Tag Archive for: warm germinators

An update to the HWT treatments of last week: Anthyllis montana and Astragalus missourinesis seeds were the first ones to react; they were sown and the first Anthyllis montana seedling showed up this morning!

It seems that not all Anthyllis are equal, Anthyllis vulneraria var. coccinea seeds were slower to imbibe, and are still receiving boiled water ‘showers’ at times; the same applies for Lespedeza violacea.

The first warm germinators are also showing up, with the fast germinating (less than one week) seeds of Dianthus nardiformis and Salvia canescens var. daghestanica.
This year I sowed less ‘rarities’ and more leftover seeds of species that I would like to have in greater numbers, and of which would be also good to have more seeds to share with the world.

I praised the Salvia canescens var. daghestanica many times. It is a short lived species here, but very easy to grow from seeds. If you are a sucker for silvery foliage like me this one should not miss from your rockery, scree garden or any other, dry and sunny area.

Dianthus nardiformis in wild habitat, Dobrogea region, Romania

The other species to praise is Dianthus nardiformis ex. Dobrogea, a late summer flowering Dianthus with very fine foliage. It is long lived but got shaded by other plants and didn’t flower well lately.

That’s why we always keep some ‘reserve’ seeds ;) The form grown from wild coll. seeds in Dobrogea is worth taking care of being slightly different than what usually goes around under this name (which I have also grown).

The seedlings of Dianthus nardiformis took me back the memory lane to their sunny and wind swept home, in Dobrogea region of Romania, close to the Black Sea.

Few other species like Centaurea jankae, Paronychia cephalotes and Thymus zygioides are adorning my garden now as a good remembrance token. Those interested are invited to have a self-guided tour of the region and explore some of its plants treasures.

Winter getaway – Dobrogea I

Winter getaway – Dobrogea II

Plant portrait: Centaurea jankae

 

Species started indoors last year in February and taken outdoors in April for acclimation: Draba, Bukiniczia, various Campanula.

This is the almost traditional post for this time in February when the washing of the pots for indoor sowing starts!
I never wash the pots for outdoors sowing, but you may want to avoid bringing indoors eggs of various insects which can remain attached to pots, and who knows what else. It is enough that we have to deal with the fungus gnats, which are almost impossible to avoid indoors.

More than ever a varied array of indoor lighting is available for all budgets. Beginners can even start with just a simple lamp, sufficient to cover 4-6 small pots kept on a table/desk corner. Plants wise, I repeated many times, start with easy to germinate and grow species before trying others more challenging.

You can find a whole, updated list of warm germinating species in last’s year post: Ready, start, go 2023!
Some species will germinate with no treatments, for others you can apply various treatments like GA3; more details and links are given in the same post.
In the gallery below, timelines for
Gentiana asclepiadea started in Feb. with GA3; by Nov. the grown-up seedlings were already planted in the ground!

While the purpose of this early seeds starting is to extend the growing time in our cold climate, where otherwise sowing directly outdoors is not possible sooner than mid-April (or May), it is also a great winter pastime when crazy gardeners crave the feel and smell of the potting soil, fresh growth and there is nothing to do outdoors :) Not all our seedlings will survive (and it’s a good thing!). But most will grow and thrive, and we’ll be proud of them, even if they are very easy from seeds, like all Gypsophila species for example.

Ziziphora clinopodioides grown-up seedlings; a drought resistant, aromatic species that requires very good drainage.

Otherwise, it is perfectly fine to sow all the warm germinators outdoors when the temperatures allow according with your locality.

Again, for those who don’t like to go back and read older postings or the Germination page ;) I recommend to amend any sowing mix you purchase with vermiculite (even my favourites brands, Fafard and Promix, contain too much peat). For more ‘pretentious’ species I even add a bit of perlite to the mix to obtain a ‘stellar’ drainage.

My 2024 sowing list contains: species from previous years I didn’t get to sow, a few new ones from friends, few from this summer BC collection; plus some that should arrive from a seeds exchange.
I must redo Potentilla porphyrantha which I lost, Salvia daghestanica and
Phyteuma orbiculare, and I am looking forward to sowing for the first time Nepeta multifida, Campanula glomerata, Allium wallichii, Luetkea pectinata……to mention just a few. I am sure I’ll have to draw the line somewhere and the rest will be switched to the sowing list of 2025!

