Germination test for 12 year old seed
Germination test for 12 year old seed
We began storing heiriloom seeds in 1998. In 1999, I put a one year supply (three cans) of seed in the freezer. Since Y2K came and went and the power was still on, those three cans of seed were moved out of the freezer and chicken, beef, and vegies took its place. The seed was set on the shelf in a room that is about 45 degrees in the winter and 65 degrees in the summer.
In the spring of 2010, I opened these cans. I took 20 seeds of each of the heirloom varieties and planted them in soil. The seedlings were vigorous. Here are the results: the first number is the number of seeds that germinated; the second number is the number of days to germination.
| Beans – Contender | 15 | 3 | Peas - Alaska | 20 | 3 |
| Blue Lake bush | 17 | 3 | Wando | 18 | 4 |
| Blue Lake pole | 14 | 4 | Sugar Pod | 14 | 5 |
| Kentucky wonder | 10 | 4 | Cowpeas | 20 | 3 |
| Beans – Pinto | 10 | 3 | Peppers - Jalapeno | 19 | 6 |
| Kidney | 18 | 2 | Cal. Wonder | 0 | |
| Navy | 17 | 4 | Cayenne | 4 | 6 |
| Beets-Detroit Red | 6 | 4 | Pumpkin Conn.Field | 5 | 4 |
| Early Wonder | 20 | 3 | Small Sugar | 11 | 4 |
| Broccoli – Waltham | 8 | 4 | Radish-White iscicle | 18 | 2 |
| Brussel Sprouts | 9 | 4 | Crimson Giant | 19 | 3 |
| Cabbage-Lt Flat Dutch | 11 | 4 | Rhubarb | 13 | 6 |
| E. Jersey | 15 | 3 | Rutabaga | 6 | 4 |
| Canteloupe | 13 | 4 | Spinach- Bloomsdale | 4 | 6 |
| Carrots-Chantenay | 15 | 4 | Squash-E. Crookneck | 12 | 5 |
| Danvers | 9 | 5 | Zuchinni | 5 | 4 |
| Cauliflower | 13 | 4 | Acorn | 16 | 4 |
| Celery | 18 | 10 | Butternut | 14 | 4 |
| Collards | 20 | 2 | Swiss Chard | 20 | 4 |
| Corn- Truckers | 18 | 3 | Tomatoes-Roma | 17 | 4 |
| Hickory King | 19 | 3 | Marglobe | 19 | 6 |
| Cucumber-Nat. Pickler | 16 | 3 | Rutgers | 14 | 5 |
| Straight eight | 20 | 3 | Beefsteak | 17 | 4 |
| Lettuce-Buttercr. | 9 | 5 | Turnips | 15 | 3 |
| Bl. Seeded | 18 | 3 | Watermelon-Crimson | 17 | 6 |
| Okra | 10 | 3 | Sugar Baby | 13 | 4 |
| Onion | 8 | 9 | Basil | 17 | 4 |
| Mustard | 14 | 2 | Dill | 5 | 3 |
Find out more about heirloom seeds and survival seeds on this site.
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