Seed starting chronicles 2012

I once germinated Anarthrophyllum desideratum, a single seedling that lasted about 1 month, huzzah.  Lori, I hope you have better success than I, one of the more amazing plants on this earth.

Globularia trichosantha - uniformly germinated in 9 days at room temperature.  This was my third try with this species, each from a different source.  The first two times (other years) they were winter sowed without any success.  They might have been bad seed, I suppose, but more likely rotted over the winter.  These first two batches were seed lightly pressed into the soil surface, then covered with #2 granite grit.  In the third try with the same soil mix, seed was sown on a bed of #1 granite grit, and covered with the #2 grit, and put directly into 68-70F temperature (not winter sown).
             

I received Eranthis hymenalis seed from Wim last year.  He sent me some in moist packing and some dry seed in May, so the dry seed couldn't have dried that long, I would think.  They were promptly planted 11 May 2011 in pots and left outside.  With the crazily warm temps here (a week of 70-79F days and 55-60F nights) both lots came up simultaneously 16 March 2012.  
             

Oxytropis nana - germinated at room temperature in 2 days after scarification and 2 hour soak.  It was quite amazing how quickly they absorbed water.  In the 2 hours it seemed like they doubled in size, but in reality they increased in size by about 50%.

I did a second trial at room temperature with an equal number of seed from the same batch (NARGS Seed Ex seed wild collected in Wyoming) unscarified and not soaked.  One seed emerged in 35 days, so far.
             

I am a bit puzzled by this one: it's supposed to be Oxytropis campestris.  Scarified, and germinated in 7 days at room temperature.  It looks like a monocot to me.  Oxytropis is a dicot.  Any ideas?
             

Rick, it is a dicot and a Fabaceae. The pea (cotyledons) often remains in the soil. But I can't tell if it is an Oxytropis ;)

Rick, I agree with Trond, it does look like a Fabaceae to me, almost Lathyrus-like, but some Oxytropes and Astragali have upright growth, such as O. campestris, so it might be right.  Here's a photo, its a lovely locoweed.
http://www.em.ca/garden/native/nat_oxytropis_campestris.html

We too have had a full week of record breaking warm weather 75 F - 83 F resulting in a sudden explosion of rapid plant growth and flowering, full bore flowering of Magnolias, cherries, daffodils, everything!  Seed flats that I leave out all winter are bursting with germination, flats of Jeffersonia dubia and diphylla coming up so thick that the soil and mulch top dressing lifts up like a lid.  First time ever getting good germination on Anemonopsis, very happy about that.  Epimedium seed coming up thickly too, both those that I've sown, and innumerable self-sown ones out in the garden.

But as expected with such mild winter weather overall, followed by a heat wave of sorts, cold is returning with a deep freeze predicted for tomorrow night, 19 F (-7 C), followed by several more nights of hard freezing.  I'm not sure how the seedlings will withstand a sudden drop to 19 F, so I'm not taking chances with my flats and brought them indoors for a few days until temperatures moderate, I don't want to risk the bonanza of Anemonopsis, Jeffersonia, and Epimedium seedlings.

Lori, what do you give your speedy seedlings?
They're out of the diapers in no time :o

Lori...You do grow some obscure (well to me they are) species!  ??? Loads of which I have never heard of. But you are doing an amazing job of germinating and growing on!

Hoy wrote:

Lori, what do you give your speedy seedlings?
They're out of the diapers in no time :o

What a perfect description!  I would imagine that the good lighting helps a lot, too.  The flowering anaphalis is wonderful surprise!  Lori, how many hours a day are your lights on?

Every year in our Chapter newsletter, I always write in my plant sales article: "We encourage all contributors to clearly print plant names (botanical and common) and cultural information on the label.  Putting your own name on the tag is an added bonus.  We all like to know who grew our newly purchased plants (and who we might ask for additional plant information)."  Although I always have people asking me for more information about my donate plants, few actual take my advice of put their own names on their own donated plants.  I am at a loss of how to get people to do this.  Any ideas?

Another thing that works very well to sell unfamiliar plants, is write an article about them in a prior Chapter newsletter.  I think the best one I ever wrote was on Phyteuma (with pics, of course).  I still have people asking me, years later, if I will be bringing any.  The good thing is that someone is now also growing them from seed, and donating to the sale.  But she won't put her name on them!

I grew Corydalis wilsonii from seed in 2010, was planning on a warm/cold/warm treatment, and they came up in the first warm conditioning.  Plants don't survive zone 4 winters, but apparently the seed does better.  Just a couple days ago I spied a seedling emerging from warm/cold/warm (summer/winter in garage/spring).  The pot probably only reached a 10F(-12C) low.  Also, remember our zone 4 spring is a month ahead this year.

