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Re: Scarify

    Scarification can occur in a few different ways. First of all your
Enterolobium seeds may still be good. You can actually nick the cotyledon
and still do relatively little damage to the developing embryo as a whole.
Even on seeds as tiny as Acacia angustissima I have damaged the cotyledon
with very little negative affect to the embryo.
    There are many opinions on scarification and to some degree I think it
depends on what is most familiar to people. Different species also have
evolved with different seed dispersal methods and germination conditions
calling for different treatments.
Personally when I germinate seeds for the first time, and they are not
already well known (which is often the case with a lot that I grow) I don't
treat them at all; I just straight out plant them. Depending on my
experience with this first step I adjust my methods. Usually if a seed takes
an unusually long time to germinate or has trouble escaping the seed coat I
decide to treat the species differently. I usually go to sulfuric acid as I
have had the best luck with short soaks in it. I use acid because it softens
the whole coat and does not subject the seed to extremely hot temperatures
like boiling does. However if you boil seeds or acid treat them, and the
seed had softened, there is no need to do any further treatment usually
except planting. Sometimes I may soak seeds in water overnight before I
plant them. It is taking a short cut but I don't see how this gives me much
different luck than just straight out planting. I usually soak them because
I am procrastinating on planting them!
    Physical scarification alone is an ok method for many species but has
its drawbacks. First of all I have noticed that many seeds have trouble
escaping the seed coats when only physically scarified. The scarification is
enough to allow moisture to enter the seed coat but not enough to help the
seed coat soften. This may be because in nature many seeds are consumed by
animals (seed coats are softened by stomach acids), or some complex soil
chemistry is going on, or seeds are being washed down rivers, streams or
arroyos for a long period and the coats are beat up. Whatever the natural
force involved, it softens the whole coat and seeds are able to germinate. I
have to say, though, that most seeds will germinate without any treatment
albeit with some patients in some cases. There are other forms of
scarification but all are concerned with softening the seed coat. In many
cases you can do a quick check by soaking seeds overnight, or more. If they
swell they can be planted right away. If they are still as hard as they were
then you can resume on to the process of scarification.
    Most important is patients. Seeds can germinate overnight or they can
take a year (or more!) so just let those flats sit there until something
happens. Don't get hasty and dump them. It seems every time I give up and
throw out flats, the seeds start to germinate and I am cursing myself out
while picking seedlings out of the compost pile!

Jared R. Shortman
jared@tucsongrowers.com
Tucson Growers
www.tucsongrowers.com
(520) 882-7060
2509 N. Campbell #338
Tucson, AZ 85719
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