Re: HYB: Why Stratify

Bill writes:
>
>This is an interesting sceneio. I would appreciate seeing some posts from
>people planting seeds immediately into ground/pots etc. with some data
>relative to germination rates/survival/planting details. Of particular
>interest to me are people who have used this method in the last 12 months.

I took six pods last year and planted them in pots immediately upon shelling
them.  Promptly put them in the fridge and kept them damp.  Took them out
last fall when I planted the dried seeds.  I got my best germination on
seeds planted last year from these pots.  5 of six had germination.  Some of
that germination appeared within three days of taking them out of the fridge
and most of the germination occurred during the first two weeks out, though
I occasional sprouts appear off and on through the winter.  The germination
on these was still not a high percentage, just better than the dried
planting.  I didn't think the survival was quite as good as those that
normally germinate during spring, but that would be a marginal call.  Most
did live and are currently transplanted into the seedling beds.

Germination was better compared to the same seed crop planted dry; NOT
better than dried seeds planted in earlier seasons. This year I am doing it
this with all the pods (since I have only a few) and am modifying what I did
somewhat.  For one thing they won't be taken out of the fridge 'til next Feb
or Mar.  The other difference is that I'm not putting them directly into the
fridge when planting, but waiting a week or so before stowing them in the
fridge.  I hadn't planned on the quick germination that showed up and would
prefer not to have to protect seedlings from the really cold snaps.  I used
a rule of bringing them in when the temps were predicted to drop to 27 or
below.  The rule came after an unpredicted freeze that reached that low and
they survived.  As a result, due to the variable accuracy of the
weatherman's predictions, they did survive temps as low as 22.  In that
spell, though, two seedlings did perish and there was clear freeze burn
damage on most of the others although they recovered.

My crosses were all using arilbred pollen on TBs except one AB X AB pod.
The last pod had the better germination of the six.

FWIW
Donald Eaves
donald@eastland.net
Texas Zone 7b, USA - who watched the 7 1/2 inches of rain we've had since
last Sunday turn what is all to often a dry creek turn into a moving mass of
water 1/8 mile across, lapping at the bottom of the hill this house sits on.
I've seen it a bit higher before, but it is awesome and utterly fascinating
to watch.  Still have water this morning, so this time it's not going down
as fast as it usually does.  May be repairing fences for a while and
providing meals for the mosquitos while I do.




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