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Author Topic: My Bit of Heaven - by Kristl Walek  (Read 294408 times)

Kristl Walek

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Re: My Bit Of Heaven...
« Reply #450 on: November 16, 2008, 04:10:40 AM »
I knew it had been one of the best years in recent memory for Trillium seed this year---but I had no idea, just *how* good.

Organizing my left-over ephemeral seed for the exchanges this week, I was utterly awe-struck to discover the level of germination in the T. grandiflorum bags--hard to put a percentage on it, but my guess is that it is certainly over 75%. Sadly, of course, the T. grandiflorum will not be going to the exchanges (although T. erectum and T. undulatum will), as they have shown no similar signs of pre-winter sprouting.

Seed is immediately moist-packed after collection and cleaning (approximately mid July here).
This year, I kept batches of seed separate in individual zip lock bags (moist packed in vermiculite)

-those of well-developed seed.
-prematurely collected (slightly unripe) pods (there is some rumour that under-ripe seed germinates more readily).
-seed cleaned with or without the use of a bleach rinse (to test some theories about the link of the aril to internal infection of the seed).
-all seed was washed with dish-wash detergent in the cleaning process.

The bag I show you here was the first batch of seed collected. Well developed pods only. Without a bleach wash. Because there was a time gap between this batch and the others, I will not be able to report fully at this time on what the others will do.









so many species....so little time

Kristl Walek

https://www.wildplantsfromseed.com

Maggi Young

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Re: My Bit Of Heaven...
« Reply #451 on: November 16, 2008, 03:14:30 PM »
Goodness me, look at those little guys grow!  8) :o
Margaret Young in Aberdeen, North East Scotland Zone 7 -ish!

Editor: International Rock Gardener e-magazine

Kristl Walek

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Re: My Bit Of Heaven...
« Reply #452 on: November 22, 2008, 04:37:16 PM »
Organizing my left-over ephemeral seed for the exchanges this week, I was utterly awe-struck to discover the level of germination in the T. grandiflorum bags--hard to put a percentage on it, but my guess is that it is certainly over 75%. Sadly, of course, the T. grandiflorum will not be going to the exchanges (although T. erectum and T. undulatum will), as they have shown no similar signs of pre-winter sprouting.

It was only with the arrival of my daughter's SRGC seed list recently that I realized that I had missed the window for getting my ephemeral seed to the exchange on time. Oh sigh.

Luckily, it seems I am still in time to get some added to the supplemental NARGS list---and the seed intake manager informs me that moist-packed ephemerals will, finally this year (hurray) be given the space they deserve on that list!!!!

This is to say that if anyone here would like moist-packed 2008 seed of any or all of the following natives of Ontario (wild collected seed), please send me a personal message with your shipping address. Otherwise the remainder will all go to the NARGS exchange:

Trillium erectum
T. undulatum
Sanguinaria canadensis
Uvularia grandiflora
Streptopus roseus
Dicentra cucullaria






« Last Edit: November 22, 2008, 04:39:44 PM by Kristl Walek »
so many species....so little time

Kristl Walek

https://www.wildplantsfromseed.com

Kristl Walek

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Re: My Bit Of Heaven...
« Reply #453 on: November 22, 2008, 11:22:46 PM »
My SRGC Friends,

I wanted to clarify something publicly (as a response to the private messages I have received about my offer of seed).

Even though I own a seed business---my participation here is as a private individual (and to share with you some of what I have learned about seed). Therefore when I offer seed to the list, I am not looking for anything in return, particularly not payment (seed exchanges somewhere down the line are often welcome, although not necessary either).

I can't bear to see seed go to waste---and the ephemerals WILL get composted eventually unless they get into good hands in a timely fashion. And there is almost no greater pleasure for me than sharing the wealth.


so many species....so little time

Kristl Walek

https://www.wildplantsfromseed.com

Linda_Foulis

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Re: My Bit Of Heaven...
« Reply #454 on: November 23, 2008, 01:46:41 AM »
Arghh!!!  Would love to take advantage of your generous offer, but being so in limbo, not even knowing if I'll have a garden next summer.... how frustrating!  I hope you're able to get these babies to good homes Kristl.  I can't stand to see good seed wasted either!  ;D
Linda Foulis
Red Deer, Alberta, Canada
Zone 3 gardener
Head honcho at Beautiful Blooms

Kristl Walek

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Re: My Bit Of Heaven...
« Reply #455 on: December 01, 2008, 08:06:03 PM »
just a quickie to say that all ephemeral seed requests were shipped today.

so many species....so little time

Kristl Walek

https://www.wildplantsfromseed.com

Kristl Walek

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Re: My Bit Of Heaven...
« Reply #456 on: December 24, 2008, 08:26:03 PM »
It *is* a white Christmas this year---this is not something we can generally rely on here.

And although we have seen a few bitterly cold days (-30C with wind chill), it has been a relatively mild winter thus far, although the worst months are yet to come. Today we are hovering around 0C, with a freezing rain warning in effect.

I have never been alone at Christmas before, so none of the usual energy was put into the holiday season.

