On 26 May 06, at 10:15, diana chapman wrote: > I must say that in the spectacularly unsuccessful category of seed > germination I would put the tuberous rooted Tropaeolum species. I > have had seed from Watson & Flores that germinated fairly well, but > even though I get good seed production from my plants, I get almost no > germination. Last year I tried nicking the seeds, as well as > stratifying in the refrigerator, but got the same results. Does > anyone have better luck? I've managed to get several tuberous tropaeolum species to germinate, including T. polyphyllum from seed off my own plant. My standard method: soak the seed in water for a week or so before sowing, sow in a soil-based compost with 1/4" fine gravel over the seed, keep in a coldframe until it germinates or I give up and toss the pot out. Temperatures hover about 5C (41F) during the winter here, barring occasional spells of exceptionally balmy or exceptionally cold weather. The way my frames work (or don't work?) keeps the seed pots in them pretty moist, if not downright wet, all winter long. Pots of ungerminated seeds that are on the rare side and have largish seeds get dumped into a tray; I then examine the soil to see if the seeds are still there and looking viable, or have simply rotted away. If the seeds look good, they're re-sown. It's a long way from germination to a mature flowering-size tuber, however! T. polyphyllum is the only one I've successfully carried over long enough to get close to that state. -- Rodger Whitlock Victoria, British Columbia, Canada Maritime Zone 8, a cool Mediterranean climate on beautiful Vancouver Island