I am soaking seeds just like I always do. How long should I wait until I know the seed is no good?
New Grower seed question
- Thread starter MaInEgReEn
- Start date
Don't leave seeds in water more than 24 to 32 hrs.You should se tap root splitting seed open.Then put in damp paper towls covered with plastic and keep in warm place.Check seeds every 12 hrs and when tap roots are about 1/8 th to 1/4 inch long move them to your finale pot.Some seeds take longer than others but usually are ready in one or two days.If they havn't shown a tap root after three to four days they might not be any good.
1. Many people scuff the shell of the seed a little to help water penetrate. Use a small matchbox or a plastic clamshell screws come in (from the hardware store), or a plastic tube. Line it with fine-grit sandpaper. I use 220 Very Fine and shake briskly for 40-60 seconds.
2. I like to add hydrogen peroxide (h2o2) to the soak water. The unstable extra oxygen molecule creates oxygen bubbles which attach to the side of the seed. I feel like this helps it not drown, helps stimulate the embryo. I create a 0.5% h2o2 by mixing 5 parts water to 1 part ordinary 3% hydrogen peroxide.
Ex. to make a cup (8 oz or 237ml) of soak water, divide 8 by 6 parts = 1.34 oz per part. Mix 6.67 oz (197ml) water (5 parts) with 1.34 oz (40ml) 3% hydrogen peroxide.
Ph the final mix. If you like to aerate the soak water, aerate the water before adding the h2o2. You don't want to boil away the beneficial unstable oxygen molecule.
Full disclosure: I got this idea from this posting (<<link). I think he settled on 1% h202. Being cautious, I started at 0.5%. I anticipated moving up to 1%. But, I get plenty of bubbles clinging to the seed, and have gotten 100% germination. Didn't see a reason to change.
I also add a half-drop of SuperThrive per gallon of soak. I put a drop in a shot glass and draw out proportionally as much as the soak water I'm preparing. Ex. 8 ounces of soak is 6.3% of a gallon. So, out of a 1oz (30ml) shot glass I draw out 0.8ml (1.9ml is 6.3% of 30ml. And then we want to cut that in half because the goal is a half drop in a gallon.). Discard the rest. The 0.8ml becomes part of the 6.7 oz of water.
Also, many people say to soak until the seed sinks to the bottom, a sign they are hydrated and viable. The oxygen bubbles will keep your seed floating. The bubbles and surface air are probably good things for the seed. But, to test if it will sink you can tap it with a clean finger 2-3 times to knock the air bubbles off. If it sinks it will float again after 5 minutes as bubbles form again. I do this 2-4 times during the soak just to give it a good, even bath. I don't care so much about knowing whether it will sink.
Similar to namvet, I wait till I see some white pulp in the crack. I don't let it soak longer than a 2mm root extending out of the shell. And, I don't go more than 36-48 hours. (I've had a couple that cracked in that time but I didn't see a root. I put them in soil after 36-48 hours soaking and they sprouted).
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I usually soak in a coffee cup about half full with 2 drops of grape fruit seed extract added to the water. Just plain tap water and soak for 12 to 24 hours and then plant in a light soil-less mix under moderate light. Ive planted floaters and they usually grow also.
