Saturday 30 September 2017

Growing Aloes and Relatives from Seed.

Normal Species, including Gasteria and Haworthia


When growing Aloe’s from seed there is one important consideration to bear in mind, the seed must be fresh. The germ in Aloe seed is oil based (whereas in most plants it is starch based) and consequently the life of the seed is short. The seed provided here is fresh and as such should produce excellent results.

With the vast majority of succulent plant seeds the key words are Warm, Close and Bright. Sow them on the top of a good quality compost and water (spraying is best) with a dilute fungicide solution (Chinosol or a copper based compound). Seal in a plastic bag and place somewhere warm and light (20 – 30 Deg C).

Germination given ideal conditions as listed above should take 5 – 21 days. Some species can take longer and for these you will need to give them a period of cold immediately after sowing (Aloe polyphylla in particular need 4 weeks in the fridge). Once germination occurs you will see a small pointed, single seed leaf emerge from the seed.

Growth is quite fast and by the end of the first year you should have plants that look like miniature Aloes. Pot up when large enough into good quality cactus compost. Flowering can occur in some species from the 3rd summer onwards, but many, especially the larger types take considerably longer to reach flowering maturity.The flowers are borne on spikes either loosely or in dense flower heads. Many resemble red hot pokers, to which the genus Aloe is related. Some species are almost hardy, especially those from the inland, higher altitude habitats. – see below for specific instructions for these aloes.

Germinating High Altitude Aloes


Aloes from high altitude locations such as Aloe polyphylla can often experience winter snow and frost in their habitat. Seed germination in these species occurs under such conditions and it would be fatal for the seeds to germinate under frosty or snowy conditions, so they have an inbuilt dormant period that allows the seed to germinate only when the conditions are right. So the seeds in cultivation need a process called stratification to break their dormancy.

This is a simple process but this is critical to your success with getting these seeds to grow. Sow the seeds as normal in a pot of cactus compost and water lightly. Seal the pot in a polythene bag and place this in the fridge (not the freezer). Keep the pot in the fridge for 4 –5 weeks and then take out and place in a propagator or somewhere warm and bright. If the seeds do not germinate in 4 – 5 weeks (so now a total of 10 weeks) place them back in the fridge for a further cold period of 4 weeks and then bring back out.

Sunday 24 September 2017

Strelizia and Relatives from Seed

Growing Ravenela and Strelitzia from Seed

Growing Strelitzia from seed is fairly easy and can be achieved with the minimum of
equipment. The instructions here refer to all 5 species and varieties and will also work for the related Ravenala (Travellers Palm)

Firstly remove the orange tuft of seed (you will notice that this end has a point – this is relevant later). For Ravenela – remove the blue waxy coating instead

Soak the seeds in warm water for 24-48 hrs as this has been shown to speed up germination. Seeds that have not been soaked may take up to a year to germinate! You can speed things up here by using either GA3 treatment or a Salt Petre soak - both have their own post articles in the blog.

Sow the seeds in a 50:50 mix of sand and soil based potting compost, pushing the blunt end into the mix, but leaving the pointed end just showing above the surface. Water the mix so it is moist but not soaking wet. Seal the pot in a Ziploc bag or similar and place somewhere warm (20-25 Deg C). Light is not important to trigger germination, so an airing cupboard is as good a place as anywhere. If placed in a propagator make sure that there is some shading over the pot as the emerging seedlings, like the adult plants, get scorched by direct sunlight.

The seeds should start to germinate within a month and this process might go on for 3 or 4 months. When the seeds germinate (you may see a small white shoot or perhaps notice that the seed has started to root), cover them with a little of the mix and move out into the light.

Grow on in bright, filtered light; feed regularly and pot on until the plant is as big as you require. At this point the plant will still appreciate regular feeding and an annual top-dressing of fresh compost in its pot. It should flower in its 5th year but this may take longer in a pot grown specimen. Strelitzia nicolai will take longer to mature.

All species will need to be pot bound in order to flower, given free root space you will get huge plants but they likely will not flower until the thick roots completely fill the pot.  In the same way new offsets will not flower for a few years after potting on.  The flowers will be produced in late summer and autumn as these southern hemisphere plants will not reverse seasons like many other plants from South Africa.  We grow our Strelitzia reginae outside in summer in a sunny warm corner and then bring it in for the winter - it routinely flowers just after we bring it indoors.

Growing Welwitschia From Seed

Welwitschia mirabilis from Seed

Seed should be sown during the warmer months, spring or summer. In habitat the seeds are dispersed in spring, but have to wait for rain to fall before theygerminate. Sow in a well drained mix, to which extra grit has been added. Cover the sown seed with a layer of grit. Water with a dilute fungicide copper based fungicide. Seal in a plastic bag or enclose in a propagator and keep at 25 – 30 Deg C. The mix must not be allowed to dry out.

The placement of the un-germinated seed and germinating seedlings is also important. Choose a well-aerated, warm atmosphere, preferably in filtered sunlight. The plants are very sensitive to sudden changes in light intensity. Never move a plant from a shady situation to full sun, the leaves will burn and the plant may never recover and die. So when moving your plant, make sure that you gradually harden it off to brighter light.

Germination should occur from 7 days to a few months after sowing. The firstsign is the cracking of the soil and the appearance of the two cotyledons, initially pink in colour, becoming green. Initial growth is very rapid, particularly the growth of the taproot. It is essential that seedlings in a shallow pots be planted out as soon as the cotyledons appear. They need deep pots due to the tap root and may eventually be grown in ‘rose pots’. Take care when transplanting, if theroot tip is damaged or broken, the seedling will die. Keep the seedlings well watered during the first season. The warmer the temperature, the faster they will grow. It is better to give too much water than too little, but remember the fungicide.

Seedlings should be watered regularly, at least once a week at first, and later watering can be reduced to once every two weeks. The amount of water also depends on the climate, cooler climates requiring less watering than hot dry ones. During the natural resting period in winter, watering should be reduced, and increased again in late spring when the weather warms up again.

Welwitschia reacts well to being fed, and 'green up' and grow a bit more rapidly in response to a mild, natural, organic seaweed-based fertilizer added to the water once every three months during the summer.

At all times bear in mind that although well adapted to desert life, they are not succulents and there is a danger, especially early in life that they will die due to being kept too dry. As long as you remember to add fungicide at every watering your plants should not succumb to fungal infections.

A well grown Welwitschia may flower in its 4th year (although 6 -7 is morelikely), but you will need both male and female plants to produce seed.


Succulents From Seed - General Instructions

Growing General Succulents from Seed

This set of instructions covers all of the succulent plants for which I do not provide a specific set of instructions. This is because, in general, they all require the same handling.

Sow the seeds on the surface of a mix made up of 1 part potting compost and 1 part coarse sand. Press any larger seeds into the surface, so as to assist the take up of water to trigger germination. The surface may have a light sprinkling of coarse grit or vermiculite so as to give the emergent seedlings some purchase (although I tend to do this after germination, so as to anchor the seedlings).

Water once, adding a fungicide to the water as a precaution (copper based or Chinosol) and then seal in a plastic bag. Do not exclude light. Place somewhere warm (25 – 30 Deg C), a propagator is ideal.

Germination given ideal conditions as listed above should take 5 – 28 days, perhaps a little longer, it will depend on type. Those potentially taking longer are picked out in red in the list at the foot of these instructions.

Once they have germinated open the bag to admit some fresh air and then seal it again. Grow on for a few days in bright (not full sunlight) conditions. Fast growing seedlings should be potted on quickly to avoid any growth check. The slower growing ones may stay in this pot for up to a year. Pot on into a gritty mixture whatever the type and water carefully at all times.

Handling Small Seeds

How to handle small seeds.

Small seeds can be a problem for most of us, especially when they are hard to see in order to sow them evenly or treat them prior to sowing.

Where the seeds need no treatment our options are easier as there is a very simple trick to get the seeds out of the pack and onto the sowing medium.

Take a pinch of very dry silver sand (any fine sand will do as long as it is river sand and not from a beach). Add this to the pack of seeds and agitate, this should result in a mix of seeds and fine sand.  Sow this mix onto the surface of the sowing mix and then mist spray to water.  After this treat as normal and hopefully the seeds will have been dispersed evenly over the mix.

Where the seeds need treating before sowing, then it may be advisable to to put this mix into a paper towel soaked in the treatment solution (be that plain water or a solution of Salt Petre).  Once the required soaking time is up you can scrape the mix onto the surface of the sowing media (it must not be allowed to dry out in the meantime).

These instructions refer to the following seeds that we supply:

Aloinopsis, Blossfeldia, Conophytum, Delosperma, Faucaria, Fenestraria, Ficus*, Frithia, Graptopetalum, Lithops, Lobelia, Mimulus, Piper*, Strombocactus, Tibouchina

(Those marked * require treating to get the best from them)

Saturday 16 September 2017

Growing Asparagus From Seed

Growing Ornamental Asparagus  from seed

Seed - pre-soak for 12 – 48 hours in warm water.
 
