How old are the seeds you just bought?

[Phaedra]

In the recent three years, I got many seeds from a reputational seed company, and their seed quality is convincing.

It's interesting to find that they provide standard seeds and "calibrated/precision seeds." I never tried the precision seeds as the germination rate of standard ones were already satisfying. I have no idea what does "calibrated" mean here, kind of picking seeds with uniformed size?

That's what in the description:
The seed has a higher germination capacity than normal seed. The minimum germination rate for precision seed is set according to variety. The seed is sorted according to size (calibrated).

 

[Branching Out]

I saw this method, too but hesitated to try, 100% same worry like Steve has.

I love the method of covering carrot seeds with a board. It works great in my garden, but you do have to peek under the board after a few days.

 

[flowerbug]

In the recent three years, I got many seeds from a reputational seed company, and their seed quality is convincing.

View attachment 54416

It's interesting to find that they provide standard seeds and "calibrated/precision seeds." I never tried the precision seeds as the germination rate of standard ones were already satisfying. I have no idea what does "calibrated" mean here, kind of picking seeds with uniformed size?

That's what in the description:
The seed has a higher germination capacity than normal seed. The minimum germination rate for precision seed is set according to variety. The seed is sorted according to size (calibrated).

View attachment 54417

this may be also a mechanical planting gadget intended seed. screening for size would allow the seeds to fit into certain holes to plug them in a planting tray.

 

[ducks4you]

Years ago I tried a new tomato called 'Ted's Pink Currant' and was so excited for it, but despite the seeds being grown by the lady only the year prior they just would not sprout, even with a heat mat, even with a dome. So after a month I just gave up on them & dumped the pot in my greenhouse, where it was still real cold at night and hot in the day. Boom! I found the discarded pot full of seedlings! I've used that trick ever since and also later read that this exact thing has happened to lots of people. lol

That's what happened to the 35yo tomato seeds I tried to grow about a decade ago! I cut a gallon water jug to make it into kind of a terrarium. I monitored the seeds for about a month, then forgot about them. I found them months later, 5 two inch tall tomato seedlings, dead and dried up.
Good to NOT give up!
I have an amaryllis that DD kept in her office. It dried up, then woke up and sprouted a tall leaf. She didn't want it anymore, I stopped watering it, and thought it dead.
I reconsidered and thought instead it needed transplanting into a larger pot bc the roots looked so good.
Right now I have it downstairs heavily soaked, on top of a heat mat with a gro lamp.
Not quite sure yet, but I think I spied some green at the top. If so, I may get growth this winter, and then I can put it in a garden bed to spend the summer and get it back on winter blooming schedule.

 

[AMKuska]

That's what happened to the 35yo tomato seeds I tried to grow about a decade ago! I cut a gallon water jug to make it into kind of a terrarium. I monitored the seeds for about a month, then forgot about them. I found them months later, 5 two inch tall tomato seedlings, dead and dried up.
Good to NOT give up!
I have an amaryllis that DD kept in her office. It dried up, then woke up and sprouted a tall leaf. She didn't want it anymore, I stopped watering it, and thought it dead.
I reconsidered and thought instead it needed transplanting into a larger pot bc the roots looked so good.
Right now I have it downstairs heavily soaked, on top of a heat mat with a gro lamp.
Not quite sure yet, but I think I spied some green at the top. If so, I may get growth this winter, and then I can put it in a garden bed to spend the summer and get it back on winter blooming schedule.

In my experience, Amaryllis like to be mistreated.

My husband brought me home one a few years ago. I potted it and it grew vigorously, produced three enormous flowers at once. I tended it sooo lovingly. I gave it water, made sure it had adequate light, and it promptly whithered up and died under my care.

Thinking I killed it, but too busy at the time to dump it in the compost, I put it pot and all in my garage. As soon as it was dark and dry that thing shot right back up into glory again.

I now know to barely water it, not give it too much light, and when it dies back leave it alone a bit before watering it. Under this neglect, it has not only lived and flowered for years and years, but produced two baby plants. I just offered it a meager bit of fertilized water which will probably make it wither right up again. We'll see.

 

[donna13350]

I saw this method, too but hesitated to try, 100% same worry like Steve has.

