[pbs] Growing from seed-Temperatures
Mary Sue Ittner
msittner at mcn.org
Wed Oct 4 17:59:06 EDT 2006
Dear David,
There are some seeds that require a change in temperature to germinate (a
difference between day and night temperatures) and some need cold. Many
South African bulb species from the winter rainfall area for instance (not
Amaryllids) often need the former as that is what the weather is like
during the time they normally germinate. Generally the advice is to start
winter rainfall species in the fall and summer rainfall species in the
spring and obviously the temperatures would be different for each to a
degree. There are some seeds that need to be started right away. I start
some things needing the daily fluctuation in temperature in my greenhouse
as that makes it easier to provide warmer day temps. I don't heat my
greenhouse so it is cool at night. The greenhouse also gives some
protection from the excessive rain we get that some seedlings don't like.
But other things I just start outside and then I don't have to worry about
changing their environment later. On this list we have found that there is
not just one way to grow from seed however. Some people float seeds, some
use the paper towel method, some start in vermiculite in the fridge, etc.
One of our first topic of the week discussions was on growing from seed.
You'll find the link to some of those discussions here.
http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/TOW
Hopefully you'll share which things you found did well with your system.
Mary Sue
> It's just a low-power plastic heating pad, which keeps the seeds warm.
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