Sow in pots of normal seed raising compost and barely cover.  Water once and seal in a polythene bag or place in a propagator.
Seed usually germinates in 3 - 6 weeks at 25°c, although if the soaking process has not worked this can be extended and pots may still produce seedlings in the second year.

Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in a sunny position in the greenhouse for their first winter.
The hardier varieties can be grown outside, in this case plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer.

Indoor varieties should be potted on as required.  They are gross feeders and will take any amount of balanced feed and reward you with lush growth.  Care should be taken if grown in valuable pots as the strong roots system may break or distort the pot.

They can easily be propagated further by division in early spring as the plant comes into growth.

Growing Banana Species from Seed

Growing Banana’s From Seed (Musa, Musella and Ensete) 

1. Cleanliness is the most important watch word at all stages, bananas need high temps with high humidity to germinate – so do fungus and bacteria, so ensure everything is clean.  To get a soil mix that is free from anything you don’t want buy seed starting mix and sterilise it in the microwave or use a homemade mix of coir/peat along with perlite, ,which is an ideal medium for germinating banana’s. Get zip lock bags to place the seeds in, the bigger the bag the better – up to the 2 litre/half gallon size.

2. You will need a propagator or heat mat and, if you are dealing with Musa or Musella, I would also recommend a cheap timing switch that can produce day/night on/off periods. If you have no access to a propagator or heated mat then you may use and airing cupboard for Ensete or for Musa/Musella wait till late spring when temp differences will occur on a windowsill.

3. Soak seeds for about 24-48 hours (or more) changing the water daily. Some seeds have a lot of banana pulp and might need to be scrubbed a few times as they soak. After they are soaked, give them a scrub and rinse with either diluted hydrogen peroxide, or a 10% bleach solution. Some bleach tends clings to seeds and makes them feel slimy, and if this is the case give them a extra wash with ordinary soap wash to get the bleach off.

4. Ensure that the growing medium is uniformly moist (not wet). If you can squeeze a drop or two of water out of a handful then it is right. More or less than this then add more water or more dry medium until you achieve the desired degree. Then sprinkle the soaked seeds on the surface, and sprinkle a little more damp mix just so they are barely covered.

5. Now for Musa and Musella, set you timer for being on from anywhere from 5 to 12 hours on. It's up to you I've had results with short and long, but now I do around 8 – 10 hours on.  The idea here is to create a day time lift of around 20 Deg F over the ambient which should be around 60 Deg F (so for 8 hours they are at 80 Deg F).  Place the sealed bags in the propagator.  For Ensete, a variation is not desirable, so no timer should be used.

6. Check regularly for signs that the bags are getting too hot and adjust the thermostat accordingly. If the soil is drying out, add more water but not so much as to make it overly wet.

7. No need for a light to germinate them, they will do it in pitch black, but you'll need to check them almost every day, because if you miss a seedling that has sprouted and they stretch too much for light then they use all their reserves, and don't have enough energy to produce the first leaf, then they bend over and die. Be careful not to expose them to full sunshine too quickly either if they have been in a dark place.  Germination can take several months for all species, the watch word here is patience, they will sprout when they are ready.

Once the first leaf shows, then pot them up separately, preferably in a pot which then gets enclosed in a Ziploc bag to keep the humidity up. Fertilise after around three weeks and pot on again when 3 leaves have been produced and no need for the bag at this point on. Introduce to bright light gradually, they grow as part of the understory at first so only get light that is filtered by the canopy.

Growing Baobab Seeds from Seed

Baobab Seeds

Generally these seeds need no pre-treatment, other than to clean the flesh off of the seeds – which has been done for you.  A long soak in warm water has been shown to speed things up, but only if this is for 3 days and the water is changed every 12 hours.

Sow the seeds in a moist, good quality gritty compost and seal in a polythene bag or place in a propagator. Keep them in a light place at a temperature of 18 – 28 Deg C. The soil must never be soaking wet.
The seeds can be slow and erratic in germination, although this may begin after as little as 10 to 14 days (but can take many months 4 - 16 weeks or more with a median we have found to be 3 months).  
 
Once true leaves have been produced, the seedlings can be potted up into deep pots. The use of deep pots is important as the seedlings quickly develop a partially buried caudex and a long tap root.

Initial growth is fast, although subsequently this will slow down. 

Keep warm throughout the year as the plants will not tolerate frost.  Restricting the pot size and growing lean and mean (little fertiliser and water only when dry)  will produce a natural Bonsai. 

Important note:  Baobab seed will remain viable for as long as 100 years, however, the fresher the seed when sown, the faster the germination will occur.  This seed is from the latest available harvest and it would be best if it were sown within the next 5 years as this will ensure the best possible germination speed.

Succulent Asclepiads From Seed

Growing Asclepiad Seed – Including Stapelia, Orbea, Huernia, Caralluma, Ceropegia, Angolluma, Tavaresia and Hoodia

Asclepiad seed is amongst the fastest germinating seed there is.  Some varieties will start to germinate in less than 24 hours (Hoodia) and most do so within a few days.

There are a few simple rules and precautions to follow when sowing this seed.

The golden rule is cleanliness.  Almost more than any other type of seed I know, Asclepiad seed suffers from fungal infections.  To combat this scrupulous cleanliness is necessary.  Sterile soil is recommended, I sterilise mine in the microwave (always goes down well!).  Watering with Chinosol or a copper based fungicide also helps.

Sow the seed on the surface of sterile compost, the type you would use for cactus i.e. gritty.  Spray gently to settle in using a fungicide solution as mentioned above and seal in a plastic bag and place somewhere warm (25 - 30 Deg C) but do not exclude light.  I use a propagator and would thoroughly recommend the use of one when germinating this seed.

As stated earlier the seed should germinate quickly.  Once the seeds have germinated move the pot to slightly cooler conditions, but keep it sealed for now.  The seedlings will look like nothing you have ever seen before (unless you routinely grow Asclepiads), eventually from between the 2 seed leaves, the leafless stem will push out.  Once this happens you can open the bag to admit some air.  Do not over water; conversely do not allow the plants to dry out too much.

By the end of the first growing season your plants might be anything up to 5cm tall or more.  When potting on use open gritty compost and a pot that is slightly bigger than the last one.

Flowering can occur from 2 years on.  The plants only flower on new growth (1 year old stems or younger), so plants that have not grown in the previous 12 months, probably wont flower. 

Despite their succulence, they are often described as repressed tropical plants.  To this end, providing they are in an open mix, they can be fairly freely watered during the growing season.  The important thing is to start of watering in spring, slowly and gently, lest you lose the plant to rot whilst it is recovering from losing most of its roots in winter.   If you see new growth, then this is a sign that the roots are there doing their job and you can water with a less restrained hand.  Plants treated in this way can make phenomenal amounts of growth in the season and flower away endlessly.

For more info on these fascinating plants see http://www.cactus-mall.com/ias or http://www.asclepius.de where you will find a whole host of links and resources.

Good growing!

For Edithcolea and Stephanotis see the next page for some specifics that need to be taken into account when growing these stunning species
Edithcolea grandis

Growing Edithcolea is fairly easy providing you follow these few golden rules:

1. Temperature – not below 15 Deg C in the winter – EVER.

2. Watering – only when dry, during Late April – Late September and NEVER when it is cool.

3. Soil – very open mix at least 50% grit, possibly more.

4. Feed – Two to three times a season (May, June/July, August – and that’s it!)

5. Light – Bright light as seedlings – once they’re older they can take some full sun – they naturally grow underneath other shrubs and succulents in habitat, so these provide shade.

6. Propagation – can be from cuttings but this is hard and not for the feint hearted as you are likely to fail more times than you succeed – best growing from seed.

Follow these rules and you will be rewarded with healthy plants and beautiful flowers.  Pictures can never do justice to these gorgeous flowers and until you have seen one in the flesh you cannot truly appreciate just how beautiful they are.

Stephanotis floribunda

This stunning tropical requires a little different care from the above.

They need to be covered with a fine layer of the seed mix.

They take around 4 to 8 weeks to come up.

They need to be potted on once they reach the four leaf stage and growing in bright (not direct sun) light.

Do not turn them too often, the leaves and buds will turn to the incident light very quickly and this may cause issues if they are turned when the light is from a window (ie from one side only).



Growing Agaves From Seed

Growing Agave From Seed

With the vast majority of succulent plant seeds the key words are Warm, Close and Bright. Sow the seeds on the top of a good quality compost and water (spraying is best) with a dilute fungicide solution (Chinosol or a copper based compound). Seal in a plastic bag and place somewhere warm and light (20 – 30 Deg C).

Germination given ideal conditions as listed above should take 5 – 21 days. Some species can take longer, but in the main I have tried to avoid these in the mix as they need wholly different conditions in order to break the dormancy of the seed. You will see a grass-like,single seed leaf emerge from the seed.

