Morning Glory Germination?

I need some advice on preparing morning glory [and it's relatives] seeds. Last year [my first try] I took a pair of fingernail clippers and nicked one end off of the seed. Nicked my fingers a few times, too.
I got about two thirds of my morning glory seeds to germinate, but out of 18 cypress vine seeds, I only got one plant. There has got to be an easier way!?

after nicking alot of us soak them in warm water. a little looking foot type thing starts to show and then you plant that end in the dirt.

on smaller ones some dont even nick them just soak for a day or so then plant. i have found on smaller ones soaking over night then trying to nick them is easier.

warmth is also a helpful thing to get them going. i use bottom heat on mine after i plant them.

hope this helps

I use the baggie method with coffee filter. I nick the seeds and then fold inside a coffee filter that I lightly mist. I put inside a baggie and check every day. Some germinate in as little as 1-3 days. Other take a bit longer.
Jan...

Hey Skyeblu: Chipping can be hazardous to your health. I've had lots of experience and lots of scars to prove it. I also lost a lot of seeds when they took flight. The thing that finally worked for me was to use a pair of pliers with a coating of latex paint or latex mold material on the pinching end. You could probably use rubber glue or Goop as well. They make a great non-skid surface and you can finally get a decent grip on the seeds. I use several different tools to do the actual cut. It depends on what is handy. I no longer use a knife or razor. The Dremel is great with a cutting wheel but if it's not handy I can put a cutting wheel in a battery operated 4-in-1 rotary tool I got at Harbor Frieght for a couple of bucks on sale. Actually I think I bought 6 of them because they come in so handy for so many different things. The grinding tips that come with it do fine too. It's just a wider cut. You will know you are just about to penetrate the seedcoat when the color of the cut is a light brown or tan. Slow down when that happens or you could go too far and damage the insides. Jessamine

Thanks all!
Last year, I thought I read that someone poured boiling water on the seeds. Is that correct, or is that way too hot?

I nick mine and soak in water...They'll usually start to geminate in the water. Then I pop them in the soil. Warmth really helps MG's they love it!

hhhhmmm.........do you suppose Mother Nature nick's her seeds too?

Sorry, couldn't resist.

Ok, so I'm a thread killer. So sorry!

I pop mine into a small jar with a piece of rough sandpaper cut to fit around the inside. Shake, shake, shake-with the lid screwed on tight, LOL!!!
Works like a charm. Then soak in warmish water overnight.
Boiilng water is way too hot!! Ma nature's water doesn't get that hot!!

LOL Cherish! My hubby saw me using sandpaper on seeds once and needed an explanation. Then his comment was "So where do you suppose the sandpaper butt bug lives?". I about fell off my chair. The things we do to imitate nature! LOL

For MGs and family, I also either nip the shell or poke with a pin and soak, or do the baggie method. One thing I like about presprouting is not wasting time or $$ seed mix on dead seeds.

LOL That is too funny. I understand WHY we do it. The thought had just crossed my mind and I thought it was funny. Probably if one were to simply sow the seed in the fall, it might work but it might take two years too. I'm not willing to wait that long.

Last year I soaked a paper towel in a water laced with peroxide bath. Left it dripping and laid the morning glory and cypress vine seeds in it. Folded it up and put it in a zi[plock bag. Checked the next day, there were a few and the second day they were all rooted. With at least a half inch foot , root, or. . . . .

Jeanette

Was that without chipping or sanding, Jeanette?

I found if I try too hard on seeds, I will be disappointed. In June I planted MG seeds at the base of a tree, tied some strings up the tree for climbing and within 2 months this is what I got. By the first of September I was getting more seeds from these plants.

No nicking, soaking, sanding, just a kiss and a prayer.

Molly
:^)))

Gonna try that peroxide method. Sounds real easy.
How much peroxide to how much water?

I lay a fine piece of sandpaper on a flat surface and just push the seed back and forth with my finger to make the outer coating thinner.
If you nick the seed tip with a clipper you might take off too much.
With the large moonflower ones that are hard as a rock I put them in a pliers, in the deepest part. And gently close it until I hear a crack. I only soak them for a few hours as they start to germinate and then grow if I do this overnight like the smaller seeds.
Edited to say I put the seed in a baggie with a little water and place it in a warm place like the top of my fridge to germinate. Just do not forget about them or you will have them growing!

This message was edited Dec 20, 2004 12:11 AM

I tried that nicking thing the first time I planted morning glories . . .since then, I have just soaked them, about 4-5 hours in warm water and planted. I have had no problems with germination doing it that way. The only thing I have to nick to get to germinate is a morning glory BUSH seed - those babies are way too hard! I can't even nick them before soaking them for a while!

good luck!

Onalee

I tried nicking last year and had good luck with it, but when I switched to the peroxide/distilled water soak, I did much better.

I did most all my larger seeds by that method.

distilled water and 10% peroxide and soaked without nicking. I had very good luck using this method and it was easier than anything else I had tried.

Fortunately, I haven't had any trouble getting Morning Glories to grow, the problem I have is getting rid of them...at least wherever I had them the year before...I'm sure everyone else feels the same...mine just come back in larger doses...

I have two types (which was a mistake) cause one of the species (unknown mixed) has foliage that is horrible and turns yellow quickly no matter where I put it... and the other type is beautiful large pale blue flowers with incredible foliage (leaves)...I just love this one and haven't been able to get rid of the other stuff...but I'm determined this year to pull every one of those babies before they come up this spring and start fresh again...

I bought the blue ones from Parks Seeds and I'm going to try and locate them again...they were just perfect for my area and grew so rapidly...

TaTa!
Rose in Texas

So glad I joined.... you guys have got me crackin up! Do you really get a pair of plyers with shoe glue on the end to keep your seeds from taking flight?
LOL - Now there's somebody that really loves Mornin Glories!!

I have always remembered with pleasure the description an aquaitence from Hawaii gave me of wood rose seeds in nature. The seed (very large and thick skinned) falls into a stream flowing through rocks formed from lava. The rapidly moving water bashed the seed repeatedly against the rock and eventually the seed coat is broken and the seed absorbs water and splits the rest of the seed coat. Now I have never been to Hawaii but the journey sounds right to me. Jessamine

This is late for you, but I have great succes in soaking my AM Glory seeds in hot tap water, overnight. The next day they have sprouted and I plant those in jiffy pots and keep in my greenhouse till they look like plants. Then I plant outdoors, warm weather, of course, all chance of frost gone. I have to kkep watch over them because tiny insects eat them up and then no AM glories for a year. Good luck