My Bit of Heaven - by Kristl Walek

[Kristl Walek]

I mentioned in a recent post that heavy rain and high winds had moved into the area the end of last week. While the winds (100km) eventually quieted down after 2 days, the rain has not stopped, and looks as though it will continue for another few days.

But when I say rain, I mean LOTS of rain---my basement has been wet for days and there are areas entirely under water. Roads and fields are flooded. i am guessing rainfall has been somewhere between 100-200mm.

Just one picture off the Weather Channel.

And I have been waiting for the Asters and other late bloomers to ripen their seed....

Luckily it has given me the needed time to get the new computer up and running---now to try to save what is possible of the old one---so that Alisha might have use of it while she is still here.

[Maggi Young]

Oh dear.... that is VERY wet, indeed.  Hope you can keep your feet dry, Kristl!

Forumist Diane Clement, in her latest Midland Diary on the AGS site, describes some of her  extensive work for the AGS seed exchange.....
http://www.alpinegardensociety.net/diaries/Midland/+November+/311/

[Kristl Walek]

I believe I have in the past shown you my seed testing regime.
All seed (notwithstanding its germination requirements) is tested in petri dishes and subjected to moisture and warmth.

If the seed is sound, it will continue to be healthy (firm and without attack by pathogens that are not related to extraneous chaff/seed coat breaking down). If it is an easy, warm germinator, one also has immediate information on percentage germination.

The seed requiring cold, or some other regime for germination will, nevertheless, still show it's health when tested in this way (more to be said about this).

With a few exceptions, most native seed sellers DO NOT test their seed, even though it is very easy to do in house.

[Kristl Walek]

If I suspect a particular seed might respond to GA-3 and germinate after it has been in the petri dishes for some time, sitting pretty but not sprouting, I then add a touch of the powder to the petri dish, and back in the warmth it goes.

I *always* do this secondary GA-3 test with all species that are "wetland" plants---as there is strong evidence supporting it. Sometimes I do it with others, where I know a related species responds to it. I have known that Cornus canadensis has a GA-3 response---so this season, as I had C. suecia on my list as well, I thought to try it. It had been in the petri dishes for a good 2 months without response. After GA-3 application, almost 100% germination within 2 weeks.

[cohan]

I believe I have in the past shown you my seed testing regime.
All seed (notwithstanding its germination requirements) is tested in petri dishes and subjected to moisture and warmth.

If the seed is sound, it will continue to be healthy (firm and without attack by pathogens that are not related to extraneous chaff/seed coat breaking down). If it is an easy, warm germinator, one also has immediate information on percentage germination.

The seed requiring cold, or some other regime for germination will, nevertheless, still show it's health when tested in this way (more to be said about this).

With a few exceptions, most native seed sellers DO NOT test their seed, even though it is very easy to do in house.

you've mentioned testing seed before, but i didn't realise it was so simple; how long do you leave non germinators before you are satisfied they are sound?

[cohan]

Oh dear.... that is VERY wet, indeed.  Hope you can keep your feet dry, Kristl!

Forumist Diane Clement, in her latest Midland Diary on the AGS site, describes some of her  extensive work for the AGS seed exchange.....
http://www.alpinegardensociety.net/diaries/Midland/+November+/311/

the dedication of people on these seed exchanges is scarcely to be believed!

[Kristl Walek]

you've mentioned testing seed before, but i didn't realise it was so simple; how long do you leave non germinators before you are satisfied they are sound?

simple, yes.

what is tricky is how to interpret what you see or don't see.
easy, warms there is not as much to "interpret" except percentage germination, relative vigour of seedlings, behaviour after germination (seed can still germinate, but instantly collapse). what does that mean?
 
do they germinate, but smell funny (I am serious)...usually indication that seed is still (barely) viable.
 
or easy warms that don't germinate (if seed is good, this is usually, though not always, an indication that it is a seed requiring after drying.) after a while you begin to know which species behave like this; Drabas, for instance. I don't even bother testing them fresh because I know they will not germinate. Sitting for a few months (species dependent), they sprout like cress. ornamental grasses are notorious for this as well.

depending on quantity of seed stock---the activity itself is also *very* time consuming.
it can take the better of a few months of work just to test a large inventory.
i actually feel like i test seed all year round. i probably do.
 
i normally leave seed in the dishes for a good 2 months (sometimes longer, species dependent).

when i have the results, Cohan, i will post pictures of all the species you sent me this year,
with my interpretation. i think this kind of show and tell is the most educative.

