Seed (continued) While mail order specialist usually provide fresh seed, many pet shops do not sell enough seed and it gets old. With age, the nutritive value declines and the oils in the seed can become rancid. You may even see webbing from flour moths in seed bins of pet shops if the seed hangs around too long. A fresh seed should be capable of sprouting. This can be tested by sorting out the different types of seed into small piles to test them separately (since some types take longer to germinate). Then place about 50 seeds on a moist sponge and put the sponge in a zip lock bag. Put the bag in a low light setting near a window and wait. If they never germinate they are old. If only a few germinate they are on there way out. You should get over 75% to germinate (Note: hemp will not germinate since it is really marijuana seed and the law requires it is sterilized so it can't be grown as "pot").  
|
