The MGS Forum
Gardening in mediterranean climates => General Cultivation => Topic started by: Joanna Savage on November 06, 2012, 09:17:33 AM
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A friend, an MGS member, is unexpectedly away for the European winter and has asked me to try to germinate her MGS seeds. It's a happy task. Scabiosa cretica, Salvia candelabra and Cistus creticus were up within a week and this morning there's a Euphorbia rigida showing its head. Interestingly Scabiosa cretica and Salvia candelabra, gathered from my garden a couple of months ago are doing nothing. I wonder if that means they need to go through a cold winter before they will germinate. Any suggestions?
It would be interesting to hear how others are faring with their seed germination.
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Joanna,
I start sowing Mediterranean species in mid October, or when night temperatures drop under 17c.
The combination of humidity and high tempertures creat favorite conditions for fungus that destroy the seeds. There for i find it is always better sowing at the same time it would germinate in its natural habitat.
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Oron
That is really useful information..thanks
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Thank you for that help Oron.
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I would also say that if in doubt sow fresh though perhaps if you have plenty of seed you could keep some back or indeed store it in the fridge with some silica crystals to keep them quite dry. Many seeds keep for a long time this way often years.
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That is also very interesting John. I am always reluctant to sow 'too fresh' but maybe I am wrong. I do have a problem with damping off over the summer and Orons post was really helpful too.
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In the Med autumn is the obvious time to sow seeds (generally) as this is the start of the growing season.
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Yes John! But in my eagerness to get the seeds germinated I forget the word 'obvious!
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Still give it a try! By all means experiment too. I can comment that with Cyclamen I get exellent results from freshly sown seed whereas if the seed has been dried for a period of time germination can be ratic or even poor.
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I have seeds of Phoenix theophrasti from the MGS seed bank. How should I deal with it and promote germination? I have the same question about Lentisc. Old cyclamen seed is recommended for repeated soaking before planting to remove inhibitors. I soak each batch in warm water overnight, repeating the process three times before sowing. This is recommended (or was) by the Cyclamen Society.
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Phoenix theophrasti I have grown twice from seed now and I sowed it quite fresh once the fruit had dried. I got 100% germination. So get it sown as soon as possible. Lentsik I have never tried so can't help there but again I would guess fresh. Yes also to your suggestion of dried Cyclamen seed soaking it should help and I usually add a drop of detergent to make sure they soak up the water well.
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Phoenix theophrasti from the MGS seed bank germinated quite easily for me. I usually add seeds to hot water and leave them to soak overnight.
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I came across the following website recently. It has a lot of information about the germination of different seeds. It also covers various other interesting topics.
http://tomclothier.hort.net/ (http://tomclothier.hort.net/)
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I agree Umbrian (with your comments in the separate thread (http://www.mgsforum.org/smf/index.php?topic=1422.0) introducing me and my garden), and thanks for the words of encouragement. I have been very successful with raising plants from seed, but much of this is due to the facilities I have at my disposal. A warm sunny glasshouse and nice sterile seed raising mix make a world of difference. My tips for getting strong seedlings is;
Sow in small shallow trays with sterile potting mix
Cover thinly with vermiculite or pumice or fine perlite or some similar inorganic grit
Keep in a warm spot
Spray with a mist bottle every day or every other day
Once seedlings are up and are looking like making first true leaves, prick them out into small cells, very carefully.
I do not delay pricking out and usually separate them when they are still tiny little things.
Use a very gritty, open, free draining mix to prevent damping off.
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Thanks for that Alice , it's a nice little link to some basic but useful information.
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Even with care I find some seedlings damp off, esp in cold, humid conditions. A nurseryman friend recommends drenching with MANCOZEB. what do others think?
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For larger seeds I don't worry about damping off much especially if they need vernalisation. For smaller seeds especially Begonia which I grow on a regular basis I surface sow them (not covered) on a relatively sterile medium with plenty of sand and vermiculite. They are then stood in a shallow tray of water which is never let dry in a propagator but I then spray them over well with a basic hand held fungicide from the local garden centre. I repeat this at least once after germination and I have to my knowledge not had any damping off even with sowing too densely.
Damping off has occured with ferns even with this fungicide treatment but they are much easier to sow too densly and this is when you get problems. These are of course spores not true seeds and even smaller than Begonia seeds.
Here's a picture of young Pteris henryi from China which are over sown. There is a slight problem bottom centre but spraying did keep this in check. At least with something like this, a straight species, I was able to prick out tufts of them and grow on nice mature pots more quickly than just transplanting one at a time.
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It is really cold and damp here, mist swirling thru my greenhouse ventilators (shut) and now snow flurries. I'm not very experienced managing such challenges.
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Trevor, bring your seedling trays inside! That's what I do. If your wife is anything like mine she'll LOVE it... ;) I've already got four pots in the fridge undergoing vernalisation. She's tolerating that quite well!
