Floaters

[lexxluthor]

Hello folks I am relatively new to tomatoes but not to peppers. I have always heard that floaters are not viable seeds. I have been fermenting my black krim maters in a mason jar with half goo and half water. So I figure I would try to see if they would germinate. after 4 days I took the 6 seeds on the top and tried to germinate them. I put them in salad dressing container with a snap top and a piece of paper towel and threw them on the heating mat. So 3 days later 5 of 6 have germinated and the 6th looks like tomorrow it will sprout its tail.
I took 4 brownish pepper seeds from pods and will try the same test. I will give them a few more days since they can take up to 20 days. I will let the tomatoes go to see if they will grow stronger or be a weakling. I figure either way this time of year it would be a great test.

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by lexxluthor

Hello folks I am relatively new to tomatoes but not to peppers. I have always heard that floaters are not viable seeds. I have been fermenting my black krim maters in a mason jar with half goo and half water. So I figure I would try to see if they would germinate. after 4 days I took the 6 seeds on the top and tried to germinate them. I put them in salad dressing container with a snap top and a piece of paper towel and threw them on the heating mat. So 3 days later 5 of 6 have germinated and the 6th looks like tomorrow it will sprout its tail.
I took 4 brownish pepper seeds from pods and will try the same test. I will give them a few more days since they can take up to 20 days. I will let the tomatoes go to see if they will grow stronger or be a weakling. I figure either way this time of year it would be a great test.

I like this! Another myth busted!

[Fred Hempel]

This is not proof that floaters are generally viable.

It is very clear that in many cases floaters are seed coats containing non-viable (and sometimes un-formed) embryos.

Sometimes floaters are attached to maternal tissue, and they are buoyed by that tissue.

It is still a very good general rule of thumb that you plant seeds that sink, and do not depend on floaters to germinate.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by ginger2778

I like this! Another myth busted!

It never was a myth to me there are too many variables that can make a seed float.
Think about lead floating in mercury.
If the density or specific gravity of the fluid the seed is in is greater than the seed the seed will float.
Sometimes surface tension will have an effect like a needle floating in water.

Worth

[Fred Hempel]

Worth,

Surface tension is another reason for floating. As is non-viability.

There are exceptions to many rules, that does not make them invalid.

If I was packing seeds, would you guys prefer the seeds that sank, or would you prefer the floaters? As a seed business, should I now consider floaters good seeds as a general rule?

Or should I follow the rule-of-thumb that has been labeled a "myth" in this thread?

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by Fred Hempel

Worth,

Surface tension is another reason for floating. As is non-viability.

There are exceptions to many rules, that does not make them invalid.

If I was packing seeds, would you guys prefer the seeds that sank, or would you prefer the floaters? As a seed business, should I now consider floaters good seeds as a general rule?

Or should I follow the rule-of-thumb that has been labeled a "myth" in this thread?

Fred I'm not disagreeing with you that is why I said it never was a myth.
Myself if I were to soak seeds overnight in water with a pinch of MG and some floated I can just about guarantee they wont sprout.

[Fred Hempel]

I misread your last post, Worth.

It was labeled a myth, and I thought you were agreeing.

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by lexxluthor

Hello folks I am relatively new to tomatoes but not to peppers. I have always heard that floaters are not viable seeds. I have been fermenting my black krim maters in a mason jar with half goo and half water. So I figure I would try to see if they would germinate. after 4 days I took the 6 seeds on the top and tried to germinate them. I put them in salad dressing container with a snap top and a piece of paper towel and threw them on the heating mat. So 3 days later 5 of 6 have germinated and the 6th looks like tomorrow it will sprout its tail.
I took 4 brownish pepper seeds from pods and will try the same test. I will give them a few more days since they can take up to 20 days. I will let the tomatoes go to see if they will grow stronger or be a weakling. I figure either way this time of year it would be a great test.

Not my way of defining what a floater is.

I don't do that until the fermentation is complete and I've taken off the mold mat and then have done multiple water rinses to get rid of tomato debris.

It's only then that I swirl the container and look for floaters and when I do they are not fully formed seeds,sometimes look just like white sliversif you will, and they don't germinate b'c they can't b'c they are immature seeds.

Carolyn