Seeds are supposed to bubble when put in h202,these didn't.
The seeds look starchy,like looking at uncooked spaghetti;no guts.
h202 is standard 3% which I never had problems with before.I used to soak newer seeds all the time before planting.

I got a couple of 15 year +/- commercial tomato seed up this year. Added a drop of liquid houseplant fert to the soak. Seems to me they took some time to come up but a few of each germinated.

I am not a seed sprouting expert but I think that moisture and warmth are what most tomato type seeds are seeking. Other seeds with tougher seed coats may need additional help.

The seed coat is a barrier against dehydration of the embryo inside. Once the embryo inside becomes dehydrated it is dead but until that point, if you can rehydrate the seed coat to the point that it allows the moisture to penetrate to the inside then the embryo will most likely grow.

I have not tried to grow really old seeds. I usually only keep my seeds for 4-5 years but if seeds are stored in an environment that is not too hot and dry then I don't see why growing older ones would be a problem.

[QUOTE=Sun City Linda;618477]I got a couple of 15 year +/- commercial tomato seed up this year. Added a drop of liquid houseplant fert to the soak. Seems to me they took some time to come up but a few of each germinated.[/QUOTE]

Linda, that's close to what I do and I just did a search and found the method that I use, please see post #11 and the importance of having high nitrate really is that important as I noted below .


[url]http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=34973&highlight=Method+wake+seeds+Peters[/url]

Carolyn

[QUOTE=carolyn137;618488]Linda, that's close to what I do and I just did a search and found the method that I use, please see post #11 and the importance of having high nitrate really is that important as I noted below .


[url]http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=34973&highlight=Method+wake+seeds+Peters[/url]

Carolyn[/QUOTE]

Just adding info on the importance of high nitrate on seed germination of older seeds re breaking seed dormancy.

[url]https://www.google.com/search?q=nitrate+and+seed+germination&hl=en&biw=1402&bih=788&site=imghp&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiQqdXhsI3SAhVjqFQKHSIaAyoQ_AUIBygA&dpr=1[/url]

Carolyn

[QUOTE=carolyn137;618495]Just adding info on the importance of high nitrate on seed germination of older seeds re breaking seed dormancy.

[URL]https://www.google.com/search?q=nitrate+and+seed+germination&hl=en&biw=1402&bih=788&site=imghp&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiQqdXhsI3SAhVjqFQKHSIaAyoQ_AUIBygA&dpr=1[/URL]

Carolyn[/QUOTE]

Yes I was pretty sure I got that tip from you and it seems to work well!

[url]https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.830270550447468.1073741870.165594393581757&type=3[/url]

If anyone is interested to see how my project goes, I will post in this album as they grow. I placed the germinated seeds into potting mix at 4 days yesterday. 4 days to germinate fresh seeds is pretty good. 4 days for 15 year old seed might mean there is something to my method I think
I will save seeds again and share them. It's a great and unknown tomato the story of which can be found here in a thread called "Big Mystery" :)
KarenO

Sounds great Karen!

I should try my hand at waking up some old Moneymaker seeds (from Woolworths) which were 19 years old the last time I looked at them {LOL}

Linda

[QUOTE=Labradors2;618539]Sounds great Karen!

I should try my hand at waking up some old Moneymaker seeds (from Woolworths) which were 19 years old the last time I looked at them {LOL}

Linda[/QUOTE]


nothing to lose. try other methods too if you can get some specifics

Specifically What I used was 10 % food grade hydrogen peroxide (purchased and used for sprouts) diluted 10-1 with filtered water for a final concentration of one percent. Soaked a paper towel in it wrung it out to still very moist, placed the seeds on it placed that in a ziplock and set it in a dish (not directly) on my heat mat.
3 days later 3 out of 4 seeds showing a radicle. those 3 potted up in moist seed starting mix. will see how they do. Germination is only the first step. They are not growing yet.

I diluted the h2o2 mix with water and added a touch of miracle grow.
I also added an air pump from an aquarium as a bubbler.
Liquid temp is 75F degrees.

[QUOTE=Labradors2;618539]Sounds great Karen!

I should try my hand at waking up some old Moneymaker seeds (from Woolworths) which were 19 years old the last time I looked at them {LOL}

Linda[/QUOTE]

Moneymaker was that good a variety that you'd want to try and wake up seeds?

[url]http://tatianastomatobase.com/wiki/Moneymaker#tab=General_Info[/url]

It sure wasn't for me. I used to buy seeds from two seed firms in England,Thomas Etty and Suttons, and grew quite a few English ones, and I don't know exactly how I can explain the taste, but, well, it wasn't good for me at all.:?:

Carolyn

[QUOTE=KarenO;618533][url]https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.830270550447468.1073741870.165594393581757&type=3[/url]

If anyone is interested to see how my project goes, I will post in this album as they grow. I placed the germinated seeds into potting mix at 4 days yesterday. 4 days to germinate fresh seeds is pretty good. 4 days for 15 year old seed might mean there is something to my method I think
I will save seeds again and share them. It's a great and unknown tomato the story of which can be found here in a thread called "Big Mystery" :)
KarenO[/QUOTE]

That's really cool KarenO. I hope you'll keep us informed of your progress on this thread too.:). I'm interested! :yes:. Jimbo

[QUOTE=carolyn137;618596]Moneymaker was that good a variety that you'd want to try and wake up seeds?

[url]http://tatianastomatobase.com/wiki/Moneymaker#tab=General_Info[/url]

It sure wasn't for me. I used to buy seeds from two seed firms in England,Thomas Etty and Suttons, and grew quite a few English ones, and I don't know exactly how I can explain the taste, but, well, it wasn't good for me at all.:?:

Carolyn[/QUOTE]

Ha ha Carolyn! You are quite right that they probably are not worth waking up!

For me, it's the memories. My mother always grew them from plants that she bought from Woolworths. When I moved to Canada, she would send me seeds (Suttons) from Woolies. I didn't even know about OP seeds in those days!

One day, I had tasted tomatoes from some other varieties that I was growing, and I realized that Moneymaker didn't really taste all that great!!!!!

Anyway, it would be a fun experiment to revive my 20+ y.o. Moneymaker seeds - unless some of them actually make it {LOL}.

Linda

And one is up so far. :)
KarenO

Nice!!!!