Galanthus Transcaucasicus seed

[johnstephen29]

Hi could I please ask the other galanthus growers for some advice, I recieved seed of galanthus Transcaucasicus today to replace seed lost in the post, is it too late to sow this now? Should I wait till the Autumn?

[Matt T]

I believe Galanthus seed should always be sown as soon as possible. I'm guessing it is not moist packed, in which case you should soak it for 24 hours to rehydrate them, then sow them and be very, very patient.

[johnstephen29]

Hi Matt thanks for the advice, I have sown then before, never this late though, they look like blades of grass when they come up. I was just concerned that I might have missed sowing time.

[Matt T]

There are some seeds (i.e. Fritillaria) that I would delay sowing until autumn if I received them now, but I think Galanthus seeds really do not like dry storage. You'd normally sow snowdrop seeds as soon as or just before they are shed from the capsule (May'ish), so once they're hydrated and sown you'll not be too far off the natural window. Don't let the pot get too dry over the summer.

[kot]

Hello,
Galanthus, Adonis, Helleborus, Eranthis should sow only seeds fresh. Best to a month after harvest. If you store it only in a humid environment. Drying seeds causes the endosperm petrified.
regards
kot
fot, Adonis shikokuensis , second year grow

[johnstephen29]

Hi Matt and kot I've taken your advice and sown them they are now with my other pots in the cold frame.cheers john

[stick]

Hi John,
how is your G. transcaucasicus seed doing? I am getting some seed this month and I need all the info I can get.
stick

[johnw]

Ashley -  I wonder how members do with Galanthus seed from Pilous, Holubec and Banketov where the seed is dry-stored and yet not sent out for 6 months.   I sowed a few pots in early December and kept them at 16c, they were into the coldframe last Saturday to get cold-stratified.  Any thoughts on the necessity of warm treatment?


johnw 

[ashley]

I'm far from an expert on this John.  Dry galanthus seed from some of these sources gave me variable germination: best for cilicicus, gracilis, ikariae & peshmenii; reasonable for platyphyllus, reginae-olgae, aff. reginae-olgae & transcaucasicus; poor (<20%) for krasnovii & lagodechianus, and unfortunately nothing so far for koenenianus or trojanus (but fingers still crossed).   

On arrival I re-hydrate dry seed overnight in warm water with a trace of detergent (like cyclamen etc.) then sow it 2-3 cm deep in a mix with equal parts grit, sharp sand & leaf mould.  Pots then stay outside in the garden until first signs of germination (mostly within 3-6 months but stragglers up to 3 years later) when I bring them under glass to protect from slugs etc.. 

This method works well for fresh seed but maybe there's a trick I haven't found yet for more consistent results with older, very dry seed (assuming that the embryos are still viable)  

[Diane Whitehead]

Wrong genus.  Sorry

[Leena]

unfortunately nothing so far for koenenianus or trojanus (but fingers still crossed).   

Same here, but G.elwesii germinated best from dry seeds for me.
I soaked the seeds overnight, then sowed them and kept pots first in warm for two months, then cold three months, in the summer outside and the seeds started to germinate in next December (2015).