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Richmond, BC, Canada

I think many growers use too wet a paper towel. The paper towel should be sqeezed as dry as you possibly get it. Bunch it up into a ball and squeeze dry with both hands.

3/25/2025 10:59:02 PM

Grittyville, WA

Interestingly, if you combine bleach with h202, you get salt water. 50% bleach is a lot of, well, salt.

3/26/2025 1:40:45 AM

Syracuse, NY

The seeds you are using probably will germinate and progress as they would in the wild, as you are saying, butt all a seed cares about is that it remains even slightly wet and not eaten in a continually-'warm' environment, preferring probably from 77-88 WITH day/night fluctuations in RL. You've not mentioned how many seeds have sprouted in total nor what 'poor' germination is to you. The groups of seeds are not in their own ZipLocs. Seeds less than, lessay 5 years of age will sprout almost no matter what, since their species depends on it. The only reasons to sterilize the seeds are if they are from anywhere that would indicate that they were rotting away IN the pumpkin before they were removed from the pumpkin and/or within a minute number of other circumstances, including if they were left out to dry and they developed mold on them in the process. What seeds did you use, like from where? How old are they?
Note to all: Altering a seed's current condition MAY be a deciding factor in whether or not it will sprout, butt, we'll never know, I guess...

I don't mean to disparage, honestly.

Does bacteria or fungus get killed at 130 F? I would say that 165 or above is 'food-grade' sterilization and I wouldn't trust it even then, lol!
Gimme that Sizzle Steak, please!

3/26/2025 3:26:15 AM

Syracuse, NY

ZipLoc bag (ZLB), one quart; Paper towel, wetted through, folded 4 times and flattened with a pie plate or similar against the side of the sink, HARD and 'massaged' to get it all outta there, but it will be moist enough; Unfold to 2X, place into ZLB and place seeds, with NO modifications at all into ZLB arranged at one END for roots to travel and squeeze mucho air out with the folded towel/pie plate method: (Bath towel or similar, folded down to just larger than the ZLB; Place the towel on top of the ZLB and palm-press down with a pie plate or similar to squeeze the air mostly out as possible and simultaneously sealing the ZLB. So rewarding!!! Label by now and hang up the ZLB with a piece of tape if not heated (living room) or a push pin somewhere if it IS to be heated, to 88-92 degrees F. Wait 72 hrs. for ANY root emergence, which will be plainly visible with the seeds ON TOP of the paper towel. Once all the seeds have germinated it is OK to let air in for space for the roots, but not much if at all. Air has bacteria in it and the less the better, IMHO. Growers use the Paper Towel method, which varies from grower to grower, of course, for not only seed experimenting butt also for actual seeds for growing for the season. Seed Starting Mix, also, of course, butt this is more fun, until the Real Deal.
I am not returning any of my Ziploc Bags, lol.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

3/26/2025 3:27:13 AM

Syracuse, NY

For your reference, here is a link to my experiment pertaining to what I had found; Seems years ago, lol:
bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=301530
I found, butt did not study further, that air squeezed out of the ZLB seemed, seemed, to be quicker.
Let's work together and my main takeaway was to not use 50% bleach. I don't think I can afford it anyway, lol!
Although alcohol is used with Gibberellic ACID to sprout older seeds, just alcohol is MY taboo to never use otherwise.
ALL-kill-HAUL, for seeds, anyway.
PS---If this entire comment is unsavory or rude, I will GLADLY remove it, but would namelessly/without direction put it in my Diary since I took the time.
Keep experimenting!
eg

3/26/2025 3:27:22 AM

Upa Creek, MO

I am not a fan of the paper towel method either. Sterilized seed starting mix, proper temp and moisture are good for me. I do old seeds that way too. Just never use garden soil from outside in your medium. Being in Missouri you have seedcorn maggots that'll take out a new plant in a day.

3/26/2025 8:24:36 AM

Missouri

Thanks, and great thoughts! This was by no means a scientific experiment just thought I would see how this worked with my setup. Since bacterial disease has ended my season on 2 occasions, my goal was to check if my setup for a hot water seed bath was any harder on seeds than other methods. (Hot water at 130 degrees has been shown to be effective in eradicating this, which surprises me as well. ) The seeds were from about 400 lb pumpkins grown in 2023, on a plant with confirmed bacterial spot (Xanthomonas leaf spot) which can be seed and/or soil borne so I won't ever be planting these in my patch.
Unfortunately, as you noticed there was a lot of operator error. 1/8 seeds germinated, about 1 per test group and none in the 50% bleach group. I tried not to over saturate the paper towels, and when I checked the seeds, the towels were literally bone dry in areas. I posted this in my diary mainly to keep track of my own failures in case I decide to try something like this again, I'll know what not to do in the future. So I definitely appreciate all the input and suggestions!

3/26/2025 9:30:36 PM

Syracuse, NY

Okay, 'cool', puns always intended and in retrospect, I only THEN noticed/remembered to see that example study for those pathogens that I had, I guess now, missed in reading initially.
'I know a little 'bout it - Maybe I'nn'gan guess the rest'.
Oh, Eric G. Had 'forgotten how great Lynyrd Skynyrd was and is, lol.
PS---Now you know what you can try next, lol. Oh, Eric G. Lol.
You won't BELIEVE what experiment I put in the works along with my rant last night - It'll be epic, if it works. If not, well, I won't even ADMIT to it, lol!
Take care. (*_*)

3/26/2025 10:15:19 PM