Seed starting chronicles 2012

[Lori S.]

Have seen suggestions for germination of Paeonia and Roses on paper towels the latter initially cold and the former initially warm, on wet paper towels.  Some rose people suggested using a solution of 1.5% hydrogen peroxide.

Anyone "stratify" on paper towels?

Charles Swanson MA USA

I used to use Deno's method a lot - moistened paper towel inside of baggie - but have just gone to direct sowing in pots in the last few years.  It certainly saves space (Deno's method, that is).  It can be a little tricky to detach roots from the paper towel, so I'd just tear away as much as possible and plant it with the seedling.  I was not using it for peonies and roses though.

[RickR]

RickR, your Alyssum stribrnyi seedlings look exactly like Romneya coulteri.

Thanks, Gene.  Years ago, I had a plant of Alyssum stribrnyi and I didn't remember any jaggedy leaves like that either. I'll bet you are right.

[Mark Brandhorst]

I just found a nice thick cluster of Hepatica transsilvanica seedlings under the mother plant. Any suggestions on whether to divide them this year or wait till next spring. They are growing in a very tight group, on top of each other in some circumstances. Only a few have their true leaves yet.

[McDonough]

I just found a nice thick cluster of Hepatica transsilvanica seedlings under the mother plant. Any suggestions on whether to divide them this year or wait till next spring. They are growing in a very tight group, on top of each other in some circumstances. Only a few have their true leaves yet.

Mark, I would be tempted to wait for a not-too-hot day, then transplant them soon, separate out the seedlings into smaller clumps of 2-3 seedling each, then mulch and keep them well watered.  I don't have direct experience with Hepatica seedlings, but with other spring ephemerals, I separate and move the seedlings in early to mid summer, with good results.

[Mark Brandhorst]

Thanks Mark. I'll give it a try.

[Toole]

Full of promise ,not far from their first flowering ---- Seed sown June 2009 and potted on once, they don't appear to have suffered from not being separated into individual pots.

That being said i think I'll be potting on/ planting out a few Hepaticas soon as well.

 
Cheers Dave.

[cohan]

Full of promise ,not far from their first flowering ---- Seed sown June 2009 and potted on once, they don't appear to have suffered from not being separated into individual pots.

That being said i think I'll be potting on/ planting out a few Hepaticas soon as well.

 
Cheers Dave.

Looking good, Dave! I have some smaller than that (first year) and some maybe about the same size/age.. I sowed them in an old hanging basket planter (not hung though!) expecting to leave them several years till ready to go in the ground.. they are looking good- finally like real, though small, plants, this year.. Maybe I will plant them out this summer/fall, not sure yet... I rarely do anything with seedlings between sowing and planting out...

[Toole]

Thanks Cohan

I also sowed a number of wonderful different coloured japanese 'Heps' a year later in 2010 --a check yesterday and i think a small number of them are budding up .....Fingers crossed.

Cheers Dave.

[Hoy]

Full of promise ,not far from their first flowering ---- Seed sown June 2009 and potted on once, they don't appear to have suffered from not being separated into individual pots.

That being said i think I'll be potting on/ planting out a few Hepaticas soon as well.

 
Cheers Dave.

Nice Dave! But don't you think they need to be separated soon?

[Toole]

Yip Trond --i'll let them flower first --see if there is any variation within a pot --repot any 'nice ones' and plant out a small number if i can find some room   and probably give away the rest.

Cheers Dave.

[Hoy]

Understandable with liverworts When I grow rhododendrons from seed I have to give away a lot of thembefore I have seen the flowers Have to judge on foliage!

[Toole]

Full of promise ,not far from their first flowering ---- Seed sown June 2009 and potted on once, they don't appear to have suffered from not being separated into individual pots

 
Cheers Dave.

Here's a shot of one of the pots taken today.

Cheers Dave. 

[Hoy]

A nice bunch and very reminding of spring!

It is two flowers that I associate with spring. The first I usually found in spring as a child was hestehov (coltsfoot Tussilago farfara) and the second which heralded the real spring was blåveis (liverwort Hepatica nobilis). I had some favorite places I visited regularly

[cohan]

Full of promise ,not far from their first flowering ---- Seed sown June 2009 and potted on once, they don't appear to have suffered from not being separated into individual pots

 
Cheers Dave.

Here's a shot of one of the pots taken today.

Cheers Dave. 

Great colours!

[Tim Ingram]

Having chipped a lot of legume seed earlier in the spring I decided I should get on and sow it. Summer temperatures are perfect, around 25-30°C and the seed germinated in a couple of days. So far so good. And then an influx of slugs out of nowhere discovered them, causing much cursing and a quick transfer to the greenhouse and scattering of slug pellets. Fortunately some are growing away OK and more have germinated, so at least most pots will produce a modicum of seedlings. Next year I will take more care.

The first photo shows Sophora arizonica with probably half of the seedlings chomped below the cotyledons. The second group were less effected: Lupinus excubitis, Sophora stenophylla and Robinia neomexicana. The third shows Oxytropis prenja, Ebenus pisidica and Hedysarum pestalozzae. Many of these are not likely to be too easy to grow even without slugs around but they are such fascinating plants, and like the final picture of Lupinus chamissonis often have very beautiful foliage even in the absence of any flowers.