RickR wrote:

Every year in our Chapter newsletter, I always write in my plant sales article: "We encourage all contributors to clearly print plant names (botanical and common) and cultural information on the label.  Putting your own name on the tag is an added bonus.  We all like to know who grew our newly purchased plants (and who we might ask for additional plant information)."  Although I always have people asking me for more information about my donate plants, few actual take my advice of put their own names on their own donated plants.  I am at a loss of how to get people to do this.  Any ideas?

Rick,
at our AGS Vic Group we have an annual plant swap known as "The Bunfight" because the original ones used to be a bit of a shemozzle. We ask for donors to put their initials on the back of the label so that we can identify the plants that way. It's less time consuming than writing their whole name and we now get quite a high compliance. I always like to acknowledge people from whom I've received something which has gone on to be a star in the garden.
cheers
fermi

Lori, I keep wondering where you are going to put all those new treasures ;)  Seeing all of these plants at the early germination stage, with first leaves, is most educational, a resource unto itself.

Not knowing much about Anemonopsis macrophylla, I've been frustrated by the fact I never get any seedlings in the garden, even when I help things along by scratching in the seed out in the garden around the mother plant, which has proved so effective for many other plants I do this with.  Last summer when the seed was ready, I harvested some of it and sowed the seed in a flat, top dressed with decomposed pink bark mulch, keep in shade and just moist for summer and fall, and left outside all winter, and I'm so pleased to finally have a fine crop of seedlings coming up.  Now, only 4-5 years until full sized :o

Googling this plant, I'm surprised by the wikipedia link that says "As with many other members of the Ranunculaceae, seedlings of Anemonopsis form only cotyledons in their first season; the first true leaves form the year after germination".  I wasn't aware of that.  Can anyone comment, is it true that's all I'll get this year is pairs of cotyledons and no true leaves?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anemonopsis

Two years ago I received a lots of fresh Trillium seed in mid-late summer, over 20 different varieties.  I expanded some of my beds outdoors with the purpose of sowing all the seed outside directly in the garden.  I was hoping, since the seed was fresh, that I could get accelerated seed germination the first year (hypogeal germination, followed by true cotyledon germination) all in one season, which can happen.  The following spring I got only a few seedlings, out of an estimated 2000-2500 seeds sown. 

This year is the 2nd spring for the sown trillium seed, thankfully many are now showing good germination.  The following photo (sorry, not very good quality) shows a view where I marked the location for seed sown of Trillium pusillum v. alabamicum.  There is one bigger leaf, it appeared the first spring.  But looking closely, there are about 20 fresh seedlings appearing.  Will probably need to wait another 4-5 years before flowering.

McDonough wrote:

Now, only 4-5 years until full sized :o

Googling this plant, I'm surprised by the wikipedia link that says "As with many other members of the Ranunculaceae, seedlings of Anemonopsis form only cotyledons in their first season; the first true leaves form the year after germination".  I wasn't aware of that.  Can anyone comment, is it true that's all I'll get this year is pairs of cotyledons and no true leaves?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anemonopsis

Mark...I sowed seed from my plants 2 years ago, and I can say for sure that now in this second year is when I am seeing true leaves on them. Now if the red squirrels & chipmunck would leave the pots alone I'll be all set with many plants in a few years time!

Thanks Amy, then 2 years it is to see true leaves on Anemonopsis, they sure are slow!

May I recommend buying some "hardware cloth", typically available in hardware stores, sold by the foot or yard on rolls, as much as wanted.  Then with standard wire snips (also at the hardware store), I cut pieces of the wire mesh to cover my pots, turned down at the sides to hold the mesh in place.  When seeds germinate, the mesh can be easily bent to give some height to the covering to give seedlings some room and not have leaves pop up through the mesh and expand the leaves, making for a tricky situation removing the mesh eventually and no ripping the leaves off. It works well, even if the mesh is formed into a loose arch over the pots, so far squirrels and chipmunks leave such protected pots alone.

I no longer get great angst over incessant diggings of these varmints in my pots since I started using wire protection.  The wire covers can of course be re-used over and over.

McDonough wrote:

Thanks Amy, then 2 years it is to see true leaves on Anemonopsis, they sure are slow!

May I recommend buying some "hardware cloth", typically available in hardware stores, sold by the foot or yard on rolls, as much as wanted.  Then with standard wire snips (also at the hardware store), I cut pieces of the wire mesh to cover my pots, turned down at the sides to hold the mesh in place.  When seeds germinate, the mesh can be easily bent to give some height to the covering to give seedlings some room and not have leaves pop up through the mesh and expand the leaves, making for a tricky situation removing the mesh eventually and no ripping the leaves off. It works well, even if the mesh is formed into a loose arch over the pots, so far squirrels and chipmunks leave such protected pots alone.

I no longer get great angst over incessant diggings of these varmints in my pots since I started using wire protection.  The wire covers can of course be re-used over and over.

