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Chuck Chapman
Happy seeds, all ready to go in ground. 100% with emerging root.
Happy Seeds
Like · · Unfollow Post · Share · 20 May at 18:42
  • Steve Kelly so obviously you didn't plant them in soil to germinate....what method do you use?
  • Massimiliano Grassi Can you please share with us this method? My seeds have no roots ...
  • Chuck Chapman They were soaked and rinsed daily for close to two weeks. Five days wold have been enough, but I got distracted and didn't have time for next stage. They were placed in a pantyhose legging, with each pod tied off with an id number with seeds. Then stocking was placed in a shoe box packed with soaked peat moss. Peat moss was squeezed tightly before going into shoe box. Then in fridge at 4C (40F) for just over two months. I suspect a much shorter time would also work.
  • Steve Kelly Thanks for sharing And you must have more room in your refrigerator than I do!!!! LOL
  • Chuck Chapman About 300 pods in one plastic "shoebox" I do have my own seed fridge though as that isn't the only seeds in it. Got kicked out of family fridge a few years ago.
  • Debra Vassar-Hufnagel LOLOL! We've two refrigerators. Bottom drawer of one is getting marked 'Non-edibles'. We keep medication for critters and vitamins in that drawer, as well as made up plant food and hormones.
  • Debra Vassar-Hufnagel Said shoebox is closed, yes? Would a B vit. application be good at time of planting? Any other treatment of soil/seedlings at planting or as plantlets emerge such as an antifungal/bacterial? What's your emergence and survival rate?
  • Debra Vassar-Hufnagel Is there a preferable seedling growth temperature window?
  • Chuck Chapman During stratification process seeds are metabolically active. They need air plus moisture. Peat moss provides this. Closed shoe box to keep moist. No extra treatment. Seeds will germinate right in fridge. But slow growth. I haven't experimented with growth temperatures. But my understanding is that optimum probably is around 20C or 70F. when placed directly into planting trays, germination is about 95%. As I'm planting this way, I note some pods have a number of rotted seeds. But don't think this has anything to do with method, suspect it has more to do with those pods that broke off early. No reatments when planted in soil, other then keeping wet.
  • Massimiliano Grassi Really thanks Chuck... I will try with an entire seed pod...
  • Elizabeth van Oranje ik ga ook proberen mijn irissen te zaaien! !
  • Debra Vassar-Hufnagel Thank you… very helpful!
  • Terry L Toney 1. When you removing your seed pods are you doing it when they are still green or when they are showing signs of drying out? 2. When you where soaking and rinsing. Did you have them in the fridge at this time? 3. When they where in the peat moss, where you adding moisture to them in the 2 months? I was taught a lil diffrent, thats why I am asking questions. Thanks
  • Chuck Chapman 1-Harvest when pods start to turn brown 2- soaking and rinsing at room temperature. Stratification starts after this. 3- soak peat moss then a hard squeeze, then layered with seeds in shoebox . No need to add water after this.
  • Terry L Toney Can you do this any time of the yr? I was taught to do it in the fall.
  • Chuck Chapman Seeds need about 30-60 days of stratification before planting. I was timing it this year so I could put seeds directly in garden. Less work then growing under lights and then transplanting. Your timing is up to you and what you do with seeds. That is put in flats and under lights. but definitely after 70 days, seeds are raring to go.
  • Adam N' Autumn Chuck, I've had such success with this method! Mine were in the 'fridge 2/25/13 to 5/6 -- 10 weeks. SDB's were just showing germination tips. Now, 2 wks in pots, the SDB's are poking out of the soil surface. TB's won't be too far behind! Have you tried this method with beardless iris seeds?? Adam~
  • Chuck Chapman Yes. Beardless don't start germination in fridge. But pop up as soon as in soil.
  • Terry L Toney Or temps here in Central Calif are running 80's a to 90's, buy the time I get to set seed out in pots or in the ground it's going to be 90's - 100's.
  • Chuck Chapman Choose your timing to correspond with your setup. Work backward from when you want seeds to germinate, to know when to start stratification. Then work backwards to add time for soak and rinse.
  • Chuck Chapman Seed treatment information for all those interested in planting seeds.
  • Robert Piątek Chuck, what soak the seeds?
  • Colleen Modra When I have seeds like this I feel like I hold incredible wealth and joy in my hands. Right now I planting out my seedlings and at the stage of "Did I need this many to germinate, where the heck am I going to find room to plant them all." Hopefully I'll be back to the wealth and joy stage when I see them flower.
  • Linda Mann I'm just at the harvesting stage, and am looking at the good seeds with a great deal of resentment and very little excitement. It's so humid (and raining again) and hot, and my feet hurt Are we having fun yet?
  • Sarah Townsend Northam oh the possibilities!
  • Betty Ward Wilkerson I'm quite happy to plant outside when the soil cools and let mother nature do the rest. Would probably do different if I had a greenhouse again.
  • Chuck Chapman Fall rains can provide the rinse cycle, as long as it is reliable and heavy enough. If you get it, then planting in fall and having seeds outside works. For me the rain is not reliable. The controlled inside cycle gives me a higher germination rate,and at a controlled time.
  • Betty Ward Wilkerson Chuck, I understand. When I can do it just right, with a trench and leaves, I can get near 100% germination too. Just doesn't usually happen here.
  • Mitch Jameson going to try in ground, lots of water prior to freezing, winter under a board, lift off early spring keep watering.
  • Chuck Chapman Mitch Jameson why a board? Mulch would provide protection without preventing water reaching seeds.
  • Betty Ward Wilkerson I could plant a select few in the ground this year. Got a feeling I'm not going to worry a lot about left over seed! If so, I'll know the cross anyway. Linda, why resentment? Chuck, did you read my blog yesterday?
  • Linda Mann Betty, I just am tired, & resentful of the work I know will be involved in planting and tending them, plus I figure there's a good chance that I won't get either rebloom <or> decent form from most of these, maybe not from any.
  • Dennis Kramb my reaction to the original photo.... "Radicle!!!"
  • Lucy Burton We cover seed pots with wire & add the Christmas tree branches for a late natural 'mulch'.
  • Sandy Reed Dumb question - When you are doing the soaking and rinsing have you removed the seeds from the pods or leave them in and soak the entire pod?
  • Chuck Chapman I'm doing it with dried seeds. Timing according to earlier post, to aim for when you wish seeds to germinate.
  • Sandra Eggertson I applaud those who can do that! I have heard of the panti hose method for some time, but I just don't have the wherewithall /time to do that. Mind you my seeds s are mostly bee pods, so, they go directly into the ground (marked of course!) end of September. Actually I have the best germination doing it like this year, I have collected ripe seeds from Little Bay De Noc; I. var. reginae; Solar Flight; Lots of others that are promising.
  • Cathleena Beams Hopefully I will have an opportunity to do this again next year now that I have a yard to play in again.
  • Betty Ward Wilkerson I'm reminded that I need to fill pots so they can settle before planting time! Sigh! Sounds like more work.
  • Maggie Asplet Excellent discussion, thank you Chuck and others who have contributed, very interesting





 

 


 
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