Have some older packs that im looking to have the best possible outcome with. Ive always jist done the standard paper towel method with fsirly good results, bit as ive gotten older i realize the importance of saving amd growing every potential candidate. What.are some tried and true methods for craxkimg older seeds??
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I was recommemded by 1 breeder to freeze the seeds for a few days then germinate. Sounds reasonable. Question would b, do i let them unthaw first then do my standard paper towel method,? Do i go straight into the paper towel from frozen,? Ive seen so many ppl soak their seeds in waterr till they dont float?? Whats that about?? I know about scuffing them w some sandpaper!! Idk am i missing anything/something. Juat looking for the most auccesful outcome without having to spend a ton of money
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Something with a little Gibberellic acid in it is said to help the process I need to get some to try also
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Chatgpt:
Freezing old marijuana seeds for a short period before planting can sometimes help improve germination, but it’s not universally recommended and depends on the seeds’ condition. Here’s why it might help and some considerations:
Why Freezing May Work:
Mimicking Natural Stratification: In nature, some seeds require exposure to cold temperatures to break dormancy, a process known as stratification. Freezing can simulate this for seeds that might have experienced natural overwintering.
Hardening the Seed Coat: For very old or hard-shelled seeds, cold exposure may help weaken the seed coat slightly, making it easier for the embryo to break through during germination.
Risks and Considerations:
Moisture Content: Seeds must be thoroughly dry before freezing. If they contain moisture, freezing can cause ice crystals to form, which may rupture the seed’s internal structures.
Storage History: If seeds were not stored properly (e.g., in a cool, dry place), freezing may not be beneficial and could worsen their condition.
Old Seeds: The method is more likely to work on seeds with hard coats or those that are only moderately aged. Extremely old seeds may require additional treatments, such as scarification or soaking in water or a weak hydrogen peroxide solution.
Viable Protocol:
Ensure seeds are completely dry.
Place them in an airtight container or a sealed bag.
Freeze for 24–72 hours (no longer).
Thaw seeds gradually to room temperature before attempting germination.
Alternatives:
Pre-Soaking: Soaking seeds in water or a mild nutrient solution (e.g., with fulvic acid or kelp extract) can help rehydrate and awaken old seeds.
Scarification: Lightly sanding the seed coat can increase water uptake.
Freezing should be seen as a supplementary method rather than a primary one, especially for cannabis seeds, which don’t naturally require cold stratification for germination.
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I like soaking in peroxide first for a few hours then planting in soil.
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How have they been stored?
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I have an old table top cigar humidifier i store my gear in. Like i said ive had pretty good luck just wanna mske sure i give the best chance to everyone
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Dont wanna freeze or thaw to quickly, ive had bad experience with this, worked better using the fridge for a day before and after freezing. Just my experience.
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Worm castings. Gonna give this a go (if needed) on some 13 year old seeds I have.
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This is from the 1 and only JohnnyPotseed on his method of germing seed/old seed
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Lately Ive been getting fantastic germ rates on older beans with a 1 min peroxide wash, then another minute or so in humic acid or compost tea with local microbes added. Then into rooters watered with the humic or compost tea. I took the idea from this study.
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I just want to thank you for making this thread! I have some very old seeds left over from my pops era,i had too many to count and over the years tried alot of these methods and failed. Recently i heard about scarification and now i have this plethora of new knowledge from more experienced growers from all over! My stock is limited now to the last film container, only one that was labeled, that i though had the best chance and will be trying again looking for some success! Thank everyone that has posted links in this thread! My excitement has be awoken again!
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How much would you add to the soil? I’ve been trying a few different things on some beans without success, I wanna give this a shot.
Also, how essential are additional microbes? Any recommendations on what to use or where to source from?
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Generally I add teas 2x a week. But when Im starting the seeds, I just use 2 shot glasses. 1 for the h202, and 1 for the tea or humic.
Very helpful ime. I get the microbes from a very simple compost tea setup. Castings, compost, molasses, and some nettle FPJ for local microbes. I find the highest quality castings/compost I can locally. If youre just doing humic, no aeration is needed. Its basically making pour over coffee, just with compost instead. All you need is a coffee filter and jar for more than enough to get soak/water in for some seeds. Hope this helps!
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i have had mixed results with various techniques.
i have within the last year been stratifying the seeds for severl months before starting them. but i do not freeze them. i put them in the fridge in a sealed jar full of dessicants.
when it is time, i use the paper towel method.
just did this recently with some old seed. i got 1 of 5 to germinate. 2 more popped tails, but the internals turned to mush and the tails withered.
i have also stuck old seeds inside an aloe cutting. about the same results. 1 or 2 in 5.
i have heard of people soaking the seeds in a diluted H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide) solution for 24hrs. i have not tried this. evidently the H2O2 is supposed to make the seed coat more supple.
i have also read of people using gibberelic (sp?) acid on their seeds, however i think there is some concern that the GA will cause/create more males. don’t quote me on that though. could be bro science.
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The more important part to me is that a hydrogen peroxide dip (I just put a little hydrogen peroxide in some tap/well water to soak) reduces the risks of damping off… lost too many seeds to that crap.
Personally I just use the soak, damp papertowel method with the addition of h202, or soak with some h202 and then right into moist medium, but I’d trust the worm casting method works (and while I still use it the soak/papertowel method it does open up all sorts of avenues for ick to kill your seedlings).
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hmm…
hadn’t considered the H202 as an ick preventative. i have used cinnamon before with the paper towels as an anti-bacterial… but have found i get results usually in 2-3 days with the paper towel, so not really enough time for the ick to really get going before i’m dropping the seed with tails in dirt.
however, when we are getting into the realm of 5 days or more (some DO take that long to finally wake up from their prolonged slumber) ick will definitely form… so yeah… H202 sounds like a plan in the future.
out of curiosity, have you ever used the aloe slices before? (mixed results for me)
i have seen others start seed in bananas and potato wedges.
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@Til_Valhalla I have tried the aloe cuttings before and not my favorite method, works about 50/50 fpr me on fresher beans but had no success with my old beans. I use the h202 in a shot glass and does great for me, no ick and beans pop tails after they sink in 48hrs or so…again on fresherbeans,haven’t worked on my olderones. I want to try the fridge method and the ewc coffee! Seems like the best bet for oldies and maybe try my hand at manually cracking too! So much great info on this thread!
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I use some variation of JohnnyPotseed’s method.
First I use refrigerated seeds that are allowed to come to room temperature. Then they are placed in a 1/20 bath of hydrogen peroxide and water for several hours. Next, I find a nice ripe aloe leaf and cut a slot soaking them for at least 4-6 hours. Then they go into the worm castings as JohnnyPotseed describes warmed over a modem. 2-3 days they have tails. I have recently used this method with seeds labeled from 2012.
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water and hydrogen peroxide, let the seed soak, and whether it sinks or floats, just plant directly into solo cup under light, old seeds die once they get cold after being in the germ process, do not let it get cold. once it sprouts you should be okay. but from the time it touches water, to sprouting, DO NOT let it get cold.
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