oldest seed to sprout this year is.............

[Greatgardens]

Originally Posted by RJGlew

I would compare Start S F1 to Fourth of July F1. In Zone 3a I find Start is about a week later, but is a far superior tomato. I think you were part of the North American Start S F1 seed trial that Vladimir offered.

I have two small plants of Start S F1. They were planted the same date as the FOJ and BB.

[HappyGardener23]

So far, 2010 is the oldest to show up this season (Port Heart from Carolyn). I have a number from the early-to-mid '90s from Carolyn that I have been trying hard to get going. Fingers crossed.

[hl2601]

Good luck with Port Heart!!

[HappyGardener23]

Originally Posted by hl2601

Good luck with Port Heart!!

Any chance that you know anything about the variety? I could not find information about it anywhere.

[PaulF]

Originally Posted by HappyGardener23

So far, 2010 is the oldest to show up this season (Port Heart from Carolyn). I have a number from the early-to-mid '90s from Carolyn that I have been trying hard to get going. Fingers crossed.

Could it possibly be Porter, a small plum shaped or maybe Portuguese Bull Heart with an abbreviation in the package?

Several of my Carolyn trades over the years were abbreviations.

[FarmerShawn]

Originally Posted by PaulF

Could it possibly be Porter, a small plum shaped or maybe Portuguese Bull Heart with an abbreviation in the package?

Several of my Carolyn trades over the years were abbreviations.

Yeah, I've suspected that abbreviation thing on several of the varieties in the collection. But I just don't dare to make any name changes from what the vial or envelope says, in the absence of any verification.
Shawn

[rxkeith]

okay, i don't know why i thought i had planted just 5 seeds of yellow brandywine,
maybe got confused with the year 2005, but i now have nine plants up.
that has to be it.






keith

[Jeannine Anne]

The Original Dwarf Project first releases. I have sown them this year they would have been 2008 I think.. Everything germinated

[eyolf]

I got an Amish Yellow from 2002, but it looks to be a deadhead.
A single Romance (Ukrainian?) from 2004.
And 5 Novogogoshary from 2003.

All were of approximately 100 seeds in paper towels/ziplock sandwich bags and kept about 75 deg.



There were about a dozen sorts equally as old that didn't wake up at all.

I don't know what the secret is. I've tried weak bleach, H2O2, nitrate ion, tea, and more. Aside from heroics (like a microscopic embryo rescue) I think it's all potluck. I have had utter failures of seeds only 7 years old, and great germination of 12-year-old seed.

You take what you get, I guess.

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[sic transit gloria]

Lot of oldies in the tray this year. I presoaked in a paper towel (plain tap water) for 8 hours then planted into moist seedling mix with a little bottom heat from operating shop lights that are on the onions and cabbage.

It's been 5 days and now they're under lights because of the early germinations of newer seeds. So far I have a single Missouri Pink Love Apple from 6 seeds (all I had) from 2008. I'm trying to wake up Russian Bogatyr and Dr. Wyche's Yellow from Carolyn, 1994. Nothing yet. Monomakh's Hat and Cherokee Purple from 2012 woke up.

I wonder if there is a tried and true way to increase the likelihood of germination of older seeds? I need to look back through Carolyn's old posts, because I remember her talking about waking up old seeds. I have some vague, and possibly imaginary, memory of using diluted hydrogen peroxide; is that correct??

[FarmerShawn]

You should search to be sure, but I recall that Carolyn's method involved diluted Miracle Grow, for the slight nitrogen boost.

[eyolf]

Originally Posted by FarmerShawn

You should search to be sure, but I recall that Carolyn's method involved diluted Miracle Grow, for the slight nitrogen boost.

That was her "trick", and supposedly the "magic number" regarding dilution was fairly broad. I experimented with dilutions from about 0.05% (half of "houseplant strength") to 0.5% (watering can strength) and didn't see much difference.

Gibberellin has been mentioned as well, but I haven't tried it.

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[Fusion_power]

Correct re hydrogen peroxide. I trialed the method about 2007 or thereabouts. Plants need oxygen to stimulate growth. Seed soaked in dilute H2O2 germinate and grow where untreated seed just sit there.

Here are the conditions:

1. Seed need water to germinate, enough to saturate the seed, but not so much that the seed are flooded.

2. Seed need a source of nitrogen to stimulate growth. This is a very tiny amount. 1/4 teaspoon of miracle grow 15-30-15 in a gallon of water will do the trick for soaking seed.

3. Mix 2% hydrogen peroxide 1 Tablespoon with 5 Tablespoons of water and soak the seed for a couple of hours. This does two things. It kills bacteria on the seed coat and provides oxygen for the embryo.

4. Many older methods relied on strong tea in which the seed were soaked overnight. This works, but most of the effect is from providing water to the seed.

5. Heat at the right level is necessary. Tomato seed germinate best around 85 degrees in my experience. I put old seed in a chicken egg incubator and set it to 85 degrees. I've done something similar by setting trays of plants on top of my shoplights that I use for seedlings.

[sic transit gloria]

Good info, Fusion. Thanks.

[guruofgardens]

Thanks for the info, Fusion. It will help the beginner AND the 'best' of gardeners.