What can you,not germinate,but won't give up?

I'm having no success with Stephanotis floribunda, Murraya paniculata, and sweet peas. That's what popped into my mind, but there are plenty more that don't seem to do well for me. Tamara

zone5girl,

I usually pre-soak my sweet peas. Sometimes up to four days, changing the water everyday. Once I am happy that the seeds are plump I sow them either in pots or directly in the beds. I know a lot of gardeners add compost and prepare the beds in advance, but I just plant them in the flower beds, give them water and feed them if I remember!

Good luck,
Elsa

Get one plant from a friend or purchase one and you will have HUNDREDS the next year. I started with one Cleome and one Snow on the mountain in the late summer 2 years ago and now have Thousands of seedlings of both plants. I have started either pulling them up or giving them to everyone I know or both!

Peggy P

Thanks, Elsa!
Peggy, that's how my Rose of Sharon and hollyhocks are! TAmara

This message was edited Apr 7, 2007 8:41 PM

Flowering Maple. Can anyone give me some hints?

Check here - http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/703189/

Gosh, thanks. I'll try that

I wasn't able to start cleome until this year... not entirely sure what made the difference, but I have tons of babies growing. They're just about ready to be potted up! I wonder how well they'd ship, I would be happy to share once they get a little bigger.

http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/714237/


The plant that I've tried and failed to propagate is evergreen clematis. I've taken cuttings for three years now, and failed to ever strike even ONE. I think those poor cuttings must number in the hundreds by now! lol I'm trying again this year, and currently have a couple dozen sitting in sand waiting for some roots to grow.

Why don't you experiment and put some in water and use rootone or dip n grow and put directly in potting soil.

I just found my first ever delphinium seedling yesterday! Woo hoo! Tamara

Blue imps blue imps blue imps!!!!! Why won't you grow?

Mike

blue impatiens, blue impatiens
how little I know.

I also have problems with larkspur. It'll germinate, actually, but then that's the end of it. I know I'm supposed to plant it in the fall, but I have done it over and over to no avail. Other people find it the easiest thing in the world to grow. I don't get it!

I have no luck with petunias... this was my second year trying them... I ended up with four plants.... about the same last year

not sure what I am doing wrong.... but it makes me want to cry reading all the posts on how easy they are to grow... I was in the thanksgiving seed swap and received four packets of double white datura.... every single one said not beginner friendly and had no problem getting them going and staying.... but "easy" petunias.... ::::boo hoo:::::

Petunia seed is tiny, and it needs light to germinate. Mix it with course sand and surface sow. Very little seed goes a long way. The sand helps get even distribution, hold seed in place when misting, and allows light to reach the seed. I start mine indoors fairly early in the spring using a propagation tray inside a domed flat. I keep the surface misted with water to keep moist.

Does anyone grow Mrs. Willmotts Ghost from seed? I said before I have two jugs I have three really still haven't germinated they are on top of the soil and I haven't let them go dry out and I have them on the north side of the house I planted them Feb. 26th, I have other eryngium and they are coming up fine, I really want this plant :-)

Hey Le bug.. Sow them on sandy compost. Stick a little sand or sowlite over them and then in the fridge for 3 Months. Then into the greenhouse for 3 months then if no show back to the fridge etc etc etc.....
Or just sow as above but but a little sharp grit on top and leave outside in all weather...

Be patient.... There is a reason they are called Miss willmots ghost! lol

Mike

Thanks Mike I thought about asking you lol I've had them sowed for about three months I'll try some sand they are in jugs I really hate putting those in the frige I guess I could resow them in a seed tray they're just sitting on top of the dirt. I don't have a greenhouse :( I do have the little big lots ones.

By the way my others have come up from you thanks! Can't wait to see there blooms next year and I got some red verbena too :-) Your ARE the man!

thanks for the advice weezingreens.... do you use a heat mat?... and do you put the sand on top of starting mix... or just use the sand alone

Allison

PS... I am loving the monkey flowers.... thanks again

I've tried Dictamnus--with no luck-- for two years now. I wintersowed. I soaked. I scarified. I tried various combinations of the above. Those little beady seeds just refuse to cooperate. Ugh. These plants are very hard to find in garden centers. The nearest source is a two hour drive. Double ugh.

Also Alstromeria-- but I see that was answered in an earlier post.

Twice this year I have planted osteospermum, and nothing has come up. I covered it very lightly, kept it moist, domed, a couple of inches from the lights, but nothing. I'm wondering if the third time will be the charm. I just love those blue eyes.

I've also failed at dusty miller - two germinated out of about 24 seeds, and I finallly lost interest. I actually just bought a flat at HD for .99 each. Four o'clock never showed. Lantana never germinated either.

Dusty Miller are supposed to have a very low germination rate, as I recall.

I'll be sowing dusty miller again later this year so i'll see how i get on! Hopefully i get a few i need about 50'ish

Mike

Keep us posted, Mike... of course, there is more than one plant with the common name of Dusty Miller.

I wintersowed my Senecio cineraria 'Silver Dust' and had very good germination. I always tell people to try to same seeds in a different brand if you are having a lot of problems...sometimes it makes all the difference in the world. Tamara

Sorry yeah i was going with Senecio for dusty miller.
I can go with the brand thing as well. You have to watch though as some seeds are often bought and traded by the seed companies so often if you have problems one year they may all be from the sme crop! especially if they are uncommon items.

Mike

I could not get Eucalyptus seedlings to survive and murdered two different sowings of it. I did finally give up, but only for this year....

And Salpiglossis was another challenge - I ended up with two plants out of the dozen or so that I started.

Joanne

I grew dusty miller just under lights for a couple of years and they germinated good wish I had started some this year. I'm pretty sure they were wal mart brand.

Never did have any luck with my Miss Wilmott's Ghost lol There is always next year lol Still hae my containers outside though. My blue impatients didn't germinate for me either :-(

Nah blue imps grrrrrr...... what do i have to do to make you germinate??????

Last year I got three seeds out of ten this year none! If I ever get any more seeds I'm going to soak them in H202 before I plant them. And this fall I'm going to look high and low for a giant sea holly plant! lol

I'll have hundreds of seeds this autumn... i'll send you some. Just throw them somewhere in the garden that stays damp and gets some frost..

Kaliedoscope Four O'Clocks. I've gone through 8 pkgs. I soak 'em, file 'em, plant 'em in seed mix or dirt or coco coir- all no luck. Everyone says they're ridiculously easy to grow. I swear I'm gonna get someone else to germinate them for me.

Maggie

I'm sorry Mike I missed your post that would be great! Thank you so much! I really do want this plant lol How big does the plant get Mike I have all kinds of seedlings from the others you sent, she says with a big smile!

Maggie, I sympathize. I wintersowed a whole package of Four O'Clocks (different variety than yours) and got ONE seedling! LOL. Of course, they're considered a "tender annual" in our climate, so they may just not appreciate being wintersowed.

Joanne

Four o'clocks comin up like weeds this year! Whats all that about? Self sown... so don't blame me!

Le Bug... i have a few different eryngium species i'll send a selection if they set seed this year..... i'm a long way off yet though. You will have to remind me though... brain like a sieve!

Mike

I have lots of 4 o'clocks that return every year. I pull some of them up! But I want Kaleidoscope (stamping feet and pouting);-)

Maggie

Oh no! two forgetful minds, may make it lol More to drive me crazy lol I have a bed I made up last fall for them all Mike bring them on! lol I love these plants so do my finches :-) They get most of my seeds lol