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I made this video today with my wife's help. I've been meaning to do this because I keep getting asked what my method is. I was going to talk over what I was doing but the kids were screaming in the background, so I put a bit of music behind it instead. I don't think verbal instruction is really needed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dl86CWmQLPo
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Well done Jamus, excellent video.
I am on the look out for one of those watering bottles.
I was having problems watering some of the smaller seedlings without damaging them.
No matter how fine a spray I used it always seemed to have a negative effect.
I then started watering from below, and I am very pleased with the results.
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Hi westboy, the bottle is a laboratory wash bottle. Do a search for wash bottle on ebay and you should come up with some very cheaply.
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I have planted a lot of seeds in the past 2/3 weeks and because of the warmth many have germinated. Does anyone know the difficulties of germination in July or indeed what problems do I need to look out for.
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It depends on what plantes did you sow.
perennials? winter annuals (too early), summer annuals (too late).
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Thanks Miriam
I sow perennials. I thought there may be a fungus problem or something similar. Rarely can I get seeds to germinate(for October planting) before May. Do you germinate seeds at this time in Israel?
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http://www.gardeninginportugal.com/seed-workshop-notes
link to basic seed collecting, cleaning and storing info. from one of our past workshops.
and, one I have found very useful, if only to know what NOT to do !
http://www.bioversityinternational.org/fileadmin/bioversity/publications/pdfs/Handbook_of_seed_technology_for_genebanks_Volume_II_52.pdf?cache=1374746217
Handbook of Seed Technology for Genebanks – Volume II. Compendium of Specific Germination
Information and Test Recommendations
Click on the link for a valuable online textbook with details of the specific requirements for germinating seed from a full range of plant families. Have the full Latin plant name of the seed ready before consulting the site.
great comments on seed sowing, fully agree with Oron, autumn sowing for most med species and fresh seed can give best results if you can give good after care. This got my caper seed on the way - I sowed it as fresh as I could and had good results.
basically, seed will not grow if it is still in the packet ! ;)
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I sow seeds (especialy bulbous plants) in October.
The combination between the heat and the humidity causes fungus problems.
Meanwhile, you can place the plants in a shady and cool place.
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Yes, Miriam, thanks
Oron has explained about October planting on another thread but I get much better germination now in July than in Oct. Anyway I will concentrate in the fungus and keep in a cool dry place. I use something called Cheshunt Compound, but I am not sure if it works.
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Thanks Jamus
I managed to buy a couple of those watering bottles on Ebay
(26pence and 01pence +£1.13p shipping to Spain)--Bargain
Keep up the videos, ;D
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Hi westboy, hope they work for you. I use mine a lot whenever I don't want to wet leaves. I find them convenient.
More videos? I hadn't considered running a gardening youtube channel, but I guess come across things that it'd be useful to demonstrate to fellow enthusiasts it is a pretty powerful tool! I mean consider; you're in Spain and you've found my video and got something out of it...
Has anyone heard of using powdered cinnamon to prevent damping off? Some Australian tomato growers swear by it. I don't have time to set up an experiment at the moment but these are the types of things I could do in the future.
Good luck with your seedlings everyone. :)
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I have recently seen a number of impressive American landscape designs where they have used Senecio Mandraliscae.
So I thought I would give it a go.
I managed to get some seeds from an Australian supplier.
All germination notes on the internet seem to contradict each other.
Has anyone any experience with this plant?
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What is the best way/time of year to get Syagrus romanzoffiana (Arecastrum romanzoffianum) seeds to germinate? Any experience?
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They say fresh seed's important, and should germinate easily in moist soil.
If your seed's not fresh, this paper on the Queen Palm (same genus and does cross with romanzoffiana) may suggest some clues:
http://wwwlib.teiep.gr/images/stories/acta/Acta%20683/683_47.pdf
Good luck!
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My mediterranean fan palm (about 12 years old but only planted out from a pot a year ago) has produced seed! Does anyone have any tips specific to growing this species from seed? The seeds are fat, green and shiny at present - I assume once they turn red I clean and sow them. I have grown nikau (Rhopalostylis sapida successfully from seed although I have to say it is an incredibly slow process.
Caroline
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When the seeds are ripe you should get good germination, quite quickly (weeks not months). Soak them for a couple of days, then sow them and keep them moist.
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Thanks Alisdair, I'll let you know how I get on :)
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Been a while since I've posted here. Summer was quite harsh down here in Adelaide and the garden was pretty sad until recently. I have a lot (a LOT) of species sown in the nursery this autumn and am already getting germinations.
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We've got your seedling pricking out video, Jamus, but now it's time for one on seed sowing, please. I can't be the only person who never gets any difficult seeds to germinate.
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Hi Fleur, that sounds like a challenge! I will endeavor to make a video on sowing seed, the way I do it. Watch this space.
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Yes please Jamus. Perhaps after the video I will succeed next year with Salvia lyrata,pratensis and farinaceaThe rest of the salvia seedling are flourishing.