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Location

Message

Date Posted

Grandfield Oklahoma

Does anyone know if there is a minimum/ maximum temperature range for germination of seeds?

I was thinking of getting a chicke egg incubator because they have to have a constant temperature and moiture. The only thing is that they are about 98 degrees. Maybee thats to hot?
Larry Landon

1/22/2005 11:38:09 AM

Cologne / Germany

Larry, that´s too hot. 84 F (+/- 2 degree) is the way to go. Try to get a (fish tank) thermometer with a sensor cable that will turn your incubator on/off around 84 F.

1/22/2005 1:03:12 PM

Eugene, OR

My rookie opinion would be around 80-90 degrees. From some other posts I've read, it seems that higher germination temps make the seeds germinate faster, but crank it up too high and you'll have roasted seeds in no time. I've had 100% germination at around 85 degrees so I've never messed with a higher temperature. The cheap baseboard heater thermostat I wired into my germination chamber keeps the temp between 80-85 degrees all the time so I guess that's close enough for government work.

1/22/2005 1:49:59 PM

Cornwall UK.(50N 5W)300ft.

80-85 for me also,over that and I often get half a cotyledon with a rotten edge I think the bacteria or fungi that cause this don't multiply below 85.

1/22/2005 2:14:48 PM

Western NY

i personally like the mid-high 80's

1/22/2005 4:11:26 PM

Lloydminster/AB

At 85 I have some fail, at 90 I am almost 100 percent.Use the same thermometer ALL the time!

1/23/2005 2:07:46 PM

Grandfield Oklahoma

Well you guys have given me a great idea!!!!
i have a solid state refrigerator that can be run either cold or hot by turning the plug one way or the other.

This unit does'nt have a rapid temperature change and it is well insulated. It will reach a high temperature of 150 degrees if i let it, but i'm going to get a themostat and put it in line and i can set it at the temperature i desire.
Solid state thermostats can be set with a one degree span so if i set it at 86 then the temperature would range from 87 to 85. moisture would be constant because the unit is sealed. Thank You Guys again, i knew my camping Frig would come in handy for something!

1/23/2005 8:26:56 PM

Grandfield Oklahoma

Ha! my wife says i'm a mad scientest!

1/23/2005 8:32:38 PM

Grandfield Oklahoma

tomorow i will start constructon on my unit, and i will put seeds in for a test

I will keep everyone posted on my results. See what you people have done to me!

1/23/2005 8:35:26 PM

Syracuse, NY

SayNE PeePull R nO fUnn.
hop on da bus, Gus!!!

1/24/2005 6:47:06 PM

Utah (Wolfleym@aol.com)

Hi my name is Josh. I just did a 4th grade science project on "What is the Best Temperature to Germinate Gaint Pumpkin Seeds."

I tested 10 seeds at each temperature. Here are some of the results:

Degrees # germinated
70 0
75 6
80 7
85 10
90 6
95 6
100 1

All 10 seeds germinated at 85F (29.4C). So, for these seeds, 85 degrees was the best temperature.
Josh

1/25/2005 11:50:44 PM

Ottawa, Ohio

Good job Josh! Now can you do that same test for Carolina Cross Watermelon? Did the one at 70 rot or just not have enough time at that temp?

1/26/2005 12:27:07 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Good work Josh. Please keep this material handy. Many people will ask again & benefit from your scientific response.

I hope you receive a good grade!

1/26/2005 5:56:42 AM

Syracuse, NY

wwwellllll!
i guess the word is out---85 it is!!
good job, there, Josh. you get an A+ from me. eric/'pal2

1/26/2005 6:34:13 PM

Utah (Wolfleym@aol.com)

Thanks.
JAB, each set of seeds were tested for only 7 days. None of the seeds rotted at 70 degrees. But, some of the 95-100 degree tests had rotten seeds.

At the high temperatures some seeds were fat and smelled really bad.
Josh

1/27/2005 9:53:58 PM

Utah (Wolfleym@aol.com)

Proud Dad here (Brent). Josh took first place in his school and will be taking his project to the State competition in a couple weeks.