Let the February fun begin!

 

We somehow arrived at the last seeds announcement of the year!

As it happens, all species are
warm germinators or require first a warm/moist stratification period. Because someone once told me that he couldn’t grow a certain species from lack of indoor lights – I should, once again, write an explanation.

All species indicated as warm germinators, including those that require first a warm/moist stratification, can be started by:
Sowing indoors at any time (some may require cold/moist stratification in the fridge afterwards);
OR by sowing in pots outdoors in early spring or summer and allowed to follow the natural variations in temperature (my preferred method for Lilium and Paeonia).

On to the last seeds in alphabetical order:
Bukiniczia cabulica  (yes, I finally sorted them out)
Lilium martagon ‘Album’
Maackia amurensis
Pinus parvilfora ‘Glauca’

                                                                     Examples for warm germinators:
Buckiniczia cabulica –  the seeds germinate at room temperature without any additional treatment.
Sow indoors in late Feb-March if you want to gain a bit of extra growing time;
OR s
ow outdoors in late April- May (depending on location).

Lilium martagon ‘Album’ – the seeds require first a warm/moist stratification followed by a cold/moist stratification for complete germination.
Sow indoors at any time – preferably in a Ziploc bag with moist media to easily notice the bulbils formations (+/- 2 months,) and then provide cold stratification in the fridge;
OR sow outdoors in pots in late summer, and take care of the pots as usual.

Processing and sorting out newly collected seeds is always slowed down during the high selling season – both time-intensive activities happening simultaneously during the fall.

Therefore, double thanks to all the customers who not only purchased seeds this season, but also patiently waited for new species to be added to the Seeds List, placing successive orders.

Bukiniczia cabulica flowering/fruiting stems




 

 

Just a few highlights for a cold and icy Friday, provided by the ‘not so small’ inhabitants of the garden. In the sunny, dry side there are always Delphinium fissum, Delphinium albiflorum and Crocosmia, Centaurea orientalis; in part-shade, a couple of Aconitums and Acanthus hungaricus, plus the first time flowering last summer – Angelica capitellata. Towards the wet side (wet – sort of speaking) Eupatorium perfoliatum and Zigadenus elegans ssp. glaucus (this one has increased in size quite nicely).

All these species are great pollinator plants with a long flowering time, extended into August. Ipomopsis rubra has been missing from the garden last summer and I’m taking ‘action’.

The ‘germinator’ starts to green up at the moment. From the tried and tested: Ipomopsis rubra, Polygala major, Draba haynaldii. From the new & easy to try for the rockery: Arabis androsacea, Gypsophila cerastioides, Silene turgida and few others.

With GA3: Gentiana asclepiadea – excellent germination (see how to prepare a GA3 solution: here).

Gentiana asclepiadea seedlings, Feb. 17, 2023

Also a few seeds of Aquilegia scopulorum and Aquilegia flavescens already sowed last year. When you have a few precious seeds, follow nature’s example and germinate them in successive years; if accidents happen with the seedlings in one year, you get a second chance.

The indoor sowing has only begun!

 

 

February has arrived (with a vengeance) and I hope many are preparing to start their indoor sowings.

Silene suecica

I have written about indoor sowing before, but maybe is good to mention again the ‘warm germinators’.  This is the term used in the catalogue to describe the dry seeds that will germinate at room temperature (+/- 17-21C) after a certain (and variable) period of time.

I think it is a very good method especially for rockery species which always benefit from being planted in the ground at a young stage (Dianthus, Draba, Silene, Anthemis, Hedysarum, Oxytropis, Papaver….).

With so many light systems available nowadays, it is worth giving it a try. It is most rewarding and also therapeutic to grow something new during the winter months!  Start with just 3-4 species if you are new at this. They will be perfect for a small trial-out container planting.

Draba haynaldii grown-up seedlings

You know the concept of going to do the grocery when you are not hungry, right? Your ‘plants budget’ will certainly improve when the garden centers start offering perennials in late spring!

