Seeds still good?

[WI hunter]

I was given these seeds that were tested in April of 2015 for content according to the label. Are they still any good? They are 64.45% Refine Forage Soybean and 34.45% Sorghum-Sudangrass. I have a part of my plot that I thought about planting them in if they are still any good. Please let me know what you guys think. Thanks!

Peter

 

[Tree Spud]

Best way to find out is to store outside in dirt ... add water ... observe ...

 

[WI hunter]

Well that is the plan, but I really dont know how long seeds last. I figure they are still good, and if not I'll just put down some more buckwheat in a month.

 

[Bill]

As long as it was stored in a dry spot I'd bet it's good. Wrap some in wet paper towels and put them in an open zip lock bag. Keep them wet and see what sprouts. Or do like spud says and plant them.

 

[Tap]

Yeah, do the paper towel test and plant the corresponding rate. If you get only 50% on the germ test, then double the seeding rate.

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[WI hunter]

Germination test started with 10 of each, we'll see what happens ina couple o days.

Peter

 

[MRBB]

add some seed inocullant to them and have at it, it will ONLY help, and its cheap and easy to do
I have planted many seeds that were 1-2-3 yrs old on the past and have never had any BAD results

BUT a lot can have to do with HOW seeds were stored

when you plant them plant them at a higher rate to off set any that don;t grow, as maybe 10-20 % might NOT, due to storage issue's?

But I say go for it

 

[4wanderingeyes]

I agree with Tree Spud. Plant them. I am sure you will get some growth, even 50% is better then throwing them away. Plant them, if there are bare spots, plant some radishes, or turnips in the bare spots come the middle of July. You are planting them for deer, not to make a house payment.


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[Tap]

I'm not in the "just plant them" camp.
Knowing the percentage of viability is important.
How the heck do you know what seeding rate to use if you don't 1st test the viability?
Do a rag doll test. You have nothing to lose.
If you don't test, and the results aren't good, you won't be sure if it was due to the seed or due to some other factor.
ALL SEED should be tested before we plant. There is no good reason not to test.

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[Tap]

The more I think about this, the more I know I'm right that viability needs to be tested.
Example...Welters sometimes sell low-germ Kura Clover seed (they advertise the low viability, they aren't ripping off anyone). The seeding rate may need quadrupled, which is fine if we know that ahead of planting time. But finding out that our plot is sparse and it's not out competing weeds is not a good situation when we realize that fact after the time frame for planting has passed.
There are lots of factors why weeds may out compete our forages in our plots. Low viability could be one reason. Mother nature hates bare soil, so she often grows weeds that we spend years fighting.
Test your seed.

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[4wanderingeyes]

Tap I won't argue that it is a better option, but doing a rag test with 10 seeds is just assuming those 10 seeds represent the entire bag. Sure it will give you a guideline to follow, but how accurate is the guideline when you are using 10 seeds out of an entire bag? If you just guessed and added 15% per year old, I think it would be fairly close. Assuming the seed isn't moldy.

I am not sure if he is planting with a planter, or just broadcasting the seed and disc it in. If he isn't using a planter, I find it even less important to be precise.

But like you said, best option to test them, but it is still only a small sample of the seed in the bag. If I was still farming, and depended on the crop for income, I probably wouldn't use seed over a year old anyhow.


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[Tap]

Tap I won't argue that it is a better option, but doing a rag test with 10 seeds is just assuming those 10 seeds represent the entire bag. Sure it will give you a guideline to follow, but how accurate is the guideline when you are using 10 seeds out of an entire bag? If you just guessed and added 15% per year old, I think it would be fairly close. Assuming the seed isn't moldy.

I am not sure if he is planting with a planter, or just broadcasting the seed and disc it in. If he isn't using a planter, I find it even less important to be precise.

But like you said, best option to test them, but it is still only a small sample of the seed in the bag. If I was still farming, and depended on the crop for income, I probably wouldn't use seed over a year old anyhow.


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Then test 100 seeds.

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[Tree Spud]

The more I think about this, the more I know I'm right that viability needs to be tested.
Example...Welters sometimes sell low-germ Kura Clover seed (they advertise the low viability, they aren't ripping off anyone). The seeding rate may need quadrupled, which is fine if we know that ahead of planting time. But finding out that our plot is sparse and it's not out competing weeds is not a good situation when we realize that fact after the time frame for planting has passed.
There are lots of factors why weeds may out compete our forages in our plots. Low viability could be one reason. Mother nature hates bare soil, so she often grows weeds that we spend years fighting.
Test your seed.

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WOW! Tap ... you are usually more practical.

Yes, lets spend $$$ for testing and months of uncertainty to have a registered biologist tell us nothing. Observations ... food plot, not agro research for Monsanto or Cargill ... it is "free seed" ....

He is gonna plant buckwheat in 30 days if nothing germinates but lets create a science project in our refrigerator and do a statistical analysis on germination rates.

Sometimes you guys suck all of the fun out of hunting ...

By the way I bought 4 packs of generic pumpkin seeds at Walmart today ... gonna plant them without any research sometime in the next 4-5 weeks without any certified pure seed cert, a soil test, fertilizer analysis, or even a 6-7 herbicide chemistry cocktail mix approved by the DNR ... living dangerously ... cheers!

