Seed Mailers

[Lesley Cox]

The appropriately sized boxes made for CDs or videos/DVDs can be very useful and are quite rigid of course. Without wishing to seem overly endowed with the world's monetary riches (I'm not), I don't worry too much about the cost of sending seeds or the occasional plant. It seems more important to get them there and in best possible condition so a few extra dollars are well worth it.

[cohan]

The appropriately sized boxes made for CDs or videos/DVDs can be very useful and are quite rigid of course. Without wishing to seem overly endowed with the world's monetary riches (I'm not), I don't worry too much about the cost of sending seeds or the occasional plant. It seems more important to get them there and in best possible condition so a few extra dollars are well worth it.

a few dollars yes, but i had quite a scare with that packet that was 6 or 7 times the usual rate, and so many packets yet to send...lol
luckily, the next was back to normal...

today i received some amaryllid seed in small paper envelopes in a bubble envelope in a bubble envelope, and some (most? all?) seem spoiled--i'm not sure yet if its squished or frozen, though they were held at the post office, not put in my mailbox which would have frozen everything for sure..
i dont see how they could have squished in a double bubble packing, but the packet was marked 'inspected' so i wonder if the inspectors might have manually squished them checking the contents? since the inner bubble pack was opened, but the individual (non-see through) packets were not
just received today, so waiting to see what they look like by tomorrow--nerines, haemanthus,cyrtanthus(this looks like dried flakes, should it??)

[johnw]

cyrtanthus(this looks like dried flakes, should it??)

 Pretty much so. And yet they sprout. The Nerine seeds might not have appreciated the cold.

Heard the Sarracenias arrived in Vancouver in a week. Obviously though labelled with a truck sticker they must have flown.

johnw

[cohan]

cyrtanthus(this looks like dried flakes, should it??)

 Pretty much so. And yet they sprout. The Nerine seeds might not have appreciated the cold.

Heard the Sarracenias arrived in Vancouver in a week. Obviously though labelled with a truck sticker they must have flown.

johnw

congrats on the safe arrival of the sarracenias
yes, my packet may have got cold somewhere between here and indiana; part of the trouble is that i dont know what these seeds usually look like, though they look more squished than frozen, i could be wrong..hopefully at least a few will make it..
the haemanthus i know what to do with, but i need to research the others yet..
good to know the cyrtanthus are supposed to look like that..i didnt really think they could dessicate that fast if they were supposed to look like the other amaryllids..lol

[Mick McLoughlin]

There's a picture of Cyrtanthus seeds here:
http://theseedsite.co.uk/db6b.html

[cohan]

There's a picture of Cyrtanthus seeds here:
http://theseedsite.co.uk/db6b.html

thanks, mick...that looks about the same..
i have found 2 possible germination methods, and probably have enough to try both (C montanus)..

[Regelian]

Cohan,

I germinate such Amaryllids by floating them on water in warmth.  They will germinate in a few days, if still viable.

[cohan]

Cohan,

I germinate such Amaryllids by floating them on water in warmth.  They will germinate in a few days, if still viable.

thanks, jamie, that's one of the methods i saw somewhere (PBS?) and i will try it

as for the nerines, if they are not all dried out or mush in a day or so, similar to Haemanthus treatment? either on surface or just wait for germination before sowing?

[Lesley Cox]

If you put the Nerine seeds in a paper bag in a warm place, say an airing cupboard or on a warm window sill (over a radiator) they should throw out a root very soon then they can be put into a seed pot and kept above freezing (in your climate). If they stay too long in the bag they'll gradually lose substance.

The Cyrtanthus seeds should be pretty much like those of Zephyranthes/Rhodophiala, or even Hosta, black, flat(tish) and glossy.

[cohan]

If you put the Nerine seeds in a paper bag in a warm place, say an airing cupboard or on a warm window sill (over a radiator) they should throw out a root very soon then they can be put into a seed pot and kept above freezing (in your climate). If they stay too long in the bag they'll gradually lose substance.

The Cyrtanthus seeds should be pretty much like those of Zephyranthes/Rhodophiala, or even Hosta, black, flat(tish) and glossy.

thanks, lesley; i'll watch the nerines for a few days and see if they seem to have any life..