my experiment

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Diane
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This year's experiment which I'm involved in, from Garden Organic -is testing three methods of germinating peas.

They sent me 60 little dried peas. 20 - I had to soak overnight, 20 - I had to plant just as normal and the last 20 - I had to rub with sandpaper, each and every one individually, until the outer layer was removed. That was hard!! I tried many different methods - from folding over a piece of sandpaper into an envelope and placing all 20 in, and agitating. Didn't work. They just rolled about. I then tried to hold each one in my fingers and only succeeded in sandpapering my finger nails and the tops of my finger tips! I only managed to do about half before the pain set in and I had to keep wiping the blood off. I then tried to hold each one in the very tip of a tweezer - but they kept shooting off and rolling about on the kitchen floor. Much kerfuffling under the fridge ensued. (I had to make sure I kept to the 20 number). Husband then had a go at sandpapering each one but wasn't any more successful that I was really.

Then, I had to plant them all at the same time, (in 3 different trays) and watch to see which germinated first. (My fingers have just about healed now.)

All very fascinating.

Upshot is: there's no difference. I've just looked and all three trays are showing shoots - same height - same sprouting day.

Experiment successful - just bung them in the ground. They'll grow whatever you do. :roll:
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Westi
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:) :) I have visions of you mucking around with this experiment with peas all over the place. I do admire your patience & tenacity though! Did you find anything else besides peas under the fridge? Every time I pull the fridge out for a clean up all I find all the cat toys they having batted under there, the good thing is they think they are new toys each time & go all crazy!
Westi
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Johnboy
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Dear Diane,
May I suggest rather than ruining your nails trying to rub peas on sand paper that you take a sharp knife and holding said pea under fingernail with a smidgen of pea protruding you slide the knife down your fingernail and cut the skin. The cut should be the opposite side to the scar on the pea. If you manage to take a slight bit of what is the cotyledon within the seed dont worry you have done no harm. I have only even emmersed peas overnight and sow ASAP after that time. This really is the first step of pregermination.
Sincerely,
JB.
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Experiments are useful but sanding the skin off a pea!
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Diane
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I know...but the instructions said to use sandpaper.

Johnboy - I agree that using a knife would have been easier.

I don't think I'll volunteer for that experiment again

My second experiment is to go out into the garden and roll soil in my hands to test consistency - comparing it to a colour chart and diagram that they've sent me. And then also to count worms.

Last year was easier - they sent me a packet of dahlia seeds - 3 different colours - which I had to grow on and then stand and watch which colour the bees preferred.
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Shallot Man
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Diane wrote:I know...but the instructions said to use sandpaper.

Johnboy - I agree that using a knife would have been easier.

I don't think I'll volunteer for that experiment again

My second experiment is to go out into the garden and roll soil in my hands to test consistency - comparing it to a colour chart and diagram that they've sent me. And then also to count worms.

Last year was easier - they sent me a packet of dahlia seeds - 3 different colours - which I had to grow on and then stand and watch which colour the bees preferred.


How many days did you have to watch bee activity .More too the point. Who thinks these things up. :o :o
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Diane
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I can't quite remember how long we were asked to stand and watch - only about 10 mins or so, - for a couple of weeks. It was something to do with growing flowers and plants with colours that the bees prefer - to assist the bee population in the future. Our bees seemed to prefer the red dahlias - at first - but then as soon as the multicoloured sweet peas started to flower, then they abandoned the dahlias and went to the sweet peas in preference.

Some of the experiments are really useful. There was one where we were asked to grow comfrey and to report back all the different ways we were using it in the garden.

Then, another time, we were sent seeds of edible lupins to grow and to let them know how well we did (I didn't do that one as I didn't have enough room that year).

This year, also, folk are growing lentils to see how well they do -' The humble lentil was once a common staple peasant food and there is evidence that it was cultivated in the UK, before it became less popular as a food.'

It's all very interesting

'2019 is the 61st consecutive year that we have been running this citizen science research, continually adding to the bank of knowledge in organic growing principles and practices'
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Geoff
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2019 is the 61st consecutive year that we have been running this citizen science research


I thought only Johnboy had been gardening that long!

Your pea experiment was interesting. When I have tried soaking seeds I've found they germinate more quickly but if I sow the dry ones at the same time as I put the ones to soak they all germinate together. So doing it your way and sowing dry and soaked at the same time I would have expected the soaked to emerge first.
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Johnboy
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Dear Geoff,
Just to put you right I started growing vegetables on my own account in 1943 and I will leave the maths to you!
Sincerely,
JB.
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oldherbaceous
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Someone over the allotment has soaked his peas in heating oil, not something I will be trying....he got the tip off the internet.
I suppose it is the same as using paraffin, years ago.....
I know this isn't completely to do with aiding germination but, more to do with vermin taking the seed.
Kind Regards, Old Herbaceous.

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Shallot Man
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oldherbaceous wrote:Someone over the allotment has soaked his peas in heating oil, not something I will be trying....he got the tip off the internet.
I suppose it is the same as using paraffin, years ago.....
I know this isn't completely to do with aiding germination but, more to do with vermin taking the seed.

OH.

As a lad during WW2, one of my jobs prior to Dad sowing peas, was to dip the pea seed briefly in paraffin, Dad reckoned it stopped the mice chewing them.
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oldherbaceous
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And I think Red Lead used to be added sometimes too....whatever Red Lead is!!!
Kind Regards, Old Herbaceous.

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Red lead was the be all and end all in paints for things like chassis and all types of heavy machinery then they banned it as the lead content was seen as unhealthy
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