{"id":12123,"date":"2013-02-13T08:00:06","date_gmt":"2013-02-13T15:00:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyimprovisations.com\/?p=12123"},"modified":"2013-02-13T08:00:05","modified_gmt":"2013-02-13T15:00:05","slug":"an-easy-method-for-testing-old-garden-seed-germination-potential","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyimprovisations.com\/an-easy-method-for-testing-old-garden-seed-germination-potential\/","title":{"rendered":"An Easy Method for Testing Old Garden Seed Germination Potential"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"packets<\/a>
packets of older seeds to test for viability<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It is tempting<\/strong> to just buy new seed every year, rather than risk having all your soil preparation and weeding be for naught because the seeds don’t sprout. Yet, it is also very difficult to throw away the older dated seeds. One way to deal with the dilemma is to assume a lower rate of germination, then compensate for it by sowing the seed more thickly than normal for fresh seed. Another approach is to test the germination potential of the seeds before they ever make it to the ground.<\/p>\n

This year, I decided<\/strong> to test germination prior to planting. It sounded overwhelming, since I have a LOT of older seeds. Partly, I was having trouble choosing how many and which ones to test. My son and daughter-in-law helped with the sorting, motivated by being able to also use seed that proved viable.<\/p>\n

Next, we set up<\/strong> an assembly line at the kitchen table. My son labeled plastic sandwich baggies<\/span> with a permanent marker, then put those alongside the specific seed packet in a queue for me. I had a mixing bowl with water in it, and a stack of half paper towels.<\/p>\n

\"a<\/a>
a soggy paper towel is all the seeds need to sprout<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I dipped each<\/strong> section of paper towel into the water<\/span> so that is was soggy, but not profusely dripping. I laid it on a plate, then sprinkled a few seeds\u00a0<\/span>from the \u00a0packet onto one end of the wet towel. If there were not very many seeds left, I didn’t test very many. If there were plenty, I opted for a more statistically representative sample.<\/p>\n

\"spacing<\/a>
spacing the seeds makes it easier for them to get moisture and it is easier to note germination later<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Once the seeds were<\/strong> on the towel, I rolled it up in flat sections<\/span>, about 1.5 inches wide. \u00a0This will make it less troublesome to unroll the towel later to check on the seeds. \u00a0The squishy package was slipped into a baggy, double checking to make sure I had the bag that was labeled for those seeds. \u00a0When the top was closed, I gave the whole thing a few gentle squeezes<\/span> to make sure the seeds were getting in contact with the moisture as soon as possible.<\/p>\n

\"half<\/a>
half a paper towel with seeds per plastic bag<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

All of the filled baggies<\/strong> fit nicely into one of my sturdy garden trays. \u00a0Laid out in one layer, they were placed in my warming cupboard<\/span> (any warm spot will do, such as on top of the refrigerator, dryer, or water heater). \u00a0<\/em>It will be dark in the cupboard, but that is not important.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The bags of seeds could be stacked. There is nothing in here that needs light and another layer wouldn’t be very heavy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After about 3 days<\/strong>, I will begin checking on the seeds once a day.<\/span> I don’t need to worry about getting them to a light source, like I would if I was going to continue growing them in pots, so if they get leggy it’s okay. Many of them are small enough that I will have to unroll the towel to see them. Some of the larger ones, like bean or squash seeds, might show through the towel.<\/p>\n

If the towel needs<\/strong> any more moisture at that time, I will mist it. If there is a little mildew, it won’t matter. No one is eating these. I need to maintain the moisture just long enough<\/span> for them to sprout. This is the same system that I used for checking the viability of seeds I saved last fall.<\/a><\/p>\n

The results should all<\/strong> be in for the vegetable seeds in about a week to 10 days.<\/span> \u00a0The flower seeds will probably take longer, up to 3 weeks.<\/em> I will either write the results on the seed packets, or throw them away (if nothing sprouted)<\/em>. \u00a0When planting time comes, we will have a much better idea of how to proceed.<\/p>\n

Three days later<\/strong> all of these older seeds were germinating at high rates:<\/p>\n