Viola seed and GA3 information needed

[maggiepie]

I think I have been a bit ambitious.
I ordered some different types of viola seed and they arrived yesterday, my problem is I didn't really research what these seeds require to germinate and now find that it is recommended to use GA3 with most of them.
The violas are
Lobata
Cuneata
Beckwithii
Trinervata
Mandshurica

Has anyone germinated these violas without the use of GA3 and if so, what method did you use?
Any advice would be much appreciated.

[Gerdk]

Yes, I germinated them all (besides V. lobata) - without using GA 3. Unfortunately I made no records.
Viola mandshurica has a high rate of resulting seedlings, V. cuneata a low one.
Vv. beckwithii and trinervata only develope cotyledones in their first year.
I always sow ASAP! Violet seeds don't like to become dry.
In any case it might be better to use GA 3!

Gerd

[maggiepie]

Thanks Gerd, I will try some GA3 with some of the seed once I figure out how much water to use with it, and how long to soak the seeds.

[Lesley Cox]

I was sent some seed of V. beckwithii. Several germinated and have now died down but are still there. Just the cotyledons the first time round, as Gerd says. I sowed them over a very gritty compost and covered with .25cm of sharp grit.

[maggiepie]

Lesley, did you give them any cold treatment?
How do you care for them during the summer dormancy?

[Diane Clement]

I haven't heard of the use of GA3 for violas other than rosulates.  But I bow to the experience of Gerd 

Thanks Gerd, I will try some GA3 with some of the seed once I figure out how much water to use with it, and how long to soak the seeds. 

 
If you have a go with GA3, the concentration of the solution is extremely important to get germination without etiolation of the seedlings.  Unless you have access to a chemical balance, a good idea is to get your GA3 from Hudsons, it comes in ready weighed packets that make up into the correct concentration
http://www.jlhudsonseeds.net/GibberellicAcid.htm
There's also instruction on the website that is taken from Deno

[maggiepie]

Diane, thanks for your input.
I do actually have two tablets of GA3 but the writing is in Japanese, but does have the number 5 on each one.
I have written to my friend who gave me the tablets to see if she can tell me how much there is in each tablet.

[Maggi Young]

For anyone interested in seed sowing and germination help with GA-3 ( Gibberellic Acid ) then the following links may help.......
this is another thread in this Forum....

http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=1244.msg28415;topicseen#msg28415


and this external site is a good one for all sorts of seedy assistance!

http://theseedsite.co.uk/seedsowing.html

[Lesley Cox]

Lesley, did you give them any cold treatment?
How do you care for them during the summer dormancy?

No, no treatment of any kind, just sowing in my usual seed mix, with some extra grit. They are dies down now and are simply waiting out the summer along with young bulb seedlings. They are outside. Of course I may never see them again!

[maggiepie]

They are outside. Of course I may never see them again! Cry

Thanks Lesley, I suppose I need to get some germinated before worrying about keeping them alive.

[Martijn]

Dear friends,

Just reading the old thread in which I promised to write about the results in spring...
Rather late now, but the results were very good! I used the starters kit from Hudson, perfect! Very easy to use and with the low Dollar-rates, it will be very cheap.....

Good luck!

Grtz, Martijn

[David Pilling]

Reading the links above made me think I should buy the Norman C Deno book.

Has anyone obtained the book recently?

I ask because in an age of web sites and paypal, the only source I can find (send $20 to an address in the USA) sounds out of date.

[Michael J Campbell]

David try this link.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=sr_adv_b/?search-alias=stripbooks&unfiltered=1&field-keywords=Seed+Germination&field-author=C+Deno+&field-title=&field-isbn=&field-publisher=&node=&url=&field-feature_browse-bin=&field-binding_browse-bin=&field-subject=&field-language=&field-dateop=&field-datemod=&field-dateyear=&sort=relevancerank&Adv-Srch-Books-Submit.x=37&Adv-Srch-Books-Submit.y=8

[David Pilling]

Michael, thank you for the link to Amazon.

I'd looked amazon.co.uk and at another second hand book seller - better sticking to the new book for $20 idea, unless the high prices at re-sellers indicate the original route is not available.

[Gerdk]

Because I am a little bit sloppy concerning records I asked my friend Heinz Rehfeld about his results with violets and GA 3

He told me that species of Section Viola related to Viola odorata responds best to a treatment - the others with different effects, but always better than without GA 3.

Heinz always soake the seeds and after that he treat them as usual -   i.e. in pots with a fitting soil mixture.

Gerd