Growth is quite fast and by the end of the first year you should have plants that look like miniature Agaves. Pot up when large enough into good quality cactus compost. Some species are almost hardy, especially those from the inland, higher altitude habitats. Subsequent growth (from the 2nd year) will depend upon the species. Some will stay as miniatures (no more than 30 cm across) whereas others can achieve giant proportions (3 metres or more – but only after many years).

Growing Agaves Outside in Temperate Regions

First thing to note is that the biggest single killer of these plants is a combination of cold and damp. The plants may cope with any single aspect, but to the two things combined will spell the end of your plant.

That warning aside, providing suitable conditions for your agaves to grow outside (either permanently or temporarily) is fairly straightforward.

For permanent plantings, you need to create an area of free draining soil, where your agave can thrive. By free draining , I mean really free draining, so dig a hole about 4 feet deep and 4 feet across (minimum) and replace the soil with a coarse mix of broken brick, grit, coarse sand, rock and of course some soil. The amount of soil in the back fill need only be 33%, th rest should be the other material mentioned. This will stop the plant from having wet roots, which come the winter will be the death of it. If you skimp at this stage, you will be doing yourself no favours.

For pot grown specimens, choose a large earthenware/clay pot. Fill with a 50/50 mix of potting compost and grit.

When planting in either case, add a layer of coarse grit around the neck of the plant, to prevent water from accumulating here.

In the winter, bring the potted specimens under cover if possible or surround the pot with sacking or bubble wrap and cover the top of the plant with material to keep the wet off. For permanent specimens, cover the crown of the plant with straw or sacking.

Taxodium From Seed

Taxodium From Seed.

Pre-treatment

Soak for 48 hours in warm water - restores some of the lost moisture content and prepares seed for stratification.

Stratification

12 weeks at 4 Deg C - place seed, either sown in pots or in moss in bags in the fridge (not freezer) for at least 12 weeks.  This tree may need repeated treatments to break dormancy.

Sowing

Just below the surface of a soil based compost, water and seal in a bag.  Germinate either in a cold frame or some where that the temperatures are not excessively hot or cold.  Highs in the day of 18 Deg C and lows at night of 5 or 6 Deg C.

Germination may be erratic, but if the dormancy is broken, they will all germinate in one season.

Transplant

Transplant singly to pots when large enough to handle.  Try to disturb roots as little as possible especially in later transplants.  Pot on till desired size is reached or until ready to be planted out for specimen use.

Growing Piper From Seed

Growing Piper From Seed

Piper need two pre-requisites for growing from seed.  They must be scarified (use a salt-petre soak for a few hours or similar).  They must be surface sown and be subjected to daylight of a good quality.

They are pioneer species in the forest, living for perhaps 15 years and growing rapidly in that time before the larger trees close the gap in the canopy that allowed them to grow in the first place.  The seeds will lie dormant in the ground for many years until the conditions are correct for germination and this will be reflected in the time to germinate if the pre-requisites are not met.  In nature they will lie dormant until there is a break in the canopy, such as a tree falling or dieing off, such events may happen after many years, but the seeds will be there waiting to grow.  The shelf life of these seeds in storage can be as long as 50 years or more.  

After scarifying (they will likely float, so perhaps a better way is to wrap the seeds in a paper towel soaked in salt-petre solution), sow the seeds on the surface of a good seed raising mix, water gently with a sprayer and then seal in plastic bag or place in a propagator.  Germinate at 20 - 30 Deg C, somewhere bright.  Germination can be very slow and erratic, 50 % or more is a good rate of germination in most Piper species (50 - 60% average). 

Growth after germination is rapid, so be prepared to pot the seedlings up when they are large enough into individual pots of a rich soil. Give them a bright, airy location to keep them growing well.

As it is lack of light and competition for root space that limits the life of these plants in the wild, those grown in pots or in gardens should have a much longer life than those in the wild.

Passiflora From Seed

Growing Passionflowers From Seed.

Preparation

Scarify mechanically or with very hot water.
We recommend the mechanical method, although the hot water method also works.  Rub the seeds on fine grade sandpaper or an emery board.  The aim is to damage the seed coat to allow water to enter.  After damaging the seed coat, soak in warm water for 12 hours and then rinse the seeds thoroughly before sowing.

Sowing

Sow in a good quality seed compost and barely cover.  P. incarnata should be stratified for 4 weeks in a fridge at 4 Deg C.  For all others maintain a temperature of 20 - 30 Deg C (bring incarnata into 20 Deg C after the 4 weeks cool). Ensure the compost remains moist, not wet and seal in a plastic bag or place in a propagator.  Germination will take 4 - 16 weeks under ideal conditions.

Growing on.

Pot up individually when large enough to handle and then into larger pots as required.  P incarnata needs a sheltered spot outside and can be planted out in the 2nd summer.  Restrict the roots of all of the species in order to gain flowers (the plant will produce leaf if given too much room to develop roots)

Growing Moringa From Seed

Growing Moringa from seed

These first methods work very well for the winged type of Moringa seeds (M oleifera, ovalifolia, stenoclada and the like)

1. Plant the seeds singly, about ¾ inch beneath the soil surface. Sandy loamy soils will work well also. Use apot that is at least 18 inches deep if this is the final home for the tree. Moringa loves the sun so make surethey get plenty. Although the tree is drought tolerant, they may be watered daily, just don’t allow the roots to get soaked for extended periods of time. If you live in a particularly hot zone, don’t expose the young plants to all day sun. Keep and eye on them, they will tell you if they are getting distressed from too much  sun, water or lack of food.
2. It is a good idea to use pots to get the trees started since you have more control over the care of the tree. It is recommended that you let the potted plants grow at least 8 weeks or longer before transplanting if the pot that they are growing in is not the final one. When transplanting try not to disturb the root system at all. Like many plants the roots are very vulnerable until they are established.
3. These plants grow fast and any attempts to curb growth must be done early on by restricting root development (under potting), if you let it grow, it will just keep going. Growth rates of 3 metres in the first year are not uncommon – in fact it is a built in survival mechanism for the seedlings in the competition for light in the jungle.
4. Moringa oelifolia may well flower and fruit in its first year from seed, if sown early enough and grown well enough.

A second method we use to test the seeds when they arrive with us is as follows

1. Soak the seeds for 24 hours; the seed will imbibe the water it needs to germinate from this procedure. Remove the seeds from the solution.
2. Put the seeds in a plastic sandwich bag and store in a warm, dark place like a drawer or cabinet. Germination times range from 3-14 days. Do not add extra water to the bag.
3. Check them every two days. Once the seeds have broken loose from the winged shell, you will notice two shoots protruding from the seed.
4. Do not let the shoots get too long and thin as they may get fragile and break when handled. One of the shoots will have some ruffled growth at the extremity; this is the shoot that contains the first leaves (cotyledons) and should be the shoot exposed to the sun. Plant the seeds about ¾ inch beneath the soil surface with the ruffled extremity to the sun. Plant the sprouted seed(s) in a commercial band or a peat pot using a high quality potting soil. Sandy loamy soils will work well also. Use a pot that is at least 18 inches deep if this is the final home for the tree. Moringa loves the sun so make sure they get plenty. Although the tree is drought tolerant, they may be watered daily, just don’t allow the roots to get soaked for extended periods of time. If you live in a particularly hot zone, don’t expose the baby plants to all day sun. Keep and eye on them, they will tell you if they are getting distressed from too much sun, water or lack of food.

For the other types, you may use method one or you can modify this by either fully or partially removing the hard shell that the seeds are in before planting.  Germination temperatures need to be in the 90's F (30's C) with high humidity for these fully tropical species. With so much moisture around the seed, the issue can be fungal infections, so the use of a good fungicide recomended for seed raising is indicated.  We used to recommend Chinosol (since withdrawn), Cheshunt Compound (since withdrawn), so now we just ask that you shop around - Murphys Copper Based fungicide is still available and is what we use, but there may be others.

Growing Nelumbo (Lotus) from Seed

How to Grow Lotus From Seed

Points to remember.

1. Lotus, although not a waterlily, is an aquatic plant and it needs to be in water to germinate and grow.
2. The depth of the water must cover the soil and the tubers, again or it will not grow, but it does not have to be more than a few inches as it will grow in the margins.
3. The seeds remain viable for hundreds of years if they are not scarified.

Preparation of the seed and sowing.

Lotus seeds are either round and the size of a large green pea or oval and the size of a shelled peanut. One end of the seed has a sharp point which is the remains of where it was attached to the stigma. On the opposite end is a tiny dimple, a remnant of where the seed was attached to the seed pod. The seed color can vary from dark gray to dark brown or black. The shell is very hard and consists of two layers which are tightly bonded together. Inside the shell are two paper thin brown colored seed coats which enclose the twin cream colored cotyledons.  Between the cotyledons is the Nelumbo embryo which consists of two prominent inrolled leaves with attendant stem. The leaves are doubled over against the stems because of the tight space. When the seed sprouts, the stems elongate to push the inrolled leaves up to the water surface. On the way up, the doubled over leaves straighten up and unroll after they reach the surface. There they become the round  floating leaves which are so characteristic of the Lotus. 

