Hello Darren:

the total depth of these 50 cm x 18 cm boxes is 15 cm and the height of

seed beds is then 12 to 14 cm.

However;

The dimensions are not critical and do not decide on fortune as regards

raising seedling of hippeastrums or other amaryllogene plants with these
papery foiled seeds.

A lower drainage layer of some cm of seramis, perlite, expanded clay

(regardless whether these are totally porous (Seramis) or not, or

grains is sufficient, let's say 5 cm. But 10 cm is good, too.

Care should be taken (it should be controlled) that the drainage bullets

not clog the drainage holes on the ground of the sowing box. I drill
numerous additional drainage holes of 0.5 cm diameter to ensuire good

supply from belw. That is soo important - particularly when I rinse so
thoroughly with approx. 1 total seed bed volume of water(!)

The drainage layer is then covered carefully - without mixing - with the
substrate, that is coco peat, the height not being critical, too;

like 9 cm.

If you change the proportion of substrate to drainage layer towards the
latter, then my previously recommended very thorough waterings might be

critical for seedlings of those amaryllids (or any other seedlings)

are supposed to be very sensible and likely to rot. On the other hand

will have to water more often.

If you sow seeds from a vigorous hippeastrum cultivar you will better

full height of 10 cm of coco. But if you sow thse far smaller seeds of a
more tiny cultivar for example from crossing H.cybister "Chico" with

smaller growing hybrid like "Pink Floyd" then you reduce the coco layer

7 cm considering the far lower water uptake of these more delicate
seedlings.
And if you sow Cyrtanthus Mackenii (I did this summer) - then only 5 cm

is sufficient.
The loss of sed bed hjeight is compensated by a thicker drainage layer.

The question when the seedlings are to be transplanted can not be

schematically either: This is in your decision and depends on the
observation - "WHEN do the seedlings obviously become too crowded". If

have had a good germination rate and furthermore experience a rapid

of vigourous seedlings you will have to transplant earlier. The minimum

I keep these seedlings together is 5 months. The maximum timespan I let

seedlings together was 10 months in single cases, but I do not recommend
that. The meanwhile rich network of stronger roots from the individual
plants is not easily separatable any more and serious damage to the

plates is very probable to happen when using force.

Hans-Werner

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v215/…

_______________________________________________
pbs mailing list
pbs@lists.ibiblio.org
http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php