Well this is embarrassing !.....

[t00lie]

While luxing today between the computer table and wall I came across a seed envelope I was supposed to have mailed overseas to Finland last year .....Luckily it appears there was enough moisture in the mix of vermiculite/pumice for the contents to have germinated within the last 12 months ....

Trillium seed -- Western sps mixed .

Sorry Leena I'll make up for it this season.





No comments about the frequency of luxing please 

Cheers .

[P. Kohn]

This looks like a great way to germinate Trilliums. What were the details of your mix ?

[Leena]

Dave, I am so very happy that you found those seeds and they are alive.  The worse alternative (which I thought happened) was that they had gone lost in the mail!
Most of the seeds I got from you previous year germinated and are now in the root cellar for the winter, I "baby" them a little because they are so precious and plant them outside only when the seedlings are bigger.
Last spring was cold and I didn't get seeds from more rare snowdrops at all, hopefully this year is better!

[Carolyn]

Interesting discovery, Dave! I guess these seeds did not undergo a period of cold before germinating? I was under the impression that they needed warm-cold-warm to germinate.

[ashley]

I hope my garden suits them as well as behind your computer table Dave

[t00lie]

This looks like a great way to germinate Trilliums. What were the details of your mix ?

Not exact science   . I mixed pumice and vermiculite equally together as that has worked when sending T. seed overseas previously .....

Cheers.

Dave, I am so very happy that you found those seeds and they are alive.  The worse alternative (which I thought happened) was that they had gone lost in the mail!
Most of the seeds I got from you previous year germinated and are now in the root cellar for the winter, I "baby" them a little because they are so precious and plant them outside only when the seedlings are bigger.
Last spring was cold and I didn't get seeds from more rare snowdrops at all, hopefully this year is better!

 

Pleased to hear you are having success Leena .A number of my potted babies have struggled in the dry and hot summer here as I've been unable to keep up with hand watering ....

Interesting discovery, Dave! I guess these seeds did not undergo a period of cold before germinating? I was under the impression that they needed warm-cold-warm to germinate.

Hello Carolyn. So was I ......

The seeds were harvested ,brought inside and packaged up immediately so no cold period although the house does get cool during the day over winter when we are away at work ..... What the length of 'chilling' and intensity is to start the above ground growth of  Trillium seedlings I'm uncertain  .......

I'm just about to start collecting seed again and was going to keep quite a few baggies inside and then place them outside once radicle activity was observed so maybe Ill hold a few back to see what happens ...... Now to negotiate with Mrs Toole .....

I hope my garden suits them as well as behind your computer table Dave

   

 

[Rick R.]

Interesting discovery, Dave! I guess these seeds did not undergo a period of cold before germinating? I was under the impression that they needed warm-cold-warm to germinate.

This of course stems from the imprecise use of the term germination.  The warm-cold-warm regime refers to emergence, while actual germination occurs in the first warm stage.  I'm sure you know this already.... read on, please.

To expand on what Dave said, just because it looks like the seed is sending up the cotyledons (and thus already gone through any pretreatment needed for emergence), doesn't mean it is.  I'm sure many of us have already been exposed to the work of William Cullina, and he shows in a photo and describes it as:
 "[the seed] has formed a small round rhizome (white) the cotyledon or seed leaf is beginning to emerge from the seed (yellow green) but will not expand and emerge out of the soil until it has gone through a second winter."

I don't think we can assume that Dave's seeds have experienced the necessary cold treatment to allow for cotyledon growth above ground.

[Carolyn]

Maybe, Rick, but from the photo those look very like emerging cotyledons to me. I'm sure that Dave will be potting them up and keeping us informed.

[Gabriela]

This of course stems from the imprecise use of the term germination.  The warm-cold-warm regime refers to emergence, while actual germination occurs in the first warm stage.  I'm sure you know this already.... read on, please.

To expand on what Dave said, just because it looks like the seed is sending up the cotyledons (and thus already gone through any pretreatment needed for emergence), doesn't mean it is.  I'm sure many of us have already been exposed to the work of William Cullina, and he shows in a photo and describes it as:
 "[the seed] has formed a small round rhizome (white) the cotyledon or seed leaf is beginning to emerge from the seed (yellow green) but will not expand and emerge out of the soil until it has gone through a second winter."

I don't think we can assume that Dave's seeds have experienced the necessary cold treatment to allow for cotyledon growth above ground.

Totally agree. The cotyledons remain enclosed in the seeds until spring. I've literally watched hundreds of seeds doing it already. At least for T. grandiflorum - by December about 80% of the seeds kept in moist vermiculite are looking like this. Some I pot up, but there are always more...

[Véronique Macrelle]

so many Trillium seeds that germinate, it makes me dream ...

 how should I do it when I only have a few seeds in January? I understood the need for hot and cold seasons, but getting these seeds out of season probably prevented me from succeeding, unless some seedlings will finally emerge this spring ... (I keep my old ones jars)

[Lesley Cox]

With Trillium and with everything else, I have always sown as soon as possible either after reception or after harvesting, and then hoped for the best, which usually happens, though sometimes with a longer time involved for some than for others. So it is today in that I have received some seed from Canada of Trillium undulatum. I'm soaking it over night in water that has started as hot, but then cooled, and tomorrow I'll sow it. Job done. Maybe if I'd started keeping notes 50 years ago I'd know more of what to expect now for each individual species but at 75 (shortly) I really can't be bothered.

My 75 years was brought home to me today as I visited my doctor for a medical certificate so I can apply for the obligatory new driving licence, required by NZ's government for elderly drivers. No problems fortunately.