To scarify the seeds, hold the seed so that neither the pointed end, nor the dimpled end are showing (so you are working on the sides of the seed and then using a coarse grade of sandpaper (80 grade is ideal), rub the seed until you can see a distinct colour change to white.  Once this happens place the seed in water that is at a temperature of 70 - 90 F.

The water should change colour after a few hours to either a milky white (not so good) or a tan colour (much better).  If you get cloudy water, change it, rinse of the seeds and scrub the container and start over (this is a sign of bacteria feeding on the water and all is not sterile as it should be. The seed will also double in size

After 1 - 26 weeks, the seed will start to germinate.  From here things are very rapid as the seed leaves push up to full height in around 8 days and you have a mini Lotus.

Growing on

After the first four floating leaves are formed, the plant spreads by forming rhizomes with one leaf appearing at each internode. Side shoots occasionally appear at the internodes which allow for lateral spreading. The leaf diameters progressively increase and eventually are lifted clear of the water surface. In some instances during the first year of growth, the plant may pass through a temporary resting period. In these cases, growth ceases, the leaves turn yellow and the plant appears to be dying. This is a perfectly normal development for these plants during which the rhizome thickens to form a small banana shaped tuber. The plant then remains dormant for about three weeks when it starts growth again with renewed vigor if the water is warm.

When the roots appear, your Lotus can be grown in water in a waterlily pot and compost (heavy soil that does not float and eventually settles to allow for clear water.

During the first year of growth, only leaves are produced in most cases. Flowers are not generally produced until the second year. As the days get shorter in autumn, the leading rhizomes grow deep underground and form large resting tubers where they wait out the winter. All the leaves turn brown and only the resting tubers remains alive to start growth again the next spring. This means that the pot/basket you grow them in must be deep enough to allow this happen. A depth of 10 inches (25 cm), including the water, is the minimum you want to aim for, so a large container or a pond shallows should work.  Of course you can grow then in ponds where the depth is 36 inches (1 metre) or slightly more.

Growing Tropical Gingers From Seed

Growing Members of the Ginger Family and the Relatives From Seed.

Preparation

Soak the seed for at least 24 hours in warm water.  Some seed my not sink initially, this is not 'bad' seed, but an indication of air being trapped on the un-even surface that many of these seeds have.  Change the water every 12 hours or so.  The reason for this is that the seed may have chemical germinatation inhibitors that need to be leached out before germination can occur.  Larger seeds should be soaked for longer.

Sowing

Sow just below the surface of a good quality compost.  A good seed raising mixture consists of 1/3rd peat based mix, 1/3rd coarse grit, 1/3rd vermiculite or perlite (or a mix of both).  This should be damp (but not soaking) and the seeds pressed in and barely covered.  Once sown, either seal the pot in a plastic bag or place in a propagator.  The temperature should be 25 - 30 Deg C. The seed should germinate in 1 to 6 months, depending on the temperature and how well the preparation was conducted. Make sure the sowing medium is never dry and never soaking - as moist as it was when you sowed the seeds is correct.

Growing on

Once the plants are growing, always remember these are rhizomatus plants and just because the tops arent growing away, the roots more than likely are.  In the first year you should aim to get a good rhizome.  Keep it growing as long as you can.  If the leaves die back, reduce the watering and check under the soil that the rhizome is healthy and has new growing points for the next season. Pot up as required.  Flowering plants (perhaps in the 2nd or 3rd year) will require pots of 25 cm diameter or more.  Plant the rhizomes 5 - 7 cm below the surface and keep moist (but not wet).

Nepenthes From Seed

Growing Nepenthes From Seed

Preparation

None required for the seeds, just keep the pack sealed till you are ready.

Soil mix.

Low nutrient mix of peat, sand, perlite and spaghnum moss.

Pure coir works well too, as does a mix of peat and perlite.

Sowing

Dampen the mix, place it into the growing pot and press it down lightly. 
Sow the seeds on top of the soil, spreading them out as necessary.  The pot size need be no bigger than is necessary to allow the seeds to cover the soil.  Once sown on the surface, mist spray lightly and seal the pot in a ziploc bag or similar.

Place somewhere warm (25 to 30 Deg C) and check regularly for any signs of mould
which can be an issue, but one that is easily overcome if spotted in time.  Any pots showing signs of mould can be simply sprayed with bottle water (sterile) as chemicals are not advisable with these plants (if indeed you can get them now with allthe restrictions in force).

Germination will take from 8 to 52 weeks, it all depends on the species and the age of the seeds.  The average for seeds we sell should be 8 - 12 weeks or so.

Growing on

They can be grown on until the seedlings start to crowd out in the pot.  If they do not 'green up' within a few months, a couple of pellets of slow release food can be added to the pot and they should turn green quite quickly.
Within 6 - 12 months of germinating they will produce small functional pitchers.
Larger pitchers will form when the plants are adult, around 3 - 6 years from seed.

Growing Bamboo From Seed

Growing Bamboo From Seed

Preparation.

Soak the seed in warm water for at least 48 hours before sowing. Likely the seed will float at first as it is light and often dispersed by water, where a sinking seed would be a disadvantage.  It can be quite slow and erratic to germinate, so a soak for a few hours in a salt-petre solution will help this.  (See the salt-petre article for how to do this - the link is here

Sowing

Sow the prepared seed on the surface of a good quality seed mix and water well to settle the seeds in. Do not exclude light as this assists the germination.  Seal inside a plastic bag or propagator at 20 Deg C minimum and do not allow to dry out.  Germination can take as little as 7 days or asl long as 6 months.  This is an inbuilt survival mechanism to protect the seed batch given that all plants in a given area will flower and seed at the same time, so any adverse conditions will kill the entire crop if this staggered germination does not occur.

Growing on

Do not expect immediate 'Giants', the first culm may be no more than 10 cm tall.  Subsequent shoots will get larger and larger as time goes on but it may be a few years before the really big culms are produced.  Once the plant reaches around 60 cm tall, it may be placed in its final location (whether this is open ground or a container).

Annuals From Seed

Growing Annuals from Seed

In its very basic sense, annuals may be grown from seed merely by scattering the seeds on a reasonably well prepared patch of ground at the right time of year (late April, Northern Hemisphere) and waiting for nature.  Of course all that can be a bit hit and miss, so these instructions give an idea of how to do this in less of a haphazard manner.

Timing

Mid-Winter to Late Spring – sow the seeds from mid-January onwards, bear in mind the plants will grow inside regardless of whether they can survive outside so make sure you have enough room for your seedlings.  Early sowings will produce bigger plants to start off with, but most things catch up given time.

Germination

Sow on the surface of a good quality seed raising mix (the choice here is yours, whatever is available in your location – do not use garden soil, I know the seedlings will eventually go into it, but it is likely full of weed seeds and pathogens that will just love the temperature you need to get your flowers going and will take over).  Smaller seeds should stay on the surface; larger seeds may be pressed in or covered with few millimetres of the seed mix. Water well and seal in a bag or place in a propagator. Most seeds will need to be germinated at around 20 Deg C (68 F) but some may require a lower temperature (which will be noted). Germination will take 1 – 3 weeks and the rates will almost certainly not be anywhere near 100% as this is a survival mechanism for plants that have an annual cycle to protect against a crop disaster like drought which could exhaust the natural seed reserve.  So expect 66%, if you get more, smile .... 😀

Growing on

Generally they require growing on in slightly cooler conditions, but if you keep them warm, just make sure they have lots of light and water so they can make the most of the conditions.  When they reach the two leaf pair stage (so seedleaf pair, 1st leaf or pair, 2nd leaf or pair) they should be pricked out and spaced out into new containers with full strength compost/growing mix. A good rule of thumb is 60 to 100 plants per full sized seed tray or 5 – 6 in a 10cm pot.

If they appear too crowded you can thin them out and either replant the thinned out seedlings or chose the best and discard the others.  About two weeks before the last expected frost in your area, you should harden off your plants to acclimatise them to the conditions outside. Start off by placing them in a sheltered location outside for a few hours a day, increasing the time until they are out all day. For the final few days leave them out all the time unless a frost is forecast.
   
Plant them at the required spacing into the final location once they have hardened off.
Once flowering commences, make sure you remove spent or faded blooms so as toencourage new flowers. Annuals have one purpose, to provide a crop of seeds for the following season, if you allow them to go to seed, they have done their job and they will likely fade away and die off.  Dead-heading prolongs the flowering period. If you want seeds for next year, wait till late August before allowing any seed heads to form.

Growing Arisaema from Seed

Growing Arisaema From Seed 

Preparation.

