TOPIC: Speeding up germination?

Is there anyway that i could speed up the germination period of stratified seeds?

I doubt that you could do much at this point to speed up germinatio,but really don't know why you would want to as they should come up next spring if they have already been stratified. I think that the Koreans have had pretty good success at getting green seed to sprout their first spring, but I really don't know exactly how they achieve this. I've got a couple of thoughts, but that's all they are (just thoughts).

I'm with Jeff on this one. Why?

Ginseng has a morphophysiological dormancy in which the embryo needs to continue to grow after the berries fall off the parent plant. This 'after ripening' phase takes place after that first winter, and the primary dormancy then must be broken by another winter or cold period.

So, technically, I guess one could shorten the amount of the cold periods by artificially chilling the seeds and then artificially warming them. This gets you to Jeff's answer wherein germination can be had in one year instead of two. However, I still fail to see where this is a real benefit because of the extra handling and cost going into doing in one year what nature will do on her own in two (sometimes three) years. The problem is that seed planning to be sown outside needs to be on a natural timing at that point.

Perhaps I'm just not thinking outside the bos, however I don't know why one would want ot do this.

Especially given that the emergance to harvest time is so legnthy.

\"sang teaches patience, if nothing else....

After asking one of my seed suppliers about embryo size, he told me that you can speed up the embryo growth process if you mix the seed with sand and water, and store them at 60-65 degrees.

That makes sense. I know that seed stratified in the ground will have grinning seed. However, seed stored above ground (still mixed with sand) in controlled conditions, will seldom show grinning seed (smaller embryo growth) but the germination is typically as good or better. The added benefit is that in controlled conditions above ground, there is less likelyhood for disease in the seed boxes.

- so if both above ground and in ground stratification are done in sand, then the water must make embryo's grow unless they are stratified above ground?


Guy

I'm not completely sure I understand your question there Guy.

The extra moisture of in-ground stratification may be the cause of more grinning seed (larger embryos). However, seed stratified above ground in controlled conditions without added water, still germinate as well or better than seed stratified in-ground.

So, I'm a little hesitant to suggest that stratification in-ground is better for a number of reasons, the obvious being disease control because of the risk of too much water etc. The second is the potential for delayed germination -or loss of seed all together- because of conditions in the buried seed box.

My question is whether above ground stratification coupled with early planting (August) is the key.

I'm getting more confused as I grow older. Every day there is a new and (better) way of doing everything. I can't keep up so I'll stick with my tried and true that I guess was new for my Pop.

guy