germination of South African Romulea?
James Hitchmough (Fri, 05 Mar 2010 05:11:16 PST)

Mary Sue

Do you think there were any obvious patterns in this: for example did
home produced seed typically germinate quicker or more fully than
commercial seed of unknown age, or did it all seem much of a
"muchness". Did the commercial seed germinate more in the second year
than fresh home seed?

Best wishes

James

Ittner wrote:

I have had good germination from autumn sown seed of most species
of winter growing Romulea. There are some species that have proven
difficult to impossible but looking over my data base most seed sown
in September through early December came up in 4 to 6 weeks. It is
one genus that in my experience has often come up in the second year
if it doesn't come up in the first year. I just leave my pots out so
they dry off once it stops raining here usually in May in Northern
California. They stay dry until it starts raining again sometime in
the fall. I don't treat the seed of this genus in any special way to
assist in germination.

Many South African irids are reported to need a fluctuation in night
and day temperatures to assist in germination. They get that where I
live for fall started seed since we often have warm sunny days in the
fall, but it cools down a lot at night.

Mary Sue

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

--
Dr James Hitchmough
Professor of Horticultural Ecology
Department of Landscape
University of Sheffield
S10 2TN UK