Should soaking seeds rise to the top of the glass?

[frdnicholas]

When I start my seeds in a clear glass, should the seeds that will sprout when I plant them, rise to the top of the glass? Some of the seeds stay on the bottom, and I'm wondering if they are either old or won't grow?

 

[Logan]

If the seeds on the top have taken in the water i think those are the ones that will germinate, I'd sow them all anyway you've got nothing to lose, only soak them for up to 24 hours.
I soaked some lupin seeds the ones that were bigger were floating but I sowed them all and not sure if i had more or not.

 

[Chuck]

The one's that float are the bad seeds as they don't weigh as much, meaning that something has happened to the interior of the seeds. A prime example of this is acorns. 99.9% of the time an acorn floats it will have a tiny hole in it where a pest has been. Same thing with corn seeds. But, just because a seed sinks doesn't necessarily mean it will germinate.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

forgot how it goes. but I just google it. the difference between bad and good seeds one sinks the other floats. so I leave that memory to google when I need to recall it.

 

[Tetters]

It`s just the same as testing eggs. The bad ones float, and the goodies sink. We have so many to sow this spring, but have put the big sowing day off for a couple of weeks because of the cold..... itching to start !! The propagator is ready to go

 

[headfullofbees]

Sow them all. It's possible some of the floaters won't make it, but, then again, some of the sinkers might not.
It's not like they've got some kind of disease that they can spread...

 

[roadrunner]

I think it depends on the type of seed, but when I soak my moonflower vine (Ipomoea alba) seeds, some float, some don't, but it doesn't seem to affect the germination of the seeds.

 

[Don Perry]

Just plant them. I generally plant several seeds in each little container, then when they come up and have their first true leaves, I pull out any weak or undersized sprouts. leaving one strong sprout. You do have plenty of seeds, don't you?

 

[headfullofbees]

Many seeds are so light that they get caught in the surface tension of the water anyway.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

Provided I have enough seeds I try all the possibilities, some get soaked, some don't, some go direct into the soil, some in the cold greenhouse, some in a propagator. And I find that what worked last year is not always what works this year. Let's face it, most seed merchants give you far more seeds than you need, I noticed a packet of lettuce said 'average contents 2,000 seeds', that's enough to go into business if you only get 50% germination Over the last few years I have been looking in 'pound shop', they will do packets of 6 different sorts of veg seeds or salad seeds with maybe ten each of two tomato types, or twenty cabbage, or a pinch of lettuce, and so on. Sensible amounts at a sensible price rather than two pounds for one type and more seed than you would use in a lifetime, and they seem to grow okay.

 

[headfullofbees]

Provided I have enough seeds I try all the possibilities, some get soaked, some don't, some go direct into the soil, some in the cold greenhouse, some in a propagator. And I find that what worked last year is not always what works this year. Let's face it, most seed merchants give you far more seeds than you need, I noticed a packet of lettuce said 'average contents 2,000 seeds', that's enough to go into business if you only get 50% germination Over the last few years I have been looking in 'pound shop', they will do packets of 6 different sorts of veg seeds or salad seeds with maybe ten each of two tomato types, or twenty cabbage, or a pinch of lettuce, and so on. Sensible amounts at a sensible price rather than two pounds for one type and more seed than you would use in a lifetime, and they seem to grow okay.

I stopped doing that because germination rates were so low.
Either I was making serious mistakes when sowing, or their handling of the seeds was poor.
It was, however, some time ago, so perhaps either they have changed their ways, or I, with experience, have changed mine.
Their is a place for large seed packets, however, as some seeds will germinate even after ten years, if well looked after, albeit at a diminished proportion.

 

[frdnicholas]

I planted them all and will wait and see what happens. Of course, I won't remember which seeds floated and which sank, so as a researcher, I'm not qualified!