In all sincerity I know what you mean, it does irk me hehe, when some people want a kings ransom because their purchase has a scratch or a minor easily fixed hiccup and I'm sitting on hold with customer services watching the smoke begin to collect around my new light but again if I pass over my...
I live on the breadline and have little funding but reading some of these posts it would appear my £ or 2 isn't worth pence until I've spent £600...seems odd is all.
In the past scratching them with sandpaper has worked for me your just trying to make sure water penetrates the outer shell/husk but be careful of drowning them, hth.
Well done on the hopeful recovery of your ladies, I'm also in Scotland and recently had exactly the same problem, turned out to be ph in my case and I was wondering if it was a coincidence or if the tap water has been messed with?, but for this to happen I think certainly I'd have noticed when...
Hmmm, nature doesn't store seeds allowing the outer casing to harden up needing assistance in getting moisture to the (hopefully) lovely lady inside but like I said I aint no expert just penniless with personal experience of old seeds.