Re: seed starting questions
- To: perennials@mallorn.com
- Subject: Re: seed starting questions
- From: "* D* <m*@teleport.com>
- Date: Wed, 15 Apr 1998 10:16:17 -0700 (PDT)
At 11:56 AM 4/14/98 -0400, Isabelle Hayes wrote:
>Greetings: I put up a number of different seeds recently; I used not only
>seeds from my own plants, but I purchased some also;
>
>I put them into moist paper towels and gave them bottom heat; a few sprouted;
>
>I put them into moist seed starter mix, and gave them bottom heat; many
>sprouted;
>
>my question is: those that didn't sprout by this time, should I be giving up
>on them?
>
>these include lychnis, gaillardia, monarda, scabiosa, cleome;
>
>I saved some of these seeds just in case, so I could start them all over again;
>
>any responses/suggestions will be appreciated.
>
>Isabelle Hayes
>
Hi Isabelle, I don't know the botanical explanation for the variation in
the germination of perennial seeds (perhaps a built in protection factor to
keep the species going in the wild?), but perennials are notorius for what
you are describing. Don't give up on the remainder of the seeds yet. There
have been times when I gave after after a few months and threw the seed
starting mix onto the top of another pot only to have the seeds I had given
up on sprout and grow! Go figure! You played it smart by not sowing all
your seeds the first time thus leaving yourself a little insurance. You
don't mention the percentage of seeds that sprouted, so we don't know if it
is high or low. There is always the chance that the seeds that were
collected by you may not have been viable. Often it is hard to tell them
from the "duds". :+) Marilyn
Marilyn Dube'
NATURAL DESIGN PLANTS
Hardy Perennials, Choice Tropicals
Portland, Oregon
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