Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum

Seedy Subjects! => Grow From Seed => Topic started by: Catwheazle on December 08, 2020, 09:12:02 AM

Title: Pulsatilla from seed
Post by: Catwheazle on December 08, 2020, 09:12:02 AM
Hello,
I would like to know what your experiences with Pulsatilla seeds are like. For ir it fluctuates from 100% to 0% Fresh seeds sown in summer or early autumn germinated after about 2 weeks without problems. I had the one in the winter garden with high daytime temperatures and a strong day / night reduction. I got semen again 3 weeks ago. I had it in the living room at around 20 ° for 2 weeks, ... nothing :-( Then I wanted to spend another 2 weeks in the unheated winter garden (around 10 - 15 °) and then outside. Now, 1 has germinated in the winter garden . Of course I leave this pot. What was the trigger? Should I try the 20 ° in the living room again? Should I provide (heating) strong day / night cooling in the winter garden?
Are there differences between the different types?
Please tell me about your experiences as fresh semen is unfortunately not always available.
greetings
Bernd
Oh yes, almost forgot: light germs or dark germs?
Title: Re: Pulsatilla from seed
Post by: Hoy on December 08, 2020, 09:07:03 PM
I always sow Pulsatilla seeds when I get them and place them in my cool greenhouse. Some batches do germinate in fall but most germinate during winter/early spring. The greenhouse is not frost free but usually we don't have many days/nights with frost here.
Title: Re: Pulsatilla from seed
Post by: Catwheazle on December 08, 2020, 09:17:53 PM
thanks for your informations :-)
Title: Re: Pulsatilla from seed
Post by: Tristan_He on December 12, 2020, 02:12:34 PM
Hi Bernd, as they are Ranunculaceae which tend to be short-lived, I usually sow Pulsatilla as soon as I get them. I usually break off the plumes in case these act as a source of rot, though I don't know if this is necessary.

Generally if the seed is fresh it comes up as long as the weather is not too cold. I've never experimented with triggers though, sorry.

Best wishes and Merry Christmas, Tristan
Title: Re: Pulsatilla from seed
Post by: Catwheazle on December 28, 2020, 03:16:49 PM
I always sow Pulsatilla seeds when I get them and place them in my cool greenhouse. Some batches do germinate in fall but most germinate during winter/early spring. The greenhouse is not frost free but usually we don't have many days/nights with frost here.

Hello hoy,
this year I did it as you wrote it ... and it works very well :-)
This year all sown species came one after the other :-)
I even have the impression that they germinate and grow better at currently 15 ° C and additional lighting than at room temperature.
greetings
Bernd
Title: Re: Pulsatilla from seed
Post by: Guff on December 04, 2021, 12:55:50 AM
Was going to start a thread on these and saw this one.


Found these instructions.

For indoors sowing, cover seed to a depth of about 4 times the minimum seed dimension.  (This is not a strict rule: most seeds have ambivalent light requirements and may be surface sown regardless of size. Keep at 18-22°C (65-72 DEGREES) for 2-4 weeks.

Cold stratification is required for 8 weeks, followed by exposure to warmth, after which germination is usually complete within a month or less.


I'm going to surface sow on top of leaf compost. After two weeks of warm, damp period. They will either go into basement or fridge for the 8 weeks of Cold stratification. I will then put each seed that looks plump into single cups filled with leaf compost/sand mix(seeds lightly covered with leaf compost). I did soak the seeds for 24hrs in water before placing seeds on top of screened leaf compost.

[attachimg=1]
[attachimg=2]

Pulsatilla patens
[attachimg=3]

Pulsatilla alpina ssp. apiifolia
[attachimg=4]








Title: Re: Pulsatilla from seed
Post by: Pauli on December 04, 2021, 06:23:17 AM
If you really get fresh seed, there is no cold stratification necessary. Sow them at once and they germinate immediately (usually June here in Austria, best temperatures 20 - 25°C). For stored seed let nature work, but I get very much better results with fresh seed. As with most Ranunculaceae.......
Title: Re: Pulsatilla from seed
Post by: Tristan_He on December 04, 2021, 07:31:00 AM
If you really get fresh seed, there is no cold stratification necessary. Sow them at once and they germinate immediately (usually June here in Austria, best temperatures 20 - 25°C). For stored seed let nature work, but I get very much better results with fresh seed. As with most Ranunculaceae.......

Totally agree Herbert. Fresh is best!
Title: Re: Pulsatilla from seed
Post by: Guff on December 13, 2021, 02:41:55 PM
Pulsatilla Patens are germinating.
[attachimg=1]
Title: Re: Pulsatilla from seed
Post by: Guff on December 14, 2021, 02:34:04 AM
Temps here are in the 45's for a few days. What I'm wondering is, if I dig a bed and sow some seeds, should the seeds be soaked for 24hrs or planted as is? Thinking I would cover with leaves to help with heaving.

Thanks for info.
Title: Re: Pulsatilla from seed
Post by: Guff on December 14, 2021, 10:04:31 PM
Bed almost done. Still need to add compost to the gravel and rocks and mound up dirt around the bed.

