February Narcissus 2011

[TheNorm]

Hi everyone,

This is my first post on the Narcissus pages, being as I am, largely a Galanthophile.  Hopefully I'm not out of my depth here as someone who is just getting into species and dwarf Narcisssus.

I have a questions please.  I bought a couple of bulbs of N. jacetanus this year, which have done very well and their ovaries are swelling up with seed.  My question is this; what should I do to ensure good germination as this is the first time that I have tried to propagate Narcissus from seed.

I am pretty sure that they will be true to type as there weren't any other Narcissus in the the garden when they were in flower, but pollen could have come from elsewhere possibly.  Regardless, would someone be so kind as to give me their best advice on timings, soil mixes for pots and positions for best success please?

Many thanks,


Lewis

[Maggi Young]

Lewis, swelling pods are not always a guarantee of seed within. 

 Still, hope costs nothing and you will find a good deal about  collecting, storing and sowing narcissus seed in Ian's many years of Bulb Log Diaries....
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=bulb       main page with years 2009 to 2011
http://www.srgc.org.uk/bulblog/bulblog.html      page with years 2003 to 2008


 Len Rhind's Index to the Bulb Log is here: http://www.srgc.org.uk/bulblog/index.pdf


 These are just a few  references....seed 6/06   (numbers equate to  Week 6 of year 2006)
collecting 49/06
seed sown at depth 43/05
storing 49/06
germinating 49/06


Seed
cleaning 24/04
germination rate 4/07
sowing 49/04 49/06
sown deep 46/05
storage 22/06 49/06 22/07
stored in sand 43/05

Potting compost receipe 26/07
Potting mix, loam-free 24/05

Compost 49/06
mixing (cement mixer) 31/05
mixture 4/05
test, sand based 34/05

............
 You should find some useful info there. 

[TheNorm]

Hi Maggi,

I'm an eternal optimist, brutal realism has no place in my life.  So, while the chances of me actually getting any seeds that may have set to develop and grow without me accidentally losing, destroying or in some other bizarre way killing them is unlikely based on my current life chaos, I must believe it possible.

I trust that was you using your encyclopedic knowledge for those references!?  Very helpful as always. 

Many thanks.  I will check them out.

Cheers,



Lewis

[Maggi Young]

using your encyclopedic knowledge

No, Len's fab index!!