TOPIC: last years poor seed germination in the spring

Hello everyone
Last year there were many of us that experienced poor germination of the seed from certian dealers. The question of poor sratification came up and they hoped maybe next season they would germinate.
So here we are next spring and I am interested in how these gardens are doing this year?

Guy

Guy, I have noticed most of my beds are comming up this spring from the seed you are talking about, so I guess it was definately green seed instead of stratified. I am kinda surprised since it was so dry last summer.

I need to go up the mountain patch and look soon. Nice posting, Lenno, good topic

Definitely better this year. The seed looked better when I got it last fall, and germination is a whole lot better, though it took its sweet time. A few seedlings came up early, about the same time the older roots started coming up, and I was thinking - here we go again. But, last weekend, they started popping up everywhere.

Last year was a disaster in terms of germination, maybe 10% came up. I am seeing a few from last year coming up for the first time this year, as I left a couple of patches from last year alone to see if this would happen.

Folks, we have all had trouble with germination/emergence at some point or the other. Lets not get too quick to suggest we were being cheated by a dealer selling green seed when we bought stratified seed. One of the more common things that happen with perennial seed is delayed germination.

When you get your seed, don't put it in the refridgerator. Keep it cool, but not cold. I would also suggest avoiding adding water and get it planted as soon as possible...even in early September. There is enough moisture in the ground to keep the seed from dying. If you keep it for an extended time, or let it get too cold before putting it in the ground, it might go into a delayed germination. That subjects it to any disease or predation while in the ground an extra year which can harm your germination rates considerably.

Now, I'm sure I've gotten green seed from a dealer in the past too. I'm not saying it can't happen, I'm just saying be sure before you acuse someone of being dishonest. Stuff happens sometimes and it might not be your dealer's fault that it happened to you that particular time.

That said, my SELECT beds started coming up this weekend and are now starting to look better. There are still a lot of little seedlings to make it through the straw before I'll be comfortable though.

I'm pretty sure that this wasn't a dealer issue. Others reported on here that they had good results from the same vendor that I saw some weak germination with. And the weak germination didn't come from one specific dealer, it was reported with seeds from a couple of very reputable vendors. I multisourced seeds last fall, and they all seem to be coming up.

Have to wonder if this wasn't an environmental or climate factor, something that slowed the stratification process or otherwise faked the seeds out.

On the other hand, if rasing sang was easy, everyone would be doing it.

johno, sounds like maybe localized weather conditions or something. I know our weather was sure strange last year as far as moiture patterns, etc. Of course, this early spring is strange this year, too. Right now, my plants are all looking good. We'll see how things are in a month or two!

Guy,

A couple weekends ago (actually on Good Friday) I checked several of my seed beds including the ones I planted that seed in year before last that we suspected was green (or at least not properly stratified) and I did see several first year 3 leafers up in those beds. So at least some of that seed made it thru another year and is coming up this year.

I expect the next time I check (hopefully this weekend) to see more of that up.

I did see lots of nice 2 prongs up in my 2nd spring stuff and was glad to see that.

Below is a pic of one of the best I found.

TNhunter

I just checked my beds today, alot of last year's ungerminated seed are popping up as well. I assume it wont be the stand I had hoped for last year but they are still coming... Alot are just now poking through, I would think the delay is probably due to the dry weather we have had so far.

Hillhopper

On a better note... here are a few pics of the two year plants that did germinate last year