Germinating now- - photos of seedlings

[Lesley Cox]

I am never surprised when expected germination does not take place and especially with some genera such as Iris. Even the common and easy ones can be recalcitrant sometimes. Herbaceous plants though, such as your Aquilegia Hannelore, are perhaps more predictable but if I've learned anything, it is never to throw out pots of seed too early. Last year a single seedling germinated for me of a rare androsace, 3 and a half years after the few seeds were sown. It is now a single rosette about 1cm across.

[Gabriela]

This is interesting. I sowed S.canadensis from my own seeds in summer 2015 and they are germinating now.

That means you have the 2 year germinator Leena.
I will repeat this year by sowing from both populations at the same time, then we'll know if it was a one time event or it's indeed the genetic effect. The seeds 2016 - germinated 2017 are from a place I usually don't collect but last year I was late on my other site.

I am never surprised when expected germination does not take place and especially with some genera such as Iris. Even the common and easy ones can be recalcitrant sometimes. Herbaceous plants though, such as your Aquilegia Hannelore, are perhaps more predictable but if I've learned anything, it is never to throw out pots of seed too early. Last year a single seedling germinated for me of a rare androsace, 3 and a half years after the few seeds were sown. It is now a single rosette about 1cm across.

You are certainly right Lesley. My question is where to keep all these pots which 'accumulate' from one year to another? 
Delphinium fissum is another slow and erratic germinator, but worth the wait (seeds sown in 2014)

[Lesley Cox]

Ah yes Gabriela, that is the question and I wonder has anyone ever answered it satisfactorily? I am very fortunate (I think) in having nearly an acre to play with though only about half this is "used" space, the rest being left to itself to seed, weed or grow wild however it likes.But in the relatively civilized parts, there are numerous little patches of a few trays in which seeds, both germinated and not, wait the next stage in their complicated and transient lives.

I sow my seeds into 90 or 100mm square plastic pots and house them 20 to a tray, keeping a note in my erstwhile garden book of what is in each tray, the date sown and source of the seed, maybe the number of seeds if there are just a few of something special. I say erstwhile because while I start to record religiously, after a week or two I forget for a couple of days and suddenly the record loses value. Maybe I'll start again or maybe not.

When germination starts I move those pots to a new area where rain/frost/sun/wind can be controlled. (Everything stays outside all through the year) and eventually I get to the stage of "I must get those potted up" or "it's way past time those bulb seedlings were planted out." Bulb seedlings are put in a different place to grow on for a second season but then suddenly they're in their 3rd year and I'm getting further and further behind in my workload.

I look forward to the day when I no longer want to sow seeds or propagate plants. When does that happen, I wonder?

[Gabriela]

Lesley,
My question was a bit rhetorical but I am very glad you answer it I am sure many will read it with great interest.
The seeds are mysterious living things, you may never know when they decide to wake up from dormancy.

Staying organized is very important of course; I do better by keeping photographical records (as long as the pictures are organized in proper folders).

"I look forward to the day when I no longer want to sow seeds or propagate plants. When does that happen, I wonder?" - probably the answer is never?
Once a seed addict...

[fermi de Sousa]

We came home last week to find that a few of the pots we'd sown in April had germinations:
1) Asperula orientalis NARGS 2016/17 Surplus Seeds - 17 out of 45 sown 28-04-17;
2) Physaria kingii (as above) -10 of 10 sown! Looking very similar to the Asperula
3) Calochortus luteus - Robert B - 12 of 25 sown 27-04-17;
4) Anemone demissa - Bjorn, China, 2 of 15 sown 21-05-16!
cheers
fermi

[Jupiter]

Can someone please have a look at my seedlings of Potentilla nitida and let me know if they look right? The seed is from Majella Larochelle, and I'm sure it's accurately named and carefully collected... immature leaves are often very different from mature, but I'd sleep better if someone confirmed it for me.

[Maggi Young]

Hmm,  bit doubtful myself....

[Jupiter]

Oh dear.. me too Maggie, me too. I'm not giving up hope yet as I can't really imagine how Majella would get it wrong...

[Otto Fauser]

Good Morning Jamus ,
 me too --I remember it growing here several times :it had smaller silvery grey ,hairy leaves . It often appears on the SRGC and AGS seed lists . Better luck next time as it is a beautiful plant .

[Lesley Cox]

The winter growth on mine is, yes, very silver and each leaf is made of 3 quite separate leaflets on a reddish stem. I don't think these are right Jamus. That's not to say that whatever it is isn't something good.

Otto what appears regularly on the seedlists may not be true of course.

[Lesley Cox]

I am interested to see Potentilla porphyrantha which I've seen described as "a poor man's P. nitida" not because it is less good but because it flowers well and is also a pink with silvery leaves.

[Jupiter]

Thanks Otto and Lesley. I have another pot of seed from another source, yet to germinate but fingers crossed... these frosty nights should help to stratify the alpines and stimulate them to move.
Cheers

[Gabriela]

I am interested to see Potentilla porphyrantha which I've seen described as "a poor man's P. nitida" not because it is less good but because it flowers well and is also a pink with silvery leaves.

You're very right Lesley, porphyrantha is such a beauty; I had a nice little plant which collapsed in a weird way last year just before flowering, I will try to get it again.
Since I got into this thread - Swertia perennis with an interesting case of tricotyledony:


Ornithogalum kochii, not a very great picture but good enough for my records


And, a bit pale but I'm sure they'll look better in no time - Gentiana purpurea and a grass - I am keeping everything in case of wild collection Thanks Trond
Germination in second year, not an easy one.

[Lesley Cox]

Gabriela, I stand to be corrected but I think our friend Cohan F may have had the seed of Pot. porphyrantha from Jellito's in Germany.

Jamus, looking at your seedlings of the asperula I'd be very doubtful about that one too. I've not had any asperula from seed but their size and shape and fleshiness seem at odds somehow with the asperula species we know.  What do you think?

[Jupiter]

Not my Asperula seed Lesley, Fermi's! I'm yet to try that Genus.