Bed is 2ft x 3ft and 15 inches deep. Had dug down another 10 inches to loosen and turn over the clay and left it.
[attachimg=1]
[attachimg=2]
Title: Re: Pulsatilla from seed
Post by: Guff on December 16, 2021, 02:26:24 AM
Putting into single 16 oz cups.  Do I add more compost up to the white section of the seedling?
[attachimg=1]
Title: Re: Pulsatilla from seed
Post by: Jeffnz on December 16, 2021, 02:41:57 AM
I envy your soil that allows you to dig to 15 inches, wat is the soil type?
Jeff
Title: Re: Pulsatilla from seed
Post by: Guff on December 16, 2021, 02:52:19 AM
Jeff it's clay type soil. It took 7 wheel barrels of compost to fill back in. Screening the leaf compost with an old fan housing. Then I use a fine window screen for a top layer for the seeds.

Digging the bed didn't take long, filling it back in did.............lots of screening
Title: Re: Pulsatilla from seed
Post by: Guff on December 16, 2021, 06:26:27 PM
Planted one packet of each in the bed.  Pulsatilla alpina ssp. apiifolia were soaked in water overnight, Pulsatilla patens were planted as is out of packet.
[attachimg=1]
Title: Re: Pulsatilla from seed
Post by: Guff on December 22, 2021, 10:06:32 PM
.
Title: Re: Pulsatilla from seed
Post by: Guff on December 28, 2021, 11:13:11 PM
Hard getting a picture to focus on the new growth, best I could get for now.


Title: Re: Pulsatilla from seed
Post by: Guff on December 31, 2021, 05:29:18 AM
Starting to put up another leaf. Tried using my phone this time.

These grow like Hellebore seedlings. Do they continue to put up leaves like this, or do they come up from underneath the soil at some point?

Title: Re: Pulsatilla from seed
Post by: Guff on March 17, 2022, 06:13:47 AM
Had a light issue and had to start over again. Seems the CFL's were too much or had them to close and lost them all over a week period.

Seedlings that I had under CFL's, they are huge bulbs. I had thought these would be perfect for seedlings. One bulb burnt out after one week, so they were sent back.
[attachimg=1]

[attachimg=2]


Title: Re: Pulsatilla from seed
Post by: Guff on March 17, 2022, 06:21:04 AM
I ended up buying an Led to replace the CFL's.
[attachimg=1]


Seedlings look a lot better growing under the LED.
[attachimg=2]
Title: Re: Pulsatilla from seed
Post by: Guff on March 17, 2022, 02:48:40 PM
Same seedling from the above post, better green growth under the LED.


Thinking I still have too much light. Had it at 25% at 16 inches above. Turned it down to 20% and see what happens for awhile.


Title: Re: Pulsatilla from seed
Post by: Guff on March 19, 2022, 12:41:54 AM
Wondering about seed plug trays. Anyone grow Pulsatilla in these?

I found a site that sells 5 inch deep and think they are 2x2 inches square at the top. Come Fall I want to grow a couple hundred seedlings through the winter. 16 oz cups would take up to much space to grow that many.

I'm trying to get different plants growing throughout Spring/Summer/Fall for Honey bees.
Title: Re: Pulsatilla from seed
Post by: Guff on March 19, 2022, 02:05:48 AM
Different seedling then the above post.

Title: Re: Pulsatilla from seed
Post by: Guff on April 07, 2022, 12:28:34 AM
Seedlings outside are starting to pop up. Will be interesting comparing growth from outdoors to indoors. I think it is, could see 6 so far.
Title: Re: Pulsatilla from seed
Post by: Vinny 123 on April 07, 2022, 07:58:10 AM
There is no such thing as full spectrum fluorescent lamps - they are line emitters. "Full spectrum" has no meaning anyway.
Plants do not need full spectrum either - commercial growers traditionally used SON (all light in the red-orange-yellow) with a small amount of metal halide lamps to provide blue, to stop etiolation. For stimulating flowering, the cheapest option was standard GLS (the old wire in a bottle), which is full spectrum but heavily biased towards the red.
Title: Re: Pulsatilla from seed
Post by: Guff on April 23, 2022, 07:41:23 PM
Above post wasn't a Pulsatilla
.
This looks to be a Pulsatilla
[attachimg=1]
Title: Re: Pulsatilla from seed
Post by: Guff on April 24, 2022, 06:18:29 PM
Think I have the right amount of light. Leaves kept getting burnt and turning brown.

First time growing these, seems the leaves are a pale green then turn dark green as they grow.
[attachimg=1]

[attachimg=2]
Title: Re: Pulsatilla from seed
Post by: MarcR on May 03, 2022, 09:32:58 PM
Hello,
I would like to know what your experiences with Pulsatilla seeds are like.

Catwheazle,

I received 3 species of Pulsatilla seed from the seed exchange and finally got around to planting them 2 weeks ago. I planted all at 20c under lights. I already have 2 species sprouted. I think this suggests that seed dry stored for at least 3 months may germinate better than fresh seed.
Title: Re: Pulsatilla from seed
Post by: Guff on May 14, 2022, 12:39:12 AM
Planted out some patens seedling.

[attachimg=1]

[attachimg=2]
Title: Re: Pulsatilla from seed
Post by: Guff on June 05, 2022, 10:23:39 PM
Middle of May started last batch of Patens seeds that I had left over.

Light is now at 20 inches above and at 18-20% power. This time I added perlite to sand/compost mix and on top. Had issues with green junk growing last time.
[attachimg=1]

[attachimg=2]

[attachimg=3]


Title: Re: Pulsatilla from seed
Post by: Guff on July 21, 2022, 01:48:53 PM
Patens

[attachimg=1]
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