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monsterfish_gw

New to mini Sinningia - I need some help.....

monsterfish
10 years ago

I am just planting my very first mini sinn tuber. I have tried to germinate strep and mini sinn seeds without much luck. So far only 2 out of about 30 of the sinn seeds have sprouted and none of the strep (it's been over a month now). I recently received a mini sinn tuber but I'm not sure which end of it is the top. It's bare and looks like an onion on one end and the other end is kinda furry looking. Is the bare end the bottom? And how much perlite goes into the soil mix? I'm using AV soil. I also have some sterile peat. Would that be better? Sorry for so many questions. I have absolutely no experience with this and am just going by what I find on the web. I will be abundantly grateful for any and all replies. Thank you!!!!

Comments (3)

  • irina_co
    10 years ago

    Your seeds should be sprinkled on the surface of the soil in enclosed transparent container under the lights. Keep them this way for 6 months = in this case even the old seeds have a chance.

    Regarding the tuber. Put your tuber in a freezer ziplock baggie, add just a bit of barely-barely moist vermiculite or sphagnum moss - and pin it to the light stand - or some place where it has light but no direct sunlight. Light stimulates the growth. Usually in a next month or 2 you will get a new growth - and only then you pot it with a new growth showing above the soil - I add milled sphagnum moss and coarse perlite to 1:1:1 mix to lighten it up and wick water it.. Since you are in a similar dryness as I it is probably better.

    Please keep us posted and ask more questions.

    Irina

  • monsterfish
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thank you Irina. I had assumed I would just plant the tuber right side up and magic would happen. I have perlite and AV soil but no sphagnum moss, only peat, until I can get into town again. I'll put it in a bag with perlite and put it on my light stand until I can get some. I'll have to pick up some plant wicks as well. Do I need to put anything in for drainage, like charcoal or pebbles?

    I do have the seeds in closed containers. When I have set them in water to water them the peat has gotten very wet very fast, even though the holes aren't all that big and that worried me so I uncovered them to let some of the water evaporate a bit. I guess I didn't hurt anything because that was before the 2 seeds started to sprout.

    I'm so excited I can hardly contain myself. I guess that will fade soon though because these things can't be rushed. 6 months? : ( Oh well.

    Thank you so much for your help. I'll keep you posted.

  • irina_co
    10 years ago

    In my experience Sinningias are fool-proof if you let them develop the shoot. If you plant them before it - sometimes it takes longer - or they can rot. Light really stimulates their growth. Usually the top of the tuber has an indentation, bottom is rounded.

    If your AV soil is 1:1:1 peat -perlite- vermiculite - you can just add a bit of perlite. If it is a store made soil - add a lot. I use mason twine #18 for wicks - get it in HD - or half of the plys of an acrylic thread - so it won't get too wet.

    For drainage I put a layer of coarse perlite. You can put whatever - I am a coarse perlite afficionado - I buy it in 4 cubic feet bales. HD variety = small to dust- is not working for me.

    perlite in a ziplock baggie will work too - need to keep it sprinkled every so often - so it adds just a little bit of humidity.

    Peat is a not a good media for seeds - you already got the idea why plus it is acid. Next time - try to use rewetted fluffed Jiffy pellets - or AV mix -with extra perlite of course.

    If your peat gets too wet - use the paper towel somewhere on the edge to soak water off. Next time do not water it - use the sprayer.

    good Luck

    irina

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