Some species need no preparation, those that do will be noted below. The hard coated seeds often contain a germination inhibitor and this will need to be removed before germination will occur.  The simplest way to do this is by soaking and regularly changing the water.  The soaking period should be at least 48 hours with 6 changes.  With the final change, clean the seed completely by placing in a seive and then spraying with warm water for 10 minutes.  This is best done using a hand sprayer with a fine mist setting and spraying the seeds for 10 minutes with warm water.

Sowing.

Sow in a moist compost, covering the seeds with an equal depth of compost to match the width of seed - this generally means sowing on the surface and then covering with grit, sand or vermiculite (or a mix of all three).  It is entirely possible to use the same sowing mix to cover, I just prefer to use the mix grit/sand and a mica based medium to give a bit more control over emerging seedlings (plus it discourages surface diseases on the soil).

Depending on the species, germination may take a few weeks to several months.  What ever the species, never give up unless you are absolutely certain the seed has rotted away or otherwise lost.  Germination, especially in the more erratic species, may still occur a year after sowing - the seeds will grow when they are ready, this does not mean you have bad seeds or seeds that are not fresh - it is just natures way of ensuring conditions are correct for the crop of seedlings to emerge.

An alternative method, which allows several species to be kept together in a small space involves the following:

Get a damp paper towel - it should not be dyed and ideally not made from bleached paper
Place the seed evenly across the centre strip of the surface and fold in the edges to seal (you fold it twice efectively)
Place the folded towel in a ziploc bag and then place at the germination temperature.
Inspect the seeds weekly and any that show signs of sprouting treat as per growing on.
This way, more control is had and any 'bad' seeds can be removed before they spoil the batch.

Growing on.

The seeds will produce a leaf - just one.  It is this leaf that provides the energy that gets stored in the growing rhizome.  Keep this going as long as you can, feed it with a balanced feed in order to assist it in the early years.  Use this at 1/4 - 1/3 strength (so as not to scorch the roots and set the plant back).  Once it enters dormancy, overwinter cool and reasonably dry - they don't like being wet over the winter.  You can take this chance (dormancy) to re-pot your plant and inspect the rhizome (size and health checks).  Re-pot using a rich mixture containing a good deal of organic material and coarse material such as grit or vermiculite/perlite to open up the structure.

In subsequent years (pot growing), bring into growth in Spring and in later years, the flowers will be produced (often before the leaf).  The flowers last a week or so, sometimes longer and are followed by berries that turn orange, red or purple (species dependent).  For open grown plants, plant in a cool moist soil in the late Spring of the second or third year (when the rhizome is of a viable size and it is just coming into growth (it will be obvious).



Species                   Prep       Germination Strategy

A concinnum         Soak        Germinate Intermediate (15 - 18 C)
A consanguinem    Soak        Germinate Cool (10 C or less)
A costatum             Soak       Cold Stratify (4 Deg C - 8 - 12 weeks) Germinate Warm (21 C)
A flavum                Soak       Cold Stratify (4 Deg C - 8 - 12 weeks) Germinate Intermediate (15-18C)
A intermedium       Soak       Cold Stratify (4 Deg C - 8 - 12 weeks) Germinate Intermediate (15-18C)
A nepenthoides      Soak       Germinate Warm (21 C)
A speciosum          None       Germinate Intermediate (15-18 C)
A tortuosum           Soak       Germinate Warm (21 C)

Use of Salt-Petre for Soaking Stubborn Seeds

Use of Potassium Nitrate as a Germination Aid

Potassium Nitrate (KNO3) is a well known useful aid to help the germination of particularly tricky seeds - in the main those which have a coating or chemical in the seed which delays or prevents germination.  Such seeds will only reliably germinate once this chemical is removed.  In nature this may be due to the seed being eaten and passing through unharmed but with the chemical stripped due to digestive enzymes and chemicals or perhaps as a result of weather (rain, snow or frost) or just time.

As gardeners we like a degree of predictabilty and this is where Potassium Nitrate comes in.

The action of the solution on the seed denatures germination inhibitors and softens the seed coat to all water in and the process to start more evenly.  Anecdotaly seeds, such as Banana, have been known to germinate erratically over many months (if at all), yet with treatment, this period can be as little as a month and all the seeds come up.

To use the powder

You will have a sachet of 1 teaspoon of KNO3 (5 grams).  This can make up to 8 litres (around 8 qts) of solution depending on the required strength.

Full strength - 5g per litre
Half strength use 2 litres and so on down to 1/8 strength.

All seeds that are problematic will benefit from a soak.

For Musa, Ensete, Musella (Banana species) use full strength - you will see it written in some places that a very dilute solution works, well good luck with that, most sources and our experience suggests only full strength will work properly - 6 hours
For Chilli seeds that have been open pollinated use 1/2 strength - 3 hours

For Opuntia seeds (Prickly Pear) use full strength - 6 hours

For Michelia use full strength - 6 hours

For Acacias and other tree like members of the pea family use 1/8 strength if you do not use the boiling water method in those instructions - 24 hours, then use plain water

For Bamboo seeds use 1/4 strength - 24 hours

The powder should be mixed with warm water (40 Deg C or 105 F) and stirred or shaken to fully disolve.  Only use plastic or ceramic for mixing never metal.  The solution may be stored in a sealed container for many weeks without issue, just make sure you mark what is in it for safety reasons.

The soaking period varies for each type of seed, in general the weaker the solution, the longer it can be left.  As a rule of thumb, the shortest soak should be 2 hours, the longest 24 hours.  Those that require further soaking, this should utilise plain water after the intial treatment.

After treatment, sow the seeds as per the instructions for that species.

Friday 15 September 2017

The Exotic Temperate Garden

The Exotic Temperate Garden - All From Seed!

Growing exotics in temperate garden locations is fast becoming a popular challenge with many gardeners.  The rewards can be substantial, with an almost tropical rain forest feel to your garden, but the failures when using specimen plants which have not been tried before or in a new and untested location can lead to a considerabe financial loss as you write off your expensive plant and have to try something else in order to start over.  The way round this is to grow as much as you can from seed. Many tropicals have fantastically fast growth rates, including bananas, gingers and many half hardy types that can be used as annuals.  When growing from seed, you get as many plants to try out as you manage to germinate. With the correct selections and good culture, you can get 80 or 90 percent of your seeds to grow.  Even if a pack only contains 5 seeds, this results in 4 plants to test out your chosen location, so no need ot have all your eggs in one basket - you can try out the location with just one of your seed grown plants and see how it copes and what you have to do to make things work out.  Best case you have a wonderful new exotic to grace your garden, worst case its cost you a few pence and you have lost one of your 4 seedlings - but with more waiting in the wings you can analyse what happened and if you can modify the conditons you can try again for a different outcome.

This way you can experiment time and time again and either modify your garden (as we do with more shade, windbreaks and shelter) as the plants dictate, or learn what can and cannot be grown in your location.

Here are some plants to try - many of these we sell - some we do not, but we are happy to include them here because we are either trying them out or we know they will work.

Bananas
Ensete - fast growing capable of 1 - 2 metres from seed in year 1  - If you can overwinter, then great, if not, then not to worry, start fresh from seed each year.

Ensete ventricosum - Ethiopian Banana
Ensete glaucum - The Snow Banana

Musella - average growing, very hardy - odd almost alien flowers

Musella lasiocarpa

Musa - large tropical group of true bananas, most of these are hardy to some degree and all can go outside, if only on a temporary basis.  Some of the hardy ones rival or exceed the commonly grown Musa basjoo.

Musa acuminata
Musa balbasiana
Musa bauensis
Musa cheesmanni
Musa coccinea
Muse Helens Hybrid
Musa itinerans
Musa manni
Musa ornata
Musa Red Tiger
Musa sikkimensis
Musa thomsonii
Musa velutina
Musa yunnanensis

But note, no Musa basjoo because as a hybrid, it is only grown from suckers.

Gingers and Relatives

Amonomum subulatum
Canna indica - note this is the species, the hybrids must be grown from divided rhizomes and many are covered by Plant Breeders Rights prohibiting this.
Cautleya gracilis
Cautleya spicata
Costus species
Etlingera species
Hedychium species
Heliconia species
Strelitzia reginae - Bird of Paradise Flower
Strelitzia nicolae - White Bird of Paradise

Most are not fully hardy, but die back to rhizomes that can be overwinted to be grown again next year.

Architectural Plants

Ricinus communis - Fast growing tender perrenial, but remember the seeds are toxic, so if you have children or pets please make a considered choice as to whether this is for your situation. If you can accomodate it, then it is really worthwhile as it will form a backdrop to all of your planting.

Agaves and Relatives - Not quick, but very hardy and tolerant of neglect.  If dry over winter at the roots most can take at least - 10, many much lower.

Palms

Many species, but you will need patience.

Climbers

Asaparagus species - mostly the African types
Gloriosa superba
Ipomoea alba
Ipomoea Grandpa Ott
Ipomoea Blue Star
Ipomoea pes-caprae
Thunbergia alata

With the exception of the first named, all will flower in the first year and can be used as annuals or short lived perrenials.

