Laundry Day Limas - can they be saved?

[VA_LongBean]

This is a first for me, I ran 1/2 of a small package of King of the Garden lima bean seed through the washing machine. Here's how I did it:

On Tuesday I planted, among about a dozen other things, half the package of lima seed in a single, well spaced, row as my last garden chore before going in for the evening. The limas went in the back pocket of my jeans and were immediately forgotten. All my other seed packages were in a pile and I recorded them as having been planted. I didn't even notice the limas were missing. (Thank goodness it wasn't the Violet's multicolored or the Southern Seed Exposure unk mix!)

Next day I ran the laundry and as I was pulling things out I noticed seeds in the machine. I found maybe 1/4 to 1/2 of those left in the package during the transfer over to the dryer. Those were pulled out and allowed to air dry and I'm planting them experimentally here and there to help break up my bean and pea plantings. The rest of the seed apparently went undetected and spent over an hour in the dryer. Those unfortunates have been tossed in the laundry trash (but I can get them out if someone here thinks they have a chance).

So, will seeds washed for 30 minutes with cold water and fabric softener be able to grow? What about those run through the dryer?

 

[Carol Dee]

You won't know if you do not try! Go ahead and plant them.

 

[ducks4you]

I say they are still viable. Ya know, those seeds are designed to sprout after water and acids in the soil have eroded away part of their shell, so why not? Also, even old seeds can have 50% sprouting rate. Report back after they are up out of the soil and growing.

 

[Nyboy]

I do that all the time with paper money, lucky it doesn't disintegrate.

 

[Carol Dee]

@Nyboy at my house any cash left in pockets I find in the wash is mine. I think I should be doing your laundry!

 

[VA_LongBean]

I get shiny quarters and pennies in the laundry all the time. Note paper tends to fare more poorly in comparison.

 

[Nyboy]

Carol my mother had the same rule, when my siblings and I lived at home.

 

[ninnymary]

At least it wasn't a Sharpie. Ruined one of my son's expensive pair of pants. I was trying to be nice and did his laundry.

Mary

 

[Nyboy]

Mary will your family be back home for Mothers day?

 

[ninnymary]

Nyboy, my son will probably work so the rest of us may go out to dinner. Mother's Day is not a big deal to me. Perhaps it's because my family is all within 3 blocks of me and I see them daily. I never go out to brunch/lunch on Mother's Day because it's usually an hour wait, service is rushed, and food overpriced. Same for Valentines' Day. But tonight my husband and I are going out for a nice dinner. I had my hair cut/styled today so I told him I was not going to waste looking nice and staying home!

Mary