Lewisia seedling success

[Maggi Young]

I've got you both beat on that score (and not very proud of it!)...but that's another topic entirely...

Perhaps we don't need a topic so much as a self-help group, Carlo?  We could discuss the matter..... later 

[maggiepie]

Thanks, Paul; I do think it useful to see pictures like these.... it is all very well to get excited about wonderful pix of mature flowering plants.... and who doesn't enjoy that?!! .......but it is very instructive for beginners to see what seedlings look like.... it helps them know if they have the right thing..... saves accidental weeding of precious babies!!.... and gives an idea of how much development can be expected over a given period.
Thanks!! 

Being one of the beginners, I agree with maggi 100%.
Thanks Paul.

[cohan]

I've got you both beat on that score (and not very proud of it!)...but that's another topic entirely...

ha!--lots of competition on that claim to shame! i could tell you embarrassing tales of how long certain succulents can live while waiting to be potted...

paul--great batch of seedlings! we talked some time ago about lewisias a bit, i still havent got any seed, but not worried as i have a bazillion things to start...lol
will be interested to see how yours develop; definitely the different leaves are part of the appeal--actually,  a major part, as i come to them as succulents rather than 'garden flowers'--many of the hybrids look too soft and cabbagey for my tastes, i prefer the tougher looking species..

[angie]

Paul T
Found your pictures very interesting. I think I go wrong not knowing when to start the seeds and if they need a cold period first. Find this sort of post really helpful. I am going to try harder with seeds and I agree with Maggi these posts are so much help to us beginners. I can certainly say that I am learning so much from everyone, Thanks.

Maggi
I have never heard this saying before " never leave till tomorrow some chocolate which could be eaten today"
So the half cake of chocolate that I put away for another day is now gone, Thanks Maggi I learn so much from you .
Angie

[Maggi Young]

Angie, I am glad to be of service.... but perhaps my advice in such matters is not the best around.... just the largest a-round!  

[Paul T]

Angie,

As I learnt from one of the species, if you wait long enough they come up anyway.  Last year I sowed cotyledon and another species (my mind has just gone blank and I can't remember which one) and while the cotyledon germinated the first season, the other one waited a complete year later before doing so.  They obviously have the certain time of year that they germinate, and if they don't then they'll wait until the same time next year.  So just sow the seed and if they need to wait a bit longer they will.    Good luck with germination.

[angie]

Thanks Paul I am going to seeds a go, I have really picked up a lot of tips on this forum. I have a few Lewisia seedlings but they seeded themselves in my sand plunge bed . I have collected seeds from my intersectional peonies so hopefully I will have some luck with them. 
Angie

[Paul T]

Angie,

Good luck with the intersectional Paeonia.  I've seen a couple of intersectionals here in Australia in a private collection (they aren't commercially available) and they're stunning!!  It will be interesting to see what your seed produces, and whether they throw back in any particular direction to the parents of your intersectional plants.

[angie]

Hi Paul
Never thought about that. I think you are right, I will be happy just to get any seeds growing like I have said before the only seeds I succeed with is Meconopsis and I have too many now but still collecting there seeds, cant throw anything away. We have a good stockist of Int, peonies in Scotland and I find them better to grow in our wet climate.
Do your Lewisia come true to the parent plant.

Angie

[Paul T]

Angie,

Highly doubtful that all my Lewisia will look like the parent plant, given that there is so much breeding for different colours.  The only way you can get mostly the same as the parent is via species (and even that can be quite variable depending what you're talking about) or through line breeding, which is where the seedlings that look like the parent are bred together, and then the seedlings of those that are the same as the parents are bred together..... eventually you end up with a seed strain where you're going to get seedlings that look like the parents because the other factors have been selected out.  In the case of my Lewisias.... I'm hoping that all the seed lots don't produce the same thing within each.  I'd like the variability in colours etc, as I don't need "particular" colours for my collection (i.e I am not after that one red that I don't have, I'm happy with pretty much anything).  I'm hoping for a range of colours from all of them.  

And do you HAVE to keep reminding me that Meconopsis are a weed for you.    One mans weed is another mans treasure.    It just tickles me that Mecs can be weeds for anyone, although I realise that they would be in the right climate.  Amusing how different all our situations are. 

[angie]

Paul
Sorry Its true that what I dream about you can grow so easily but that's whats so good about this forum we get to see the plants we long for right here in our own homes, thanks to you overseas experts.
I too would be happy to produce any seedlings. I was at Maggi and Ian's garden the other day and I was scared to walk anywhere as there was so much seedlings everywhere especially cyclamen, I think I will SNEAK in one night with my little trowel and big bucket, don't tell .
Angie

[Paul T]

Angie,

Just quietly, I think if you ask them nicely they'll most likely share some of the seedlings.  No need to sneak in with a big bucket. 

It would be lovely to be able to just pop in for a visit at their garden.  Such a nice idea. 

[Lesley Cox]

Here is a pic of Lewisia cotyledon and I think it must be pretty true to the wild species. They are from some seed that David N. sent to me some months ago and of about 40, half are in flower while the others will wait for now. I'll plant out a little patch of 7-9. They're all the same and the seed may have been collected in the States by Ron Ratko.

[Lesley Cox]

A word Paul if I may? I think you should pot up your tweedyis now, individually, and gradually harden them off before the summer gets too fierce. Unless you have a true alpine house (which seems to me to be cold rather than warm and if it has a gale from the north sea blowing right through from one end to the other, so much the better) these will be better outside than under cover. The others could be potted up as soon as their leaves wilt and begin to dry up or wait until autumn. Two, nevadensis and rediviva are deciduous and maybe brachycalyx too. (I never had that, any under that name were always nevadensis). These deciduous ones are, in my experience, easier to grow as they can be treated like bulbs once they die down, and they can be long-lived on that account whereas tweedyi, cotyledon can suddenly collapse for no obvious reason, but they're better the harder their growth is.

[Lesley Cox]

As for colour, tweedyi is usually a peachy colour but can be pink or pure white or I believe there's a lemon form now too. They all come true from seed so whatever your benefactor sent you, that's what you'll get with little if any variation unless a selection was sent. Nevadensis and brachycalyx are both white thought there is a pink form of the former at least. If that was sent to you, it would probably have been labelled as such though. Redidiva can also be either white or pink. Mine were raised from seed and I got both colours in the packet (from AGS).