Re: questions for jim f re clivia seeds
Island Jim wrote:
hi, jim. i think i remember you advising about clivia seeds. if not, my
apologies. my yellow has managed, thus far, to keep three fruits of
varying sizes. the largest is about 1/2" in diameter. all three fruits
are beginning to get that lumpy look, suggesting each may contain up to,
say, six seeds [or groups of seeds] in separate segments. my questions
are 1. what should i look for as a sign of "ripeness"? and 2. how long
do you think it will take for them to mature?
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Guilty as charged...
I would combine (1) & (2); the shortest time to maturity I have
yet seen stated (this also to Ceres and Theresa) is 5 1/2 months.
So since yours and Theresa's have just started growing I'd leave
them on the plant for close to a year, removing from plant early
next spring (which will come earlier for you both than for me);
snip off berries and remove seeds. There will be a very thin,
transparent 'film' (like the thinnest onion skin you can imagine)
coating the seed; this probably should be rubbed off (presoaking
in warm water will aid this). Plant partially exposed to light.
Some people say light promotes germination, others say it doesn't
matter. The radicle (proto-root) 'should' come out one end of
the seed, the new leaves the other. I say 'should' because one
of my seeds this year had both coming out the same end, much
like a Lotus seed I germinated several years back.
Further on (1): either the berry will abort and fall off the
stalk or it'll proceed to ripen, so a combination of non-abortion
and sufficient time will signify 'ripeness' :-).
-jrf
--
Jim Fisher
Vienna, Virginia USA
38.9 N 77.2 W
USDA Zone 7
Max. 105 F [40 C], Min. 5 F [-15 C]
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