Tecophilaea Seed Sowing

[elilium71]

Hello,
I'm new to SRGC and I have received, through a different seed exchange Tecophilaea cyanocrocus var  leichtlinii seed. I am experienced gardener and was hoping for some seed starting tips or tricks. I have few seed and would like to get the best germination possible.
Thank You all in advance,
Eric Duma
P.S. About how  long from seed to bloom?

[Maggi Young]

Hello, Eric, welcome to the Forum!
 I suggest you take a look at the Bulb Logs to find some advice about Tecophilaeas
http://www.srgc.org.uk/bulblog/bulblog.html
 there is an index  too : http://www.srgc.org.uk/bulblog/index.pdf

It is possible to get flowers in three years from seed but a more realistic expectation is 4 to 5 years. Worth a wait for these lovely flowers, which are scenting our glass house in the sunshine today!

[Iturraran]

Worth a wait for these lovely flowers, which are scenting our glass house in the sunshine today!

Wow Maggi, that's simply heaven!!! 

[Maggi Young]

well, it would be more heavenly if the Tecs weren't in with the frits, which don't smell so good! You have to point you nose in the direction of the Tecs and concentrate!  Still a good scent, though!

[Lesley Cox]

How odd it seems now, the layout etc within the old Forum. To think I hated the new one to start with because it was "different" and I couldn't do everything I had been doing, immediately. Thank Heaven someone (Maggi?) told me to get a life and get over it.

[Paul T]

Lesley,

The change was worth it to me to get pages instead of one long thread for each thing.  Made it SO much easier to use to my way of thinking.  It was worth shifting for that feature alone!! 

[Paul T]

And Tecophilea seed sowing-wise.... no expert here.  Had very little success last time I tried, but no idea how fresh the seed was.  Did get a few germinations but they never did particularly well.  Must try them again some time as I would love to have a little colony of them going.  I grow them reasonably well, but not brilliant on the flowering.  Will be experimenting with where I grow them to try to streamline it a bit and hopefully get more flowers.

Good luck Eric, and welcome to the forum.

[Susan Band]

Neither am I an expert, I sowed my first tecophilaea seed this year. I kept it in the house and most seed has germinated, not sure what to do now

[Ezeiza]

Hi Susan:

Have you sown it as a winter or a summer grower?

Regards

[Susan Band]

I sowed it in Jan when I got the seed and I will let it grow for as long as it wants. Usually I keep all my bulbs seed til Autumn before I sow them but luckily I sowed this in the spring as it germinated within a few weeks and can have the rest of the season to grow on.
As I said I am not sure what to do with it after then as I don't normally have plants in the greenhouse past seedling stage.
All other bulb seedlings get planted out in beds in their first autumn.
Susan