Masterlow slow germination

I've got some mdanzig Masterlow seeds, and they are huge, great-looking seeds, but they seem to germinate really slowly. The first one that I tried didn't seem to be germinating so I threw it out, but now I'm germinating a second one, and it seems to just be starting to barely germinate after a full week. It is germinating in a Jiffy peat pellet in a covered germination station with a heating mat. It did get a bit cold during the week as there has been a cold spell, but it's germinating with some other vegetable seeds and they are sprouting. So has anybody else experienced slow germination with Masterlow, or are they sensitive to temperature, or did I just get an old batch?

I just thought of a new name, Masterslow :D

I wouldn't worry about them for awhile, I've had seeds pop up 2weeks after the others were already growing .... and it was a good, healthy plant, too ... and I just read something new yesterday, I had never heard before ... I read that if given a choice between LARGE seeds and smaller seeds, go with the smaller of the two ... it said large seeds tend to germinate and sprout slower (I never knew that) ... who'd a thunk it ?? :smokin:

That seems to be true because these Masterlow seeds are like twice as big as, say, standard Nirvana seeds.

You might want to try and pre crack the seeds.

Yeah it never germinated, it did swell but then seemed to just die. I think that it got too cold for it at night or something, because another seed germinated but then just died and had a funky looking taproot. I'll just wait till it gets a little warmer, my house is cold.

Materlow seems to be notoriously hard shelled.

I would suggest soaking the seeds in a glass of water until they sink. This will alow the seed shell to soften up a bit and make it easier for the taproot to push through.

I have also heard of people soaking their seeds in black tea, saying that the acidity in the tea helps to soften the shell to an even greater degree.

From this point use the standard "paper towel method" and all should be well.

Peace