Hi, May I add just a few notes to this entry? Seed that needs an autumn sowing, but is procured in the winter/spring can be stored in the fridge in ziplock bags containing ever so slightly moist peat/ vermiculite or other seed sowing medium. Chances are, if you sow now, so many variables can affect the seed until it is ready to germinate, and cause the seed to dry out or rot . Unless you're super vigilant, it's better to wait till the proper time. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Byron Amerson" <byron.amerson@gmail.com> To: <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org> Sent: Friday, February 06, 2009 9:33 AM Subject: [pbs] Seed Propagation methods > Mark and others, > > I am relatively new to cultivating geophytes in general, and completely > new > trying them from seed. Of the seed I've sown in the last month, I have > been > in a sort of "go for it" mode. The amaryllids leave one no choice of > course, but I also have a suite of NW and California native seeds, > plus *Babiana, > *and a few* Hyacinthacae *coming from South Africa. I've been so eager to > see seedlings that I have been sowing now rather than waiting until autumn > as some guidance has suggested for the winter growers. > > Mark your suggestion to sow now, and maintain dry conditions until autumn > sounds like a really intuitive approach and makes a certain kind of > plant-sense. I think I'll give it a try on those seeds that are still in > transit. > > But I guess my question is this: Am I potentially throwing my money away > on > seeds that I "go for it" with? Is it really the best approach to hold off > sowing and watering (or at least watering applying Mark's suggestion) in > late winter as soon as I receive the seeds of those that are winter > growers? > > I live in San Rafael, CA a maritime Mediterranean climate. > > ~Byron > _______________________________________________ > pbs mailing list > pbs@lists.ibiblio.org > http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php > http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/