Border Plants that have an exotic look

Coleus blumei - Flame Nettle
Nasturtium alaska - Flowers and mottled leaves, both are edible
Celosia plumosa
Gazania - great in the sun
Mesembryanthemum - again great in the sun
Linnaria marrocana

Scented Plants

Acacia species (The Australian species work best - the Wattles)
Bauhinia species (Orchid Trees)
Erythrina species (Coral Trees)
Gardenia species
Rothmannia species
Ipomoea alba

Within these lists you will find a large variety of plants that can be grown easily from seed that will bring an exotic touch to a sheltered temperate garden during the warmer months. In areas subject to no frosts (but low temperatures) then the plants in these lists can be left out all year.

Monday 4 September 2017

Handling Small Seeds

Small seeds can present problems when shipped in packs that allow for visible inspection (which is how we must pack our seeds in order to offer worldwide shipping).

So how to get your precious seeds out?

Try this:

Add a pinch of dry silver (very fine) sand to the pack, agitate it well to get the seeds to mix with the sand and prevent static making them cling to the sides.

Then sow the whole lot onto the surface of the growing medium as they will not need to be covered.   When watering, spray gently with a fine mist spray.

This method guarantees that you will get your seeds out of the pack and into the pot where you want them.

Seed Preparation

Scarification

By this method the seed coat is altered (damaged) to allow water to enter the germ and begin the germination process.  Particularly hard coated seeds will always benefit fromt this although the methods may vary according to the species.

Methods

1. Hot or boiling water treatment.  Cover the seeds in hot (85 Deg c) water and allow to cool.  For certain seeds (members of the pea family in particular) boiling water may be used, in this case barely cover the seeds with a small amount of boiling water and use a ceramic cup (it draws the excess heat away from the seeds after a while allowing the boiling water to briefly do what it needs to do to soften the coat without 'cooking' the seeds.

2. Soak in a solution of saltpetre.  Make up a weak solution of saltpetre (5g per litre of warm water) and soak the seeds in this.  Particularly beneficial for Bananas, Gingers and Strelitzias as well as pines and many other fibrous coated seeds such as some of the palm family.

3. Mechanical abrasion. Using a fine grade of sandpaper, an emery board or file, rub the seed until it changes colour at the point of abrasion to indicate that you are through the outer layer.

Use one of the above (never more than one) and then proceed to the soaking phase.

Soaking

Firstly two notes about this process -

1. Not all seeds need soaking, although all can be (perhaps the exception here is seeds that are very tiny)

2. If you do soak, not all bad seeds float and not all good seeds sink.  The age of the seeds may be a factor, but older seeds are not necessarily bad - Baobabs can germinate after 10 years, Pines after a similar period, some annuals can last 100's of years, Lotus several hundred and Phoenix (date palms) have germinated after being uncovered in Pharoahs tombs!  The thing is that there will always be imperfections in seeds and this may make them float - at least to start with.

The purpose of soaking is two fold, firstly to get water into the seed to kickstart the process of germination and secondly (and less widely known) many seeds have germination inhibitors (chemical compounds in the seed coat) which prevent or delay germination.

When soaking seeds, change the water regularly.

Every 12 hours for long soaks where there are no known inhibitors.

Every 8 hours where germination inhibitors are known or suspected.

Whenever there is considerable discolouration of the water.

Soak in luke warm water and try to maintain it at or just above room temperature.  We find that plastic or styrfoam cups are best for this process.  Make sure they are clean before you add the water and the seeds.  Stir or agitate to sink any seeds and then leave for the recommended time in the germination instructions, changing the water according to the schedule above.

Tiny, lightweight seeds can be 'soaked' by placing them on damp tissue or blotting paper, which is then folded in order to surround the seeds with moisture.

After the final soaking period, rinse the seeds thoroughly to remove all traces of fruit and debris, as these will only cause issues when planting (a point of entry for disease). 

All seeds have been shown to benefit from a warm water spray at this point.  To do this, get a mist sprayer (either a hand pump or pressure type), fill it with hot (60 Deg C) water and place the seeds in a seive or muslin and spray them for about 5 to 10 minutes.  This acts as a final clean and we have found that some seeds, especially those designed to be eaten and pass unharmed benefit from this and will germinate much faster than if not treated.

Finally if you forget to soak the seeds and find that they are not germinating, then try this.  Uncover the pot and water it regularly with a drench of water from the top.  What you are trying to simulate are Spring rains, so alternate soaking and slight drying over a period of days can have the same effect as a few days soaking in a cup of water.  The trick here is to flush out anything that can be naturally delaying germination - after all it rarely rains just once at the start of the growing season, so we are trying to fool the seeds into thinking they are naturally growing in the wild.


Stratification

Stratification is the process of subjecting seeds to both cold and moist conditions. Typically, temperatures must be between 1°C and 5°C (34°F and 41°F). The purpose is to mimic the variations in temperature that occur in winter and spring in order to get the seeds to germinate. It can be carried out at any time of year, artificial stratification is most useful if trying to get seeds to grow outside of the normal period or where using nature is just not practicable.

In its most basic form, when the stratification process is controlled, the pretreatment amounts to nothing more than subjecting the seeds to storage in a cool (ideally +1° to +3°C; not freezing) and moist environment for a period found to be sufficient for the species in question. This period of time may vary from one to three months.

To accomplish this you merely place the seeds in a sealed plastic bag with moistened vermiculite (or sand or even a moistened paper towel) and refrigerate it. Use three times the amount of vermiculite as seeds. It is important to only slightly dampen the vermiculite, as excessive moisture can cause the seeds to grow mouldy in the bag.

After undergoing the recommended period of stratification, the seeds are ready to be removed and sown in the nursery bed for germination. Alternatively, the seed may be sown in small pots filled with moist soil and then the whole thing enclosed inside a plastic bag before placing inside a common refrigerator.

Any seeds that are indicated as needing a period of warm stratification followed by cold stratification should be subjected to the same measures, but the seeds should additionally be stratified in a warm area first, followed by the cold period in a refrigerator later. Warm stratification requires temperatures of 15-20°C (59-68°F). In many instances, warm stratification followed by cold stratification requirements can also be met by planting the seeds in summer in a mulched bed for expected germination the following spring. Some seeds may not germinate until the second spring.

Use of a fungicide to moisten your stratifying vermiculite will help prevent fungal diseases. Chinosol (8-hydroxyquinoline), primarily a disinfectant and often recommended for growing succulents from seed prone to mold, is one such fungicide, if this is not available, then a copper based fungicide or neem oil (both made up as directed) are excellent alternatives.

Different seeds should be placed in different bags rather than putting them all into one bag, and large quantities are also best split into several small bags. That way any fungal outbreak will be restricted to only some seeds. If no fungicide is used, a close check should be kept on the seeds, removing any which show signs of mould or become soft and with a decaying smell.

If an outbreak of fungus occurs, remove the seeds and re-apply fungicide, then place them in a new bag with new slightly moistened vermiculite. Always keep the bag sealed. The stratifying seeds should be checked on a regular basis for either fungus or germination. If any seeds germinate while in the refrigerator, they should be removed and sown immediately.

The Exotic Temperate Garden - All From Seed!

The Exotic Temperate Garden - All From Seed!

Growing exotics in temperate garden locations is fast becoming a popular challenge with many gardeners.  The rewards can be substantial, with an almost tropical rain forest feel to your garden, but the failures when using specimen plants which have not been tried before or in a new and untested location can lead to a considerabe financial loss as you write off your expensive plant and have to try something else in order to start over.  The way round this is to grow as much as you can from seed. Many tropicals have fantastically fast growth rates, including bananas, gingers and many half hardy types that can be used as annuals.  When growing from seed, you get as many plants to try out as you manage to germinate. With the correct selections and good culture, you can get 80 or 90 percent of your seeds to grow.  Even if a pack only contains 5 seeds, this results in 4 plants to test out your chosen location, so no need ot have all your eggs in one basket - you can try out the location with just one of your seed grown plants and see how it copes and what you have to do to make things work out.  Best case you have a wonderful new exotic to grace your garden, worst case its cost you a few pence and you have lost one of your 4 seedlings - but with more waiting in the wings you can analyse what happened and if you can modify the conditons you can try again for a different outcome.

This way you can experiment time and time again and either modify your garden (as we do with more shade, windbreaks and shelter) as the plants dictate, or learn what can and cannot be grown in your location.

Here are some plants to try - many of these we sell - some we do not, but we are happy to include them here because we are either trying them out or we know they will work.

Bananas
Ensete - fast growing capable of 1 - 2 metres from seed in year 1  - If you can overwinter, then great, if not, then not to worry, start fresh from seed each year.

Ensete ventricosum - Ethiopian Banana
Ensete glaucum - The Snow Banana

Musella - average growing, very hardy - odd almost alien flowers

Musella lasiocarpa

Musa - large tropical group of true bananas, most of these are hardy to some degree and all can go outside, if only on a temporary basis.  Some of the hardy ones rival or exceed the commonly grown Musa basjoo.

