Pulsatilla germination

[Regelian]

I have some very fresh Pulsatilla seed, as in to say it is still attached to the stem and slightly green.  What are the chances of germination and what does it require?  Should I try GA-3 to stimulate it?

[ranunculus]

Hi Jamie,
I always gauge that pulsatilla seed is ready for sowing as soon as it comes away from the seed head with the gentlest of tugs.  It should be sown as soon as possible after this (even when green) and should germinate very freely without any additional assistance.  Hope this helps?

[Regelian]

Certainly does help!  Thanks.  Another that follows the KISS! principle (keep it simple stupid!).

[cohan]

Hi Jamie,
I always gauge that pulsatilla seed is ready for sowing as soon as it comes away from the seed head with the gentlest of tugs.  It should be sown as soon as possible after this (even when green) and should germinate very freely without any additional assistance.  Hope this helps?

i'm assuming this is a hairy seed? should it be dehaired, or just planted as is? and what about other hairy seeds--composites, rosaceae etc? perhaps thats another whole topic

[ranunculus]

Hi Cohan,
Pulsatilla seed can be sown complete with the hairy, feathery plume still attached ... no special attention is required, though old gardening manuals suggested poking the seed into the compost leaving the plume exposed.  I would be amazed if this made any difference whatsoever to germination rates (which are surprisingly good if fresh ripe seed is available).

[Lvandelft]

though old gardening manuals suggested poking the seed into the compost leaving the plume exposed.

I remember, when running our nursery, we needed yearly several thousends good strong plants every spring.
The quickest way to do this for us was picking carefully the seedheads off before the seeds fell out and then
we poked directly 3 to 5 seeds in every 9x9 cm square pot and kept them in the glasshouse till they were big enough
to take them out and in winter we covered these pots, when we had strong (bare)frosts under Dutch lights.
We saved at least half a year with this method. We did this more than 20 years ago and I think it would still work now.

[cohan]

Hi Cohan,
Pulsatilla seed can be sown complete with the hairy, feathery plume still attached ... no special attention is required, though old gardening manuals suggested poking the seed into the compost leaving the plume exposed.  I would be amazed if this made any difference whatsoever to germination rates (which are surprisingly good if fresh ripe seed is available).

thanks!
i MAY  get a little trip farther south in the province on the weekend, if weather holds (to cactus and dinosaur-landia) hope i might see some pulsatillas along the way..maybe in bloom somewhere, though probably done farther south..probably too soon for seeds...oh well..

[Regelian]

For the record, I have planted my seed, along with the fuzzy tail, into moist earth in a pot outside and am waiting patiently.  I'm off to collect some more seed, if possible, from another garden.  With the weather as it's been, I'm not sure what I'll find.