Re:Seeds
- Subject: Re:Seeds
- From: C* M* M*
- Date: Fri, 24 Aug 2001 10:54:18 -0600
When I am digging for our club rhizome sale, and have to dig a clump with a
pod--I just label the pod and stick the end of the stem in water--and let it
go ahead and ripen there--right now, I have 8 pods with their stems in
water, waiting for the pods to dry enough to spit out the seeds--
then I dry the seeds, place them in film canisters, and put them out in the
garden shed for the winter--the shed is not heated--and does get below
freezing for several weeks during the winter--sometime in early spring I
take the seeds out and plant them--in the same trays I use for flower or
veggie seeds--cover the container with plastic screen--water can get in but
this keeps birds and squirrels from eating the seeds--and put the tray out
under the fruit trees--out in the snow--
eventually the sprouts appear-- which I transplant to another tray, and
leave the original tray out--so that more seeds can sprout-- I figure that I
must be doing something right--to get such a good germination rate--usually
about 55 to 60%--both for my own crosses, bee pods and SIGNA seeds--
If I put the seeds to sprout in the fall, I am sure that the little sprouts
would freeze and die from the cold during winter--
We are very dry here, so there is usually no problem with fungus on the
seeds--
The main problem is where to put the little sprouts--I take a 2 quart milk
carton, lay it on its side, and cut the up side off--them add dirt and be
sure to punch drainage holes--5 or 6 of the milk cartons will fit into a
nursery tray--and put them out where they get morning sun and plenty of
water from the sprinklers--by this fall, the new sprouts will be strong
enough to winter over--using some leaves to mulch them--
This way of doing it takes a year longer than if the seeds were planted
right away--but the survival rate for the seedlings is much higher than if
the seeds sprouted in July or august and then had to survive the winter.
I sorta laugh to myself when a talker talks about putting seeds in the
toilet tank for xxx flushes, or in and out of the frig every day--that is
work!!!!! I try to emulate Mother Nature--and do the seeds her way--and for
me it works!!!!!! Carryl in western Montana zone 3/4
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