 

[FarmerDan]

While I like the 'Tree Spud Attitude' we're going to talk statistics! Turn away Spud! LOL. Hahahah? It's not will they are won't those seeds germinate, it's a question of probability. Probably, those soybean seeds given their age (on average) will germinate one out of three or one out of four. A seed dealer with any integrity will return unsold seed at the end of the selling season at which time the soybean seeds go into the grinder to make chicken feed. Sorghum Sudangrass? I don't understand the reason for it -with soybeans. it might provide a early browse, but it can get 10 - 12 feet tall at maturity. I guess it's in there to hide the soybeans that didn't germinate?

OK 'spud. Turn back around.

Having said all of that scratch-some dirt and plant the stuff.

 

[WI hunter]

I was able to find the info sheet on the seed mix. It says the grass only gets 3 to 6 feet tall. We'll see how the seed test goes, and if there is decent germination, I'll put it down with some Urea and see what happens. Thanks for your input guys!

Peter

 

[Tap]

WOW! Tap ... you are usually more practical.

Yes, lets spend $$$ for testing and months of uncertainty to have a registered biologist tell us nothing. Observations ... food plot, not agro research for Monsanto or Cargill ... it is "free seed" ....

He is gonna plant buckwheat in 30 days if nothing germinates but lets create a science project in our refrigerator and do a statistical analysis on germination rates.

Sometimes you guys suck all of the fun out of hunting ...

By the way I bought 4 packs of generic pumpkin seeds at Walmart today ... gonna plant them without any research sometime in the next 4-5 weeks without any certified pure seed cert, a soil test, fertilizer analysis, or even a 6-7 herbicide chemistry cocktail mix approved by the DNR ... living dangerously ... cheers!

Did ya read the title of the thread? Wi hunter just asked if the seed should still be good. A rag doll test is simple, free, and only takes a few days to do and it answers the OP's question. We usually tell a poster to do a soil test in order to be sure of the soil conditions that are being dealt with. Why wouldn't we want to test the seed?
"Suck all the fun out of hunting"? What's not fun is to go thru all of the prep work...the herbicides, the tractor fuel, the time and sweat equity that we put into a plot have a food plot fail and have to revert to plan "B" or "C".
...And leave a simple detail like a rag doll test go unaddressed?
The question about seed viability has been asked a hundred times in forums. The standard answer has alway been to do a germ-test.

 

[FarmerDan]

Did ya read the title of the thread? Wi hunter just asked if the seed should still be good. A rag doll test is simple, free, and only takes a few days to do and it answers the OP's question. We usually tell a poster to do a soil test in order to be sure of the soil conditions that are being dealt with. Why wouldn't we want to test the seed?
"Suck all the fun out of hunting"? What's not fun is to go thru all of the prep work...the herbicides, the tractor fuel, the time and sweat equity that we put into a plot have a food plot fail and have to revert to plan "B" or "C".
...And leave a simple detail like a rag doll test go unaddressed?
The question about seed viability has been asked a hundred times in forums. The standard answer has alway been to do a germ-test.

Well, sometimes we do stuff thinking we have an issue cornered, but we really accomplish nothing. I'm for and against all this testing! Test, sure...if you want to, but understand what the results imply. Soils badly sampled can produce a report that looks representative when we get the numbers, but actual soil fertility is far different. And, even if a proper sample is in-hand, we should be aware of the actual variability in the field.

Seed testing as we do it, even though it's a well accepted practice, is filled with problems as we try to interpret the results. Our tests are conducted under ideal conditions, but field conditions are rarely that spectacular. That goes to the issue of seed vigor and I know of no test for it...other than to plant and see what happens. The old rag doll test might reveal a germination percent that looks good. Planting in a cold wet soil can result in percentages much, much different. That's an extreme case, but one can think of many instances where seed vigor would be very important.

I'm all for tests. I'm all about numbers. But, for the most part, we don't have enough numbers or the right kinds of numbers to take much of the risk out of what we do. I often chuckle when I read what we do to assure ourselves the ravages of Mother Nature don't impact us.

 

[northernpotter]

You should keep them a good while .Keep then in the original bag or storage baggie , then put them in one of those plastic shoe boxes you can get from one the many dollar stores and keep them in a dry place.

 

[Tree Spud]

Did ya read the title of the thread? Wi hunter just asked if the seed should still be good. A rag doll test is simple, free, and only takes a few days to do and it answers the OP's question. We usually tell a poster to do a soil test in order to be sure of the soil conditions that are being dealt with. Why wouldn't we want to test the seed?
"Suck all the fun out of hunting"? What's not fun is to go thru all of the prep work...the herbicides, the tractor fuel, the time and sweat equity that we put into a plot have a food plot fail and have to revert to plan "B" or "C".
...And leave a simple detail like a rag doll test go unaddressed?
The question about seed viability has been asked a hundred times in forums. The standard answer has alway been to do a germ-test.

I love it ... you are just like my Biz partner ... needs imperical evidnce before proceeding, he is the engineering dude in our org ... me ... let's shoot the engineer and build something.

TAP respect your judgement ... all good my friend ... let's just pant some shitz and watch it happen ... be well ... cool ...

.

 

[WI hunter]

Well the germination test went great! 8 out of 8, 2 seeds fell out when putting in bag, of the soybeans sprouted, and 9 of 10 of the sorghum sprouted. Doesn't get much better than that. I got them planted last Saturday and we have gotten some decent rain, so we'll see what happens.