Beginner Question: Tulip Seeds and Daffodil Seeds--What'snext?

You've already had some good tips on this. I saved suggestions from people
over the years about seeds. A number of people have wished we had more
about growing from seed on the wiki. I thought I had a volunteer working on
this, but I guess he hasn't found the time to do it. But here's suggestions
from another list long ago:

We harvest our narcissus seed when the seeds are black and becoming
hard. Sowing end of August-September in the ground 1-2cm deep covered
with wood chippings and sawdust etc. ( 1-2 cm thick) Seeds will germinate
January-February From Lauw de Jager

(most) Narcissus seeds are low-temperature germinators after having spent
a short period of time in a warm/moist environment. These narcissi are
plants from the western Mediterranean area, where the rainy season is
primarily autumn/winter/early spring, so this mechanism stops them from
germination at the wrong time of year. You can either sow the seeds as
soon as they are ripe, or store them cool and dry over summer, (e.g. in a
fridge) and sow them in late summer. But, if you sow them too late, and
they don't get the warm end of the season, they will not germinate till
the right time next year. Don't throw them out - the seeds are reasonably
long-lived. Thinly cover the seed to about its own depth, then cover the
top of the pot with some more grit...Once they start to germinate, move
them to somewhere bright and cool, but out of direct sun. From Ian Black

Timing for sowing, Narcissus before they would naturally emerge form the
ground, ie Narcissus in Autumn. I sow into a commercially available seed
raising mix which conforms to an Australian Standard for potting mixes, it
is mainly milled pine bark. Cover the seed with crushed quartz (washed
river sand etc. this is so that rainfall doesn't dislodge the seed) and
put outside for the elements. Keep moist and they should germinate within
6 weeks, some Narcissus have taken a year for me. From Will Ashburner

In looking at my records I've haven't had great success with Narcissus
seed, so am glad for this review. I think I needed to start them earlier. I
forget that the Mediterranean rainfall is earlier in the Mediterranean
basin than in California. I have grown a few species from seed to flowering
and I don't really have the right garden for Narcissus since I don't have
enough sun to plant them in the ground. I sowed Narcissus from Nargs seed
once in February. I think someone suggested planting it and just leaving it
to your conditions rather than storing it, but I can't find that post so I
don't know exactly why I did it. It came up in March with the first bloom
this year four years later. Seed from BX 55 and Ernie O'Byrne donated late
January 2004 and planted in February came up in October that year and also
bloomed this year.

I've had worse luck with Tulipa seed, but then I generally chill my tulips
every year in my climate and haven't done that with seedlings although I
don't know if it would make a difference. The only Tulipa I have yet to
grow from seed to flowering was Tulipa clusiana. I've gotten some other
species to germinate, but they dwindle away. I probably live in the wrong
place for success.

Mary Sue

Mary Sue Ittner
California's North Coast
Wet mild winters with occasional frost
Dry mild summers