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  • From: Pat Meadows <pat AT meadows.pair.com>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] seed germination
  • Date: Sun, 05 Feb 2006 08:38:45 -0500

On Sat, 4 Feb 2006 20:48:48 -0900, you wrote:

> If I end up with poor germination or weak seedlings at a
>critical time because I've stored them improperly or for some other
>reason, I'm hosed. I've run into this with brassicas, squash, peppers,
>and tomatoes. Every year I swear I'll get my seed order lower and use
>last year's purchased seed, but in the end I get nervous and I shell out
>maybe several hundred dollars extra for new seed and give last years
>away to my gardener friends.

If you can store your seed in a freezer, I believe you will
greatly extend its 'fresh time'. It might even be worth
buying a chest-type freezer specifically for that purpose.

Electricity costs money, but seeds do too and they're not
cheap any more. A chest-type freezer, rarely opened and
covered with insulation, will use minimal electricity
(Manual defrost, don't get auto defrost, it uses a lot more
power and doesn't keep items frozen as solidly as a manual
defrost freezer). Maybe you could even pick up a used chest
freezer.

>From 'Seed to Seed', Suzanne Ashworth, ISBN 1-882424-58-1,
Published by Seeds Savers Exchange, Decorah, IA, 2002, 2nd
edition, pg. 29:

'Seeds of all species can be stored for many years with
almost no loss of germination and only minimal loss of
vigor, when dried to about 8% seed moisture, sealed into an
airtight container and frozen. Seeds stored using these
techniques will maintain their viability for up to ten times
longer than normal germination rates. Freezing does not
hurt seeds that have been dried to moisture levels of 8% or
less. If the seeds are not thoroughly dry, however, the
excess moisture expands when frozen and will rupture the
cell walls. A quick and test is that seeds will break
instead of bending when folded, if their moisture is 8% or
less. Also hard-shelled seeds, such as beans or corn, will
shatter instead of mashing when placed on concrete and
struck with a hammer.'

I've frozen seeds for a long time, and the results have
always been excellent.

Pat
--
"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism,
since it is the merger of state and corporate power."
- Benito Mussolini




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