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At which stage to plant germinated Hellebore seeds?
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Posted by GabyC z5 QC, Canada (My Page) on Fri, Dec 30, 05 at 17:33
Hi,
I haven't been posting here for a long time, but have been following every post for many years.
I currently have seeds from Ashwood in the fridge. After receiving them in early summer I stored them at room temperature for about 8 weeks in a bit of moist, sterile germination mix. Then I transferred the little ziplock bags into the fridge. Yesterday I discovered, that most of the seeds have germinated and the roots are between half an inch to an inch long.
In 2003 I germinated seeds from Elizabeth Town using the same method. I planted the sprouted seeds into deep pots, about 1 cm deep, covered with grit (as described in the Strangmann book) and put them under my growth lights. I noted though, that while almost 100% of the seeds had sprouted a root, the number of seeds finally growing seed leaves was quite a bit smaller. The success rate varied considerably with the different types of seeds. The red and anemone types seemed to be close to 100%, the doubles maybe 40-50% and from the picotees I only got 2 or 3 plants out of a pack of seeds (which was about 20 seeds at that time I think).
The seeds I had planted the year before (from hand-pollinated seeds from my Sunshine hybrid plants) I simply planted fresh, loosely covered them with a clear dome and left them in a frost-free garage. They seemed to result in a better rate as far as the number of resulting plants is concerned.
So finally my question: Is a germinated root length of about an inch the size at which the ones of you, who are using this germination method would plant them?
Was my mistake to put the planted seeds under the growth lights and thus interrupting the cold-trigger and thus continuing development? Should I have put the planted pots into the frost-free garage until seed leaves turned up, and only then put them under the growth lights (as in the plain, plant fresh seeds, method)?
Any input would be greatly appreciated! Because, as most of you will be able to appreciate,- seeds from Ashwood are something special, even more for a Canadian - Quebec gardener!
Thank you very much,
Gaby |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: At which stage to plant germinated Hellebore seeds?
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- Posted by MorZ8 Z8 Wa coast (My Page) on
Mon, Jan 2, 06 at 14:14
| Gaby, I can't really answer your question on the root length of unsown seeds, my seeds are sown after the first warm moist period so the first sign I see of germination are those seed leaves pushing up, roots are obscured. But you may be right in rethinking your temperature after sowing your seeds - I find germination (here where I use mother nature to provide those lower temps) after the seeds have been exposed to several weeks in the 40F range. Sprouts are visible while we are still having some overnight frosts, days often in the 50's but rarely much warmer. Germination from ET doubles equal to that of their anemone outdoors in our mild late winter, close to if not 100% |
RE: At which stage to plant germinated Hellebore seeds?
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| I am no expert but I vote for taking them out and potting them up. I have germinated hellebores this way as well. If you leave them in the baggie too long, the growing tip on the root will start to brown and then that's it. You may get it to grow more, put out the cotyldon leaves but eventually the plant fails. |
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