Re: Species seeds 101--LONG
- To: Multiple recipients of list <i*@rt66.com>
- Subject: Re: Species seeds 101--LONG
- From: H*@aol.com
- Date: Fri, 10 Jan 1997 19:10:52 -0700 (MST)
Greetings,
Rodney has asked about my seed experiences, such as they are. Here are some
things culled from my notes. I repeat I am not a scientist, nor have I grown
anything very exotic. I am a beginner, and have been growing the easy stuff
for a few years. I do my research, but when it comes to the more intricate
scientific literature they might as well be speaking Urdu. I do believe that
duplicating the conditions of a species' natural environment is the way to
get them to germinate, and I also believe that they want to sprout and Rodney
is right when he suggests that various methods may be succesful. As for this
year's list, I had the form filled out and that sucker back in the mail in
two hours. I look forward to learning what I actually did order! I always pay
attention to things from donors in my geographical area, and I am less
interested in inter-specific crosses at this time.
This then, is offered to the beginners, for what it may be worth.
1) Setosa ssp. ---Easy. Always sown outside in fall to winter over in pots of
organic matter. They like the elements and oscillating temperatures. Grown a
jungle of them, all kinds. Only failed with one pack of 4 unwholesome looking
seeds.
2) Tectorum, white and blue, various sources--Also easy. Started inside. No
chill needed, but need light on seeds. Surface sow, keep moist not wet, keep
warm. Expect germination in 3-5 weeks. Grew 50 last year for various
projects. Sowed February, had five fans by September, should bloom this
Spring. Idiot's joy.
3) My first SIGNA year I did the baggie in the refrigerator humidor bit. In
February I sowed graminea, Virginica alba, Mixed 40's, lactea, and subbiflora
on moist paper towels in baggies after having soaked them five days changing
the water every day. I moved them to pots of potting soil ouside in late
April when the volunteer seeds in the garden were germinating. I also
surface-sowed a Siberian hybrid, tectorum, and monnieri inside in pots after
soaking and gave them warmth and sun.
Everything germinated: graminea, monnieri, and lactea in Fall after a few
cool nights, the subbiflora in August, the tectorums iimmediately, and the
rest in May.
4) Since then I have not done the baggies much. I have surface-sown most
things in pots outdoors in Dec-Feb as available, without soaking. I've sown
various forms of pseudacorus and versicolor, laevigata albopurpurea, a
Japanese sanguinea pumila, typhifolia, a dwarf fulva, notha, cristata,
milesii, and a "hardy" PCN. Everything germinated in the Spring except the
notha which germinated in the Fall, the fulva which I think a bird ate, and
the no-show cristata. I have also surface-sown pseudacorus, versicolor, and
some siberians outside in warm weather with adequate results. My experience
supports the theory that many species need light more than cold to germinate.
5) I ordered some ochroleuca seeds from J.L.Hudson, Seedsman, this year. I
sowed them moist and refrigerated them two months, then moved them outside
where they germinated in the Fall with the dropping temperatures. They are in
the coldframe with some foetidissima seedlings which received the same
treatment, germinated in November, and also seems to need two periods of
cold.
That's it. I could speculate ad nauseum, but this is what I did in light of
my understandng of the species requirements. Most stuff germinates, most
stuff grows, most stuff blooms. The notha is puny, the mixed 40's are
thinning out, but there is stll plenty for friends and plant sales. Every
seed a miracle!
I bet if we all kept some simple notes on our SIGNA seeds they would reveal
some interesting things. Most of the info I found on the subject was
anecdotal and skimpy.
Anner Whitehead, Richmond, VA
USDA Zone 7a (urban)
