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Minnesota([email protected])

I noticed in a couple of recent diary entries, that some growers mentioned putting seeds in the freezer. I was wondering if they do this to make the seed easier to germinate? If so, do you just put them in an air-tight container, and then into the freezer. How long are they left in the freezer, before taking out. After taking out of freezer, are they left to thaw, before germinating?

4/22/2007 1:39:14 PM

Ontario, Canada.

What's the right way to germinate my seeds? ~ There is no right way to germinate any particular type of seeds. You need to find the right combination of moisture and temperature that suits your particular seeds. If you look at several different germination instructions, you'll find they often give the opposite advice for a particular seed. There are methods which have been found over a long period to be the most effective for germinating particular species, but every seed is an individual, and might be satisfied with some different set of circumstances.

It is thought that the freezing of pumpkin seeds helps the germination process. I have been freezing them for a short time only a few weeks or days.

4/22/2007 5:02:43 PM

[email protected]

Some things I just take for granted. It has never even ocurred to me to NOT freeze my seeds. All of my vegetable & other seeds are kept in a freezer in the garage. Prior to getting the extra freezer I kept only the best seeds in the kitchen freezer.

Seeds are best STORED in a freezer as they last longer. This just happens to also duplicate what nature does.

Many seeds benefit from a pre-freeze. We even do this with creeping bentgrass for putting greens. Cucurbita isn't notorious for LIKING the frreze, but for sure no harm comes from it.

4/22/2007 5:58:57 PM

Minnesota

I just planted tree seeds and had to freeze them for a while, they told me the seeds when takin out think that winter is over and spring is here and its time to grow. I did'nt do it for my pumpkin seeds thou.

4/22/2007 6:23:19 PM

http://www.gardenweb.com/sesbania/strat.html

4/23/2007 7:19:18 AM

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/hil-8704.html
http://pcp.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/19/7/1235
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=159499
http://www.plantphysiol.org/cgi/content/full/131/3/1220

4/23/2007 7:35:36 AM

Udine, Italy

Last year I put 6 seeds of my 594/2004 at -80°c and after two days at -196 °C in liquid nitrogen for one month. Recovered from liquid nitrogen, 5 of the 6 seeds germinated without problems; I planted also 6 unfreezed seeds as control and also in this case 5 out 6 germinated. Freeze seems doesn't affect seeds viability at all.
Paolo

4/23/2007 9:18:50 AM

Pocatello ([email protected])

The effort to ensure that a seed receives some cold or freezing temperatures is called stratification. Some types of seeds require it, such as the acorns I gather from oaks in my yard. I was able to get some of them to germinate. But first I put them in a damp bag and leave them in the refrigerator for a few weeks.

Giant pumpkin seeds don't appear to need stratification. But, a lot of us already employ a technique called scarification. This is, scratching, filing or sanding the seed coat in an effort to get it to take on moisture and for the germinating seedling to be able to emerge from the seed coat.

4/23/2007 11:32:29 AM

Cliff's got this one aced. Some seeds need stratification to germinate, but pumpkins aren't one of them.

4/23/2007 4:57:53 PM

Minnesota([email protected])

Thanks for the replies. I realize pumpkin seeds don't need the freeze cycle, but I was wondering if it might be helpful in aiding the germination process, in some cases. I guess a contolled experiment would be needed to help figure it out.

4/23/2007 5:56:26 PM

Could be fun... Put some in the freezer this December, put some in the freezer in February, and leave some out. Germinate all three in April or May and compare the time till germ and total % germ. Could be something fun to do earlier in the winter months to keep you occupied as well.

4/23/2007 8:43:44 PM

Rhode Island

personally if you really want the fastest results just file lightly, roll them up in a little wet paper towel, bag and place in an area where the temp stays 75 to 80 plus degrees.
then, after a day or two and the root appears just repot and put in a larger germination box.
we dont normally do this, but it is a very good method.
many good ways to get er done.
pap

4/24/2007 5:36:47 AM