Re: Hellebore seeds?
- Subject: Re: Hellebore seeds?
- From: M* T*
- Date: Sun, 30 Dec 2001 02:08:30 -0500
Actually, Glider, all Hellebores require first a warm period and
then a cold period. If the seed is fresh, it will germinate like
mustard and cress after the cold period. If it isn't, it can take
years to get it to germinate, if at all. But, the key thing is to
start them out in warmth, not cold. I would not resort to freezing
them. You can simply sow in fall, while weather is still warm, and
leave outside to take what the weather will give them, when they will
germinate in spring; but if you have them inside, you don't want to
take them from warmth to freezing. 'Spose if you really want to
freeze them, you could after having them in the fridge for a while.
If seed is purchased and has been dry stored, alternating periods of
warmth and cold sometimes help.
Have to say that a lot of purchased seed will never germinate because
it has been dry stored too long. Dry storage seems to set up strong
germination inhibitors in the seed. H. foetidus seems to do well
after dry storage, but most of the x hybridus clones do not. Learned
that one the hard way. Kept my seed pots for something like 6 or 7
years...seeds still hard and sound, but never germinated...did grow
magnificent crops of moss on those pots, tho'. Now, I always top
pots with a half inch or so of grit, which discourages mosses.
I always soak my seeds for a day or so in lukewarm water to which
I've added a drop of dishwashing liquid, like Joy. Rinse and sow.
Soaking seems to help with the initial hydration of the seed if it's
at all dry. Collected seed is best moist stored in warmth....ya'
gotta check it for mold periodically and wash the seeds if you find
mold and discard any rotten ones.
Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@clark.net
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> From: Glider Onair <glider@yage.net>
>
> J L Hudson http://jlhudsonseeds.net/ writes in his catalog
(readingfrom the
> 2000, I've misplaced the 2001, and not yet received the 2002):
>
> Seed germinates best if given 2 periods of cold treatment,
otherwise they
> may hold over two winters. Sow in fall, or give 30-60 days cold,
then 60
> days warm, then 30-60 days cold, to germinate in 30-60 days.
Freezing once
> in each cold period may help.
>
> He also reports:
> Good results have been obtained by starting at warm temperatures
for 1-3
> months, then move to cold, for germination at cold temperatures.
>
> The above is listed for the Helleborus genus, and not for a
specific
> species within the genus.
>
> I think I deleted the original request, so I hope this helps. It
sticks in
> my mind that the original poster suggested that they had already
gone
> through a period of cold, had roots w/o shoots, and were looking
for
> direction for the next phase.
>
> Forgive me for not replying sooner. I was complacent and assumed
someone
> else would do it. If you need further assistance, please speak up.
I've
> never germinated this species, but that will hardly stop me from
trying to
> be helpful.
>
> I suppose it would also behove me to mention Tom Clothier's
germination
> database:
> http://users.anet.com/~manytimes/page43.htm
>
> I hope I've gotten his updated URL correct, I just grabbed it off
of a
> search engine, it appeared to load just fine though. I haven't
looked to
> see if Mr. Clothier lists Helleborus in his database or not.
>
> I believe JL Hudson's site also has an article on seed germination,
and if
> not, I've copied most of it (with a few of my own comments I think,
it's
> been a long time) at my site, http://ethnobotany.yage.net
(shameless self
> promotion, my apologies). At the time I posted Hudson's seed
germination
> bit from his catalog JLHudson Seedsman didn't have a web site. Now
they
> do, but as he deliberately places the work within the public
domain, I see
> no reason to remove it now.
>
> Best of luck with your plants, and thanks for flying!
> Glider
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