Hepatica seedlings

[Gunilla]

Yes. I think it probably will. I have seen lack of chlorophyll quite often in Hemerocallis seedlings but not in Hepaticas before. It looks odd with the bright red stem.

[Hoy]

Gunilla, if you mange to grow it you'll have a magnificent plant!

[mark smyth]

tomorrow I will post a photo of my Hepatica seedlings. Do they always produce true leaves when one year old? Seeds were sown fresh and green last year

[johngennard]

Mark,
You obviously have not been paying attention as all of the information that you request has been posted on more than one occasion by myself and others.

Sow fresh June/July
Germinate Spring the following year
Prick out the year after that(anytime from Jan.onwards when the plant will be producing a hard pointed growth bud)

You have obviously sown the seed far too thickly and therefore you will have to prick them out sooner than I am reccomending.

I sow all my seeds in a 5"sqare pot sown individually with tweezers 7 x 7 i.e 49 to a pot,that way they can quite happily remain in the pot until it is convenient to move them on(a further year if necessary)

The first picture sows a 5" sq.pot sown in July 2019 still undisturbed of transylvanica alba.
The second 2ltr.pot of japonica sown June 2009 and pricked out Jan.2011
The third is the same as above but with XCraemar
The fourth is as above but with transylvanica lilacina

Notice the difference in vigour between japonica and the others.Japonica takes much longer to build up into a robust clump although there are exceptions.

 

[Diane Clement]

tomorrow I will post a photo of my Hepatica seedlings. Do they always produce true leaves when one year old? Seeds were sown fresh and green last year  

John has really said it all, but I'll add a couple of my pictures.  As John says, they germinate in February or March following sowing the previous May.  I find they usually produce their cotyledons and one single leaf in their first year.  Then the second year they produce proper leaves (they are doing this about now)
First picture is young seedlings in their first year.  I don't have as many seeds as John so I usually sow up to 10 seeds in a 7cm or 9cm pot.
I don't normally repot, but these were a bit crowded, so second and third picture shows a young seedling in February this year when I repotted them into 1 litre long toms
The last picture is of a pot sown May 2009, just starting to make new growth

[mark smyth]

here are my seedlings

[annew]

Flippin' heck, Mark, you've got a right job on there!
John and Diane - do you find there is any secondary germination in subsequent years, or is it safe to assume that the first germination is all there will be? I want to know how careful I need to be winkling out seedlings from a pot that has had poor germination.

[Diane Clement]

Flippin' heck, Mark, you've got a right job on there!
John and Diane - do you find there is any secondary germination in subsequent years, or is it safe to assume that the first germination is all there will be? I want to know how careful I need to be winkling out seedlings from a pot that has had poor germination. 

Anne, there sometimes is further germination (or the first germination sometimes only occurs) in the following year (two years after sowing).  I wouldn't winkle anything in the first year, they don't grow a lot during that year anyway so don't need pricking out.     

[gote]

I have absolutely nothing to add to these instructions.
I just want to say that some postings on this forum are just fantastic.
The help and information that is freely given is next to unbelievable.
Thank you all
Göte

[annew]

I agree, Gote. I have learned so much just this year.

[fleurbleue]

I agree too, Gote and Anne  I have learnt so much since I read this forum 

[johngennard]

Flippin' heck, Mark, you've got a right job on there!
John and Diane - do you find there is any secondary germination in subsequent years, or is it safe to assume that the first germination is all there will be? I want to know how careful I need to be winkling out seedlings from a pot that has had poor germination. 

Anne, there sometimes is further germination (or the first germination sometimes only occurs) in the following year (two years after sowing).  I wouldn't winkle anything in the first year, they don't grow a lot during that year anyway so don't need pricking out.     

I agree entirely but in the case of Marks seedlings he has sown the seed far too thickly and I would prick those out.

[Janis Ruksans]

In a seed pot with H. nobilis var. pyrenaica seeds from Ashwood I found this different looking seedling. 

Seems to lack chlorophyll! Think it will die when the store of starch is used up.

You are right Hoy. Sometimes such mutations happens - they loose some gene responding for forming of chlorophyll and plants die. Sometimes this happens with mature plants, too (in bulbs which replace bulb every year). Unique in this aspect are hostas, there are variety which in spring makes pure white leaves. In mid summer they dies and are replaced by green ones, which produce food for plants next years growing. This is unique and I don't know another such "joker". My wife is growing it in her nursery and this hosta allways surprises all visitors, except short period when white leaves start to die and doesn't look very spectacular.
Janis