Musa acuminata
Musa balbasiana
Musa bauensis
Musa cheesmanni
Musa coccinea
Muse Helens Hybrid
Musa itinerans
Musa manni
Musa ornata
Musa Red Tiger
Musa sikkimensis
Musa thomsonii
Musa velutina
Musa yunnanensis

But note, no Musa basjoo because as a hybrid, it is only grown from suckers.

Gingers and Relatives

Amonomum subulatum
Canna indica - note this is the species, the hybrids must be grown from divided rhizomes and many are covered by Plant Breeders Rights prohibiting this.
Cautleya gracilis
Cautleya spicata
Costus species
Etlingera species
Hedychium species
Heliconia species
Strelitzia reginae - Bird of Paradise Flower
Strelitzia nicolae - White Bird of Paradise

Most are not fully hardy, but die back to rhizomes that can be overwinted to be grown again next year.

Architectural Plants


Ricinus communis - Fast growing tender perrenial, but remember the seeds are toxic, so if you have children or pets please make a considered choice as to whether this is for your situation. If you can accomodate it, then it is really worthwhile as it will form a backdrop to all of your planting.

Agaves and Relatives - Not quick, but very hardy and tolerant of neglect.  If dry over winter at the roots most can take at least - 10, many much lower.

Palms

Many species, but you will need patience.

Climbers

Asaparagus species - mostly the African types
Gloriosa superba
Ipomoea alba
Ipomoea Grandpa Ott
Ipomoea Blue Star
Ipomoea pes-caprae
Thunbergia alata

With the exception of the first named, all will flower in the first year and can be used as annuals or short lived perrenials.

Border Plants that have an exotic look

Coleus blumei - Flame Nettle
Nasturtium alaska - Flowers and mottled leaves, both are edible
Celosia plumosa
Gazania - great in the sun
Mesembryanthemum - again great in the sun
Linnaria marrocana

Scented Plants

Acacia species (The Australian species work best - the Wattles)
Bauhinia species (Orchid Trees)
Erythrina species (Coral Trees)
Gardenia species
Rothmannia species
Ipomoea alba

Within these lists you will find a large variety of plants that can be grown easily from seed that will bring an exotic touch to a sheltered temperate garden during the warmer months. In areas subject to no frosts (but low temperatures) then the plants in these lists can be left out all year.

Friday 1 September 2017

Growing Members of the Pea Family from Seed

Growing Members of the Pea Family from Seed

To grow members of the pea family (Fabaceae) from seed it, is first necessary to break the seeds
dormancy. There are 2 basic ways to do this, or perhaps use a combination of both.

One – Scarify the seed by either rubbing it with sandpaper or taking a nick out of the seed coat. This
allows water to penetrate the seed, thus speeding germination. I have taken to doing this with a drill
bit for the larger, harder coated seeds with considerable success.
Two – Soaking either by:

• Place seeds in a ceramic cup and add sufficient, near boiling (allow kettle to cool for
2-5 minutes before using), to just (barely) cover the seeds. Smaller seeds (pin head
sized) should have an equal volume of cold water added after 2 minutes to stop the
seeds from cooking; larger seeds can be left in the hot water and allowed to cool.
Continue to soak for 24-48 hours and sow any seeds that have swollen (it will be
obvious). Seeds that do not swell – repeat the process many times if necessary –
current record is now eleven!

• Seeds that have been scarified as at ‘one’ above should not be treated with boiling
water. Hot tap water should be sufficient. They should be left to soak until they have
swollen. After 48 hours, seeds that have not swollen should have a further nick taken
out of the seed coat.

Sow the treated seed in normal potting compost and keep at 18 – 25 Deg C, until germination occurs
(2 – 3 weeks or more, although I am currently seeing germination in 2 – 3 days!!). Sealing pot in
polythene bag helps, although watch out for mould forming which will quickly spoil a batch of seed.
Once true leaves have formed you can transplant the seedlings into larger pots. Like a lot of
legumes, Acacia’s and their relatives seem to resent root disturbance and growth will suffer a check at
this point and this is quite normal. When conducting later potting on, try to disturb the root ball as little as possible. Many of the bush/tree types have spines that are often concealed by the foliage, so take care when handling.

For those plants intended for outdoor culture, it would probably be wisest to plant them out in the
summer of their second year in order that they may establish themselves better if they are larger.

Some Additional Tips by Species


Some members of the pea family have been found to require additional or extra treatment – these are detailed below:

Acacias, Albizias and Entadas – all African species: 

Change the water frequently as the seed coat contains germination inhibitors which will be leached away by this process. Soak until the seeds have swollen to at least double the original size. When planting out in pots, use deep ones as most have a tap-root.

Adenanthera and Abrus: 


These seeds may need repeated treatment with boiling water as per Erythrina. For Abrus – the soaking water is toxic.

Dalbergia: 

These seeds most often come in the pod. The seeds are almost impossible to extract from the pods,
so don’t try. Soak the seed pods for a few hours and then sow them on the surface of the compost.

Delonix and Colvillea:

These are the seeds I have had to take a drill bit to. The seed is very hard and it is
important that the seed coat is damaged prior to soaking or the water just will not penetrate. Don’t use boiling water; just use hot tap water (60 – 80 degrees C or so).

Erythrina: 

The coral trees have exceptionally hard seed coats. Treat with boiling water as described over.
Soak for 48 hours changing water daily. Remove and sow any seeds that have swollen to at least double original size. Re-treat stubborn seeds with boiling water and continue to repeat this process until the seeds swell. 100% germination will occur with swollen seeds within just a few weeks, un-swollen seeds may take a year or more to germinate and can survive in the soil for 10 years or more and still be viable.

Indigofera,Lessertia & Podalyria: 

These don’t need scarifying but need to be soaked till they swell up. They may germinate in the soaking water (I once left a batch for 7 days and all germinated in the soaking cup), this is not a
problem, just sow and lightly cover and all will be well.

Kennedia:

The coral peas require a quick boiling water treatment. Add no more than 1 cm of boiling water to a
ceramic cup containing the seeds. Leave for 5 minutes then add 5 cm of cool water. Continue to soak for 48 hours. If the seeds don’t swell – repeat the process once more.

Lupinus:

These are biennials and will self seed themselves if happy. They may be sown as overleaf, or sown direct into a prepared flower bed.

Pterocarpus:

Crack the outer case and either remove the seed or leave it in situ. Use warm water for the
soaking. Failure to do this will mean the seeds will take a year or more.

Schotia and Xanthocercis:

The Boer Beans and Nyala Beans have large seeds that need a long soak. Treat with boiling water as described over, then soak, changing the water daily, for up to a week.

Wisteria: 


Sow outdoors in pots in a cold frame or unheated greenhouse. Can take up to 12 months to
germinate.

Wednesday 30 August 2017

Cacti From Seed




Growing Cacti from Seed


As with the vast majority of other succulent plant seeds the key words when growing cacti from seed are: Warm, Close and Bright.  Sow the seeds on the top of a good quality compost and water (spraying is best) with a dilute fungicide solution (Chinosol or a copper based compound).  Seal in a plastic bag and place somewhere warm and light (20 – 30 Deg C).

Ready to place somewhere warm and bright

Germination given ideal conditions as listed above should take 5 – 21 days.  Initially all that will appear are green blobs that bear little resemblance to a cactus.  
 
3 Day old Carnegia

Subsequent growth can be very slow, although this can be speeded up somewhat by keeping the seedlings growing constantly for the first year or so by keeping them warm and bright year round.  Keeping the plants in their plastic bags also helps as it regulates the moisture and prevents drying out at the roots which so often spell death for cactus seedlings.  After a few months a more recognisable shape will appear and your plants will look like mini cacti.  The seedlings can be left in quite crowded conditions for some time, without undue harm

After 6 months recognisable shapes appearing
.
When potting on, use small pots, so as to protect from over watering, another cause of failure with cacti seedlings when repotting.  Subsequent potting on should involve the whole root ball so as to minimise the disturbance, which can cause problems.

Flowering can occur in some species from the 3rd summer onwards, but many, especially the larger types take considerably longer to reach flowering maturity.  Some of the true giants may never flower in the grower’s lifetime, taking 40 – 50 years or more to reach flowering maturity. 


Specifics for Jungle Cacti:

Epiphyllum, Hylocereus, Selenicereus, Rhipsalis, Wittonia and Zygocactus are slightly different to normal cacti when grown from seed these specifics apply as well as those above.

Germination takes 3 – 5 weeks.

Growing on should be carried out in more shady conditions than for normal cacti, as this mimics the natural conditions that the parent plants grow in.  They also require slightly more water than their desert counterparts.  Flowering may occur as early as 5 years from sowing.

