Seed starting chronicles 2013

[RickR]

Nomocharis aperta - planted 25Mar2013 at 60-65F.  Emerged in 31 days.
     

Allium carinatum ssp. pulchellum - planted 7Feb2013 outside temps. Emerged 29Apr2013.
     

Allium tricoccum - planted 19Mar2011 (dried seed),outside temps. Emerged 23April2013.
     


Other seeds up:
Allium narcissiflorum - planted 7Feb2013 outside temps. Emerged after two 70F days on 30Apr2013.
Allium ovalifolium - planted 3Feb2012 outside temps. Emerged after three 70F days on 1May2013.
Fritillaria meleagris alba - planted 3Feb2012 outside temps. Emerged after three 70F days on 1May2013, as expected.
Mertensia ciliata (Thanks Lori!) - planted 3Feb2012 outside temps. Emerged after three 70F days on 1May2013.
Oxytropis nana - planted 3Feb2012 outside temps, not scarified.  One seed germinated last season.  More emerged after three 70F days on 1May2013.

[RickR]

Hedysarum boreale ssp. boreale, I think.  As I was planting various species, I neglected to mark this one right away, so its identity is through a process of elimination.  Initially, I thought I might have it mixed up with Moltkia petraea, but I grew that seed last year and had taken and posted a photo for it in Seed Chronicles 2012.  (Everyone's additions here are very helpful!)  So it's not Moltkia.
So what do you think?  The seed would have come from Lori (Thanks!).

Emerged in 29 days at 60-65F.
     

A curious happening with this batch: all of the cotyledons grew in a somewhat "abnormal" fashion.  Most grew to "one side" as the seedling on the right.  But none emerged perfectly shaped, as one might expect.  Is this normal, or could it be due to some climatic factor?
     

[Hoy]

Rick, I think the cotyledons of Fabaceae species often are warped or asymmetric. Some don't even surface.

[Gene Mirro]

Mimulus lewisi, sown 2/27/13, grown under fluorescents at roughly 60F:



These are perennial in the NW USA for 2-5 years if the soil is kept moist and cool.  They are native to wet places in the mountains above 5000 feet.

[cohan]

Those Mimulus have really come along, Gene! I'm thinking about getting something in this genus for damp lower edges (below grade) of some rock gardens, but I don't think I got any seed yet, unless there is some in my package from Kristl..lol

[Hoy]

Well done, Gene!

[Toole]

Some good success shown there folks.

Here's a few different genera sown at different depths last month ,germinating after being placed outside unprotected.
 
Lilium oxypetalum var insigne --seed surface sown.

Myosotis capitata ---surface sown.

Crocus biflorus ssp isauricus sown just under the surface --i scraped away a little of the mix to see what was happening....

Ornithagalium sigmoideum sown deep.

Arisaema griffithii sown deep after chilling for 5 weeks. Thumb is shown to give an idea of the seed pots.

I'll move them under cover at the end of the month to keep them going over winter.

Cheers Dave.

[Toole]

I continue to be seduced by seed .

I understand Saxifraga longifolia is not that difficult to germinate so as an experiment last month i surface sowed half of a 'swap' on pumice and the other half on peat/grit and placed them outside .

Other than the different mixes both pots were given identical ,(as much as i could control),conditions ,each placed in a plastic bag which was tied --however after a week because of the amount of the condensation i left the bags open with the plastic ,stiff ,well above the sides of the pot to try to continue giving them a settled atmosphere.  

So far the results have been interesting .

The pumice pot is showing advanced germination compared to other one.

Followed by a couple of macro shots showing the seed in various stages of germinating on and between the rock .
  
Cheers Dave.