I always start my carrots under cardboard, but after 3 or 4 days I use stones to raise it up off of the soil. This still keeps the soil moist, but gives seeds a chance to sprout. I have excellent germination with that method...it keeps the moisture in.....if carrot seeds dry out, even once, they die, and if you try to water them from above, before they sprout, they get dispersed everywhere but where you want them.

 

[flowerbug]

In my experience, Amaryllis like to be mistreated.

My husband brought me home one a few years ago. I potted it and it grew vigorously, produced three enormous flowers at once. I tended it sooo lovingly. I gave it water, made sure it had adequate light, and it promptly whithered up and died under my care.

Thinking I killed it, but too busy at the time to dump it in the compost, I put it pot and all in my garage. As soon as it was dark and dry that thing shot right back up into glory again.

I now know to barely water it, not give it too much light, and when it dies back leave it alone a bit before watering it. Under this neglect, it has not only lived and flowered for years and years, but produced two baby plants. I just offered it a meager bit of fertilized water which will probably make it wither right up again. We'll see.

there was the amaryllis thread some time ago that @canesisters was wondering about how to keep one going.

i've had the clones of one here going on close to 15 years at least and have given away close to 20 babies of various sizes. i still have about 10 left a few which are large enough now too start flowering again.

they seem to be ok with crowding somewhat in the same pot and do not like to be overwatered, i do not fertilize much at all but just change the potting soil once in a while. currently mine are dormant and sitting on the same table where they grow when they are not dormant. all it takes to knock them back to dormancy is to stop watering them completely then they will die back gradually. cooler and dark would make that go faster for sure but i don't have anyplace like that here so they get to stay put as i gradually remove leaves.

 

[canesisters]

there was the amaryllis thread some time ago that @canesisters was wondering about how to keep one going.

i've had the clones of one here going on close to 15 years at least and have given away close to 20 babies of various sizes. i still have about 10 left a few which are large enough now too start flowering again.

they seem to be ok with crowding somewhat in the same pot and do not like to be overwatered, i do not fertilize much at all but just change the potting soil once in a while. currently mine are dormant and sitting on the same table where they grow when they are not dormant. all it takes to knock them back to dormancy is to stop watering them completely then they will die back gradually. cooler and dark would make that go faster for sure but i don't have anyplace like that here so they get to stay put as i gradually remove leaves.

Do you know I tried with that dang plant for 3 years I think... maybe even 4.. NEVER got a single bloom. I finally tossed it and planted something else in the pot.

 

[Branching Out]

I went coco crazy over amaryllis in 2020/2021, and then this year I decided I wouldn't buy any at all-- until I walked in to the store after the holidays and they were on sale for half price. In the end I walked out with three more of them, including 'Pink Rival', which is a favourite. I've bought quite a number of these beauties over the past couple of years, and learning how to cross pollinate them has made for an interesting lesson in plant breeding. The seed pods remind me of E.T.'s eyeballs, and the seeds eventually form inside a flat cover that is almost like black tissue paper. Stranger yet, you can germinate them in a dish of water and just leave them floating for days, like very small lily pads. I think I had about 20 seedlings survive, and if all goes well I will get some blooms in a few more years. It is not wonder that the bulbs are expensive, when you see how slow they are to grow.

BTW, I really like this article on amaryllis-- it is an oldie, but a goodie: https://www.washingtonpost.com/arch...aryllis/b0c5e3ab-f4c9-473f-9e06-92a9a123af8b/

 

[flowerbug]

I went coco crazy over amaryllis in 2020/2021, and then this year I decided I wouldn't buy any at all-- until I walked in to the store after the holidays and they were on sale for half price. In the end I walked out with three more of them, including 'Pink Rival', which is a favourite. I've bought quite a number of these beauties over the past couple of years, and learning how to cross pollinate them has made for an interesting lesson in plant breeding. The seed pods remind me of E.T.'s eyeballs, and the seeds eventually form inside a flat cover that is almost like black tissue paper. Stranger yet, you can germinate them in a dish of water and just leave them floating for days, like very small lily pads. I think I had about 20 seedlings survive, and if all goes well I will get some blooms in a few more years. It is not wonder that the bulbs are expensive, when you see how slow they are to grow.

i'd not be surprised to learn that they tissue culture them by the thousands once they know they have an attractive flower bulb.

once you have enough of them growing it's not too hard to get new ones, it seems like i have a few show up each year and most of the time i don't take them apart from their parent bulb for a few more years.

i'd love to see pictures of any crosses you've got to bloom.