Two days short of six weeks one seed germinated with a one inch root, out of 60+ baggies. These are not easy to see so again today 1/2 the baggies where looked at and now have 6 potted from 3 baggies. They are also not easy to get out of the baggies without loseing in the mix. Of interest, while trying for a rooted one(never found) two achenes where open part way and a third embrio was just setting there already freed, but I didn’t really see roots. This cuts about six weeks plus for normal germination and in this case well worth the effort. I’m not fooling around with these lots, they go right into Black Gold potting mix. Neil
Neil,
When I used calcium nitrate, I found a small number of split achenes and some of the embryos were ‘just floating around’ free in the soil. I planted each one when I found it, and within a week or two every time each one started to grow, whether it was showing roots or not. That was fun! If you are having a hard time finding rooted embryos maybe they aren’t there yet, or is it possible that you have too much vermiculite in the baggies?
The problem was too much caution. This is new for me, picking the germinated ones out of baggies. Now I shake the baggies and spread the mix. One baggie of mixed mini seed has germinated in only 3 1/2 weeks and there are more free floaters than I could take care of today, in fact for a couple baggies all the achenes could be opened with finger nails. This is going to develop fast, now have 38 potted from 5 baggies and 2 baggies are duds. Neil
On the seventh week now with germinations from 17 lots (bags). 137 potted up but haven’t started yet today. What concerns me is at 11 days since the first potted ones only one mini has emerged from the pots. Neil
A word of caution, out of the first 200 potted up only one has a true leaf and 95% failed to emerge after 21/2 weeks planted the normal way. These are irreplacable and a chance to get some diversity into my breeding. Luck there was a delay in potting and things came together. What is working so much better is to plant those with roots so the head(or whatever) is out of the soil and now true leaves are out withindays. Those with no roots from split achenes go into covered seed trays in the green house and within days some are up and ready to go outside. After the experiment with the plastic cups I now use at least 50% dirt and 50% compost and cover the roots or seed with the thinnest layer of dirt using the drips from the faucet to seal without tamping. Neil
First of all Calcium Nitrate now at 10.5 weeks has resulted in 73% germinations out of the first 56 bags compared to less than 70% germination from the seed trays this year. From now on normaly the seeds would start germinating in the bags without the nitrate.
Secondly this has eat my lunch and tested me to the max, but has given a real insite to what happens subsoil. A few things to know: The testa should be removed before planting and that means the whole testa. There is the brown part and then an invisible part your nails can scratch till it starts to come loose and on some it’s like your skinning it with another layer underneath. On some the achens are open so those with no roots went into a bowl of water and after a few days some would start to grow out of the testa but the vast majority just rotted, testa or no. Others grew a root but no amount of preasure would open the achens. Others as soon as the testa was removed opened and turned green with the tinniest root and just floated on the water. Some when you open the achen and start to remove the testa have an extra band holding the seed in and its hard to wiggle the seed out. A lot of naunces and for me I’d rather try to soak for 24 hours and then plant my normal way. That’s all for now before before this post bets trashed. Neil
Now back up to over 300 potted up with a target of 500. The first bags are now going to be out of the fridg. so the rest should start to germinate.
The big problem for me was dealing with the just germinated seedlings, up to now my seedlings where much bigger when individually planted. When we had more than a few minutes of sunshine periodically, like for all day, they just burned up, so now they go into the shade to start with.
The other thing is, if the root is not 1/2 the length of the achene it stays in the bag till bigger, free floaters, open achenes, there hasn’t been mold or anything start to grow jn the bags so eventualy the roots start to grow. If the roots are long it gives me more problems, more fragel, and they don’t just grow straight out.
When planted in potting soil and buried the soil developed a hard crust and few made it up. Anyway it should get better now and when I get my planting mix just right with dirt they grow great. Neil