poor germination of commercial seed
Flower seed doesn't have to meet germination standards. Vegetable
seed must - you've probably noticed the small print somewhere on the
package, usually on the back flap, that states germination
percentage. I have gone in to seed stores here in Canada to buy
British seed, and been told that yes, the seed had arrived, but I
couldn't buy any of the vegetables until germination tests had been
completed.
Many years ago a local nursery owner told of selling seed of an
unusual form of a plant to T & M. He said it continued to be listed
in the catalogue for quite a few years, from that one lot he had sold
them. He was sure that it was no longer viable in the latter years
of its sale.
When I was in Prague last year, I visited a farmer who grows flower
seeds for Jelitto. His farm was big, and he contracted with many
other farmers too. Jelitto supplies commercial growers (though they
will also sell to private growers), and of course would lose their
business if their seeds didn't germinate.
(An aside: this farmer is constantly testing new plants from around
the world to see if any have commercial potential. His test garden
was interesting.)
Diane Whitehead, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
