I want to know if it's any use trying to germinate and grow hellebore niger starting right now (early April) in Zone 17 (Sunset), or if I should wait till September as the seed packet says. They're old seeds, but I like to try to bring those back to life.

Hi kamala,

You have several options. What I would do is soak them in water overnight, then put them in slightly damp media and store (e.g. in a ziplock bag) in a dark area of the house that doesn't get too warm or too cold. Then after eight weeks put them directly into the refrigerator and check occasionally over the next couple of months for germination. This way you can get germination in three or four months rather than waiting a year. Or you could just plant them out any time and maybe they will germinate in winter. Old seed doesn't mean dead seed, it's just they are sometimes a little more erratic. Waiting until August or September to put them out would help reduce them having to undergo potential temperature extremes and drying out in summer. Any of these methods can work. The first one might yield the most even germination.

Joseph

I bought an unbloomed Betty Ranicar Strain plant from Seneca Hill last year for $9. Figured it was worth a gamble for that price. It sent up one bloom this year. Perfectly white and double. Not bad!