[cohan]

i normally leave seed in the dishes for a good 2 months (sometimes longer, species dependent).

when i have the results, Cohan, i will post pictures of all the species you sent me this year,
with my interpretation. i think this kind of show and tell is the most educative.

in that case, would you wait that full 2 months before listing the seed?

that will be interesting to see, for sure!
as a customer, it is reassuring buying seed from you--if it fails, at least i know for sure its my technique that needs work... i wonder how many seed vendors take these sorts of measures?

back to weather--you are not in the flood zone, are you? nova scotia was on the news tonight for the extraordinary rainfall..

[Kristl Walek]

Yes, Cohan, the western part of Nova Scotia (where I am) received the bulk of the rain--after almost a week of it we are finally to see something different the end of this week.

A good proportion of the seed will show results (definitive negative or positive) in a much shorter time than this; or else I would never have anything to list. But I do have a number of species right now that have been "on the go" for a few months. And sadly, sometimes even all the conscientiousness in the world doesn't save the day. I had problems with some moist packed Magnolia macrophylla last season (Trillium grandiflorum the year before this)---but the problems didn't show up until about 3-4 months, after it had already been listed and many gone out.

Sometimes when friends send me seed, they don't understand why they don't see it listed eventually---usually this is because I am not happy with the testing. As of today, I have a box with about 60-100 species that are still in the petri dishes and another 20+ in moist packing that I am "watching". The moist packed seed is going through the same process as the seed in the petri dishes: eventually the seed shows its health: I always hope it will show it sooner, rather than later.

[Kristl Walek]

These are some of the moist-packed seed I am still waiting to make a determination on, for various reasons, before they are listed.

I am waiting on some of the Paeonia seed, as I try to decide whether they will germinate before I sell them, or whether I can safely start moist-packing them. These are the tough decisions: I have always wanted to moist pack all Paeonia, but know from experience that some species, when very fresh, will germinate rather promptly. If germination happens in 2-4 months; then I have, in effect lost them, as I cannot safely ship them germinated in the dead of winter. Some species I know will take much longer, so these are the ones I am choosing to do an initial experiment with.

The Magnolia and Japanese Maples have just been cleaned and are awaiting the elimination of the duds in moist packing, leaving behind the good seed.

The Anemonopsis is good, but is still here because it is still ripening and being collected.

The first batch of Torreya nucifera nuts dried out slightly, so I want to ensure they are sound.

The Aconitum scaposum hupehanum was received from a friend; but the seed looks like Potentilla, not Aconitum seed to me. Until I am able to reach him to discuss this, they sit.

Reading this post, my friend just contacted me to verify that this species does, indeed, have very unusual seed, and an unusual habit of opening its pods on dry days, instantly spilling "the beans" and making collection difficult. A very useful identification tool to know that this species has such highly unusual seeds.


And the Trillium tschonoskii sits while I decide whether to sow it all or sell it.

[Kristl Walek]

And then, of course are the ephemeral species I can only keep for limited periods of time, as germination will, eventually occur sometime the first season of collection. When it happens, they are pulled from my catalogue, and again collected fresh the following year, to repeat the process all over again.

Examples of this are Trillium grandiflorum, Hepatica acutiloba, Asarum canadense, Daphne mezereum. .

Most of these will germinate in the fall following collection, if kept moist packed and at warm after harvest. I have not yet had the chance to store them cold to see if this can hold off germination.

If I sense the germination time approaching, I will often try to sow them quickly at my end, to avoid the waste, or sometimes I just stare at the germinated bags with weariness. So many germinations....so little time.....


Other ephemerals, such as Trillium erectum, undulatum, cernuum  that will not germinate without 2 cold treatments, I am able to continue carrying throughout this season, moist packed. I have sent most of these, and other moist packed ephemerals to the SRGC seed exchange this year, so perhaps some of you will be interested in them.

