5/20/2006 12:11:34 AM

[email protected]

Seeds from '99 still germinate with little issue if they were properly stored. Older is possible too, but more effort.

5/20/2006 1:10:04 AM

Rhode Island

This year we germinated a 887 lorraine orr seed which i believe was fron 1995. no problem what so ever at 90-95 degrees.
We wanted to use it as a pollinator on one of our 1068 plants because the 887 genetic lines ( grown from the 1994 Herman Bax 990 i believe ) are totally outside of the 1068 makeup.

5/20/2006 1:17:05 AM

Pumpkintown, SC

Well, it looks like my 990 Bax '94 is not going to germ :(
BUT, my 827 Holland '92 did!

5/20/2006 2:12:13 AM

Webster, NY

As long as no moisture gets into the zip lock bags I think you are good for at least 4 or 5 years. A lot of people freeze them, but I've heard of some seeds lasting 8 to 10 years stored in their garage.

Snake oil, where did you store your 827 Holland 92? 14 years is a long time.

5/20/2006 6:10:18 AM

Long Island,New York

I've played with the older seeds quite a bit and I have to say its quite variable. So much depends on seed storage and the individual seed's quality its impossible to put an expiration date on them as individuals.. Did the fruit rot before the seeds were pulled? wWas it fully mature? Is it a big fat one or a last to be chosen skinny one? Half brown or white-tipped? White seed or tan? Along with each individual seed being variable the fruits also vary....Im 0 for 25 or so the last 3 years with a 1998 seed that rotted and Ive heard the 801.5-97 doesn't do well anymore also...thats only 8.5-9.5 years yet Brian's got a 1992 up and I know others with some just as old up. I tried many 1990-1995 seeds this year and none came up. Best I could do was 1997's. Whites seem to die off sooner in my experience.

5/20/2006 8:02:40 AM

[email protected]

Seeds are engineered to contain an embryo. If the embryo develops properly, then how well the embryo is protected from losses determines the length of time it can be stored & still remain viable.

White seeds not storing well makes sense. Tan seeds have another layer on their seed coat which is missing from white seeds.

How seeds are collected varies. Some folks let the fruit sit around on display while other collect seeds as soon as the fruit is done being weighed.

Temperature during display has a huge impact too.

Efforts to rapidly dry seeds for storage can't do them any good. Mother nature does what she can be she probably didn't have warm dry heat in mind when she engineered the seed coats.

Mother gives us some seeds that actually IMPROVE with age but these tend to be very small seeded plants.

5/20/2006 8:52:05 AM

Long Island,New York

Ever leave a pkn in the field all winter as if mother nature was still in control? The seeds never dry out and they sprout in spring. What we do when we dry them is not natures intent.

5/20/2006 10:07:11 AM

Ohio

Just to change the subject a hair, but "G" your right, I composted all of my pumpkins last year and spread the compost on my garden this year,I must have missed a seed but I have a pumpkin plant that pop up a week ago,I dont know what pumpkin its from but Im growing it out anyway, it couldnt have picked a better place to grow in my patch ether, it has plenty of room and the vine is even headed in the right direction. This is the kind of things I think makes growing these pumpkins fun.

5/20/2006 11:30:50 AM

Minnesota([email protected])

I've got one spot in the garden where about 50 pumkpkin seeds have germinated on their own. It's in the patch area dedicated to the 940 Mombert 00. You can guess which plant I'll keep.

5/20/2006 12:37:48 PM

Sequim, WA

This years patch has plants from pumpkins grown in 95, 98, and two from 99 along with more recent vintages. They have cycled from freezer to room temperature a number of times as for 563 Geerts 95 I planted I have no idea of how it was stored prior to my obtaining it. I also had a seed from a 690 Sproule 97 and one of my own from 03 that failed to germinate for me this spring. Sometimes you get lucky, sometimes you don't. The 563 Geerts 95 seed that germinated was white, the 690 Sproule 97 that failed was tan so I can't see how that makes any difference. I make it a policy to only grow the seeds that germinate, that way I get a pumpkin plant. My feeling is if you kept the seed for that long and think it fits your plans go ahead and use it. Just don't wait too long.

5/21/2006 11:45:39 AM

Maine

I have a seed from 1996 doing really well right now. It's the 769 Brown. 769 brown grew the 1007 brown which grew the 898 knauss.

5/21/2006 2:16:00 PM