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Re: Starting Seed

Royce,

I've never tried seeds from Solomon's seal - true or false, but I have had
success with Arisaema triphyllum - Jack-in-the-Pulpit.   Did this before I
knew anything much about them except that they grew all over my garden and
our woods.  I gathered the berries when they were ripe, usually when the
plant had totally collapsed and the berries were laying on the ground.  I
did it both by removing the pulp and by planting the whole berry.  Have no
statistics on germination, but got a lot both ways.  Have since learned
that you should clean the seeds by removing the pulp because it can contain
germination inhibitors.  

It's been a few years since I did this, but as I recall, I planted in a
flat of Pro Mix, spacing the seeds in rows in the flat - pretty close as I
remember.  Think I actually had two flats I had so many seeds.  Most
berries contain more than one seed.  I also sowed these seeds very soon
after gathering and cleaning...I did not store them.

Now we get to the part I really can't remember....what I did with the flats
of seed!  I am pretty sure I did not leave them outside for the winter. 
Must have kept them in my pseudo greenhouse which stays about 40F - doesn't
freeze.  I also do not remember how long it took to germinate...but they
came up like mustard and cress.  

One thing else I have learned from lurking on Arisaema-L....it is best to
keep the baby corms in a protected situation (not planted out in the
garden) until their second season as they  have a much better chance of
making it.  I got busy and except for watering the flat, just left all the
seedlings in it for at least a couple of years.  Just got around to potting
them off last fall.  Some were quite small and went back into a flat of new
soil and wider spacing, and others were potted 3 to a 4" pot.  I have a
*lot* of little 'jacks' right now, waiting for me to put them in the
garden.

So, unlike some of the related and incredible arisaemas, A. triphyllum is
pretty easy from seed.

What did you do to yours when you weren't successful?

Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@clark.net
Editor:  Gardening in Shade
http://www.suite101.com
----------
> From: Royce Simmons <royce@idsi.net>
> To: seeds-list@eskimo.com
> Subject: Starting Seed
> Date: Saturday, May 03, 1997 8:13 AM
> 
> Greetings,
> 
> I just joined this list and of course I need advice right away.  We
> have a few plants of Solomons Seal (true), False Solomons Seal and
> Jack in the Pulpit that form a number of seed each fall.  I have
> tried to get the seed to sprout in a number of ways with absolutely
> no success.
> 
> Rather than describe all my failed attempts I hope some of you
> might have the secret I need. 
> 
> Thanks,
> -- 
> Royce Simmons - Stormville.NY -- ADS
> USDA Zone 5 - AIS Reg. 2 - AHS Reg.4
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