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Re: Zinnias, summer heat, cornus nutallii

Ah, so now I know where our summer went ... June is an unreliable month
here, but the rainfall of the last week has been way over the top, even for
West of Ireland wet temperate. It's a wonder anyone can get up the energy
to write at all, at temperatures like that I tend to succumb to the
temptation to 'hibernate'.
Wondering whether another packet of Zinnias might do the trick. Where were
the seeds purchased ? (I've seen seeds displayed in supermarkets in direct
sunshine, presumably to catch the impulse purchase.) Just a thought and
probably no help (-: Seed is supposed to be stored cool, and we are told
storing in the greenhouse means sure death in the seed packet. Tom
Clothier, a helpful man if there ever was one, once sent me a chart showing
germination at different temperatures ... seed tends to rot at high
temperatures and germination falls off dramatically, 90percent at 70F, 10
percent germination at 100F. I've verified that myself the hard way with an
electric propagator which was overheating. Raising it on some wooden blocks
to allow air to circulate was enough to cure that problem.
While I'm writing could anyone suggest a treatment for Cornus nutallii. I'd
really like these to germinate. They've had a good soak, a spell in the
fridge ... no sign of any reaction. Current batch will be going in a seed
tray out of doors and left to mother nature, and I'd like to start again
with a new batch and better instructions !
Mark Speakman 
Annaghdown, Ireland

"Had I the heavens embroidered threads
Enwrought with gold and silver light"

markspkn@iol.ie
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