When all else fails I have to recommend a little hydrogen peroxide, works wonders.
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1 percent h2o2 an old method is to scrape the seeds hull on a matchbox a bit just to ease the plant busting out.
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I recently busted 18 year old seeds, some mikado and c99 and ak 99 crosses.- nearly 100 percent germination. but they were weak and i just kinda put them outside and didnt realize this house well water is heavy so I gave up on them. i have 100s more but am trying some "boutique"clones frome beleaf.
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Awe that sucks balls. All of mine germed…2 were weak so I tossed them outside. All other seedlings are up and running. !
I also germed SSDD to cross with them. I’ll remove the males when the time comes. Hope to pick the most buttery SSDD
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i think its better to pot into a big pot rather than transplant… when it hits flower youd see the difference between the two.
Going to try your technique for my stubborn seeds, thanks.
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Hydrogen peroxide also does a chemical scarification. Similar to scuffing with sandpaper or nicking with a blade, but better in my opinion, because there’s zero chance of damaging it. It also helps with extra oxygen.
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Like stick the seeds into the fleshy part of the aloe leaf? And just leave it there or only for a few days? Interested to hear more.
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Yes, check every 24 hrs.
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I cracked a stubborn seed very gently with my teeth recently after it floated for 3-4 days in a shot glass. I placed the pointy side between two front teeth and bit gently down until hearing a crack and then planted as normal. Seed sprouted and is doing well.
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I recently sprouted some 20+ year old seeds…
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Shoot there is some good advice in here! Soaking in hydrogen peroxide is great because of the extra oxygen produced and the potential weakening of the seed coat. @bpk419 has my new favorite way of doing scarification, if you aren’t as adventurous as they are lightly sanding the seed to help break the seed coat also works.
I saw gibberellins mentioned but I can’t remember who so sorry for the lack of credit, thats on me. You have to be careful with gibberellins though if space is an issue because it is a hormone related to cell elongation so potential for big plants. If you want to use hormones cytokinins work to inhibit ABA which is what causes viable seed to stay dormant. I believe potassium as mentioned by many also works to degrade ABA or acts as a signal of fertile ground.
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NO paper towel, nothing else is needed but clean potable water if you have a viable embryo.
Soak until the seed sinks and/or splits then sow directly into a pot that is at least 5" tall, 1/4-1/2" deep hole. I just germinated 22 year old seeds, a back cross of C99 X (C99 X Peak19) and backcross of the original C99 from Ron at Heaven’s Stairway.
Reference - Defoliation vs No(little) defoliation - #735 by OldUncleBen
Uncle Ben
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Really I think that proper storage is the best old seed germination technique but this is a close second:
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Probably a stupid question will older seeds take longer to get going ?
I soaked in polygon seed booster plus solution for 24 hrs saw some shell cracking with little tap roots showing so moved them to a propagator on the left vaders vintage on the right alien rift these are from I think 2007 2008 ish I think
Most of this box of seeds are 10years old or old. Any help would be amazing I don’t want to waste stuff. Have some tga seeds and holy seed bank and stuff that isn’t around anymore. I read through this and there seems to be quite a few ways to help them pop.
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Have you read through the thread. There is good info on here…
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Depends on how you stored them. I have a garden going in veg. right now. Here’s a few of a backcross I did of a sourced Bros. Grimm C99 and a cross of C99 X (C99 X Peak19). All germinated and are growing like weeds. Been cold stored for about 22 years!
2 C99, 4 “CindyPeak”
Uncle Ben
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How absurd. Once seeds have soaked, sink and perhaps the shell cracks they should be sown at a depth of 1/4" to (no more than) 1/2" deep. The rule of thumb is to plant seeds at a depth equal to two or three times their width. Common sense dictates in order to prevent damage to the root radicle via handling, that the ideal time to plant seeds is just as the shell has cracked. Most times I just plant the seeds that sank after a day or two of soaking. No H2O2 or bleach needed.
Leave it up to cannabis growers to go against conventional methods.
Dec. 22
My new garden link -
Uncle Ben
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So I tried seed boost plus,molasses soak sorta,paper towel in a baggy on my WiFi router no success with 10 year old seeds
Going to try the last Vader vintage and some stoned ninja seeds in the fridge for three day then molasses soak after a hydrogen peroxide clean with some 1% solution as stated above
Popped some UBC Chemo Beans that were well over 20 years old.All i did was throw a whole pack of tomato seeds in a glass of water for 24 hours then i strained seeds out and Tossed these back in same water .4 out of 4 popped and now they are growing and getting thier shit back together.Going to do the twist leaf thing i see.Very slow veggers one with elephant ears for leaves tiny stalk but its tough Some wierd growth but they are slowly working back to normal
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