Carolyn's 2014 Germination Reports
 

Let me make some suggestions on how we would like to see the data reported. It's very important to list the seed age and the total number of seeds planted per variety and how many of those how many germinated.

If you want to describe how you germinate seeds, how long it took,what mix, etc., that's fine too.

So a report might look like this:

Snowdrop (2016), 3/6 germinated
Trillium (2017, 6/8 germinated
Lily of the Valley, (5/8 germinated



Yes, I do expect that with a given variety there will be some who will get zero germination, it always happens, while others with the same seeds get good germination.

So it's a good way for folks who participated to see those reports and know something might be wrong with results of specific varieties with no to low germination and start asking why.

And indeed there may be some seeds for some varieties that weren't so good and I and others need to know that as well,such as the persons who sent the seeds. Just remind yourself of all the many different sources for seeds that there were in the recent seed offer/

We very much appreciate the feedback since we send some of the same seeds to certain seed sites for trial and if there's a problem we want to be able to tell those seed site owners what the problems are.

We've received lots of great new varieties from many countries and actually from everywhere, and they ask me for some of my varieties, that is, we exchange. And they need to know where problems might be as well.

I know that most of you in warmer climes have already started your seeds, but those in the northern climes don't usually start seeds until about early April, some as late as early May so I try to put up this germination thread in the middle of seed starting time.

Thanks all,

Carolyn and Shawn

Loka 2013 4/8 germinated

Germinated using Jiffy Organic Seed starting mix , domed tray, temperature at 80 degrees.
Germinated in 4 days.

Dixiewine 2013 - 1/7 germinated in a mix of Jiffy Organic Seed Starting Mix and Miracle Gro Starting Mix. I find putting Miracle Gro in first, then a layer of the lighter Jiffy, works better than either separately.

Planted 3 seeds of each variety, if nothing showed by 10 days, dropped 2 more seeds ..

Joe's Pink Oxheart (2012 B) 1/3 germinated
Coustralee (2013) 2/3
Sweet Ozark Orange (2013) 2/5
Maria Amazilitei Giant Red (2013) 1/5
Dixiewine (2013) 1/5

Day 10 Germination Report

Lo Fisher Yellow - 0/8
Maria Amazilitei -1/ 6
DVF-1200-33 - 7/8

Mark

How soon do you want us to report? I planted nine seeds each of the two varieties you sent last Sunday (6 days ago) along with a similar number of seeds from six different varieties. Most of my own seeds (except two-year old Prudens Purple seeds) have germinated, but only one of the 18 seeds I got from you has germinated. I expect some more may germinate, but how long should I wait?

[QUOTE=ohiofem;399802]How soon do you want us to report? I planted nine seeds each of the two varieties you sent last Sunday (6 days ago) along with a similar number of seeds from six different varieties. Most of my own seeds (except two-year old Prudens Purple seeds) have germinated, but only one of the 18 seeds I got from you has germinated. I expect some more may germinate, but how long should I wait?[/QUOTE]

No timeline for reporting.

Time to germination for seeds has many variables, which we've discussed before. The oldest seeds I listed were 2011 seeds and I deleted all the ones from the 2014 list that had low germination from previous years, there were just a few.

With fresh 2013 seeds with how I germinated seeds I would expect 70 to 100% germination, perhaps a bit less with the 2012 seeds and perhaps a bit less with the 2011 seeds.

But again, no data for the 2013 seeds and there were many sources for those seeds. So I'm eager to see how germination goes for those varieties being germinated by more than one person, and of course individual ones as well.

No need IMO to report germination at different times, and then have to update those numbers.

I do wish that everyone would remember to indicate THE SEED AGE, which does help, and again, the method(S) used to germinate seeds. But that's an individual choice.

Carolyn

[B]Variety # Planted/# Germinated

[/B]Sweet Ozark Orange 4/1
Dons Double Delight 4/1
Lucky Cross 4/4
1884 Purple 4/1
Dixie Wine 4/2
Chapman 4/3

All were started in Farfards germination mix.

[B]1884 Purple[/B] 2013(0/5) :(
[B]Buddy Runyon[/B] (2/6) 6 days
[B]Zolotoe Serdtse[/B] 2012 (6/6) YAY!! 4 days
[B]Ania[/B] 2013 (3/5) 4 days

Did Craig's dense planting and each variety was in a 1x1-inch square. Germinated using Miracle Gro Seed starting mix, with saran on top, heat mat temperature at 77 -85 (!!) degrees.

Seeds started in DE on heat mat.

Sen-say (2013) 0/9 germinated
Raspberry Miracle (2013) 3/9 germinated
Buddy Runyon (2013) 4/9 germinated
Dixiewine (2013) 2/8 germinated
Rancho Solito (2013) 4/9 germinated
Iva's Red Berry (2013) 7/11 germinated

Sowed my seeds on March 7th, into a seeding soil mixed with some vermiculite. Sprayed with water until germination, watered with a watering can after that. No pre-treatment on the seeds. The seeding mix was kept above a radiator on constant temps of about 23-25 Degrees Celsius...

[B]Delano Green Ripe[/B] (2013) - [B]6/6 [/B] germinated on March 12th
[B]Kazachka[/B] (2009) - [B]10/12[/B] germinated on March 13th
[B]Indian Stripe RL[/B] (2013) - [B]4/9[/B] germinated on March 13th
[B]Turkish Ayla[/B] (2013) -[B] 2/8[/B] germinated on March 14th

I noticed I'm not the only one with poorer germination results with [B]Dixie Wine, 1884 Purple[/B].

Disappointed with Sam's [B]Sweet Ozark Orange[/B] only 25% germination rate. I will definitely save the seeds and try next season.

[QUOTE=paulgrow;399970]I noticed I'm not the only one with poorer germination results with [B]Dixie Wine, 1884 Purple[/B].

Disappointed with Sam's [B]Sweet Ozark Orange[/B] only 25% germination rate. I will definitely save the seeds and try next season.[/QUOTE]

Paul, there were about 90 folks who participated,most with the max 6 varieties requested, and only a few who have posted, so far so I think it's much too early to make any conclusions right now.

There are a few I know who expect to start seeds for fall but they are few in number.

Sam has been offering SOO at another message site and almost everyone is getting lovely rates of germination with the same seeds. I think some at Tville, where he made his offer in the trade subforum are also doing well. Right now I just can't remember, nor have time to go check.

As I said in tht first post, every year there are some who get poor germination with a variety and some who get excellent results with the same seeds. That used to bother me, but with passing years of seed offers its become the norm. Just too many variables associated with starting seeds and the different ways that folks do it. And all seeds I listed were no older than 2011 produced seeds, maybe two varieties sent by others that were 2010 seeds.

Carolyn

Thanks Carolyn, I have this personal challenge to get as close to 100% germination as possible. If I don't attain this I try and determine why.

My Spring 2014 Report
Started 3 of the varieties. The other 3 will be for Fall.
Lucinda (2011 seeds) 2/6 used Jiffy 7's
Orange Minsk Heart 3/4 used Jiffy 7's (last year I planted all 5 seeds I got in the offer and had 0/5)
Dixiewine (2013) 4/5 used Jiffy 7's

Orange Minsk Heart & Dixiewine were planted out yesterday in prime spots in my smaller in the ground bed. This week I will put down a drip line in that bed and put Cypress mulch to keep the weeds down. Hoping for a great harvest.

MikeInCypress