Re: HYB: germination - chill time

Nature here was inspiration for not shelling first, after rummaging around on the ground, searching for mature, fallen, rotting pods.
In soupy weather here (hot, 100% humidity, but not necessarily raining), occasional pods abscise at the base of the pod and fall off, just as they ripen to the point of starting to split open. If I don't notice and get them immediately, the pod rots, leaving the seeds looking perfectly normal and plump.
If I completely lose track of a pod (forget to check my notes), nearly all hit the ground eventually, tho usually still attached to a dried & collapsed stalk. I have never found a fallen pod with dried seeds, tho the pod doesn't always rot. Same as in the baggies - it just sort of turns to dry mulch.
With a late enough pod, and an early bout of cool temperatures, & California genes, they could germinate immediately, so I copied nature, using refrigerator and plastic baggies...ok, so that's not even close, but that was my thought at the time.
However, conditions here in 'the vale' are definitely not typical of anywhere.
<Also,if we were to follow the "Happens in Nature Approach" mentioned earlier... in Nature there is the inital drying down that induces a response to produce germination inhibitors (i.e. Summer) which would then be followed by a a Fall with no chilling days and then Winter and then the process starts. If it were a wet Summer or climate/microclimate that would allow the seed to not dry down maybe get some growth in before freezing (i.e. more southern regions). Paul Archer 
Indianapolis, IN  Zone 5>

Linda Mann
TN zone 7 approaching 8
winter lows range from minus 25oF to around 10oF; winter highs range from below freezing to mid 80s. 

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