Getting old seeds to germinate
Of course there are ‘old’ seeds and ‘old’ seeds - not all ‘old seeds are equal. I recently rummaged in the back of the cupboard where I keep my seeds and found brown envelopes of some that I had collected but never sown. The oldest dated back to 2018 so 7 years. However if you listen to this weeks episode with Richard Bowman you will discover that the seeds he is trying to germinate which he salvaged from his great uncle Eric’s potting shed, go back MUCH further.
Richard’s seed packets
You will really disappear down a rabbit hole as I just did, if you start to google some of the names on the packaging! Adam Carlisle Bamlett founded his company in Thirsk in 1860 winning ‘The Royal Agricultural Society's first prize manual delivery reaper’ according to an 1862 London Exhibition catalogue. Then there’s this from the Wolverton Express Nov 1937:
Lokreel Brand Canned Salmon and Canned Fruits are deservedly popular. Such tempting and health- giving foods make delicious meals at a reasonable cost. 11's 21's 1/2 Fruit Salad l/51 Loganberries 2's 1/- Boz. .. 7d. Sliced ...
Sorry climbing back out of the rabbit hole, these seeds all belonged to Great Uncle Eric and were stored in his potting shed on the Yorkshire moors. Some are easily recognised, others are not. To Richard they are more precious than any financial inheritance. The question is can he get them to germinate? He dreams of being able to put the colour of flowers, back into the black and white photographs of his great aunt and uncle in their garden.
As always seems to happen with these plant stories I find myself learning but also realising there are so many more questions to be asked about seeds. In conversation with Adam Alexander who is also know as the Seed Detective we learned about how best to store seeds - in the fridge. The key three things that Adam said a seed needs is to be cool, dry and dark. So an abandoned potting shed might have been dark but on the wet Yorkshire moors he fears the changing humidity might have damaged the seeds even if they were cold. Putting seeds in a box in the greenhouse, he told us, is the worst thing you can do.
Adam painted an image in the listener’s mind of these seeds waking up after many years of sleep and emerging into a world that is so different in terms of climate from when Eric was gardening. Might it be possible that Richard could reach back through the generations and grow a sweet pea that was one of those his great grandfather used to show? We’re not sure - his great grandfather didn’t like to share the prize winning seeds so maybe he didn’t give any to Eric!
I wonder when we find ourselves browsing seed packets in the garden centre, some of us (I put my hand up) resembling children at the sweet counter, how often do we really think about where those seeds actually come from?That will be the subject of April’s offshoot episode, a conversation with Adam about his new book: The Accidental Seed Heroes.
In the Museum of Homelessness garden this week there was great excitement because the first pumpkin seed has emerged in the greenhouse. It’s from Ethiopia. The pumpkin patch is a work in progress. Last year there were no pumpkins and a few set backs (we think someone slept in the patch one night) but we are going again this year and the journey has started. Again it is conversations along the way that help. Adam when I told him about the pumpkins suggested we put some seeds in the greenhouse and some in the ground and advised we may need to hand pollinate.
I hope you too are sowing seeds this month. Do listen to the episode if you want tips on how to do a germination test on older seeds that are past their expiry date.
I have had 2 pots of tomatoes and a pot of tagetes as desk pals for the last 3 weeks - they are now moving on but will be replaced shortly by some new friends.
Have a lovely weekend
Sally
x