Peat moss + zip-lock baggy method of cold stratification

General Discussion
1

Wanting to hear from those of you who are experienced in the method of cold stratification using damp peat moss + zip-lock baggy.

It seems to me almost impossible to be able to identify any (early stage) germinating seeds, especially if there are hundreds of tiny seeds mostly hidden within the dark peat moss mass.

Question:

How do you (or can you) selectively separate out the early germinators, and leave the rest behind for a continuing period of cold + damp exposure?

2

George, as you and others know I am new at this lark, I would have placed the seed on the top of the peat like you do with the paper towel method, IMO

3

I’ve been using this method for years. You can see the white radicles as they emerge and grow to the edge of the baggie. I open the baggie and pick out the germinating ones and seal it up again to check the next week. Sometimes with a lot of them, I pour out the contents on a flexible gallon / 5 quart ice cream bucket lid, pick out the seedlings and pot them, and bend the flexible cover and pour the remaining seeds and peat back into the baggie until next time.

4

Hi David Z,

Thanks for the explanation.

I see!

I used the peat + zip-lock baggy method with some tiny seeds, but panicked when I realised I didn’t know what to do in this regard.

Ok I’ll now re-bag what’s sitting in paper towelling back to the damp peat moss, and put it all back in the fridge again.

:O)

5

I tried that a long time ago and ran into that issue, so I went the paper towel route. That took too long and since the refrigerator and seed beds weren’t in the same place, didn’t work very well unless I held them that way and took them all out to plant whether germinated or not. I even tried planting each seed in a peat pellet, bagging them, then taking them all out at once to plant. That had the best germination, but required the whole 22 cu ft fridge. Fortunately, I was the only one it inconvenienced, but I did enjoy eating out all the time! Now, I’ll just hold them in the dry snack size zip lock bags and plant all at once.

6

I do pretty much like David Z. I try to not put more than 100 seeds per 1/4 cup peat. I plant out each sproutling that I can see each month. They are up to 2 in (5 cm) long sometimes but mostly shorter. The pale color contrasts easily with the peat. I have a couple hundred bags in the frig right now and it takes 2-4 hr to screen through and plant what I find each month. I rarely get more than 50 at once from a bag, usually 10-15 % of the starting #.

7

George, you have been given 2 good answers to your quandry, how about you try the 2 methods for an experiment.

8

I’m partial to peat over paper. It doesn’t grow as much other stuff on it, and I wonder if its acidity doesn’t help with the germination. Also, the white radicles are pretty easy to see. Just don’t pack the baggie too full – you should be able to lay it out pretty flat, and then you will certainly spot the germinating seedlings. About a 1/4 cup is all you want in a little sandwich baggy – no more.

9

Hi David M, I hate paper towelling!

I just redid the Basye’s Legacy baggy which was collecting too much moldy muck after 5 months in refrigerated wet paper towelling (YUK)…

I swapped the “paper muck” with damp peat moss (if I squeezed that damp peat moss it would not allow water to actually drip out… I hope that is the right balance of water to the peat moss)…

There must be something like 200-300 seeds ([size=x-small]very teeny tiny little seed[/size]) in what you see in the picture below of that Basye’s Legacy seed.

Is that about right, y’all for that sized seed?

[attachment 661 Picture52.jpg]

10

This past season, I did all of mine in ziplock bags with a very short mist spray of plain water. NO paper towels. Germination seemed about the same as it has always been. There will be no more paper towels for my seed stratification.

11

All the previous years I have used moist peat, this year everything went into clear pill bottles which I bought from the local chemist and moist cottonwool balls. The moist cottonwool was used as a media to keep high levels of moisture within the containers during stratification. Being a very clean media I had less contamination from moulds and the seeds were easy to find as they were sitting on top. Germination has not been compromised at all from that of previous years.

12

I personally love the idea of damp peat moss, it just sounds real natural and Earthy!

13

you should use it then George.

14

I use damp peat in zip-lock bags and when I notice the first germinant I just sow the lot by spreading the seeds across ther surface of the potting mix and covering it with a thin layer of soil followed by perlite. You reduce the risk of damaging fragile new roots this way and the others will germinate shortly after with an unimpeded root-run; they won’t be too far off being ready themselves anyway. The less I have to fiddle with the seeds the better.

15

Hi George

I use washed river sand in my zip lock bags. A small amount of sand will keep a large number of seeds sufficiently moist and sprouted seed is very easy to spot against the dark sand. A kitchen sieve is ideal for washing away the sand leaving the seeds behind if you wish to plant all at the same time. No moulds either.

Cheers

Mike

16

Hi Mike,

That sounds like a good idea as well. Actually I’ll be using washed sand as the initial germination media to germinate each one as it sprouts (i.e. aiming for minimal molds / damp off).



Thanks for sharing what you do as well !!

O:)