TOPIC: Is my seed good?

A coworker bought a lot of seed and planted his property last summer (2010). He just found a ziplock bag with about 200 seeds in it, and gave it to me. Are these seeds still good to plant?

Mortis

If those seeds were stratified seeds from the same batch that your coworker planted in 2010, then they are no good. They have passed their window or time frame to germinate.

If they were green seeds there might be a chance of them germinating next spring, but not lickly.

It all depends on how they were stored and if they were exposed to the temperature change requirements.

classicfur

Mortis,

I agree with Classicfur - your chances of those seeds still being good are slim.

What I would do is pick out about 10 seeds and split them open with a knife and check the inside.

Below is a good up close pic of what the inside of a properly stratified ginseng seed should look like - you can see the embryo developed.

If you find some that look like that inside then plant them.

Good Luck !

TNhunter

Thanks for the info. I was afraid that they would be no good (probably why he gave them to me.) But I'll cut open a few and see what they look like.

Mortis

If the seeds are dried up inside and you see the ebryo inside, they are still bad seeds.

The pulp on the inside of the seed needs to be soft and fresh, not dried up. Once a ginseng seed has completly dried up inside, it is dead and will not germinate. It needs to stay moist from the time it was harvested until it germinates 18-21 months after harvesting the seeds.

The seeds really need \"tender loving care\" from the time they come out of the stratification box and planted ASAP.

Good Luck!

classicfur