I have experience soaking seeds of a completely unrelated genus, Gossypium. Actually this or the IBS forum came up with the suggestions (smoke water, reference by Deno on seed germination, etc.). This is a hard seeded genus that may also have inhibitors that need to be 'rinsed out' of the seed. So i do soak the troublesome species for two days (held down in sandy media, filled to soil level with pure water), drain for 1-2 weeks depending on soil and temperature, repeat for 1 day, then half a day. There are more seedlings emerging with each cycle. Minor adaptation is to warm up seeds for days to months after removal from a cold storage vault.
Other inhibitors would be need for stratification, mycorrhizae, and who knows what else. But i believe once seeds are going through phases of germination they need oxygen so the advice against soaking certain species is key, at least so they don't rot. I hope i added something to this conversation because i have in the past gotten great advice from your discussions.
James Frelichowski
Cotton Curator, USDACollege Station, TX
On Sunday, November 14, 2021, 07:02:15 PM CST, Jane McGary via pbs <pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> wrote:
I never soak seeds before sowing them unless there is some well-known
reason to do this with a particular genus. I sow them and then partially
immerse the flat of pots in water until it soaks up to the surface, then
keep them in a well-lit, unheated shed (Jan has seen it). I would not
leave them outdoors because slugs, birds, and rodents would likely bite
off the emerging seedlings, especially if the seed coat is on the tip of
the cotyledon to attract the latter two pests.
Jane McGary, Portland, Oregon, USA
On 11/14/2021 12:40 PM, Jan Jeddeloh via pbs wrote:
> I’m about to sow seed of various hardy and semi-hardy bulbs. My usual procedure is to soak the seed for a day before sowing then throw the pots outside until they start to germinate in the spring. Once germination starts I bring them into a cool greenhouse. Works reasonably well. Today it is over 60F in Portland, Oregon and tomorrow, when we get a gully washer of rain, it will be 50 degrees. Does anyone see a point in soaking the seed since it appears Mother Nature is going to soak it for me and provide reasonably warm temperatures to boot?
>
> Jan Jeddeloh in balmy Portland, Oregon. Zone 8.
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