Re: Re:collecting/planting seeds

I just returned from the Spuria conventionwhere Jim Hedgecock related 
the following during his JT program.

Jim said he took multiple Spuria seed pods (6, I think) and planted half 
the seeds out of each pod green (in August) and half after they had 
dried (in Nov).  He reported 41% germination in the first batch and 38% 
in the second - essentially equivalent.

Several other pods he let dry for an *year* and planted them in the 
fall. He said he just left them in th garage (no further details). 
Amazingly he got 100% germination the following spring.

Obviously there was no control group against the second batch, but it 
does make you start to wonder. He said he is going to start to delay a 
significant number of seed pods for a year to see if there is a 
consistant pattern.

There may be wide variation in different environments, but you have to 
admit it is interesting. There is also no guarantee that it would work 
for other than Spuria seeds.

It was a great convention. I got to meet and talk to Jim, Charlie 
Jenkins, Lee Walker and others.

Lots of Spurias too!!!!  And ohhhhh, those seedlings....

John


Patrick Orr wrote:

>Linda and all,
>
>I too have not had any luck planting seeds fresh, but several people have
>done it.  Ben Hager used to recommend that the seeds be planted before they
>have the chance to dry out, especially with Spuria seeds.
>
>I personally would like to hear from those who plant seeds fresh.  I feel
>like I am missing something here.  Is there a trick to it or something?
>
>Patrick
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Linda Mann" <lmann@volfirst.net>
>
>  
>
>>After some experiments planting fresh seeds here last year, I can say
>>with enthusiasm that this does NOT work in our climate with the
>>varieties that will grow and produce seeds here.  I divided seeds into
>>several lots treated different ways from several crosses, and fresh
>>planted seeds were the only ones that had NO germination.  Even the
>>following spring, only two of those seeds germinated.  The rest are
>>still sitting there, etiher rotted or sulking.
>>
>>Unless there is some sort of recommended pre-treatment of the fresh
>>seeds before planting that I haven't heard....
>>
>>I don't know if the lack of germination is due to our climate or to the
>>cultivars that will grow in our climate or the combination of both.
>>    
>>
>
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>  
>


-- 
John                     | "There be dragons here"
                         |  Annotation used by ancient cartographers
                         |  to indicate the edge of the known world.

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