Has anyone run into dormancy problems when testing newly harvested seeds?
Organic Seed Alliance in the following publication, says spinach, lettuce and pepper seeds may not germinate well for a few months after they are first harvested. Has anyone run into this?
I don’t think I run into it much because I honestly don’t tend to harvest and then immediately sow those newly harvested seeds - usually there is a period of dormancy for the seeds where they are stored (either indoors, or in a seedbed overwinter).
I suspect part of this is just the plant’s timing, as a way to help with dispersal and ensure seeds have a chance to get a bit further from the mother before sprouting (which helps reduce disease, distributes risk, and is important for survival of the species in other ways).
It would also be expected in a temperate climate, or any seasonally challenging environment.
If the seeds germinated as soon as they were mature the new plant likely would not survive to reproduce due to winter or the dry season or whatever cyclical challenges it might face.