I have a bunch of old seeds that I want to germinate but I suck at germination.
A friend of mine a couple years back gave me some seeds that his dad used to grow before he died. His Dad’s nickname was ‘Mellow’ so I named the seeds Mellow. I told him I would try to grow it but haven’t managed to get the seeds to germinate.
Then a couple of years back I was at a friend’s wedding in Uganda and his sister gave me some seeds from Kampala that I’ve named ‘Kla’ which is the nickname for Kampala. IDK if these are drug-type or just hemp seeds but I wanna try and grow them to find out either way.
I generally suck at gemination. I’m fine with modern seeds, I literally just put them straight into the expanded clay pebbles in my DWC and they just pop 90% of the time but with these older seeds nothing seems to work. It;s possible they are all dead but I want to give them the best shot I can.
You could try popping them in some nice seedling compost with ewc in it with a heat mat if that ain’t cutting it there’s gibrellic acid that can help sometimes just be careful with it as too much will make them stretch crazy if nothing works don’t throw em maybe pass em to someone clued up in embryo rescue/tissue culture
Currently giving worm castings a go but I’m a bit confused about them. People keep writing EWC as in Earth Worm Castings but my worm farm is all compost worms and AFAIK most worm castings are compost worm castings. Compost worms are more red in colour than earthworms and they break down food whereas earth worms are greyer and usually deeper in soil and break down the waste of compost worms. Are people getting hold of specialised Earth Worm Castings rather than regular compost worm castings or am I just being hyper-pedantic about something being slightly misnamed?
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Hey @Cr0Barron! It sounds like you’re diving deep into the world of worm castings! Just to clarify, EWC (Earthworm Castings) and compost worm castings are often used interchangeably, but you’re right that they come from different types of worms.
Compost worms (like red wigglers) are indeed the stars of the composting show, while earthworms are more like the underground recyclers. Both types of castings are beneficial, but if you’re using compost worms, you’re likely getting some fantastic nutrient-rich goodness for your plants!
As for your question about germinating old seeds, here are some recent discussions that might help you out:
Germinating old Seeds - A discussion about the challenges and techniques for germinating seeds from the 90s!
Will they pop - A conversation about seed germination methods, including hot water treatments.
Yeah I actually have a huge worm farm on my balcony but I actually don’t use it for cannabis, I use it to grow tomatoes, chillies, kale and hops on my balcony. For cannabis I use DWC but I had no idea they were good for seed germination so that;s a great thing to know!
Some of these beans have been soaked in h202, some have been cracked and some jusy thrown straight into the EWC. Some are buried some just on the surface. It would have been much better practice to separate each test to see what worked (if any pop) but fuck it!
Gonna put cling film over the top and place on a heat mat when i find it!
These are the seeds given to me in Kampala back in 2022
Popping them isn’t always the hardest thing sometimes it’s keeping them going some of the really old ones just seem to run outta steam after they pop and grow a tiny bit Ime good luck mate hopefully yours get going along nicely for you
Its a big ole bag a seeds so i’m just gonna keep experimenting till i find a technique that works for me. Really appreciate all the advice and tips guys!
soak them 24 hrs in warm water, maybe set on top of hotwater heater to keep even temp. Then use two plates. Place at least 2 paper towels on the bottom with sharpy i.d if germinating different strains, then place 1 paper towel on top. Note: Use the cheap paper towel the tap root will most likely tankle up in good paper towel. Keep them wet but not a pond and place them on top of your hotwater heater. Check them every 6 - 8 hrs and re wet them from drips off your hand… Might want to trim the p.t to exact size of plate - I have found leaving a p.t over hang the plate cause them to dry out quicker…
I have used seed pad but the one I bought gets to hot for seeds but perfect for seedlings in fabric pot.
Just my 2 cents that seems to work reliably but then I never have tried to germinate 10 yr old seeds…
Maybe freeze a few first for a week or so - I have read the freezing help activate the seeds for more successful germination - No idea of the url that came from …
Good luck and make note of what actually works well…
Hi @Cr0Barron. I often encounter seeds that have been stored for more than 5 years and don’t germinate as well as fresh seeds. This method allows for the germination of a significant number of old nuts.
Thermal shock for awakening:
Two containers: one with boiling water, the other with cold water containing 1/100 ml of hydrogen peroxide.
Alternately dip the seeds, wrapped in gauze, into the boiling water for 5 seconds and then immediately into the cold water for 5 seconds.
Repeat the procedure 6-7 times.
Epin:
Add 3 drops of Epin to 100 ml of water and soak the seeds in this water overnight.
In the morning, when the seeds have settled to the bottom, place them on damp cotton pads and keep them at a temperature of +25°C. P.S. Epin – a solution of epibrassinolide in alcohol at 0.25 g/l, its production has been discontinued. Epin-Extra – a solution of epibrassinolide in alcohol at 0.025 g/l.
Looks like you’re diving deep into the seed revival game! I love the enthusiasm! Just remember, while you’re giving those old seeds a spa day, don’t forget the golden rule: LITFA (Leave It The F*** Alone)! Sometimes, the best thing you can do is just let nature do its thing.
Your thermal shock method sounds like a wild ride for those seeds! Just make sure they don’t get too shocked—no one likes a seed that’s had a bad day! And Epin? Sounds fancy! Just like a seed’s version of a luxury facial.
But hey, if you’re soaking them in water for a few days, just keep an eye on them. Too much water can lead to a soggy situation, and nobody wants that!
So, go ahead and try your methods, but remember to give those seeds some space to breathe. Happy germinating!
Just to clarify, EWC (Earthworm Castings) and compost worm castings are often used interchangeably, but you’re right that they come from different types of worms.
