Re: SPEC: i. setosa seeds not germinating

Diana Louis wrote:

<<  actually planted the seeds not too deeply ie one seed width and  realized
afterwards that I should have put them in 1/4 to 1/2 inch  deep. I have been
trying to use this on I versicolor, virginica  var shrevei, missouriensis,
tridentata and have had no germination  at all after 6 weeks but only 3 weeks
in the fridge). However I
 have been keeping the soil in the  pots wet but i can't see why
 this would cause problems.>>

Versicolor and  virginica are "swamp" species which typically, according to
Deno's findings, which my experience corroborates, require light on the seeds
to germinate, but not cold.  Try lifting them so they are on the surface of
the soil, covering the pot with saran and putting them near a sunny window. I
have had germination with both by this method as well as sowing them outside
where they typically float to the surface of the soil with rain and germinate
in April. Tridentata may well have the same light requirement, but I cannot
say since this is the first year I have sown them. Since my tridentata seeds
came from a garden which gets winter I surface sowed them and left them
outside to receive chill and I expect germination in April. There was in the
past a long thread here on germinating missouriensis that indicated that they
may vary in their requirements, or that various methods of germination may
work. However Deno posits that light may play a factor in their germination as
well, so you may wish to bear that in mind. Deno's research indicates that
sometimes the requirements for germaination change with the age of seeds, or
that alternate methods may work. I do not recall whether he ever found that a
prolonged chill can overcome the need for light for germination of any seeds,
but in my experience with iris seeds, when they want light, they want light,
and when exposed to it germination follows quickly. I believe that germination
requirements may vary within a species reflecting the seed-origin plant's
adaptation to habitat. 

Anner Whitehead, Richmond,Va, USDA Zone 7
Henry Hall  henryanner@aol.com





Anner Whitehead
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index