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Dioscorea germination

Hi Miekal,

I have some experience in germinating Dioscoreas.

First I remove the parachute or wing from the seed as it serves no purpose,
in some cases it is extremely large and therefore unwieldy, and then I sow
in a mixture of grit/vermiculite/peat etc....I "slot" the seeds in the
compost. The "fat" seeds are the ones to sow.

Important! Make sure seeds are covered otherwise they might not germinate.
Keep moist and in two to three weeks the first two cotyledons will be
appear. A caudex size of a pea will develop the first year, and perhaps a
couple of more leaves than the cotyledons.

I have Dioscorea elephantipes, sylvatica, hastifolia as container plants,
and Dioscorea dregiana, dumetorum, schimperiana just germinated :-)

Cultivation tips;

The "foot" likes to be in the shade. Of course you can choose to let it
develop underground the first years, I think D batatas prefers to be
underground, but mine are raised above ground, they are very ornamental.
The "foot" sends up an annual vine, seeking the light, so it is important
to give it headroom, it should be watered as long as the vine has green
leaves. Cut back watering when the vine starts to wither....and keep dry
when resting, depending on temperatures it might appreciate a small amount
of water to retain some roots. Resume watering when the restperiod is over,
and the vine appears afresh.
It can be happy for years in a container....and as to hardiness...it
doesn't like freezing temperatures...though some D elephantipes are
mentioned in Gordon Rowley's books as having survived some mild English
winters outside near a south facing wall.
The D batatas I saw in a Botanical Garden in Stockholm was kept in the
Bromeliad room to our great consternation.

Good Luck!

Ingrid in Sweden ( sun, and who ever heard of snow?!?)
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