Mark, do you have a picture of your "hardware cloth"? Don't know whether something like that exists here.

McDonough wrote:

May I recommend buying some "hardware cloth", typically available in hardware stores, sold by the foot or yard on rolls, as much as wanted.  Then with standard wire snips (also at the hardware store), I cut pieces of the wire mesh to cover my pots, turned down at the sides to hold the mesh in place.  When seeds germinate, the mesh can be easily bent to give some height to the covering to give seedlings some room and not have leaves pop up through the mesh and expand the leaves, making for a tricky situation removing the mesh eventually and no ripping the leaves off. It works well, even if the mesh is formed into a loose arch over the pots, so far squirrels and chipmunks leave such protected pots alone.

I no longer get great angst over incessant diggings of these varmints in my pots since I started using wire protection.  The wire covers can of course be re-used over and over.

I have made a few flat covers with hardware cloth already and use them, I just have so many pots & trays to cover! I need to find a less expensive way to protect my 'babies'.  :-[

Lori wrote:

Trond, hardware cloth is just a welded wire mesh - see photos:
http://www.google.ca/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=hardware+clth&oe=UTF-...

Thanks Lori. I supposed it was something like that. I use chickenwire against hares and European elk(!)

Here are a couple views of peat flats protected with small rectangles of "hardware cloth" or "welded wire fabric" or "welded wire mesh", all terms for basically the same thing.  In the photo on the right, the mesh has been loosened to allow room for the developing Jeffersonia seedlings.

They look pretty tough, Mark, not like the chicken wire I use! But my main problem is not warmblooded animals either. . . .  However I could need it where I plant some of my bulbs. They are often dug up and eaten by some animal.

Chickens, too...

cohan wrote:

Trond, I was just reading how good ducks are at eating slugs!

RickR wrote:

Chickens, too...

I have read it too - but as we are away from home we don't even have a cat. When the girls were kids(!) they had rabbits and we (I) had enough of travelling with animals >:( Can't just leave them alone . . . .

cohan wrote:

You don't have to leave the ducks alone, they have the slugs to keep them company ;) I know what you mean though, we have our cat, who moved here from the neighbours' and adopted us, and he would be hard to leave alone since he lives partly in and partly out   :-\ Plants are easier..

Well, plants are easier but they can't move themselves! I left a lot of pots outside when we left and see from the weather forecast that we have experienced freezing temps the last three nights! And that after 5 weeks without :-X I am very anxious for some of the plants. Many rhodos had started flowering too and some don't take freezing either :(

cohan wrote:

I avoid that problem by basically not putting anything outside at any time of year that can't take freezing...lol

Well, then you get the water problem. Who will water all your pets when you are not there?

Lori wrote:

Hoy wrote:

When the girls were kids(!) they had rabbits and we (I) had enough of travelling with animals >:( Can't just leave them alone . . . .

What?  You don't find it convenient to travel with a crate of chickens or ducks, Trond?!?  But surely that would be take-on luggage?  ;D ;D 
Kind of reminds me of a book I've loved since I read it as a kid - Gerald Durrell's My Family and Other Animals, in which he describes his family's pre-WWII emigration when he was a child to the island of Corfu and subsequent adventures... all with his various pets and eccentric family members and accoutrements in tow! 

Maybe I could get paid by bringing them along? Could help with the flight in an emergency case . . . .

Maybe I should look for that book?!

. . . .and I'm still higly impressed by your jet-propulsed seedlings ;)

I did some seedling transplanting today.

One year old Penstemon canescens:

Another example of the advantage of holding over pots for multiple years:
Penstemon euglaucus, last year's seedlings with a new crop of seeds sprouting from last year's sowing.  (I think most penstemon cotyledons are narrow, but this species is different.)

I sowed these seeds a few weeks ago and they're already up
Zephyranthes primulina x Z 'Grandjax' cross-pollinated on Feb 2 and seed sown on March 4!

Can't wait to see what they produce [or if the cross "took"!]
cheers
fermi

Fermi wrote:

I sowed these seeds a few weeks ago and they're already up
Zephyranthes primulina x Z 'Grandjax' cross-pollinated on Feb 2 and seed sown on March 4!
[attachthumb=1]

Can't wait to see what they produce [or if the cross "took"!]
cheers
fermi

That was very quick, only 4 weeks to ripen! Hereonly weeds ripen that fast. . . . . ;)

Lori, you are one dedicated seedster!  Ingenious method of hardening your seedlings off for transition outdoors, and the whole affair portable too, impressive.  :)

Tim, I use sandpaper with different grit size when I "chip" peas. I have one lying at the table and one mounted on a piece of wood. Then it is very easy to chip all at once and I always get very good germination.
However, I'm not sure whether they are easier to grow on . . . .  ;)