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Re: Bubbling Seeds...

Wayne,

I am no expert and you have many more years experience than I but I did
over 2 dozen seed starts this winter with various seeds. 

Like you suggest a very porous seed starting mix works great!

However, I had two separate batches of seeds that continued to be a
problem. The seed would not germinate or would damp off! Offspring to the
963

Doc had given me a big bag of mix he made up which I used.
Each seed start had the same mix in every start. Including the problem
batches of seeds. The pots were sterilized and I used boiling water to
moisten the mix.

Still no luck!

Finally I tried bubbling them and bingo, up they came!

Pete had this same problem with the 975, 0% germination. He tossed some
seed in the bubbler and up they came!

I can not provide any scientific explanation as to why it worked but it did
cause the seed to germinate?

Chris


----------
> From: Pumkinguy@aol.com
> To: timpat@bhip.infi.net
> Cc: pumpkins@athenet.net
> Subject: Re: Bubbling Seeds...
> Date: Saturday, April 12, 1997 7:25 PM
> 
> Tim,
>    My concern with bubbling would be that there is a possibility of
deficient
> levels of oxygen, even with the bubbles. I know with my 125 gallon fish
tank,
> I was told that bubblers are not adequate to raise Oxygen
levels....surface
> agitation with a filter/pump with the discharge of water at the surface
to
> ripple the water is better. That doesn't pertain directly to pumpkins but
> anyway. Oxygen is essential to seed germination. Air contains apx. 20%
> Oxygen. I can't see how water containing air bubbles could have anywhere
near
> 20% Oxygen in it. It is a cute idea, but there is no way there can be as
much
> Oxygen in the bubbling water as there is in real air. I think a
sterilized
> seed starting mix with a little moisture in it offers the most Oxygen .
If
> the mix is slightly damp, you will have adequate moisture. Keep the seed
> starting mix at 80 to 85 degrees and they will sprout if they are viable.
> Some dust the seeds with Captan.Len is a top notch grower and everyone
has
> there own techniques, but until someone can prove to me that there is
higher
> levels of Oxygen in water, I will stick with a highly porous seed
starting
> mix.
>                                     pumpkinguy@aol.com
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