Also check out the Germination guide of the Ontario Rock Garden & HP Society page: Here
Advice on using acid gibberellic: Here
Hot water treatment: Here
Advice for sowing small/fine seeds: Here
Soaking and nicking the seeds: Here

 

 

*It can happen that species given as ‘warm germinators’ to not ‘comply’ to the rule, and vice-versa, ‘cold germinators’ starting to germinate at room temperature.

Echinops crispus seedlings

The source of seeds: wild coll. versus garden coll., growing conditions of the mother-plants and other factors, all can influence the germination pattern. When it happens, place the pot in cold location for 3-4 weeks. And, no matter what, it is best to keep your pots for 2-3 years if possible; some seeds can enter a second dormancy and will need multiple alternate cycles of cold/warm for germination.

The list below is not exclusive and it includes only contains cold hardy genera/species that I have personally germinated over the years at room temperature. I made notes for the species that I have started using GA3 (by habit) and those that will germinate best and faster if using a HWT (hot water treatment).

Acinos alpinus
Allium thunbergii and few other Allium
Aquilegia canadensis and most other Aquilegia – with GA3 treatment
Amphicarpaea
Arenaria
Arabis species
Androsace some species
Anthemis carpatica and other Anthemis species
Arisaema triphyllum and other Arisaema
Artemisia
Astragalus (with HWT)
Asphodeline lutea, A. taurica
Aurinia saxatilis
Alyssum
Baptisia australis (using the HWT)
Berkheya purpurea
Bukiniczia cabulica

Campanula, many species
Caragana (HWT)
Carlina acaulis
Calycanthus floridus
Centaurea triumfettii, C. orientalis, and other Centaurea species
Cerastium alpinum ssp. lanatum
Cercis canadensis
Cirsium
Clematis alpina and other Clematis

Draba species
Delphinium grandiflorum and other Delphinium species
Dianthus nardiformis
Dianthus superbus ssp. sajanensis, most other Dianthus species

Echinops crispus and other Echinops
Edraianthus graminifolius and other Edraianthus (not all species though)
Erinus alpinus
Gypsophila

 

 

So, get ready: wash your pots, have handy sowing mix, labels, the seeds and then go! Start first with those species which take longer to germinate (or unknown) and leave the very fast germinators for mid-February, early March. Good luck!

 

Winter is a black & white season in this part of the Northern Hemisphere. I patiently await for the invention of suitable glasses that would project on my retina sunny, flowery images all day long.

Meanwhile, I use my indoor light stand as an indoor garden. It is bright and I get to wear sunglasses that adjust to my desired colour*. Today I have chosen pink for Incarvillea (various species, all commonly called Incarvillea or hardy gloxinia).

Hardy gloxinia species belong to the so called ‘warm germinators’ (will germinate at room temp.). They are also easy to grow indoors and, like many other tuberous species, will benefit from an early start, having more time to develop a good size tuber by late spring when they can be planted outside. Some may even flower in the first year, like it happened with I. delavayi. I have already grown from seeds I. delavayi and I. zhongdianensis.

Incarvillea delavayi, a first year seedling flowering

Incarvillea zhongdianensis, a mature plant (alas, not in my garden)

This year I am happy to start two other species: I. mairei and I. younghusbandii. These are smaller species height-wise, the second a real dwarf, but with larger deep pink/magenta flowers; this combination gives them an even more exotic look for our Northern Hemisphere gardens.

Incarvillea mairei, a relatively young plant

Looking at the world through pink sunglasses in late January is pretty amazing!
Then, there will be days for yellows, blues in many shades, purple, orange…

I. younghusbandii – click for google images.

*Such sunglasses of course, do not exist; except in my imagination.

Here’s a very, very short list of others ‘warm germinators’ that can be started early and will grow well under lights indoors.
Anthemis, Arisaema,
Astragalus, Anthyllis
Anthirrhinum, Iris*
Biscutella, Calycanthus
Oxytropis, Sanguisorba, Roscoea
Scabiosa, Hypericum,
Draba, Allysum
Campanula*, Dianthus*, Lilium*
Agastache, Primula*,
* not all species