Rich, The photos of Veratrum seedlings you took are typical of first year seedlings. In the greenhouse here the cotyledon continues to grow typically until about late August, when it goes quickly dormant, leaving the beginnings of a small rhizome. I'm surprised your seedlings have gone dormant so early. The first true leaf will appear next spring. I have never tried inducing a second flush of growth with GA abd would be curious to hear how you get on if you try this. Veratrum is so slow from seed that any method of speeding up development in the first couple of years would be useful. Slugs are a real menace at the seedling stage. Tom > > Bulbsters > > I've finally broken dormancy and gotten good germination in Veratrum californicum. This year, I made 2 plantings one in greenhouse flats and another in the field. Last week, all the seedlings in the greenhouse trays started to go down and appeared at first glance damped off. However on closer exam have formed what looks like a bulb that when dissected has an apparent bud inside. > > http://flic.kr/p/bZVKnm/ > > ?First true leaf? > Specimens in the field still look good but since is cooler conditions may duplicate gh specimens soon. > > http://flic.kr/p/bZVJHE/ > > Is this a normal development sequence in Veratrum? Can I expect these 'buds' to sprout again this year? They seem to be behaving like Dodecatheon where cotyledons die back the first year to a fleshy underground structure. This year on Dodecatheon seedlings we have tried a treatment with gibberelic acid in attempt to dleay dieback and cause a second flush of growth, as is reported in literature. Might be worth a try with some of the standing seedlings? > > Rich Haard > Bellingham, Wa., > > > > ------------------------------ > > _______________________________________________ > pbs mailing list > pbs@lists.ibiblio.org > http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php > > > End of pbs Digest, Vol 112, Issue 24 > ************************************