Re: Starting from seed
- Subject: Re: Starting from seed
- From: M* T*
- Date: Tue, 7 Aug 2001 01:42:44 -0400
Larry,
Email being backed up, missed your original post on this subject, but
picked up your query about books on seed starting from a response to
it.
Not a "book", but Amber Hearn did a series on propagation several
years ago with an excellent section on growing from seed....you can
print it out and make your own book. Tom Clothier hosts that series
on his marvelous site - along with a database of germination
temperatures/times and requirements for a huge list of plants. There
is also, on his site, more information about growing plants from seed
and other things...a most excellent resource. Tom has grown,
literally, thousands and thousands of plants from seed. He told me
not too long ago that he had to cut back to something like only 400
or so species this year as his health wouldn't permit his usual
number! *Only* 400! Ack. I consider myself a 'very good girl' if I
get 10 different species sown a year! I've become quite good at
storing seed, however:-)
Anyway, the URL to Tom's front page is:
http://www.anet-chi.com/~manytimes/
And to the index of Amber's articles:
http://www.anet-chi.com/~manytimes/page66.htm
Growing plants from seed is not all that difficult. Some species are
more challenging to germinate but most are relatively easy...seeds
want to germinate; that's what they exist for - what we dumb humans
have to learn is what the conditions that are programmed into the
seed for germination are and mimic them to the best of our ability.
One of the joys of growing from seed (for me) is watching that speck
of dead looking material sprout and grow into a - sometimes - huge
plant. Another is being able to grow plants that are hard to find in
nurseries or that I could not afford to buy in the quantity I'd like
to have.
As Claire says, tho', do not expect to have instant success with all
seed you try. Sometimes it's your fault and sometimes it's not -
some seeds do not dry store well and some suppliers send out dead
seed occasionally. Never throw out a perennial seed pot until you've
kept it at least a year or so and for some species even longer than
that...esp. the ones who require cold stratification or warm/cold
periods...they can be slow.
Best to figure out which plants you want and then do the research to
find out what conditions they need for germination; assemble your
medium, pots and seeds and go for it! Nothing ventured...nothing
gained:-)
And, while you're head is buzzing with all the information about who
needs what, don't let that discourage you. Just plant some and see
what happens (being prepared for pricking out and potting on when you
do get germination - a large space for growing indoors can fill up
fast when it's potting on time).
Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@clark.net
Editor: Gardening in Shade
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> Date: Sun, 5 Aug 2001 22:35:04 -0500
> From: "Larry Newton" <ldnewton2@home.com>
>
>
> Having said that, are there any good reference books with
information =
> regarding starting various perennial plants from seed? Thanks a
bunch.
>
> Larry
> Joliet, IL
> Zone 5
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