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veganfish

Paging Korina...Please pick up the red courtesy phone

VeganFish
18 years ago

I am a dismal failure. You have sent me chirita seeds twice. The first time I had a cat casualty before anything could sprout. The second, I did everything by the book, but there was never a single speck of green. What advice do you have? I might have a few seeds left in the envelope and I really want these to germinate.

I know it has been awhile, but I was discouraged. I am now ready to try again!

Comments (4)

  • korina
    18 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I'm so sorry they didn't germinate for you! But, ah, just between you and me? ((My germination skills are a little bit sucky.)) Don't tell anyone; it'll ruin my reputation. All I know is don't cover them with soil, keep them damp, and give them lots of light. Oh, and keep the container covered.

    If you like, I can send you some leaves; I don't think there's a frosty spot between you and me, although they might drown or burn crispy.

    *Or*, perhaps some knowledgeable person on this forum can part with some helpful information and enlighten us both. Hmmmm?

    Korina

  • jon_d
    18 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I have posted here so many times on how to start gesneriad seed but I might as well do it again.

    First, everything that Korina said is correct. But, I cook my seed starting mix so that it is effectively sterile. Then when I totally saturate the mix and enclose it in a ziplock bag, the mix doesn't develop fungus, moss, liverworts or ferns. My mix traditionally has been equal parts peat (or coir), perlite and vermiculite, moistened and cooked at 170 degrees for 3 hours. After cooking, I store the mix in a closed container and use it as needed. It will stay clean for several years.

    I use 3" pots, more or less. I fill the pots with my sterile mix, and take to the sink, where I run the faucet at the lowest stream of water possible and gently but thoroughly wet the mix, going back and forth, until the mix is totally saturated. I try not to bring up too much perlite. With the pot of thoroughly wet mix, I gently tamp down a bit to even it and then with a creased piece of plain paper I scatter (by tapping) some seeds--never the entire amount, since usually every seed will germinate. So, to recap, the seed is now spread out over very very very wet mix. Now I put in a label and enclose in a small ziplock bag. Then I put the bagged pot under lights on a fluorescent light stand. If you don't have a fluorescent light stand, then a bright north facing window works fairly well. But if you don't have a light stand then you should consider getting or making one. I use ready made (metro style)shelving and shop lights on a timer--pretty simple.

    Next, you have to be slightly patient. I keep hearing about people who waited a whole two weeks and then threw out the seed pot. It takes three weeks or longer for most gesneriad seed to germinate. Strep seed sometimes takes up to 4 months. The germinating seedlings are so tiny that you need really good close up vision to see them. Once they are up you can fertilize the mix (I wait about another month) with a weak mix--say 1/8th teaspoon per gallon of fertilizer. Use a very small watering can with a narrow spout, so that the water doesn't disturb the seedlings or the surface. I find these small and otherwise useless little watering cans in thrift shops.

    Before I started sterilizing my mix, I would get unwanted growths on the very wet mix--green algae, white molds, liverworts, and even ferns. Seedlings can also rot from damp off molds. Since I began cooking my mix, I can keep a pot in this very wet condition under lights for months.

    The most common reasons for failure of germination:
    1) mix not wet enough or allowed to dry out on the surface. It must be very wet. No, make that very very wet.
    2) seed buried under a thin layer of soil--it must be scattered on the surface.
    3) not enough light--seed can germinate but will die off before you see the seedlings.
    4) fungal activity
    5) old seed that has lost viability. Most gesneriad seed has a long life. Seed that comes from a dry pod, like streps, sinningias, chiritas etc. has the longest life. Seed from a berry or fleshy capsule is shorter lived--columnea, nematanthus, codonanthe.
    6) there must be some other reasons that I can't think of.

    Remember, unless the seed is too old, the problem with failure to germinate is not the seed's fault.

    Note: in the first year that Chirita tamiana was introduced, those lucky gesneriad growers who got it, quickly noticed that seed would spill from the self pollinating pods and germinate all over the place--in pots, on capillary matting, any where moist. This species went from rare and expensive to common in only one year. I seem to recall it went for about $100 at the auction at the 1999 AGGS convention in Nashville. The next year, in Tampa, it was given away as table favors.

  • VeganFish
    Original Author
    18 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I am thinking that it was not wet enough.

    I cannot find where my envelope with the rest of the seeds ran off to, (helpful hubby cleaned MY desk!!!) so I would LOVE to take you up on your offer of leaves.

    Let me know what you need from me.

  • korina
    18 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Jon, maybe it's time for this forum to have a FAQ? '...table favors.' Snerk; thanks for my first laugh of the day.

    Veganfish, email me. We'll work something out.

    Korina

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