crocus and narcissus germination

[Lars S]

I have a question that probably reveals my ignorance in bulb basics 

One year ago I did sow a number of seeds of autumn flowering crocus and narcissus romieuxii and romieuxii mesatlanticus in pots. In spring there was no sign of germination but now there are plenty of green "straws" in the pots. Does some bulb seed germinate in autumn as well or did the seed actually germinate in spring without sending up a straw   

[Lesley Cox]

Seeds of most bulbs will germinate in autumn as well as in spring. It may depend on how frersh your seed is in the first place or it may depend on climatic conditions, - warmth (or cold) and water availability etc. Or it may be neither of those. I frequently have a few seeds or even just one, germinate in autumn then a whole heap in spring - or vice versa. I'm just grateful that they come up at all.

[Lars S]

Thank´s Lesley !
Like you I´m happy that they germinate at all . I just thought it was funny that none germinated in spring. Maybe they were sown too late in autumn ...

[Folypeelarks]

I don't know about the Crocus but this year I made one of my Narcissus to produce seeds..
From different sources I take the decision to sow them in this way - I chose good-draining substrate.During the summer the seeds were kept in small box inside the house.After that, when the autumn came I sow them in not very large pot.Than I put the pot outside.I want to make a cold stratification.When the spring comes I'll water the seeds and I hope that They'll germinate...
Actually, I am not very sure if the seeds are sowed directly in the garden..Maybe It'll be better but I don't know..
In the future I want to try to grow every type of bulbous plants from seeds.Till now I have success only with Worsleya and Gladiolus...

Good luck, Lars!

[Lars S]

Thank you for that !
I think you use about the same regime as I do, sowing the seeds in early autumn when possible. At least when it comes to crocus and narcissus, and I think tulipa and fritillaria as well, the majority of the seeds normally seem to germinate in spring during lower temperatures (about 5 degrees C) after a initial period of warmer temperatures. If the first period is to short germination won´t take place the first year. That is at least my experience so far. Other may have different experiences.

[Lesley Cox]

Sometimes if they're sown too late in one season, they'll miss a whole year then come up at the TIME you expected them, but in the following year.

[Folypeelarks]

By the way, I heard about that..  That's why I tried to sow them as early as possible but of course not to early...

Actually, as Lars said the majority of the similar alpine plants requires the same sowing method (maybe excluding the autumn flowers as Colchicum autumnale and others).. - Fritillaria, Hyacinthus, Galanthus etc. - drained soil and cold period.

/In this train of thought, I want to share something interesting - many of the seeds of such plants has one white, small swelling on their reproductive structures.This swelling attracts the ants and They takes the seed under the ground where it germinates.This year I saw this behavior when one of my Hyacinthus formed seeds../