Seed viability

[HellzDungeon]

Hay, Hellz here,
i have seeds i got a WHILE ago (like... 2005...), some 2000 stratified assorted sarra seeds, and i wanted to know wether or not i should even try to plant em again, or if they would even b viable still. i also have alot of drosera seeds, like capensis, spats, dielsiana, some U. Multifida seeds, and a few other things... also very old. do you think anything is still viable? i might just go ahead and plant all of them just to see if anything pops up lol
Hellz

 

[Houstonherp]

Hellz -

You mention that the Sarracenia seeds are STRATIFIED, and I'm not quite sure of that's what you mean. If the seeds are still dry, but have been refrigerated the whole time, they should be fine; but this is not the same as stratifying them. Stratifying is when you keep the seeds WET and cold - usually for four to six weeks for Sarracenia seeds - in order to get them to germinate.

You can look at the method I use to stratify Sarracenia seeds on my web site at www.houstonherp.com/SeedStratificationGuide.htm

The bottom line, though, is that I would plant them anyway. There's nothing to lose, and bunches of babies to gain!

Good Growing,

Mike

 

[HellzDungeon]

hay, Hellz here
o thanks for your concern, but i know stratification involves keeping the seed in a moist media for a certain amount of time in order to replicate its natural enviroment, as to allow growth to occur.
When i bought these seed on ebay, the sender said they were pre stratified seeds, and all i needed was to plant.
another question arises actually... if i were to plant these seeds (o and there are ALOT of seeds lol) should i believe they are pre stratified? or would it hurt to stratify them myself, even if they actually are already stratified?
argh!
Hellz

 

[Alexis]

Split them 50:50 and stratify one half and plant the others.

 

[Houstonherp]

Hellz -

I would assume that these were NOT pre-stratified. Even if they had been stratified, and then put back into DRY cold storage, then the chances are that they are not ready to germinate.

It won't hurt anything to re-stratify them, so that would be my suggestion.

Regards,

Mike

 

[Not a Number]

AFAIK Drosera seeds have a very limited viability, unless cold stored (dry). The sub-tropicals should not need stratification.

 

[HellzDungeon]

Hay, Hellz here
all my seed were cold stored and dry in wax paper and sealed plastic bags for this whole time, (i believe a year and a half at most...) except for some Darlingtonia seed and some S. oreophila in cold stratification (i feel so stupid to have forgotten seed like that were stratifying). im not sure i remember, but i read that the gymnosperm or something like that, of seed was limited and viability was low for many CP seeds over an extended period of time, what do you guys say? I have TONS of seed of very common Drosera species (D. spatulata, D. capensis, some D. dielsiana seed, and a few others i cant remember off the top of my head), just not sure about viability once again
Hellz

 

[Houstonherp]

Hellz -

As you are already aware, the viability of your Drosera and Utricularia seed is very likely to be much reduced, and perhaps they might not germinate at all. But once again, what do you have to lose? A little bit of soil and a dirty pot...LOL!

I would still say go for it. Sow a small amount of the seeds from each packet and see if they germinate. If they do, then you know the rest of the seeds from those packets is still good. If the seeds DON'T germinate, then you may consider trashing the rest of those seeds.

Good Growing!

Mike

 

[Not a Number]

I agree with that. What do you have to lose except some time and effort. The potting media & pots can be recycled for other plantings so no loss there.

Out of 2000 seeds even a 10% germination rate would be a lot of plants!

And again, the sub-tropical Drosera (capensis, spatulata, and dielsiana) don't require stratification.