Hello All (and a late thought for Jenny H), I have used only the "wet paper towel" method with Veltheimia bracteata. If the seed is ripe and reasonably fresh, it grows. Own seed - 18 seeds germinated out of 18. V.b.rosalba from PBX - 7 seeds out of 7 germinated. V.b. pink and bicolours - 21 seeds germinated out of 21. V.b Lemon Flame - 4 seeds germinated out of 7. Latter result may be due to some seeds not fully ripe. for my own seed I left on the plane as long as possible. I do see that the V.b.pink and bicolours set of seedlings have a different shaped first proper leaf to the others, being more nearly parallel sided with a teaspoon shaped end. Others are more like a long isosceles triangle with a round end. I have been using this wet paper towel method a lot recently, and mainly on the Amaryllidaceae on which I concentrate. Most seed of Clivia miniata hybrids (77 out of 81), C. nobilis (10 out of 10), C. caulescens(2 out of 2) germinate reliably, some being S Africa purchase, some UK purchase, some UK friend, some own. Cyrtanthus depends on freshness of seed; if it is fresh, this method works very well. Amaryllis belladonna - a number of PBX offerings - works well, though have had one lot giving problem with mold. Strelitzia regina 9 out of 9 - but make sure the seed is FRESH and use rainwater that has had no contact with cement, etc., i.e. no lime or calcium compounds present. (Though I have not thought to try it, or better, not made the opportunity to try it with Nerine seed as yet. Jenny, in response to your query earlier, laying on soil surface is Ok. If your seed compost is a bit sstiff, the radical that first pops out of the seed may have difficulty penetrating the soil surface. Make a slit in the surface and pop the radicl into the slit, slight pressure from side to close. This will give the radical enough grip to mget it growing down to its natural depth for formation of the inital bulb.) Now, I need some help. Any suggestions on how to germinate Tecophilea cyanocrocus. Two lots of seed ex PBX so far going no where! Need cool period? need total dark? Regards Hamish ----- Original Message ----- From: "Paul Tyerman" <ptyerman@ozemail.com.au> To: "Pacific Bulb Society" <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org> Sent: Tuesday, February 10, 2004 1:32 AM Subject: Re: [pbs] Starting winter growing seed/Veltheimia seed Just to give exact germination numbers (I have been out and checked this morning)..... > > "Yellow" seed - 9 of 11 have germinated. > "Mixed Colour" - 12 of 12 have germinated > "Pink and Bicolors" - 21 of 24 have germinated > "Mixed Colours" - 14 of 17 have germinated.