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  • From: <mnr200 AT charter.net>
  • To: market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [Market-farming] seed germination
  • Date: Thu, 2 Feb 2006 21:56:21 -0800

Many people dont understand the seed business. Most of the seed you get is
over 18-24 months old and is kept in very cold storage till packaging...
depending on the state each batch gets germination tested every 6months or 12
months. Very little seed is sent the following season. A good company will
not send you seed until it grows out a sample crop itself and trial gardens
it to check for purity, cross pollination, and other problems, especially
hybrids.. Seed packaging machinery runs year round at the biigger
operations. They dont just hire staff to pack seed from October till Feb,
they work all year. For people interested in seed preservation, check out
Seed Savers Exchange in Iowa. They only grow out 10% of there vast
collection a year and the rest is cold stored...If a large company has for
instance a huge amount of lets say, Tam Mild pepper seed and in germination
testing they find it has an 84 % germination rate from 2004 they will not
grow more of that seed, but spend theire time on other varieties that they do
need .
Also most seed companies dont grow all there own seed but get it from other
suppliers... We get most of our pepper and tomato seed out of arizona and
california. I have not been able to get White Habernero seed ( in lb lots)
for 2 years and had some left at 74% germination...It puts you in a postion
of not offering it at all or throwing it out.. I dont care about the throwing
out or donating it as a tax writeoff , I care that people get rare varieties
they want. If everyone else is out what do you do.? My main point here is
dont get the idea your getting the past years seed. Also you will be seeing
more and more seed coming to you in mylar and hermetically sealed packs and
bags. The USDA says that seed packed that way can be labeled 3 years into the
future. Just go into some of the garden stores and look for a foil package
and see 2006-2008 plant by dates. And in regards to the getting seed last
minute from the southern hemisphere, its not for the freshness, its a pricing
issue. South America and Asia are cutting into crops that use to be grown
here in the US. . Im waiting for a major herb shipment and my supplier said
its not in from India which linda blew me away. , I buy what I can out of
the US but all my suppliers now tell me its all coming from overseas on the
rarer stuff. For people who are interested in this stuff do a Google search
for USDA seed packaging requirements, germination rates, etc. Its very eye
opening..... Just my 2 cents.. Mark Ritter / Botanikka Seeds

>A good seed company will only sell fresh seed. I have had seed companies
>hold off until the last minute in the spring to ship my seed while waiting
>for the seed to be harvested in the southern hemisphere. Now that is as
>fresh as possible. I think too many seed companies buy up old seed and
>repackage it as long as it meets the minimum standards. Call the company or
>ask your salesman when the seed was harvested and don't buy any seed less
>than 90% germ. For every dollar I spend on
> seed I get back 10 fold, I don't mind spending extra for the best seed.
> Seed is the smallest investment that always yields the greatest return..
> Bob.
> Sunny Meadow Farm
> Bridgeton, NJ.




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