Well, I pulled the mustard seeds out this morning I couldn't believe that I had a 100% germination rate!!!
Rather interesting. A jar of mustard seeds from the spice rack is a little more expensive than one of the seed packets of mustard seed...but you get like 500 times the amount that you get in a one of the little packets?
The wildcard naturally being...who knows what cultivar of mustard the spice seeds are.
My process of germination testing is rather precise and scientific. I take one of those "half-size" paper towels and cut it in half. I then squirt it with the spray attachment at the kitchen sink. Just a quick tap of the trigger (squeezing as scientifically as much pressure on the trigger as needed
). What I aim for (no pun intended
) for with the sprayer is just lightly wetting part of the paper towel with a single burst of water. The water will quickly equalize out over the paper towel once it's placed inside a plastic bag. I use a ziplock bag...small seeds use a snack-sized ziplock, bigger seeds in a pint-size.
I lay the moist paper towel down and put an imaginary line probably 1-1/2 to 2 inches from one edge of it...this "flap" of reserved paper towel will fold over the seeds once they're in place. I then lay seeds down on the napkin above that invisible line. I try to space the seeds out so they're easy to see later when you're inspecting them. Now, with the seeds all situated above that imaginary line I fold the "flap" over the seeds, pressing it so the seeds come in good contact with both sides of the paper towel. I will then fold the remaining bit of paper towel over until it is a nice flat envelope of seeds...pressing it all together one final time and slipping it into a ziplock bag. I seal the bags sometimes and sometimes I leave them open but folded over on themselves. I then place the bag in my top-secret germination testing area.
I started this test on May 21st and they were sprouting good today, May 23rd with 100% germination. So, I'll be planting mustard seeds from my spice rack...when the time comes!
For larger seeds, such as cow peas or bean seeds I lay the seeds on the moist paper towel (usually an entire half-size towel) and *roll* the moist paper towel up with the seeds inside. You can space the pea/bean seeds in a couple of rows and roll the first row into the towel and then continue rolling and roll the second row in the towel. No biggie. I actually think all you really need to do is lightly moisten a napkin or paper towel, put it inside a ziplock and drop your seeds in...the moist environment will probably work well enough. I just like things a bit neat.
When the seeds have sprouted you can even tell the difference in the "feel" of the rolled up or folded over bag. It'll feel "thicker"...especially with the larger seeds.
I only took pictures after the test so hopefully my very detailed and scientifically, peer reviewed, write-up above will explain what I did.
Like I said...just the kid/mad scientist in me...
My top-secret germination area...
