TOPIC: last years poor seed germination in the spring

Beautiful Maya!

Thanks BCastle. I'm thinking you are right on the fridge. I've been putting them in the fridge and have had poor germination, but I do remember seeing good germintation at one site last year, which was the first place I planted the year before. I don't recall but I may have planted the day I got them.

So what do you recomend? No fridge, no water, store in cool spot and plant ASAP? So when is the best time to recieve them and when to plant? I'm in Vermont.

maya wrote:

So what do you recomend? No fridge, no water, store in cool spot and plant ASAP? So when is the best time to recieve them and when to plant? I'm in Vermont.

Yes, that's about right. The berries (and therefore the seeds) start dropping off the plants about the first part of September here give or take a couple weeks. We normally have very hot temps (so the berries dry up quickly) and little rain until the end of September. Planting in August isn't too soon. But, I think planting in September is better.

The thing is, once you put the seed in the ground, there is moisture available to keep them healthy. In September here, we start getting the cool nights which brings on heavy dew at night. So, even if it doesn't rain, the ground has moisture an inch under the surface.

I normally don't start shipping until September, but some of the locals who order larger amounts get their's in August and plant them when they can. I've not heard from anyone yet to see how their stuff is going this spring.

BCastle

I agree with what your saying about storing seeds. That's closer to the way nature does it.

On the other hand, after planting seeds for eight years now, most of those years my seeds were stored in the fridge. But no more than a few days. And have had for the most part excellent germination.

I believe that many seed dealers are pulling the seeds from the stratification box and storing the seeds in the fridge until they ship the seeds to the customer. And I know for a fact that some seed dealers tell you to store the seeds in the fridge until your ready to plant the seeds. And the only way to know if the dealer that we buy seeds from is storing the seeds in the fridge is to call them and ask.

I guess that's somthing to consider, who you buy your seeds from.

Perhaps the germination difference is whether the seeds were stored in the fridge for just a few days or perhaps weeks or months. And to find out how our seed dealer stores their seeds.

Alot to consider.

classicfur

I bet you guys are right about longer term fridg storage not being good for the seed.

And last spring when several of us had poor germination on seed we bought later in the year, a lot of that may have just been stored improperly or in a fridge for longer than ideal before we bought it.

That is why I was suggesting (last year) that a man should buy his seed early (as soon as the supplier pulls them up from stratification box) and when you get them in, check a few, and plant what you can asap, and the rest, put them back in a stratification container and burry them in a cool moist place (like a hillside ideal for seng to grow on).

You could store them in 1 or 2 pound batches, and just pull them up and plant them when you are ready.

Probably have better luck with that, than storing them in the fridge for weeks or months.

TNhunter

I agree too,
Maybe this is why some years have produced less than desirable results. There have been times I have bought seed in early Oct and didn't plant until Nov or December. I just figured the frig mimicked the cold seasonal temps but perhaps the ground temp is warmer than the frig still?
I try to plant as soon as I get the seed but that is not always possible. I have also bought a second round of seed late in the season like Nov and Dec and have planted right away. But maybe the seed supplier held them in the frig. I am not going to store in the frig next time and will see how it goes.
Latt

classicfur wrote:

BCastle

I agree with what your saying about storing seeds. That's closer to the way nature does it.

On the other hand, after planting seeds for eight years now, most of those years my seeds were stored in the fridge. But no more than a few days. And have had for the most part excellent germination.

I believe that many seed dealers are pulling the seeds from the stratification box and storing the seeds in the fridge until they ship the seeds to the customer. And I know for a fact that some seed dealers tell you to store the seeds in the fridge until your ready to plant the seeds. And the only way to know if the dealer that we buy seeds from is storing the seeds in the fridge is to call them and ask.

I guess that's somthing to consider, who you buy your seeds from.

Perhaps the germination difference is whether the seeds were stored in the fridge for just a few days or perhaps weeks or months. And to find out how our seed dealer stores their seeds.

Alot to consider.

classicfur

I was one dealer who used to recommend storing them in the fridge and keeping them very damp, because that is what I was told too. This is a learning process. By paying attention to things like most of you do, we are able to accumulate data in a quasi scientific way and hopefully, we all will benefit.

I have kept seed in the fridge all winter, and by the first part of March it was sprouting. I lost the whole batch since I couldn't get it into the ground fast enough, and when I did, the ground was still VERY cold.

My seed comes from Canada.

Maybe. I am also seeing some delayed germination having to do with drought.

BCastle,
Do Canadian seeds differ in any way verses US seeds. IE, seed size, germination % rates etc. Does Canadian seed get treated with chemicals differently or handled differently. I would like to try some Canadian seed. Does Canadian seed come up later in the spring possibly verses US seed? If so does it matter?
Thanks,
Latt

Let me try to answer you in order Latt...

Q. Do Canadian seeds differ in any way verses US seeds. IE, seed size, germination % rates etc.

I haven't seen any difference in the seed itself I've gotten seed from four different states and Canada. It all looks the same because it comes from the same species of plant. As for germination/viability rates, I've had very good results with the seed I use. Last year the viability test was about 98%. I think this is a product of where the seed originates more than what part of North America it comes from. I had a very pleasant phone call today from someone who tried my seed last fall and compared it with several others from the area. He advised mine did very well in comparison and was in fact much more economical for him. He advises he wants about 25# this fall.

Q. Does Canadian seed get treated with chemicals differently or handled differently.

They have the ability to treat seed with fungicides in Canada that we cannot use here. The primary fungicide they use that we can't right now is Senator. They sometimes treat the seed with this before planting. The other is Quadris. They normally spray the beds with Quadris as soon as they plant before they straw. But, the stuff I get is normally just bleached out of the stratification boxes to pass inspection at the border.

Q. I would like to try some Canadian seed.

I know where you can get some this fall


Q. Does Canadian seed come up later in the spring possibly verses US seed? If so does it matter?

If memory serves, New York and Michigan seed somes up first, then West Virginia, then Wisconsin and then ours from here in Ohio. The stuff from Canada comes up about the same time as ours.

This is the only seed I've used in the past six or seven years. I'm very happy with the results I get, the quality of the product, and people with whom I deal.

BCastle

Thanks For the eye opener on Seed Storage.

Growing Seng is a Never Ending Learning Experience!

classicfur