Lotsa Seeds

Hey guys, this is my first time in the grow section. Ive grown before, but they were just clones bought at 18" from the medicinal store. I have never started from a seed.

Last weekend we went to my girlfriends grandmothers house for a short little vacation. She has toked for many years, and we have been smoking with her for the past few. While we were there she explained that she had 30+ years of seeds saved up, and wanted us to get rid of them for her. She didnt want to throw them out at her house, because she was afraid of the laws being more strict. So, we agreed to take them back with us. We are talking about 2 gallon sized ziplocks filled with seeds from the 60s til today of all types.

If we wanted to grow, how would we seperate the good seeds from the bad seeds? Can you still plant them after four decades? Would it just be better to throw them all out and start with new seeds?

Sorry, I just read the stickeys (I guess I should read, then post). Im not sure if this qualifies as a grow question, but please move it to a correct forum if it does. Sorry mods.. :o

it wouldn't hurt anything to try to germinate a few. Just fold them in paper towel, wet the towel and put in a baggy in a warm place for a couple of days. See if any crack open.

Shov

get all the dark brown ones, and try to germinate them, and with the white/shitty ones just throw them in a pot and some should grow, hopefully you get alot of different strains... good luck ;)

i would jus get some big pots fill em up with soil and put about 10-15 seeds in 1 pot and wait to see if they grow i wouldnt wanna germinate them cuz their old but i dont know a whole lot i jus think u would have better results just puttin them in pots and thats a cool find hopefully they grow u could get some nice plants jus think some would be like 40year old bud lol

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by EmoRebellion

If we wanted to grow, how would we seperate the good seeds from the bad seeds? Can you still plant them after four decades?

---

Only one way to find out :D

Also, you can try floating them in a glass of water overnight. Ones that sink absorb water, ones that float aren't absorbing water. At least I'm 95% sure thats how that works.

Try germinating some in a wet paper towel in a baggie. Toss it back behind your fridge where its warm and dark, should pop a root in 24-36 hours.

This is what I'd do:
Dump them all out in a lasagne pan and as Abbatoir said, go through and pick out all the brown, plump, striped ones, which are the ripest. Save these.

When you want to germ some, go ahead and use the paper towel method or whatever you like.

I think the best way is to put them in just enough water to moisten them, but not cover them. A seed needs oxygen to pop and not rot. I don't like the float test for this reason. So a clean jam jar with about 1mm of water in the bottom would be nice. You can put the lid on so the water doesn't evaporate.

Old seeds may take longer to germ, but you will probably be surprised that a lot of them WILL actually grow! So don't just try to sprout like a hundred at once because you may be swamped with little plants! :D

Thanks for the help guys! Im assuming there is no way to figure out which seeds are going to produce a decent strain, right?

None at all. That's your project, now get on it! :D Man I'd love to get my paws on some old-school genetics.

Hey, if your ever in cali maybe we could work something out.

heh I can't leave the East Coast... who would water my attic?

Ah. True.


So, I basically want all of the big, fat, dark seeds? Get rid of any that lok squished or white?

Exactly. Tan and darker are the ones you want. The browner the better.

Sweet. Looks like I have a project after I get off work today.

lol i wana get hold of some seeds :) when i move and have ma own room lol im defo gona try grow a plant, is the baggie method any gd and how long can i leave it in there

i was thinking put the seed in some wet cotton wall and put that in a baggie instead

have it once i move im defo gona try grow a plant.

does the baggie method work well? i was gona put some seeds in some wet cotton and put them in a baggie, how long can you leave it in there ?

You may have just hit the motherlode of cannabis seeds. I say start germinating and see what you get. If we were allowed to PM I would make you an offer.

Ill take some pics once I get home.

that'd be sweet if you found some lost Purple Haze seeds.

The problem is that I would never know.. Short of planting all of them, I dont know what to do..

read up on outdoor growing and make a big patch like ithgs grow this year.. that would be sick..

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by EmoRebellion

The problem is that I would never know.. Short of planting all of them, I dont know what to do..

---

man too bad this shit is illegal. we could start the search for the Purple Haze. Send out 5 seeds to a shitload of people and see if anyone can get some growing. haha.

Stoner dreams.

Quote:

---

man too bad this shit is illegal. we could start the search for the Purple Haze. Send out 5 seeds to a shitload of people and see if anyone can get some growing. haha.

---

purple haze isnt a strain...

anyway to the guy with lots of seeds, you should plant the white ones in a pot with some soil just because its a waste not to, also, if you find a load of similar seedlings (that look like the same strain) give them out, if anyone you know wants them, give them some, and then if you still have too many just put them outside somewhere as nice for them as possible, and hope they grow, then even if you dont, you got loads of indoor plants anyway ;) just some advice :) have fun with your multi generation seeds lol

There is no way I am going to plant ALL of these seeds.. I mean there is pounds..

And I just found out she has like 25 more gallon sized ziplocks full of seeds that she didnt give us. :stoned:

Holy shit there could be some really neat old-school stuff in there.

So I was doing a bit of research for you and came up with the seed/age and germ rate numbers.

Germ rate is stable for a solid 5 years.
After that point, it can decrease up to 10% per year.

You're probably sitting on a sativa gold-mine.

you said they are from 60s-til now. just remember bud back then wasnt as good as it is now. i laugh every time i hear a old timer saying stuff like "oh the stuff we had bad in the day was so much better" when it is proven that bud today is way better not then it was back in the 60s 70s 80s

find a nice spot outside and test the waters

you might as well make your own seed bank then lol

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by lovetogrow

you said they are from 60s-til now. just remember bud back then wasnt as good as it is now. i laugh every time i hear a old timer saying stuff like "oh the stuff we had bad in the day was so much better" when it is proven that bud today is way better not then it was back in the 60s 70s 80s

---

I don't agree with that at all.

It depends upon what you value in your plants.

Some of the strains we all grow today were bred in the 70s from that same stock... and some landrace strains are in danger of extinction or hybridization to the point of being effectively made extinct in their pure form.

From a breeder's perspective, the old germplasm is VERY valuable.

BTW old seeds can take up to 2 weeks to germ so be patient and make sure they have enough oxygen not to rot in that time.

Quote:

---

I don't agree with that at all.

It depends upon what you value in your plants.

Some of the strains we all grow today were bred in the 70s from that same stock... and some landrace strains are in danger of extinction or hybridization to the point of being effectively made extinct in their pure form.

From a breeder's perspective, the old germplasm is VERY valuable.

BTW old seeds can take up to 2 weeks to germ so be patient and make sure they have enough oxygen not to rot in that time.

---

yeah today stains are those from the 70s but breeded to be better to the point that they are getting higher thc.

Wow, You are lucky. I would love to find some seeds that are that old. You might have some varieties that are no longer around.

I am jealous.

what it comes down to is you got alot of varieties but you will never know what strains they are other you may figure if they are indica or sativa.
If you are happy with you find im happy for you, it could turn out to be fun.
just dont get your hopes up on bag seed, it sucks to get hopes crushed.

Goodluck...BTW, I always plant my seeds in soil, rapid rooters, or rockwool starter plugs. I never use the paper towel method...too many failures...drowning, I guess lol. If you want to guarantee yourself good genetics...buy them! Here are a few very potent varieties: White Widow, Northern Lights, Ak-47, NYCD... peace