Gastil (Wed, 07 Mar 2012 07:51:00 PST) Re: "Eric - will you please explain how you use the petri dish?" My use of a petri dish is nothing like as sophisticated as yours. I only use them for Pelargonium seed because I receive these, either from Silverhill or The Geraniaceae Group seed exchange, in the middle of winter. Sometimes I will get only 1 or 2 seeds and it is easier to manage them in a petri dish in my study than in a heated propagator in the greenhouse. Until this year I used kitchen paper towel as a substrate but was worried that I might be damaging root hairs when lifting the seedlings off so I have used a layer of presoaked Perlite instead. Germination has been good but survival by seedlings of the transfer to a pot of compost has been no better or predictable than in previous years. Its always the seeds in short supply that fail. Saved seed, eg from plants that I have already and don't really want more, does wonderfully. NB Please note spelling of my name. I am used to Brits getting it wrong, even when typed and on my letter heading, but I did think it would be more familiar in the US. Erle North Wales . Spring is hovering with Narcissi well out and Erythronium appearing fast