Dead Seeds?

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My parents were talking about this at the weekend – Which? magazine’s research findings on the viability of seeds.

Apparently only 6 of the companies they tested (and the press release doesn’t name them all) had seeds that met the required standards for germination.

Thompson & Morgan came out on top (although apparently my uncle, a veteran allotmenteer, doesn’t think much of them and stopped buying their seeds years ago) and Edwin Tuckers came bottom.

I had two packets of Goldenberry seeds from T&M this year that completely failed to germinate – even though I sowed two batches of each. I emailed them, and got a reasonably nice email in return that went to great lengths to suggest that neither they nor I was at fault. And two replacement packets arrived shortly afterwards, although of course I will have to wait until spring to see whether I can get any of them to grow.

Gardening old-hands are used to the non-germination of seeds, it’s something that happens occasionally for any number of reasons. For gardening newbies, it can be very disappointing and utterly unfathomable.

If you think that the seed might be at fault then you can do a germination test – sow some seeds onto damp kitchen roll (like you would have done with cress when you were a kid). Keep it moist (use a tray with a lid or cover with a plastic bag) and warm for a couple of weeks and see how many seeds sprout. A low number indicates a problem with the seed – either it’s too old to be viable, or it has been incorrectly stored at some point in its life.

If you’re nimble and thrifty, or desperate for plants, you can try and save the seedlings that have germinated by gently transplanting them into compost – they don’t have roots if you catch them early enough, but they will be tiny and delicate. Unless it was peas, of course, in which case they will be large… and delicate.

Posted 4 October 2007, 13:43.   Posted in .
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2 Comments for Dead Seeds?

  1. I don’t think much of T&M seeds either. I’ve certainly received dead (or almost dead) seeds from them too.

    I haven’t looked in a while, but a few years ago the discussion forums and rating sites were full of complaints concerning T&M.

    Like other companies that sell F1s, they don’t clearly label their OP varieties.

    Space in the garden and time spent gardening are too important to try growing seeds under these circumstances.

    Patrick · Dec 31, 08:14 PM

  2. It’s always interesting to hear other people’s experiences. According to T&M’s latest newsletter, they were voted Best All-Round Seed Supplier by Gardening Which in October 2007.

    Emma · Jan 2, 08:54 PM

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