Sorry, I had a emergency vehicle repair and just got about ¼ of the way through and had to feed the dogs. Just now taking my shower and eating my cold Chinese food. I will post it all tomorrow. Like I said, its really not complicated and super easy. Just wanted to post pictures. Its literally splitting them and putting them in paper towels with some superthrive
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No rush just teasing.
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I know, I didn’t take it as anything else. It was appropriate lol
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Waiting for your tech…got 80 seeds gifted to me by Mephisto’s previous owner but they were stored improperly and the seed coat has gone hard 
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Sorry guys, I got super busy with work and then found its impossible to take detailed pictures because you need both hands to do it this way. Sorry about my mechanic nails but idc. I never liked using pliers but you could do it that way. I just crushed more than I saved that way. So here goes, I use my thumb and index finger to gently crack the seed. Pointy side up, I apply pressure with my thumbnail directly on the seam of the seed, it will split, I then get a nail from the other index finger in between the two halves and it easily seperates them. I soak the paper towel in a distilled water and superthrive solution, it will basically instantly absorb water and I’ve had great success. The last picture is of a obviously dead seed,.
Like I said its super simple and easy, I’ve done hundreds this way and they sprout 90% of the time. This is after 18 hours.
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I use a similar technique, but I bite and cut my nails to the bone. I have to use both hands, pinch like you to hold and use my other thumb to apply the pressure.
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I “finger crack” my old seeds dry tbh. Then soak, paper towels or sow. Good thread, man. I never even think about it anymore. Though I don’t remove them from the seed casings. Just crack 'em first.
🫡
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Are you dry cracking the seeds then soaking? Or crack after how long of soak? Thank you my brother
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I do pretty much the same thing with all of my seeds no matter the age. Soak for 12 hours, crack with my hands, toss into lightly watered soil, and wait.
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I have the same question :- do you soak before cracking…?? and do you completely remove the seed coat …?
Superthrive is very expensive here but I can find an alternative kelp solution
Thanks bro 
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I don’t soak them first, in my experience its easier when the shell is dry, it cracks on the seam usually as well. I have tried soaking first in the past and it either causes damage, the shells don’t freely seperate and it pulls the embryo apart. When its dry the embryo comes out in one piece. They’re also way easier to crush when soaked. I suppose if you’re not removing the embryo you could soak it first but with really old hardened seeds they usually can’t open the seed and turn to mush.
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As for the pliers method.
If you use a micrometer, you can just dial in tiny increments, until you hear or see it open. I find it to be safer against applying too much pressure and smashing the seed.
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I use a bean sprout machine. With 3 teaspoons coconut sugar per 500ml water and 1 part 3% hydrogen peroxide to 5 parts sugar water. I wash them off and move to a sterilized medium once it starts to open. I sprout 35 year old seeds with 90% germination without cracking the shell. I think the movement of the water and the energy they get from the sugar gives them enough energy to grow out of the shell. I don’t know why but I get better results without cracking the shell first. I sometimes crack too hard and kill it and it takes forever to open every seed if you’re starting a lot
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Thank you, I thought that’s what was going on.
I will try some seed from the year i graduated high school. And post my results here.
Thanks again my brother!
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Whats the water to superthrive ratio you use?
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I am going to try that one!
I also have old seeds that will crack but don’t have enough energy to go.
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Takes a little practice but cracking em with your teeth works very well. you just have to have the ridges of the seed pointed up and chomp down till lightly applying more pressure till you hear a little crunch than. Than peel of shell with thumb nails, Practice on some low value beans first. I feel more comfortable doing this than using tools now. But I still would be scared on old ass seeds.
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have run into this issue recently. tried a few different methods, but have never cracked them before. always figured i would crush them completely and render them useless.
ever heard of this methodology @BudWhisperer ?
hey @Bobgrows don’t you have little printed seed crackers?
a good question. i second.
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I actually got a bunch of the little packets for free from a local nursery, they are made for 1 gallon of water. He said they came in the jiffy seedling trays and he just didn’t use them. They’re 2 gram powder packets and I just mix it in a gallon of water.
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