[Kristl Walek]

And invariably are the new species that I have no direct experience with which I have to second guess and as a first response, I "think through the seed" (genus, family for mental clues), observe the seed after cleaning (in this case the seed went instantly from plump to flat as a pancake), which most fruited species DO NOT DO.

Then I search for germination data. As you all know, I almost never trust the anecdotal information that floats around the net (some of which is incorrect, or outdated).

Cydonia oblonga was listed as requiring 120 days of cold treatment, and a very few sources indicated that the seed should not dry out.

So, I reached a decision to moist pack it and within 7 days about 10% of the seed had germinated in the zip locks. I immediately pulled it from the catalogue, wrote my customers who had already ordered it, advising them to try a short period of warm before the cold, and I thought to myself as I always do in moments like this (after hours of work collecting and cleaning the seed) "live and learn". BUT I also knew that this did not necessarily mean "game over" and I have continued to watch this bag carefully. Since the initial germinations, only a (very few) further have germinated. So today I think this may have been the genetic response of species survival, where a certain percentage of seed behaves "out of character". And if there are no further germinations within the next few weeks, I will re-list the seed.

[cohan]

And then, of course are the ephemeral species I can only keep for limited periods of time, as germination will, eventually occur sometime the first season of collection. When it happens, they are pulled from my catalogue, and again collected fresh the following year, to repeat the process all over again.

Examples of this are Trillium grandiflorum, Hepatica acutiloba, Asarum canadense, Daphne mezereum. .

Most of these will germinate in the fall following collection, if kept moist packed and at warm after harvest. I have not yet had the chance to store them cold to see if this can hold off germination.

If I sense the germination time approaching, I will often try to sow them quickly at my end, to avoid the waste, or sometimes I just stare at the germinated bags with weariness. So many germinations....so little time.....


Other ephemerals, such as Trillium erectum, undulatum, cernuum  that will not germinate without 2 cold treatments, I am able to continue carrying throughout this season, moist packed. I have sent most of these, and other moist packed ephemerals to the SRGC seed exchange this year, so perhaps some of you will be interested in them.

lots of good information, thanks! with those species that germinate moist packed in the fall, if you sow them, are they then put out for winter? or?....

[ashley]

... Japanese Maples have just been cleaned and are awaiting the elimination of the duds in moist packing, leaving behind the good seed.

Would you expand a bit on this please Kristl? 
How do you distinguish viable Acer seed?

[Kristl Walek]

I'll try, Ashley.
Acer is, in general, one of the more difficult genera and I am sure I have only begun to scratch the surface with the species I have experienced directly.

But the topic ties together some of the unanswered points I made earlier.

The genus has wildly varied germination habits, species that have ephemeral seed (rubra); some that produce seeds that are largely (but deceivingly) empty (griseum and maximowiczianum for example)---these are "parthenocarpic" --- producing seed that "appears" full and well formed, but is usually empty (sometimes called "virgin fruit"); many that are immediate germinators (lots of examples); others tolerating dry storage (many).

Then there are those best collected (just) slightly "green" and either sown immediately or kept moist-packed (many of the small Asian maples fall in this category). As the seed fully ripens and becomes dry, the (often double) seed coat hardens to a point that it is difficult for moisture to reach the embryo. In the natural course of things, a dried, fully ripe seed is certainly germiable; but will often take a full two seasons to sprout. The moist packing keeps the hard seed coat from forming, and usually one cold treatment will do it. Many of the cultivars of A. japonica, palmatum come amazingly true (or produce even superior plants) --- a real bonus of growing them from seed.

Not all seed contains an embryo (without considering species such as griseum (whose seed almost always looks plump and well developed to the naked eye--but is usually in fact, empty). With the majority of species, you can easily determine , which are empty or not. Sometimes one of the seeds (produced in pairs) will be empty, for instance, the other "full"  though not always. When I moist pack Acers, I have already rubbed most of the wings off, and sorted through the lot to remove the obvious duds. Then I do a "cut test" of "x amount" of what I consider "full" seed (literally cutting through what appears to be the chubby embryo to determine that there is, in fact, an embryo. not just empty space.)

I then let them sit in moist-packing for a while and the ones I missed (empties or problematic seed) will quickly rot---leaving me with the "germiable seed".