Obstinate seeds....

[Cheerypeabrain]

Andy has started a thread about seeds that have germinated in an afternoon (almost ;D)....and I just wondered if there are any seeds in particular that you are finding difficult/impossible to germinate?

I have a few that I try every year with no success. Echinacea for example...just doesn't germinate ! but THIS year I seem to have cracked it and have a few seedlings to kill.... (never get as far as the seedling stage with them usually...)

In the past I've had problems with petunia, trillium, Himalayan blue poppy and last year only managed to get ONE monarda plant out of 100 seeds!

I do read the seed packets and follow advice btw....anybody else have a plant that they just can't seem to grow from seed?

[andy]

Having probs with my eratic Datura.

The ones i sowed a month ago are coming up ok, the ones i sowed 2 and 3 months ago are now coming up after i've put them in the heated propagator (after i'd almost given up hope).

Apart from that, i've only grown petunia, nicotiana, impatiens, marigold and night scented stock and they've all come up well.

Got a few other seeds that i've just sown (glory lilly, pansy, nasturtium) but too early to say yet

[Chuckles]

Echinacea for me too CPB, I bought some plants last year and saved the seeds also some different coloured ones from a mates garden. I kept them in the fridge and sowed 3 sorts in seperate trays on the 4/3 and not one has germinated. Also not done very well with French Marigolds either

[andy]

greety said:

. Also not done very well with French Marigolds either

[Deleted]

Abutilon. I've now tried them every which way - still nothing Himalayan Blue Poppy - got three tiny little seedlings out of about 12 sown ... and the ones that did germinate don't look very happy ...

[Jonah]

Strange, isn't it, I don't seem to have trouble with Echinacea. I have been lucky with those, but there are plenty I haven't been. I have had no luck with Heleniums saved from the garden after a couple of sowings. I gave up on Astrantias and bought the plants instead. I still have no signs of life from Semi Aquilegia sown in february, or Roscoea, Aristea and Francoa sown in March. I'm not expecting much from the Paeonies, Lathyrus Aureas and Turks Cap Lilies I sowed last month, but I won't give up yet.
There are more.
Funnily enough it has been the earlier sowings [early feb] that have been most successful. Maybe my conservatory has interfered with the temperature too much now it is warming up, or I'm just trying trickier seeds. I'll keep trying.

[Deleted]

The stuff in the greenhouse is all fine....especially since the several trays of "unlabelled" stuff turned out to be Amsoi (Indian Mustard) and not a highly poisonous ornamental plant. Well it has an an afterkick of mustard and we are still alive after eating it for the last week

Indoors is a slightly different matter

Well I have several ungerminated pots, some slightly germinated and some very germinated. And indeed some potted on.....but I have a small problem.....



Virrtually every single plant label has been "re-arranged" indeed some plant pots have six or seven labels. Others have a single label, but may possibly be incorrect....the Morning Glory is sturdy, but only a 1cm high....the California Poppies on the other hand are about 10cm high and look very much like Morning Glory

I had this problem two years ago with "Monty" (my current special helper), so am not especially stressed about it, with the Minx Brassica it's all part of "the great game". However, if my planting schemes don't make sense.....you now know why

[Chuckles]

andy said:

greety said:

. Also not done very well with French Marigolds either

I know Andy, yet I got those 3 hopefully Daphnes going from cuttings. Don't make sense to me Bet I got duff seeds ;D

Oh CPC that problem looks like butter wouldn't melt, bless ;D

[borderbabe]

I thought it was just me! (see my thread on Geraneium Phaeum!) I got Echinaecea going after putting them in the fridge. Same with Heleniums. I'm just about to put the Blue Poppy in the fridge. Funilly enough I'm also having trouble with French Marigolds this year - they usually come up like weeds for me!

I think you may be right in that we are getting more experienced and trying the more diffiicult seeds. I certainly feel "braver" with more challenging seeds - thanks to the help from this and other message board.

[Deleted]

A good website for advice on how to get obstinate seeds to germinate follows. Just click on the relevant database.

tomclothier.hort.net/index.html

Whilst I am at it I’ll add a link to Thompson & Morgan’s seed sowing guide……..

www.backyardgardener.com/tm.html

And for more details about one lady’s experience with sowing seeds, there’s always The Seed Site…….

www.theseedsite.co.uk/


I too was having trouble with French marigolds until I put the seed tray (with holes in bottom) into a gravel tray with no holes and filled with water. 24 hours later life emerged.....

[Dutchy]

Himalayan Blue poppy.
I gave up. Ok the seed was old but still....
Did all the package wanted me to do, including cold spells and all.
Maybe we are trying to hard.
Just for fun I picked up Platanus seeds. Those trees are often used in cities for their tolerance to dirty air.
I sowed them in a basket into old compost mixed with grit and dirt.
Left them to it and now have 17 seedlings.
Not that I have any space for even one but perhaps we should be less caring when sowing ?

[Chuckles]

captaincabbage said:

I too was having trouble with French marigolds until I put the seed tray (with holes in bottom) into a gravel tray with no holes and filled with water. 24 hours later life emerged.....

Thanks for sharing my French Marigold embarressment CPC ;D After I'd pricked out the measly few I had the remains went on the garden, just incase they decide to redeem themselves at some point. I'll try that idea with the 3 trays of Echinacea I have though, fingers crossed

[Jonah]

I'm rather upset

I managed to germinate two dodecatheons indoors [another tray outside showing no signs of life.] I have been carefully nurturing them for a while, but yesterday I was rather delayed in moving them from the conservatory to somewhere cooler. They've both bitten the dust.
It might sound silly, but I feel really miserable. I was so keen for them to work, they are a particular favourite I would love to grow. Might have to buy the plants instead, but I might have one more try first with the last couple in the packet. There is something so much more satisfying in raising them from the beginning yourself.

[Deleted]

I empathise.......my young daughter ripped the two I had managed to pot on unBeaknowing to me. Unlike you I take this as a sign of fate and have duly placed the incident in my overflowing blackmark book for when she is older <she'sgoingtoregretgettingoldersmiley>

[Jonah]

jonah177 said:

I still have no signs of life from Semi Aquilegia sown in february, or Roscoea, Aristea and Francoa sown in March. I'm not expecting much from the Paeonies, Lathyrus Aureas and Turks Cap Lilies I sowed last month, but I won't give up yet.

Sorry for quoting myself, but I was looking back on the thread and wondered if I had any updates.
I have about 6 Roscoea germinated since moving them outside, and I think I have one each of Aristea and Francoa, but the problem with moving them outside is I don't know if it is something else invaded the pots!
Don't think there are any signs of life from the others I have mentioned, but I'm still not giving up!
I think I have a meconopsis germinated after putting in the fridge.

[MamIDdau]

I had problems with the blue himalayan poppy a few years back and marigolds at the moment are taking their time which isn't like them...

[Deleted]

The two surviving Himalayan blue poppies are doing very well, but I've given up on the Abutilon ... cheers ...

[Plocket]

I gave up on Himalayan poppies and ended up buying them. I cut the buds off last year so have high hopes this year!