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Re: Impatiens Germination Problem

> From:          "Brad Hamilton" <bfham@sprintmail.com>

> I'm trying to start some bedding plants from seed for spring planting, and
> I've got a problem with the impatiens.
> 
> These are "Impatiens New Guinea Spectra Hybrids" according to the seed
> packet.  I sowed them onto a commercial seedling mix and did not cover the
> seeds per instructions.  They were kept at 70 to 76 F in a seedling flat

Optimal temperatures for germination of N.G. impatiens is in the 
range 24 - 27C (75 -80F), quite a bit warmer than I. wallerana. Below 
this range germination is very slow and sporadic

> covered with a plastic hood under fluorescent lights.  The flat was watered
> initially from the bottom until the top of the mix was very moist.

Yep WET! not damp! WET! they like this.

> After 6 days I noticed initial signs of germination in a few seeds as the
> radicle emerging.  Now, at 16 days after seeding about half of the seeds
> have developed seed leaves and look good, but most of the remaining seeds
> have 'stalled' with a small blunt radicle emerging from the seed tip.  The
> radicles do not apparently penetrate the mix to form rootlets.  A few look
> like they may be developing on  but others just look stuck.
> 
> I removed the plastic hoods at around 11 days for about 48 to 72 hours and
> also reduce temperature to upper 60's.  The mix may have gotten a bit drier
Uh-oh!
> on top but I did mist daily.  After I noticed some of the seeds had a
> problem I put the hoods back on and temp back up.
> 
> Any ideas what I may have done wrong?
Keep the temperature up to at least 25C, dont worry about the 
germinated seeds as N.G impatiens grow best at this temperature.
I have found that they develop quite slowly in their initial stages.
 


Michael Wilton * Waikanae * New Zealand 
 mw@home.net.nz
"Mike in the Begonia House" Wellington Botanic Garden
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