Ready, start, go – 2023!
Early to mid- February is a good time for us, in cold Northern Hemisphere regions, to start seeds under indoor lighting. This way, by late April-May the seedlings can be acclimatized outdoors, and in some cases planted in the ground during the summer (fast growing species). Gaining 2-3 month of growth for our short season is a big plus!
This is an update of a 2022 post with few updates; also posted it in the Germination page now.
I have written about indoor sowing with other occasions, but a reminder is always good.
‘Warm germinators’ is the term used in the BotanyCa catalogue to describe the dry seeds that will germinate at room temperature (+/- 17-21C) after a certain period of time (a few days to a few weeks).
Many species will germinate easily after a regular sowing, others require various treatments before sowing in order to germinate at warm.
I think it is a very good method especially for various rockery species which benefit from being planted in the ground at a young stage (various Arenaria, Bukiniczia, Campanula, Dianthus, Draba, Edraianthus Silene, Anthemis, Hedysarum, Oxytropis, Papaver species).
When started in February, they can be ready for planting in the ground by June; some may even produce a flower or two!
What treatments are used for various species, when starting them indoors?
Acid gibberellic treatment – an easy way to prepare a solution: Here
Hot water treatment for species with hard seedcoats: Here
Soaking and nicking the seeds, as well for hard seedcoats: Here
More advice for sowing small/fine seeds: Here
With so many light systems available nowadays, it is worth to try sowing and growing indoors a few species. It is most rewarding and also therapeutic to grow something new during the winter months! Start with just 4-6 species if you are new at this. They will be perfect for a small trial-out ‘rock container’ planting in the summer.
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!
*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. Every year there is a new surprise. The source of seeds: wild coll. versus garden coll., growing conditions of the mother-plants and other factors, all can influence the germination pattern.
If a known ‘warm germinator’ refuses to comply, move the pot in cold location for 3-4 weeks (fridge OK) and then return it to room temperature. 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.
What can we start indoors?
The list below is not exclusive and it 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, otherwise use cold/moist stratification) and those that will germinate best and faster if using a HWT (hot water treatment).
I recently included in the list Glaucidium palmatum – I just treated older seeds (2018/2019) with GA3 and there is almost 100% germination! It is not a fast growing species, but easy to germinate; the same goes for Podophyllum hexandrum.
Some of the species can be found in the SEEDS LIST.
Acinos alpinus
Allium thunbergii and few other Allium
Aquilegia species (with GA3)
Amphicarpaea
Arenaria
Arabis species
Androsace some species
Anthemis carpatica and other Anthemis species
Arisaema triphyllum and other Arisaema
Artemisia
Astragalus (HWT)
Asphodeline lutea, A. taurica
Aster alpinus
Aurinia saxatilis
Baptisia australis (HWT)
Berkheya purpurea
Bukiniczia cabulica
Campanula (C. rotundifolia, bellidifolia, persicifolia, carpatica…)
Caragana (HWT)
Carlina acaulis
Calycanthus floridus (nicking)
Centaurea triumfettii, C. orientalis, Centaurea jankae
Cerastium alpinum ssp. lanatum
Cercis canadensis
Cirsium canum, Cirsium edule
Clematis alpina and other Clematis (some slow to germinate)
Draba, most 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
Erigeron spp.
Gypsophila spp.
Glaucidium palmatum (with GA3)
Hedysarum (HWT)
Hieracium lanatum
Ipomopsis
Iris dichotoma
Iris domestica
Incarvillea
Jurinea mollis
Kernera saxatilis
Lathyrus (HWT)
Lilium formosanum var.pricei
Linaria spp.
Lychnis ssp.
Erythranthe guttata
Matthiola
Minuartia, most species
Monarda
Oxytropis (HWT)
Odontarrhena obtusifolia
Papaver species
Paronychia
Phyteuma orbiculare and other Phyteuma species
Platycodon
Podophyllum hexandrum (with GA3)
Polemonium
Potentilla (most species)
Primula japonica and other Primula spp. (some exceptions)
Pulsatilla vulgaris, other species, hybrids,
Rhododendron species
Roscoea species
Ruta graveolens
Salvia, various species
Sedum ssp. and Sempervivums
Silene species
Scabiosa caucasica, other Scabiosa spp.
Scutellaria pontica
Symphyandra
Syneilesis (if the seeds are good!)
Thermopsis (HWT)
Thalictrum cf. foetidum, few others (with GA3)
Thymus species
Viola – some species
Wash your pots (best practice for indoor sowing), prepare a 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 early March (for example Papaver, Silene species).
Are you ready? Start sowing – the winter will be over in a blink of an eye and our gardens in bloom again :)
You can also find more ‘warm germinators’ by checking out the Germination guide of the Ontario Rock Garden & HP Society page: Here