Re: Hosta and Helebore seed ?
- To: propagation@mallorn.com
- Subject: Re: Hosta and Helebore seed ?
- From: J* G* a* O* P*
- Date: Tue, 24 Oct 2000 17:29:11 +0100
The message <c1.805df2c.27264938@aol.com>
from WHTROS@aol.com contains these words:
> Are any of you eager to start next years seeds?
> Well, I am. Been looking over a couple seed catalogs and wanting to place a
> small order.
> I have questions about germinating 2 items:
> 1. Are Hosta seeds difficult to germinate?
> 2. T&M lists several Hellebores and I can't make up my mind which to order.
> I've been coveting them for a long time. But I am wondering if I should even
> go thru with ordering them at all b/c T&M lists them as Challenging to grow:
> Helleborous HP 30-545 X @ 60-65 degrees Well drained
> Pre-chill 3 months. See No. 6. May need to go through two winters
> outdoors.
> Is it even worth a try? I know even if I get 1 or 2 it would be worth it.
> :-( Have you had any experience with them?
I've never tried Hosta from seed but the thing with Hellebores is
that they germinate very easily if the seed is fresh. Once you have
your own Hellebores (or know someone who has them) you can sow seed
when it's ready in midsummer and it usually germinates by Christmas.
It isn't then at all difficult but it is quite slow-growing. Plants
take about three years to flower, but they survive and develop within
that period without too much trouble.
If the seed isn't fresh, e.g. about three months old, then it is much
more reluctant to germinate. I've found I have one or two germinating
say the next autumn from a sowing about now. It all depends on how
fresh the T&M seed is. I would say, though, definitely not difficult
once germinated.
If you just want standard colours- pink, red, burgundy/purple- you
could hang on till next summer and I'll send you some fresh seed.
Probably it would germinate sooner than the seed T&M offers!
Janet Galpin, near Spalding, Lincolnshire, UK, Min temp: -8
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