Checking The Viability of Seeds
Quick, but not very accurate, test
Drop the seeds in a bowl of water. After 15 minutes, the viable seeds will usually sink and the nonviable will float, and you can skim off the ones you want to throw away. If you aren’t planting right away make sure to properly dry the seeds you are keeping.
Note that this only identifies the dead seeds. The ones that are left may still be too damaged or too deteriorated to sprout.
More dependable germination test
Another method that is more dependable is the germination test. This is designed to give you an estimate of what percentage of the seeds will sprout.
Take 10 or so seeds and place them about 1cm apart (a bit more or less, depending on the size of the seed) in a row or rows on a damp paper towel.
Fold or roll the towel over the seeds and put it in a plastic bag. A plate covered by plastic wrap will also work. Some advice says to seal the bag to retain moisture, other advice says leave it a little open to allow some air circulation. The important things is that the seeds need both moisture and air, so don’t soak the towel, and mist it if it starts to dry out.
Put the towel somewhere warm, like a warm windowsill or on top of your refrigerator. Seeds like pepper and eggplant like some extra warmth, but spring greens and most root crops like it cooler.
The seeds will sprout in anything from 2 days for quick-sprouting kinds, to 14 days for slower ones.
If you actually want the percentage, calculate (number sprouted/number tested) x100.
You can also just sow the seeds in pots, but with this method you can miss seeds that have sprouted, but are not showing above the soil level, and it can also be harder to keep them warm.
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