What are the oldest seeds you ever germinated?

I was spring cleaning my cold room down in the basement, and I found a hundred seeds that I had ordered from Marc Emery at least fifteen yrs ago. I was looking for some new outdoor strains, so I purchased his outdoor variety pack. Unfortuneately I took ill and didn't have the energy to grow them, so I just tucked them away and ended up forgetting about them. So when I found them, I figured why not germinate them and see what happens. To my surprise I have sprouted over 80 of the seeds so far and it looks like the rest of them may sprout as well. I put the sprouted seeds in peat moss cubes and when they become a decent size I am going to give them away. I think the reason that I've had such success with them is because they were stored in a very cold room for the entire time I had them. So, how about you? What were the oldest seeds you ever germinated? And what kind of success did you have?

PAX

 

five years with seeds left round a friends stored in a brown pager bag at room temp so not a patch on 15 years, all sprouted but found they took a bit longer to get through the seedling stage week or two maybe that was strain never grown them before but apart from that all went as to plan.

agree with cold theory but did you let the seeds warm up over a few days to a normal temp or did you germinate them from cold?

 

Ya got me beat! It's fun findin' seeds ya didn't know ya had:>)

 

I germinated them the same way as any other seeds that I have had. I placed them in room temperature water in a small bowl. Then I placed them in a warm dark cupboard and kept them there for a maximum of 48 hrs. Then I placed them in a moistened cloth- again in a warm dark cupboard. I checked them every 8-10 hrs for signs of sprouting. Once the roots are very visible I placed them into small peat moss containers with number four potting soil. Once the roots start poking through the bottoms of the peat moss containers, I will transplant them into larger peat moss containers. Then I will put them into 12/12 to sex them. I will cull the males and then put them outdoors in larger containers until they go back into vegging and that's when my friend with the greenhouse will take it from there. The thrill of growing plants again is just exhilirating! Finding seeds that I had totally forgotten about is great but what will be even better is reaping the harvest. You never know- maybe I'll find a real gem and we will have a new strain to grow. I'd ask you to wish me luck, but: luck has nothing to do with it. It's years of experience that helps the most.

PAX

 

ive found seeds on the floor, they maybe yrs old.. I plant them, sometimes they grow, sometimes they dont..

 

Well I have only 8 more seeds to go. The rest of them have gone into my peat moss containers and the majority of them are leafing out. I have had problems with about l5 of them, tho'. The embryotic leaves had stuck together. I used the dull end of an exacto knife to separate them. All but 2 seem to be doing ok. I culled the 2 because there was no first true leaves appearing had all. So lets hope the weather stays sunny and warm and I can sex them in about 2 weeks.

PAX

 

I'd like to know what might be the problem when some seeds do what I call, "false germinate": (Several open and make tap roots, but some just open a bit, show their root edge, but never actually try to grow)
I've changed water/towel but nothing continues to happen. The root just peeks out the side but never gets going.
Recently got some original Afghan kush...(good for colder, higher climates)...and many made it but even more just opened a bit and stopped. Bummer.