I sure have, and I've had really good success with it. What was it you wanted to know?

One time I tried it and something pink (a mold?) started growing on the paper towel. I had been using a weak peroxide solution so that was a surprise and I'm not sure how to avoid it.

Do you use special water?

Have you ever put more than one batch of seeds per baggie? I don't see using a whole box of baggies, cheap though they are, when multiple p-towel packets would fit in one baggie. And it's much less fuss to open one bag and check for germination.

Plus, any other tips you'd care to throw in. I did read a FAQ on it, but different people often have different experiences and perspectives.

Thanks!

Hi,

I'm new to gardening but I have had great success in the last couple of months with Byron's tea method that I found in the seed starting forum. I don't know how to add the link so just put "Byron's tea" in search and it'll come up. The tea prevents mold. Hope this helps!

Connie

I haven't followed any special rules when using the baggie method and have had good luck, so far. I moisten the towel (no special water), add the seeds, fold up and tuck into a large ziplock. I have done multiple papertowel/seeds in a ziplock too. I do recommend using a ziplock and not a non-zipping baggie.

Sandy

I wonder if it just area differences in water. Since I had been using a little H. peroxide I was stymied as to what was going on. I thought germination rates were a bit on the low side, but I'm not that experienced with this method.

Just like in soils, if the medium (or paper towel) is too wet, seeds may not germinate. (Swelling is not necessarily germinating.) If there is free water inside the baggie, I would drain it out.

I also recommend using ziplock types since the plastic used is thicker. Bags you use a twist tie with are water tight but not completely water vapor tight. If it is stratification you're going after (not just germination) this can be critical, since they may be left in the fridge for months and fogotten about.
My long term stratification is done with sphagnum moss, which has antiseptic qualities of its own. Again, too wet and you're asking for trouble. 95% of the time, I never have problems.

I am a bit puzzled as to what the quality of water might have to do with fungal growth, unless it might be damaging the seed and the fungal growth is on the seed (and not the towel). Still, I am concerned with water quality for dry seed absorbtion. When I soak seeds (morning glories, for instance) I do use rain water or distilled water, because I know my tap water is crappy. That would be virgin rain water, and not of a roof that might contaminate it. A metal roof would be fine, but I just don't know what might be in water from a tar shingle roof. Might be fine for seeds, might not be for some. When I stratify in sphagnum moss, I usually use the "crappy" water.

Rick

I have found that wet paper lends itself to fungal/mold/funny colored and sometimes fuzzy growth in general. Wether it is paper towels, coffee filters, paper cups, or waxed cardboard milk containers, "steralized" with boiling water or not- indoors or out. I speak from experience- and will not use most paper products to sow in any more. Not that it seemed to harm the seeds or plants- I just didn't like having to touch it or even look at it.

Maybe it was already present on the seeds waiting to grow before you even aquired them. Or maybe it was "in the air"...

Hopefully it will pose no problem to your seeds- and they will be just fine with a new paper towel and bag.