Re: HYB: germination - chill time

I had assumed so (at least the first year germinants) & usually have taken the whole batch out as soon as the first seed shows any sign of sprouting. 

Last year, some crosses had 100+ seeds - those I took out individually.
<When one seed in a batch is germinating in fridge, the rest in the batch are most probably all ready to germinate. >
Good reminder. But leaving out the soaking step, which is a lot more fussing around than I enjoy, doesn't seem to hurt germination. Ok, so maybe it does hurt some, but not a lot. Rinse after planting, just in case. 

<So... soaking after five days probably doesn't do much. >
I don't understand what you are saying in this part - as soon as a hairline crack starts to show in a green pod, I put in the fridge. Shelled, these seeds are fully plump, some aren't even brown yet, & most of the pod is still green.
<While seeds that are round and not dried at all seem to have less inhibitor, even with some drying, there is an increase in inhibitor. Thus if seed pod is starting to split, the inhibitors are already there.>
I'm still making mostly vale X California/Oregon/Oz crosses. Using some Missouri (Niswonger) genes derived from CA/OR/OZ.
<Personally I suspect pods from California breeding plants would be the ones producing best germination in these conditions. >
This is what I used to do - comparing different years, it's always impossible to say for sure, but seems to give better germination leaving in the fridge at least 3 months.
<2-- Seeds are ready to germinate after 2 to 2.5 months in fridge. Take them out and give them a chance. Plant in soil and keep at room temperature. >
Guess I didn't make this part clear - the 2nd & 3rd flush takes place while seeds are still <in> the fridge. Rather it <can> take place. Sun porch cycles between ~40 and 65oF when it's cold enough outside, otherwise closer to constant at ~68oF (winter room temp, more or less). so still accumulating chilling time. The house stays cold enough, I can use it to cool the sunporch on sunny/warm winter days.
That said, I have noticed some seeds in various crosses that appear to have tried to sprout in the fridge that rotted. However, these crosses normally have plenty of seeds that don't rot, so I have assumed they were individuals too temperature sensitive to thrive here. Will pay closer attention to what's going on in crosses with occasional rotting seeds. As for suffocating, not sure how that can be happening if seeds are germinating. Some suffocate in the same baggie where others don't?
<3-- Second flush of seeds would seem to be from an exposure to fresh air, thus more of whatever seed needs, probably oxygen, but perhaps carbon dioxide. Burritos are in danger of suffocating seeds The second flush takes 2-4 weeks as they operate very slowly at 40F, in fridge. It would just be a few days at room temperature. The ones that turn to much after planting are probably seeds that suffocated in burrito, but were preserved from rotting by fridge temperature.>
I'm not that organized, but after shelling and burrito'ing after ~2 months in the fridge, I do try to check seeds once/week, rinse those that have dirtied their towels, replace towels that are disintegrating, but don't rinse them all. But do unwrap them all, so they all get air time. 

<but rinse and expose to air at least once a week. >
Right - but there is no way I will do the same thing every year. That would take all the fun out of it. ;-)
Then again, 60 to 80% germination is acceptable to me, especially while exploring potential of various combinations.
<Just keep in mind, if you keep doing things the same way you will continue to get the same results. Chuck Chapman> 

Thanks Chuck - appreciate all you thoughts & data on this.

Linda Mann
TN

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