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Fresh VFT seeds?

Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2010 1:48 am
by tgplp
Hello everyone! I bought some Venus Fly Traps seeds from Flytrapstore a while ago, and they germinated fine, but I killed most of them on accident and now I only have a few seedlings. (By the way, thank you Matt and/or Steve for the great seeds!) I planted the rest of the seed I got yesterday, and now I'm freaking out- I mean, who wouldn't! I have no VFT seed left!!! :o :) Well, I was wondering if it would be dumb to buy seeds now because its probably been a while since they were super fresh, or do you think a few months will be fine or should I wait til next year to buy more seeds?

Thanks!

Tgplp :D

Re: Fresh VFT seeds?

Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2010 3:35 am
by Matt
tgplp wrote:I was wondering if it would be dumb to buy seeds now because its probably been a while since they were super fresh, or do you think a few months will be fine or should I wait til next year to buy more seeds?
Steve and I store the seeds very well and they are only 4 to 5 months old at this point, so the germination rate should still be very, very high. I wouldn't hesitate recommending buying more seed now if you want to give it another try. Germination rate should be just as high or nearly as high as it was with your first packet.

Re: Fresh VFT seeds?

Posted: Thu Nov 11, 2010 10:33 am
by HarrisAz
my batch of seeds from Matt and Steve b4 germinated in 10days.some germinated in 2weeks time bcoz i put them under shade unlike the 10day germination once i put in morning to afternoon sunlight.

that was on september

anyway Matt and Steve,hw do u store the seeds so it wont lost its viability?

Re: Fresh VFT seeds?

Posted: Thu Nov 11, 2010 2:55 pm
by Steve_D
HarrisAz wrote:Matt and Steve,hw do u store the seeds so it wont lost its viability?
It's just a matter of:
  • Allowing the seeds to dry in the shade for 2-3 days after harvest, so they will not develop fungus growth in storage
  • Placing them in an envelope or container where they have a little air but no solid contact with an impermeable membrane like plastic (also to prevent fungal growth), but which prevents them from drying much further, like a paper envelope inside a plastic zip-lock bag
  • Refrigerating them at above-freezing temperatures
This keeps the seeds fresh with as high a germination rate as practically possible for the longest time.

:)