Advice needed for germinating hepatica seeds

[maggiepie]

I have 9 pots containing hepatica seeds ( thanks Michael) and have been told to keep them out of direct sunlight and not to allow them to dry out.
Am wondering if I could put the tray of pots into a blanket bag and leave them in the basement over summer and put them outside late Autumn.
I've done this with hellebore seeds  although they were in the basement during winter.
Do the hepatica pots have to be outside?

All advice appreciated, thanks.

[Diane Clement]

I have 9 pots containing hepatica seeds ( thanks Michael) and have been told to keep them out of direct sunlight and not to allow them to dry out.
Am wondering if I could put the tray of pots into a blanket bag and leave them in the basement over summer and put them outside late Autumn.
I've done this with hellebore seeds  although they were in the basement during winter.
Do the hepatica pots have to be outside?  All advice appreciated, thanks.    

They need to be kept warm (not hot) and not allowed to dry out.  Then cold over winter, then they will germinate next spring when things warm up in your part of the world.  The germination requirement pattern is the same as Hellebores.  I don't know what a blanket bag is, but if it will do what is needed, I'm sure that's fine. 

[maggiepie]

Diane, the blanket bag is just a clear plastic bag with a zip, ( blankets and bedsets usually come in one here ) it easily holds a 10 X 18 inch pot tray, but it helps keep the pots from drying out.

[Regelian]

Helen,
this sounds like a good idea!  I may try it myself.  I have germinated seed in relative air-tight conditions with success, but I do check them on occaision for molds and fern spore.  I currently have my Hepatica seed in a large pot only half filled with soil mix and keep it outside in full shade, where it stays moist.  I had planned to cover it in the Summer, when it can get quite dry, with plastic wrap.  Kinda the same thing.

[Diane Clement]

Diane, the blanket bag is just a clear plastic bag with a zip, ( blankets and bedsets usually come in one here ) it easily holds a 10 X 18 inch pot tray, but it helps keep the pots from drying out.   

I've never tried such a thing, I'd be a bit cautious about lack of air movement in a warm environment encouraging the growth of fungus.  It may be OK just to keep them ticking over during the summer, the seed will not germinate in these conditions and will need to go outside for the winter.
My hepatica pots just stay outside uncovered in a shady spot, until next year.  But I know in our conditions, that's fine - not much sun and enough rain to keep them moist.

[Ulla Hansson]

Helen,
I cover the pots with hepatica seed with 2cm gravel. Gravel helps keep the soil moist, I put the pots in a bench, which is north facing . If it rains a lot, I protection, otherwise the open bench. During the dry period I watering my pots.
This works well, in spring they usually germinate nicely.
I do the same with Helleborus seeds.
Ulla 

[Mad]

What about during winter? If they stay outside, they will freese (although we don't have less than -5°C to -10°C). Is it right? Should I keep them frost-free?

[Luc Gilgemyn]

I've always left my seedling hepatica pots outside during winter - merely protected from most of the rain..    Never had anything frozen.

[Mad]

Thanks, Luc! I will let the old leaves on top of them, so they will have protection.

[Diane Clement]

What about during winter? If they stay outside, they will freese (although we don't have less than -5°C to -10°C). Is it right? Should I keep them frost-free? 

This level of frost is fine.  They don't need (and probably don't want) to be frost free. 
 

[Mad]

Thank you too, Diane! They will stay outside and we will see 

[maggiepie]

Thanks everyone.
I think I will try a few pots with gravel and put them outside, hopefully I won't forget to keep checking them, the rest I will leave in the basement until Autumn and then put them outdoors for winter.
I am wondering if I should plunge the pots as they will certainly freeze, during winter our temps can get down to -30C.

[Lori S.]

Helen, I "wintersow" (the currently popular phrase) many perennials every year and never plunge the pots...

[maggiepie]

Lori, doesn't wintersowing involve sowing seed in plastic bottles with a seedraising mix ?
If you were doing hepatica seeds like that, where would you have them in the meantime?

[arisaema]

The need for protection or plunging probably depends on the climate, it's too wet here. A cold frame is easy enough to make (mine are just old window frames), and the pots are far easier to look after and much better protected than a bunch of bottles, I'd think...