Specifics for Opuntia:

Opuntia from seed can be either very easy or extremely frustrating.  The reason for the 2 extremes is connected to the dormancy of the seeds which needs to be broken correctly so that the seed germinates when you want it to and not when it feels like it.

In nature Opuntia fruits are eaten, the seed passes unharmed, except that the chemical coating in the seed case has been removed by the process.  Now it is possible to buy chemicals which you can soak the seed in to recreate the process, however, there is a much simpler way.

Place the seeds in a ceramic cup (this is important as plastic ones might cause harm to come to the seed).  Pour on sufficient BOILING water to just cover the seed ie no more than a few millimetres but sufficient to cover them completely.   This treatment breaks down the chemical inhibitors and the seeds survive the contact because you use a ceramic cup which conducts the heat away and very little water – all of which minimises the risk to the seed.  After 5 – 10 minutes top up the water to 3 – 5 cm with warm water and then leave to soak for a few days changing the water every 12 hours or so.  It is important to change the water as this flushes away the chemicals we are trying to remove.  Don’t let them dry out, or else you will allow the inhibitors to soak back into the seed.

Now sow the seeds – covering them with their own depth of good quality compost.  Water them and now place somewhere warm, close and bright.  Sealing the pot in a plastic bag and placing them in a propagator will be best.  They need a temperature of 22 – 35 Deg C to germinate and sunlight, so do not place them in the airing cupboard.
Germination will commence in 7 – 10 days and will continue for quite some time.  The seedlings look nothing like a prickly pear; they look more like cress with fleshy leaves.  Eventually the pads will start to form from the centre of the seed leaves and a more recognisable plant will emerge. 
Related image
15 Days old, doesnt look much like a prickly pear

Pot them up when large enough to handle into cactus compost.  Do not throw away the pot though as I have seeds germinate as much as three years after they were sown (these are the ones that the treatment did not work on).
Image result for opuntia seedling
Pads develop at around 6 months

Opuntia from seed can reach flowering size in as little as three years from seed.  Some types will be hardy, others will not.  Most can be identified out of flower providing you knew what you had to start with.

Growing South African Bulbous Plants from Seed

Growing South African Bulbous Plants from Seed

South African bulbs and tubers can be broadly split into two categories, the summer growers and the winter growers.  Check carefully in the list at the foot of the page to determine which category your purchase(s) fall into and then follow the relevant instructions below.

Should you find that now is not a good time to sow your seeds, store then in the fridge (inside the Mail-Lite bag I used to ship them to you), where they will happily stay until it is a better time to of year to sow them.

Winter Flowering Bulbs

Sowing time – Late September to early March


Surface sow the seeds in pots of free draining compost and lightly cover them with fine grit or vermiculite.  Water well, just once, and then seal the pot in a plastic bag.  Germination should occur within 7 – 28 days or so, some species may take longer.  Temperatures for germination to occur should be around 15 Deg C during the day and lower at night (but not below 7 Deg C), so a cool window sill or greenhouse is ideal.  Once germinated grow the seedlings on in cool conditions as too high a temperature may cause drying out or trigger the premature onset of dormancy.  Seeds sown towards the end of the season (early March) should not be allowed to go dormant in their first season and provided with shade so as to allow the bulbs to fatten up properly.

Except as mentioned above, these bulbs have a pronounced dormancy period in the height of summer and the pots should be allowed to dry out (to rest the bulbs) from mid-July to October.  To bring them back into growth, start to water them gently and ensure they are growing in a cool, frost free location.  The bulbs can stay in their original pots for a few seasons until they appear crowded.  1st flowering depends on the species and is mentioned in the description.

Summer Flowering Bulbs

Sowing time – Late February to July

Surface sow the seeds in pots of free draining compost and lightly cover them with fine grit or vermiculite.  Water well, just once, and then seal the pot in a plastic bag.  Germination should occur within 7 – 28 days or so, some species may take longer.  Grow on in either a greenhouse or a cold frame and try to keep them going for as long as possible in their first season (perhaps as late as mid-October) so as to speed up the onset of the first flowers.  Doing this can shave a year of the stated time for the first flowering to occur.

Most of these bulbs have a pronounced winter dormancy period and they can be lifted and stored frost (and rodent) free, where there is doubts as to their hardiness.  Otherwise they can be mulched with straw or a thick layer of peat to give added protection.  Re-plant lifted bulbs or tubers the following spring for growing in that season.

General Guidelines

All bulbs can be grown in pots as well as in the open ground (depending on the location).  They should be fed so as to ensure the growth of the bulb rather than to green up the leaves.  To this end use a fertiliser that is high in phosphates, rather than one that contains too much nitrogen.  The soil mix should reflect that these plants store water in their bulbs and tubers and should not be subjected to prolonged waterlogged periods.  Use a free draining mixture wherever possible, in the same way as you would if growing cacti or succulents.

A rule of thumb guide for the species follows, but please check each variety as to whether winter or summer flowering is suggested...

Summer Flowering: Agapanthus, Albuca, Aristea, Babania, Crocosima, Dierama, Dietes, Eucomis, Freesia (some), Galtonia,  Gladiolus (some), Gloriosa, Hesperantha, Kniphofia, Littonia, Nerine, Sparaxis, Tulbaghia, Watsonia (some), Zantedeschia.

Winter Flowering: Bulbinella, Chasmanthe, Daubenya, Ferraria, Freesia (some), Gladiolus (some), Ixia, Lachenalia, Lapeirousia Massonia, Melasphaerula, Moraea, Ornithogalum, Spiloxene, Tritonia, Tritoniopsis, Velthemia , Wachendorfia, Watsonia (most), Whiteheadia

Generic Instructions

This is a generic set of instructions for those seeds which do not require specific handling. Most seeds I sell will grow given the following treatment.

Pretreatments.

Larger seeds (over 2mm) may be soaked in hand hot water overnight to speed up germination. Very hard coated seeds may be soaked in a dilute solution of Saltpetre made up as per the directions given under the pretreatment leaflet.

Smaller seeds need no pretreatment.

Sowing (Traditional Method)

Sow in a moist (not wet - a test is to squeeze a handful and if more than a few drops of water come out, then it is too wet), good quality seed compost, barely covering the seed in the case of large seeds and with small seeds sow on the surface and, if able, press them in (but no more). Place in a propagator or seal in a plastic bag and keep at 18 – 28 Deg C (Air Temp), soil temps need to be warmer by about 10 Deg C or so. Germination for most types should be fairly rapid (3 – 4 weeks or so), although it can take some time for all of the seeds to germinate. The following types can take up to 8 weeks to germinate – Aralia, Cussonia,Fatsia & Ficus.   Some types, with very hard seeds, may take several months to germinate - these include Gardenia, Rothmannia and Tabernaemontana.  
 
Above all else, unless you are certain that the seeds are not going to show (mould, algae or thick moss on the surface of the pot), persevere. Seeds have inbuilt survival mechanisms that will prevent germination unless conditions are right and may wait months before doing anything if sown at the wrong time. With modern advances in lighting, heating etc for plant raising, seeds may be sown at any time with these aids BUT there is no getting round the time of year - some seeds have a 'clock' and if it is the wrong time of year they just will not come up until it is the right time of year...  Just keep the soil from drying out completely and keep going.

Sowing (Alternative Method)

This method uses no soil in the initial stages, but it should be cautioned that the seedlings will need transferring to soil very soon after germination.  To do this with small seeds, simply place a paper kitchen roll sheet (folded as necessary) into a plastic container which has a lid. Soak the kitchen roll until it is wet, but no excess water is in the bottom of the tray.  An easy way to do this is to add too much water, let the excess collect in the bottom of the pot and then pour it away. Sow the seeds onto the moist paper and then seal the lid. Place at germination temperatures and then just wait until the seeds sprout.  If condensation forms on the lid, tap it to let it fall onto the seeds.  This method does require scrupulous hygiene as if fungal infections get hold, you will lose the batch and you cannot really use fungicide.  When the seeds sprout, you should get them in soil as soon as possible, still in controlled conditions and then allow them to root and grow on. Huge batches of seeds can be sown this way in small spaces, we have stacked containers one on top of each other on the propagators using this method with those seeds needing most heat on the bottom.  This is especially suitable for seeds that get soaked before sowing, as well as very small seeds that cannot be soaked in case you lose them.

Growing on.

Grow on, maintaining a close atmosphere opening the bag or propagator every few days to freshen the air. Once 2 or 3 true leaves appear the seedlings can be gently transplanted in order to grow on. Use any good quality houseplant compost for the potting on – garden soil should never be used as it is very variable in quality and may contain many weed seeds and pests.

Continue to pot on as required, some vigorous species may need 3 – 6 re-pottings per year, whereas slower growers may need potting on every other year. Let your plants tell you when they need to be potted on (they will slow down in growth or just ‘look’ unhappy)

If you have any questions please contact me at robert.boatman@gmail.com or bob_b@bsquared.ndonet.com and I will be happy to help out with any specific tips I am aware of or I can share my experiences.