Re: hellebores

Ah, yes, I should have read on before replying.  Marge's next email gave the
explanation.  My seed never had a chance to dry out so it did not require the
freezing temps.

Dave Skinner - skinnerd@nettally.com
Le Jardin Ombragé, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
  Main Website  http://www.nettally.com/skinnerd/ombrage.html
  Ginger Website http://www.nettally.com/skinnerd/gingers.htm
  eBay Listings  http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/gingersrus/
----- Original Message -----
From: "Marge Talt" <mtalt@CLARK.NET>
To: <shadegardens@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU>
Sent: Sunday, January 06, 2002 4:40 AM
Subject: Re: [SG] hellebores


> Thanks, Paul...
>
> Frankly, I don't remember what I did to my first experiment in
> growing Hellebores from seed, from which only H. foetidus 'Wester
> Flisk' germinated out of a dozen or more packages of H. x hybridus in
> assorted colors purchased from Chilterns.  But, having received
> advice from Graham Rice, I now sow in warmth and either leave the
> pots outside until they germinate or bring them into the cool
> greenhouse, where they eventually germinate.  Since then, I've only
> been sowing pretty fresh seed from exchanges and such or seed that
> was moist packed...rather shy about buying dry stored seed again:-)
>
> What Graham said was that one must, as you note, start with a warm
> period.  Generally, if seed is sown by late summer and the pots are
> left outside until a couple of nice hard frosts have happened - or
> like mid Nov. in my area, they will then germinate during winter or
> in spring in my cool greenhouse like mustard and cress.
>
> The problem, as you point out, with dry stored seed is that drying
> initiates germination inhibitors and it is often quite hard to break
> that.  I kept pots of my initial seeding experiment for about 6 years
> or so before I gave up on them...kept them outside all winter,
> spring, summer, etc.  Those seeds were still firm, but just would not
> germinate....grew marvelous moss, however.
>
> If I were to try to store seed, I'd do what John Dudley did for the
> Hellebore List exchange - he's a breeder in NZ, where their seasons
> are directly opposite ours.  He stored the seed in moist medium in
> plastic bags in warmth - to give it the warm period and then
> distributed it to the exchange with instructions to put it in the
> fridge for x weeks and then plant...which I did and some germinated
> right away and some is doing so now....one of them actually put out
> radicals in the fridge!
>
> I would not want to try to dry store this seed for any long period
> and then think it was going to germinate readily, myself.  Have you
> actually followed your routine with Hellebore seed and had good
> germination?
>
> BTW, John is now offering seed from some of his lovely plants for
> sale...has a new website and all..been meaning to write you and tell
> you about this:-)
>
> http://www.southcom.com.au/~hortus/
>
> Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
> mtalt@clark.net
> Editor:  Gardening in Shade
> -----------------------------------------------
> Current Article: Leaves - Shape Part 2
> http://www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/shade_gardening
> ------------------------------------------------
> Complete Index of Articles by Category and Date
> http://mtalt.hort.net/article-index.html
> ------------------------------------------------
> All Suite101.com garden topics :
> http://www.suite101.com/topics.cfm/635
>
> ----------
> > From: Paul Henjum <Meum71@AOL.COM>
> > Marg nice article on Hellebores, I have a question about how you
> have tried
> > to germinate stored seed?
> >
> > Hellebores being a member of RANUNCULACEAE like many of the other
> members of
> > this family need cold temps to break any dormancy developed.  This
> means
> > below freezing for 8 weeks or so.
> >
> > but first they need a warm period for more than 6 weeks.   if i was
> to
> > collect seed for later sowing i would store it in the freezer and
> sow it in
> > pot with moist seed mix and cover with plastic and keep at 75F. for
> 6 weeks
> > then move it to fridge for a week and then to the freezer for 8
> weeks and see
> > if this does the trick.   after taking it out of the freezer I
> would put it
> > in a warm freezer (39-42 F) were I would expect some germination to
> start --
> > slowly (If possible) raise the temps to F 50.
> >
> > Delphiniums are another member of this family that give people
> problems --
> > like Hellebores they germinate easily when fresh but do go into a
> deep
> > dormancy when dried.  A couple weeks in a baggy with moist seed mix
> at F 28
> > and I have had good germination even with seed that is four years
> old.
> >
> > Paul
>
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index