Cherry Tree seed viability

How long can cherry tree seeds remain viable?

I've been contacted by a person with some seeds that are 20+ years old. They are from a yellow fruited tree that belonged to her grandmother. She's had some in the freezer and a few in an airtight container just in the dry.

I've got my doubts as to waking these seeds up, as I'm sure that they've not been as carefully maintained as she thinks....plus, they're 20 years old.

I've agreed to give it a shot, but don't hold much hope out that the seeds are even capable of sprouting.

Now, if it's a veggie seed, we'll soak overnight in a weak tea solution, or 1/2 strenth Miracle Gro. That helps aging seeds come alive sometimes...and I've heard a solution with hydrogen peroxide helps too. (never tried this one though)

What would be the best way to try....do they need stratification? Double stratification? Naturally, the ones in the freezer have had cold, but the others haven't.

Any input would be wonderful.

20 year old cherry seeds, eh? Experiment. Think positively I suppose because that's about all you can do right about now. There are documented situations in which seeds that were thousands of years old germinated. Granted they were lotus and hemp seeds but nothing ventured is nothing gained. Truth be known, you're dealing with a cherry and it is unlikely that even if any did germinate that they would resemble the parent plant. Too many hybrids out there even going back 20 years in time.

I would start by soaking the seeds in water at room temperature for 24 hours. Use two bowls so you can separate seed that was frozen from seed that was stored dry. After 24 hours, I'd replace the water with fresh and soak for another 24 hours. Remove the seed from the water and dip it in a 10% bleach solution. From there I would take half the seed that was frozen and half the seed that was stored dry and set it aside. Take the seed that is remaining of both the frozen and dry and set that aside in a separate pile. Now I'd go to WalMart and pick up 2 extra deep cat litter boxes. They're pretty cheap. Grab a bag of Schultz's Moisture Plus. Spread out the Schultz's into both cat litter boxes up to about an inch from the top. That would mean you should have about 5" of base. You will want the Moisture Plus to be damp but not wet or moist. Now go and get yourself some silica sand. Rinse it in a bucket until the water is clear and then put it in your microwave and nuke it on high. You will want to spread a 1/4 inch layer of sand over your Schultz's as an extra little precaution measure against possible damping off. Place half of the seed on top of the Schultz's in one cat litter box and the other half in the other cat litter box. Gently press the cherry seed down into the sand leaving 50% of it exposed. Cherry will send out a tap root before you see any growth above and you'll need that 5" space IF any of your seed germinates and I'm not saying that it will because I have this feeling that the seed that was frozen is toast and I'm thinking the seed that was stored dry for 20 years was probably destroyed by an insect or bacteria or a fungus or maybe all three. Place Saran wrap over the top of both cat litter boxes and secure it with big rubber bands or duct tape. Take a sharp knife and pop a few holes in the Saran wrap that is destined for the frig. Put one box outside on your patio and put one box in your refrigerator. Check both boxes from time to time to make sure they haven't dried out. If they do, I generally take an old hairspray bottle and I spritz them with just enough water to get by. After 120 days in the frig, take that seed box out and place it on the patio by the other cat litter box. Remove the Saran wrap from both boxes. Place both boxes somewhere that gets an eastern exposure and let Ma Nature have a go at the seed.

For watering, I'd make little wells in the 4 corners of the cat litter boxes. Water from there so you don't disturb the seed. Make sure that the seed is never allowed to dry out.

Here's the bad news. You may not know this coming year if you were successful or not as some cherry seed takes two cold periods before it germinates. This means you have to keep that seed damp, not moist all summer long without ever letting it dry out-oh lucky you. This means you have to protect it from heavy rains because you don't want it flooded either. And then, you get to add Saran wrap again next winter and repeat the process of sticking the one cat litter box back in the frig and one back outside so that you can try again to germinate them in spring of '07.

Now, although I have never tried a pressure bomb... I have heard of people who made their own pressure bombs which allegedly open and germinate really old seeds. I have no idea what they were talking about and I totally forgot I had ever even read of this pressure bomb deal until I ran across your thread this evening. I guess if you look it up and feel it looks interesting, I'd go for it. Take a third of all the seed you have and go for it.

Other than what I have suggested, I hope other people comment because this is really a rather difficult shot in the dark question given the age of the seed. I know I have never even attempted to germinate cherry seed that was that old and the cherry seed I germinated was Prunus serotina, virginiana, and pennsylvanica. I'm sure I've germinated others but never hybrids.

Best wishes to you and if anyone offers any suggestions that sound better to you than mine... consider taking them as I am telling the truth and have never germinated seed that old before in my life.

Please do me a favor and update me on this labor of love for a friend that you are about to undertake. I'd be most interested in knowing if you ever get anything to germinate and if so... what you did to get it to germinate. Please know that breaking the embryo dormancy may not be possible. If none of this seed germinates, it isn't your fault.

Last thing, go and pm Starhill and steer Guy to this thread and see if he might not have any tricks up his sleeve.