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)
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)
Hello, I would be very interested in hearing any advice you have for germinating the seeds of a gunnera manicata? I look forward to your reply thank you
ReplyDeleteSow at any time of year. Sow thinly at a depth of 1.5mm in pots or trays of peat-based, moist seed compost (eg. Levington). Place in a propagator or seal in a polythene bag and maintain a temperature of 25-27C with good high humidity. Germination can be erratic and slow and can take up to 60 days or more. Keep the seed compost very moist (to replicate the environment in which it grows best), but never saturated at all times and the temperature high.
DeleteIt is so wonderful to have someone of your expertise to answer my questions! Thank you very much indeed
ReplyDeleteHi there,could you tell me the steps of planting "Babies Toes"
ReplyDeleteIts in the article https://scamptonsucculents.blogspot.com/2017/09/succulents-from-seed-general.html this is what we use for all of our succulent plant seeds. Just do not cover the seeds, they need to sit on the surface (although you can mist spray to water them in). Fungicide should nto be need with these seeds.
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ReplyDeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteI've just bought some lobelia telekii and wollastonii from you on Ebay.
Is there any specific information you have on storing, sowing, germination etc for them?
I've tried looking on your blog but I can't find anything and there's almost nothing online so any help would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks,
Blake