"Dediacted gardeners only, need apply..."

I recently bought some packets of half-price seeds in from a catalogue, with an eye on the gardening prospects for next year. Amongst the selection are Carex: Flagillifera but reading the growing instructions I am having serious second thoughts! "Sow seeds and seal container in polythene at 15-20 (60-68)degs for 2 weeks. Then, place container in fridge for 5 weeks. Following this, return to original temperature...germination can be slow...if nothing in 8 weeks at warmer temp, return to fridge for further 5 weeks". If all these steps prove necessary, I make that a total of...20 weeks! For outside planting, I'd need to start these seeds in...January, I think! As i say: Dedicated gardeners, need only apply!

 

I will advice you to strictly follow those instructions so that you will have good results

 

O, absolutely! I guess for perenials, it's the price you have to pay!

 

Oh, you're far braver than me, Sharon. I'd read the instructions, go outside and dig up a baby flower border and sow them there in late autumn. If Mother Nature is good, she'll provide the freeze-thaw-treatment needed for the seeds to sprout. If not, well, no harm done. I'd have managed to kill them anyhow. Did I mention I'm totally hopeless at sowing?

 

I guess I could do both methods, actually! Ta for the good thought!

 

I would do as Droopy and if it works yea and if it don't oh well you tried I wouldn't have the patience for all that other.

 

I'd probably forget when I put them in the refrigerator or even that they were there. dooley

 

Sharon
I know where you are coming from!! This was the first year I have ever started snap dragons from seed. They are a little finicky also They did germinate and I was excited about that but they are VERY slow doing anything else. From now on I'll just buy them half grown!
Deanna
:-D

 

Well, I feel a renewed determination now, to get these lil babies started and I will try both methods. There's no picture on the seed packet, so I can't even recall what attracted me about them! Anyways, will add an update as and when; thanks all!

 

The Carex is a lovely ornamental grass. Check it out at Thomson & Morgan.

 

If the seed pack says to put in the fridge, the seeds usually have very hard seedcoats. The feezing/thawing helps to crack it. There are excellent suggestions on the wintersown site.

www.wintersown.org

 

Thank you for the T & M link; it was their catalogue I ordered the seeds from, coincidentally.I also bought Grass: Quaking and some very feathery Amaranthus: Autumn Palette; if these are successful, there should be a lot of contrasting foliage and flower-heads. If the seed is really hard, maybe it would pay to juat soak them overnight?

 

I would soak the seeds overnight first.

 

If you are soaking them overnight, use a weak tea instead of plain water. Lipton, Tetley, or Typhoo work great. There are things in tea that weaken the seed coat too.