Holidays past, I often constructed wreaths of berry-bearing woody species, not dissimilar to the ones pictured here.  Like the Maine nursery who constructs these, mine were usually made of  Celastrus scandens (Bittersweet) and Ilex verticillata (Winterberry)---two of the few plants that actually hold their berries late into winter in this climate. Viburnum trilobum berries also stay (often until the following spring), entirely untouched by birds.

This year, energy was lacking for anything extravagant, so a simple arrangment of Bittersweet and Viburnum was hung next to the front door, which will stay intact for almost the entire winter. The cleaned seed of these is already packaged and waiting in the seed drawers.




« Last Edit: December 24, 2008, 08:28:02 PM by Kristl Walek »
so many species....so little time

Kristl Walek

https://www.wildplantsfromseed.com

annew

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Re: My Bit Of Heaven...
« Reply #457 on: December 24, 2008, 09:00:19 PM »
Beautiful, Kristl. We'll be thinking of you this Christmas.
MINIONS! I need more minions!
Anne Wright, Dryad Nursery, Yorkshire, England

www.dryad-home.co.uk

ranunculus

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Re: My Bit Of Heaven...
« Reply #458 on: December 24, 2008, 09:15:37 PM »
So simple, but SO beautiful, Kristl ...

Peace, love and thanks to you ...
Cliff Booker
Behind a camera in Whitworth. Lancashire. England.

Maggi Young

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Re: My Bit Of Heaven...
« Reply #459 on: December 24, 2008, 11:05:55 PM »
I understand your reluctance to get "festive", Kristl, since my darling Father died last Christmas Day and all I can feel is loss.

What a terrific gift you have given us all with your  Bit of Heaven.... I am sure I am not the only one who takes comfort from reading and learning from these beautiful pages.

My fondest thoughts are with you.
M
xx
Margaret Young in Aberdeen, North East Scotland Zone 7 -ish!

Editor: International Rock Gardener e-magazine

4moreaction

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Re: My Bit Of Heaven...
« Reply #460 on: December 25, 2008, 02:22:56 PM »

It was only with the arrival of my daughter's SRGC seed list recently that I realized that I had missed the window for getting my ephemeral seed to the exchange on time. Oh sigh.

Luckily, it seems I am still in time to get some added to the supplemental NARGS list---and the seed intake manager informs me that moist-packed ephemerals will, finally this year (hurray) be given the space they deserve on that list!!!!

This is to say that if anyone here would like moist-packed 2008 seed of any or all of the following natives of Ontario (wild collected seed), please send me a personal message with your shipping address. Otherwise the remainder will all go to the NARGS exchange:

Trillium erectum
T. undulatum
Sanguinaria canadensis
Uvularia grandiflora
Streptopus roseus
Dicentra cucullaria







...I have to thank You Kristel for the seed of Uvularia &  Sanguinaria... arrived safely and are expected to be sown within one week...

yours: matti
'we should appreciate the gifts of nature!'

Katherine J

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Re: My Bit Of Heaven...
« Reply #461 on: December 26, 2008, 04:36:28 PM »
What a terrific gift you have given us all with your  Bit of Heaven....

Very well told. Thank you again, and wish you all the best for the coming year!   :-*
Kata Jozsa - Budapest, Hungary
Zone 6

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4moreaction

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Re: My Bit Of Heaven...
« Reply #462 on: December 27, 2008, 09:00:33 AM »
I knew it had been one of the best years in recent memory for Trillium seed this year---but I had no idea, just *how* good.

Organizing my left-over ephemeral seed for the exchanges this week, I was utterly awe-struck to discover the level of germination in the T. grandiflorum bags--hard to put a percentage on it, but my guess is that it is certainly over 75%. Sadly, of course, the T. grandiflorum will not be going to the exchanges (although T. erectum and T. undulatum will), as they have shown no similar signs of pre-winter sprouting.

Seed is immediately moist-packed after collection and cleaning (approximately mid July here).
This year, I kept batches of seed separate in individual zip lock bags (moist packed in vermiculite)

-those of well-developed seed.
-prematurely collected (slightly unripe) pods (there is some rumour that under-ripe seed germinates more readily).
-seed cleaned with or without the use of a bleach rinse (to test some theories about the link of the aril to internal infection of the seed).
-all seed was washed with dish-wash detergent in the cleaning process.

The bag I show you here was the first batch of seed collected. Well developed pods only. Without a bleach wash. Because there was a time gap between this batch and the others, I will not be able to report fully at this time on what the others will do.












...seeing those sprouting seeds of Trillium makes me so envyous of you guys in northern america... what a pleasure it must be for a sore eye every spring to walk amongst blooming trillium fields... =OP
'we should appreciate the gifts of nature!'

Kristl Walek

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Re: My Bit Of Heaven...
« Reply #463 on: December 27, 2008, 03:26:54 PM »
Matti,
Yes, the large drifts of Trillium grandiflorum is surely one of the reasons why this part of the natural world is so special. It is that time of spring in the woods I most cherish.
so many species....so little time

Kristl Walek

https://www.wildplantsfromseed.com

maggiepie

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Re: My Bit Of Heaven...
« Reply #464 on: December 27, 2008, 04:37:31 PM »
The only trilliums I have seen growing here are the Painted Trillium.
We try to get out into the woods to see them before the mozzies arrive in full force.
Have never seen drifts of them though.
Helen Poirier , Australia

 


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