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nafex - [NAFEX] New method for sprouting seeds

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  • From: "Mark Lee" <markl@nytec.com>
  • To: "North American Fruit Explorers" <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [NAFEX] New method for sprouting seeds
  • Date: Fri, 7 Mar 2003 11:35:04 -0800

I have some equipment that I use to help germinate seeds.  One of these is a temperature controlled chamber.  It works well, but it is quite bulky and requires a source of AC power to regulate the temperature.  I have developed a low tech alternative for small scale seed germinating projects... I mean really small scale.  And my new technique is very portable, but I doubt that adds much value to the process.  So here is my story:
 
I needed a key ring recently, and I decided to buy one with a thermometer in it.  I noticed that the temperature in my pocket was right around 80'F all day long, day after day.  I don't know how much this varies from person-to-person, but at this temperature I saw an opportunity.  This was close to the temperature I use in my seed germinating chamber.  I decided to try an experiment.  I purchased a Meyer lemon.  I saved all the seeds, and I placed them in a plastic sandwich bag.  Nothing else was added to the bag.  I carried these in my pocket for a week.  Nothing happened, and the seeds were starting to dry out a little.  I decided to add some potting soil to the bag.  After a few days my pocket started to smell like dirt, so I stopped the experiment.  That was one day ago.  Today I looked in the bag and one of the seeds has sprouted.  The room temperature is around 60'F in my house.  I think the seeds would have taken much longer to germinate at this room temperature than they did in my pocket.  This sounds like an experiment that would make a good school science project (comparing seeds germinated at room temperature to seeds germinated in a pocket).
 
By the way, how long do I have to wait to get Meyer lemons from seed, if it is at all possible?
 
-Mark Lee, Seattle z7b/8a



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