CULT:Germination and Nitrogen:(germination & heat mats)

In a message dated 12/5/2002 6:34:46 AM Central Standard Time, 
lmann@volfirst.net writes:

<< and maybe even nutrients (I read somewhere that nitrogen as nitrate (I
 think) helps break dormancy in some/many seeds) are suitable.
  >>

Linda, keep up the research!  You may have supplied the answer to why my 
germination rate dropped from over 80% to around 50%.

Does anyone know if germination is better in springs with heavier rain fall?  
From the 'free' nitrogen? In earlier years, I sprayed my emerging seedlings 
(and surrounding seed) with water containing Miracle Grow, a practice I'd 
stopped due to time constraints. The decrease in germination could be the 
decreased spring watering itself, but again it could be the lack of the MG 
and the nitrogen?    

Many of those hesitant seed have sprouted in the fall.  The crop sprouting in 
2001 produced almost as many in the fall as in the spring.  I'd say 
approximately 50% in the spring with another 30% in the fall (due to fall 
rains/nitrogen?).  Which adds up to my 80%.  For this crop, it was very good 
since I lost many of them in the late hard freeze this past spring.  They 
were in a frost pocket and hadn't been established long enough to form big 
healthy clumps. It's a year later but I still have plants from these crosses 
due to the fall emerging seedlings.  

Betty Wilkerson Zone 6 SouthCentral Kentucky

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