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Location

Message

Date Posted

President - GPC

What are some of the longest periods seeds have remained in captivity before seeing some dirt? I have a few nice seeds from the 00 year and am concerned about continued saving......

Advise?

12/13/2006 1:19:22 PM

Pocatello (cliffwarren@yahoo.com)

I don't know, but this year I plan to start MANY backups. One of these is an Emmons seed from 1998... just because.

My advise? Life is short. Plant the seeds. There will be more next year.

12/13/2006 1:53:47 PM

San Jose garysand@pacbell.net

Steve "tremor" is the one to answer this one I think

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/MsgBoard/ViewThread.asp?b=3&p=103737

12/13/2006 7:46:51 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Seeds from 2000 should be fine if they were stored right (frozen). The 1976 seeds that were eluded to in Gary's link are stilll frozen. I haven't had the time to do them justice & won't try unless the conditions are right.

12/14/2006 10:34:03 PM

Syracuse, NY

well, i guess i'll be in trouble, because i have not frozen
my seeds. i'd be in MORE trouble had i not erased my
joke i was gonna make. lol. freezing their seeds works for some and that might be the best way to do it, i dunno.
i'd never fit them all in the freezer that is at the top of the fridge, so....all i know is that i love to be able to pick up one of my jars full and marvel at all of them. dry and jarred is my way. including seeds from, ahem, '00.
of some concern may be how they were treated before i got them, but i am sure they went from grower to grower,
top drawer to top drawer, to my jars. i have no worries.
all of my own seeds are in quart Mason jars as well. eric g

12/15/2006 1:21:34 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Unfrozen mason jars are OK if the temperature & humidity are *stable*. The refrigerator might be the best place but most folks open & close the door so often that the humidity of the seeds fulctuates too much. Extremes of heat are the real killer of seeds. Too dry is next worst.

12/15/2006 7:49:18 AM

Syracuse, NY

i may be doing a 582 remake this year if i can talk
myself into it for once, lol--these seeds are not getting any younger! i guess that will be the acid test for the
REST of the seeds as well: how well, or if at all, the
1026 and 940 germinate. thanks, Trem---eric g

12/16/2006 12:52:27 AM

President - GPC

Santa is bringing one of those vacumn packed, heat sealed freezer machines for Xmas and Im going to use it on my seed storage, For $100 and the price of some of these seeds I thinking its worth the effort.

12/16/2006 10:44:44 AM

Billerica,Massachusetts

i do recall a story a couple years ago, about some pumpkin seeds found in a barn, in a jar i believe they were circa late 1950's? they did germinate when planted.
Glenn

1/25/2007 8:55:00 AM

Pembroke, New Hampshire

The common literature on pumpkins states that seeds stored properly should last for 4 years. Under ideal conditions, they could last 10 years. After that, there is a steady decline in viability. I believe that the 1950's seeds reference above had a 50% germination rate...but that's the exception rather than the rule.

1/25/2007 10:13:16 AM

President - GPC

Thanks, in the freezer cndadoc?

1/25/2007 12:22:47 PM

Pembroke, New Hampshire

If you plan to grow them in 4-5 years, they don't need to be in the freezer. Any place cool, dark and dry is good. I keep mine in a dark closet. Keeping them in the freezer in a dried state can prolong their viability for an extensive period. With the ever changing genetics of giant pumpkins, I'm not sure that anyone wants to grow a 20 year old seed, though (except for historical interest). The biggest pumpkins around tend to be from recent seed stock. Of course, only a small percentage of seeds ever get planted, so who knows if there's a world record hanging around in someone's freezer behind the ice cubes under the long forgotten frozen meat, way in the back.....

1/25/2007 6:28:58 PM

President - GPC

I can see it now in a freezer somewheres........1068 Wallace seed....FOR SALE.....original with authenticity certificate.......first one over 2000 lbs....GRANDE_2010.....Yo!

1/25/2007 8:46:24 PM

Indiana

That 20 yr old seed in the freezer will be the one to make the magic cross that will put us over 3000 pounds, It might just give us that mystical "hybrid vigor". So keeping them in the old chest freezer next to that 3 year old turkey might be a good idea.
Steve

1/26/2007 11:23:00 AM