Thanks for those details, John. I will forward them to my friend. Jane Hendrix Mountain View Experimental Gardens Peak 7 Area - Breckenridge, Colorado USA Elevation: 10,000 feet USDA Zone: 4 Website: http://www.picturetrail.com/hendrix
---------- Original Message ---------- From: John and Pam Good <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [Alpine-l] Alpine-l Digest, Vol 14, Issue 11 Date: Sun, 22 Jan 2012 20:49:39 +0000 Jane Hendrix wrote: > John, Could you describe the details in your successful Castilleja seed > germination? I collected an unknown-to-me species of Castilleja in > southeastern Idaho in 2009. I rubbed the coating off the seed, sowed it on > the surface of a peat-lite seed-starting mix, put the pot in a plastic bag, > dug into my 3-foot snowpack, placed the pot on the surface of the ground > (which was not frozen under all that snow) and put the 3 feet of snow back in > place. After 7 weeks, I brought the pot indoors, placed it under a > fluorescent light in a room that's between 55F and 60F. for 16 hours on and 8 > hours off. I laid a piece of clear plastic film over the top to prevent > excess evaporation of moisture. Germination began 12 days later. I don't know > how many seeds I scattered on the surface of that pot but I got 16 healthy > seedlings that I transplanted to the open garden about 6 weeks later. All > were still alive and growing (albeit slowly) when the season shut down at the > end of October. I f your method differed from mine, I will send your > procedure to my Austrian friend.< Dear Jane, All my seed except that of ericaceous or woodland species is sown (generally in December/January) in a mixture of 50% John Innes No. 2 (universal soil based compost of approx. 7 soil/3 moss peat/3 sharp sand, with added complete fertiliser and ground limestone) and 50% 2-5mm silica grit. In the case of Catillejas the seed is sown on the surface of the compost under a thin covering (5 mm) of pure grit. The pots are then stood in a shallow pan of water until the surface of the grit becomes moist. They are then placed outside without any protection in light shade until germination when they are moved into the protection of a cold frame. If necessary the seedlings are thinned with tweezers to avoid too much competition before being pricked out individually in the same compost when they have two well developed true leaves (not cotyledons). After watering as described above they are returned to the cold frame and grown on until repotted or planted out. I hope this helps, best regards John John and Pam Good Bod Hyfryd Graiglwyd Road Penmaenmawr Conwy LL34 6ER 01492 622051 Tel. +44(0)1492 622051
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