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Re: storing seeds for better germination

Square Foot Gardening List - http://www.flinet.com/~gallus/sqft.html

I learned that there are two factors that affect the seeds ability to
germinate.  Humidity and high temperature.

According to J.F. Harrington, Seed physiologist, Department of Vegetable
Crops, University of California, Davis;

For each 1% decrease in seed moisture the life of the seed is doubled.

For each 10  degrees drop in storage temperature the life of the seed is
doubled.

An illustration: Onion seeds of 14% moisture content stored at 90 degrees F
died in one week.  However, some of that same seed was dried to 6% moisture
and stored in a sealed container so it could not regain moisture.  After 20
years, this portion still germinated as well as when it was harvested.
Therefore, you must first dry seed to a safe level, then put it in a
container that will keep it dry, and store it in a cool place.

He also said not to dry the seed out in direct sunlight.  He said to spread
the seed out onto a screen or flat surface off the ground and in the shade,
and let dry for a week.  (Now this is in California where there is usually a
low humidity in the air)

In fall or during periods of humid weather, the seed may be similarly dried
indoors where the temperature is above 70 degrees and preferable in the
80's.  A good place is in front of the heat outlet of your refrigerator.

Mason jars were recommended for the moisture proof container.

He also said storage temperature is not as important as thoroughly drying
and sealing seed to keep it dry, but it is important.  The seed should be
stored at room temperature or cooler, below 75 degrees is better.  He said a
cool cellar is better.
Still better is a refrigerator (about 45 degrees F).  For very long storage,
a deep freeze is fine.  The seed will not be harmed if it is properly dried
before freezing.  When removing seed from the freezer, handle carefully and
let it come to room temperature before doing anything with it  because it is
very fragile when frozen.

Insects may be a seed-storage problem, but at refrigerator or freezer
temperature they are not active and therefore do no harm.
If a nut-sized piece of dry ice is put in the jar before sealing and allowed
to sublime, the air will mostly be replaced with carbon dioxide which will
kill the insects and yet not harm the dry seed.
Seal the container to keep the carbon dioxide in.

Seeds obtained from wet fruits, such as tomatoes and muskmelons,  you need
to scoop the seeds out or squeeze them out into a glass container and let
them ferment at room temperature for a day or two.  Then wash the juice off
through a sieve or screen and dry as described for dry harvest seeds.  Do
not exceed 95 degrees drying temperature in drying seeds.

Sorry for the running off at the mouth.  But I just thought some of you
might be interested.

I took this information from my text that we had when I went the the M.G.
program.

Hope it might help.

I know when ever I wanted to keep seeds for a couple of years I always put
them in the fridge.  It works.

Peg
-----Original Message-----
From: Souliere <souliere@iname.com>
To: Square Foot Gardening List <sqft@listbot.com>
Date: Tuesday, August 31, 1999 9:51 PM
Subject: Re: Another Fall Planting question


>Square Foot Gardening List - http://www.flinet.com/~gallus/sqft.html
>
>>
>> << Okay, you real gardeners, those of you whose tomato cages aren't on
>upside
>>  down and never worry about purple beans --start telling us secrets.  You
>>  don't go to Home Depot to buy seedlings, do you?  Do you order them from
>>  somewhere?  Order non-hybrid seeds from Heirloom or what?  Save seeds
>from
>>  the previous year?  Are there great seed catalogues that you look
forward
>to
>>  getting each year?
>>  Start talking or I drop ship this zucchini.
>>  Cyn >>
>>
>> SOMEONE PLEASE ANSWER HER!!!!    I'M NOT PREPARED FOR THE DREADED
"Z-BOMB"
>> !!!!!!
>
>I have not started as many "starts" as I wanted to, but I get buy.
>I bought some seeds a few years back from Totally Tomatoes and
>Pinetree and a few other places.  With the small size of my garden
>even the small packets last a few years.  I store the seeds in seperat
>sealed plastic bags with sila gel in them.  (dessicant, computer parts
>always seems to have various sized packets and I just "recycle" them).
>I always have some loses but I get a few interesting plants this way.
>Never as many as wanted, still working on that.  Normally I end up
>putting it off to late.
>My other source of standard starts is the local hardware store/grocery
>for whatever is cheap.  I also have some friends whe are really in to
>gardening and we exchange unusual starts.  Perhaps I traded some green
>zebra for black crim, etc.  Also the local farmers market has an unusual
>variety of plants.  And finally the the "volunteers"  The tomatoes/peppers
>or potatoes that start on the compost heap.  I have no idea what they
>are but I transplant them to my garden.  I have one volunteer tomato
>plant the no longer fits the definition of sq foot.  It is 6+ feet tall and
>about
>5 feet around with hundreds of paste tomatoes on it.  The funny thing is
>that this monster seems to be coexisting with the other plants it is
>intertwinded with.  Everyone seems happy.  Except the totally shaded
>peppers.  - ROn
>
>
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