Mouldy Sunflower seeds

Evening all.

Last year the wife grew sunflowers, as she does most years. When they'd finished, we collected the seeds to sow this year.

Normally if I save seeds, I put them in a sealed container with loads of kitchen towel in to absorb any moisture. This time I didn't, so they spent winter in a plastic sarnie box. I opened said box today, and the seeds are covered in green mould. Not so much that you can't see them, but enough so they are clearly mouldy. The outer shells of the seeds are still intact.

Should I bin these seeds or might they still work?

 

I would rinse them and give them a go , sunflowers germinate in 7 to 14 days . You can also buy a pack of sunflower seeds on Ebay for £0.99 including postage , so I would plant these as well for insurance . Make sure you choose the right type as they can grow from 12" to 12' ! A house near to us grows a giant type an a south facing gable end and they must reach 20 feet tall !

 

You can get seeds that are mouldy on the outside but will still germinate and grow strong seedlings. As others have said - I would give them a go.

My inclination would be to put them in a poly bag on a bit of kitchen roll moistened with a copper solution (antifungal). That way they take up no space, and you don't have the complication of the mould spreading to the compost. You then just pot up the ones that germinate.

For me, there have been a number of occasions when seeds haven't germinated in compost that looked mouldy - but they have in a bag.

 

I have used mouldy seeds before as mine went the same way and they were okay

 

Thanks all. I'll give them a go.

Harry, the seeds were taken from the largest sunflower wife grew last year. We were kind of hoping that that meant the seeds would have a genetic disposition to grow huge flowers

If they grow, they will be planted out against the south facing front wall and nurtured in an attempt to grow the biggest sunflowers we've ever grown. Poor missus never does well in that effort, usually only achieving about 5ft, but every year she keeps trying.

 

The guy who grows the monsters , has them in a huge grow bag / compost heap. They are trellised to the gable end all the way up . I presume he super-feeds them through the season as well. The biggest variety I know is the 'Russian Giant' , but for me I think 5ft is great. Sunflowers are great - they are such a happy flower , everyone loves them
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/60-RUSSIA...arden_PlantsSeedsBulbs_JN&hash=item3f1634b3ae

 

My Avatar is quite fond of them.