He got a kick out of reading your responses.
Good luck with your tests Larry.

1/27/2005 11:10:06 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Congratulations!!!

Good luck at the State competition!

Please let us know how you do.

1/28/2005 7:40:41 AM

Buffalo, MN (Billsbigpumpkins@hotmail.com)

Josh, great work. You saved us a lot of time and money. Sorry I was a test engineer for 35 years and like details. Could you give us some detail on how it was done?
How did you control the temp?
Where all the seeds from the same pumpkin?
Did you soak the seeds?
Did you plant them in soil?
Did you use Baggies? etc

1/28/2005 9:42:57 AM

Indiana

I like that test too Josh. Maybe you could try to test with the various a fungicide soak, Hydrogen Peroxide, a pathogen, and a control(normal water soak)..just let dad do the handling of the chemicals.

Tom

2/1/2005 1:53:06 AM

Utah

Nice Work Josh! I hope you (and your Dad) had fun doing the project. Thanks for the information. Best Wish at State !

2/1/2005 5:50:03 PM

Butler, Ohio

Nice work Josh, Good luck at the state competition! You did better than me...I was 0 for 9 on pumpkin seeds, but I did manage to germinate some beans...lol!! :)

2/1/2005 6:32:43 PM

Utah

Hi. Josh again here.
Here are some answers to BillF's questions.

Most of the tests were done in an incubator so I could keep the temperatures constant.

The seeds were from 2 pumpkins. Each test was done with 5 seeds from each pumpkin (10 total). One pumpkin was 600 pounds (#1) and one was 300 pounds (#2).

I soaked all of the seeds. I put them in water in the morning before going to school. I put them in the incubator that night. So they were in water for about 10 or 12 hours. As I said before, each test was for 7 days. So, I was testing seeds for a long time.

Each set of seeds were in a the middle of 2 folded wet paper towels then on a small plastic plate. I kept the paper towels moist.

Here are the results of each seed
Temp
F......C.....#1.....#2
40.....4.4......0......0 done outside (average temperature was 40 F)
70.....21.1.....0......0 done in the basement (temperature was set at 70 F)
75.....23.9.....3......4 I entered this wrong last time
80.....26.7.....3......4
85.....29.4.....5......5 both sets were 100% at 85 degrees Fahrenheit
90.....32.2.....2......4
95.....35.0.....2......4
100....37.8.....0......1
Total...........15.....21

One seed did better at lower temperatures and the other one did better at higher temperatures. But they both germinated 100% at 85 F.

One of my hypotheses was that the big seeds (form the 600 pound pumpkin) would germinate the best. But I was wrong. The smaller seeds did better. That was just interesting to me.

Also interesting was that most seeds germinated on day 3 & 4 (60%). The totals for each day are below:
DAY....#of seeds....%
.2.........4......11%
.3.........8......22%
.4........14......38%
.5.........3.......8%
.6.........6......16%
.7.........2.......5%

I’m slow to write back because I am not very good at typing yet so this took a long time to send. I hope you can read it. Thank you for asking.
Josh

2/1/2005 9:28:31 PM

Utah

Correction: The total of #2 seeds to germonate is 22 not 21.

Oooops!
Josh

2/1/2005 9:34:46 PM

Utah

Germinate and Fahrenheit are hard words to remember. I still get them wrong sometimes.

2/1/2005 9:37:25 PM

Buffalo, MN (Billsbigpumpkins@hotmail.com)

Josh, thanks for taking the time to share your results, your methods were sound and the documentation is excellent. Again nice work, boy I wish that this old man was organized as you were. I will send you results of my latest testing, it wasn't as controlled as yours but it might give you ideas of what to try (or not) next time.
billf

2/1/2005 11:10:25 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

"Congratulations" is often misspelled to. Even by adults at BP Josh. But you deserve it regardless. Well done!

2/2/2005 7:36:32 AM

Montoursville, PA

Josh..........you may have the only such detailed test of this nature going. Congratulations you did a great job.

3/6/2005 8:38:09 PM