Market Farming

["Betsy Knutson" <betsy AT gobigwest.com>]

Marcy,

If the seeds were saturated and had swollen with moisture when it got down
to 30, they could have been damaged by ice crystal forming inside the seeds.
If the were on a bench where the air temp was low all around them, they
would have been more susceptible to freezing. Seeds that are stored in the
freezer or refrigerator have a much lower percentage of moisture, optimally
around 8% or less.

If they got cooked (over 95 degrees IIRC) that really cuts down on the
germination rate.

If you have more seeds, I'd definitely start the next batch. I've actually
had seeds that were old or had problems of some sort sprout as much as three
weeks later, so I would not toss the first ones just yet. They have had a
set back and some may yet sprout. It probably depends on your space and your
time constraints, and whether or not you have more seeds of those varieties.


Betsy (betsy AT gobigwest.com)

Southern Idaho, USDA Zone 5

This isn't Burger King! You can't have it your way!

> -----Original Message-----
> From: market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:market-farming-
> bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of marcy
> Sent: Tuesday, April 12, 2005 3:46 PM
> To: Market Farming
> Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Re:seed starting & greenhouse
> 
> But how about low temperatures once they might have started to germinate -
> they'd been in the ground about 5 days when we had the power out and they
> would have gotten cold that night.
> Sounds like I had them covered okay - same as I usually do and they would
> have had dark at night. Inside I've always used a sheet of plastic - saran
> wrap type stuff to keep the soil moist, I wonder if that might have cooked
> them?
> I moved them in the house with their heat mat last Tuesday after the poly
> blew apart and still not one tomato sprouted. All fresh seed this year.
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Peter Mattli, D.D.S." <pmattli AT cfl.rr.com>
> To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, April 12, 2005 11:37 AM
> Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Re:seed starting & greenhouse
> 
> 
> > Marcy,
> > Low temp shouldn't be the probem with your seeds, because I regularly
> store
> > my seeds in refrigerator
> > between growing seasons and they are always viable when planted.
> >