Coffee filter method for starting seeds

MsKatt,

BUT...........WHEN did you actually germinate the Columbine seeds???
Now in the late Fall or in early Spring? When did you put them in the newspaper pots (or any other ones) and how did you keep them all through the Winter? Of course--perennials cannot be kept indoors at all!
They need the cold of the Winter to keep their growth cycle going.
Columbines are biennial, so, from seed--they grow the first year and bloom the second year. What i was leading up to is that I have missed the "window of opportunity" to grow the seeds this Fall. Is it too late for even the coffee filter method? It HAS to be!

Thanks, Gita

Oh, sorry!! I did them late winter/early spring. Beginning of March...put them outside after the danger of frost...first week of June. This was my first year starting seeds...so I'm not expert.

Michelle

I did not know that about perennials! I have wondered if some of my plants needed to go though the winter, but I have been bringing a lot of plants into the greenhouse. How can I find out which ones need to stay out?

Gitagal,

I started my Columbines in baggies during our winter. As soon as I saw roots, they were potted up. They were about 2-3 inches high when I transplanted them in the garden, and I can't believe how much they have grown. The bigger plants are about 6 inches high - 2 months later. Now I hope to see a flower or two... holding thumbs. Maybe, just maybe....

Elsa

Thanks, Elsa,

That is good encouragement. I will try it later on.

I still don't think you will see blooms this Summer coming up, but then again--you may since you started them in the winter.

Mostly, I am confused. I don't have time to mess with seeds at this time. Maybe in November? October is such a busy month for me.

Thanks for your input ALL the way from South Africa. It is just amazing to me where, all over the World, people spend time on DG!

Best to you, Gita

Hi,
I have started alot of seed in the coffee filter. Some with great sucess. most of the brugmansia seeds are sprouting. Hurray! The larger seeds seem very slow. maybe I am doing something wrong. I have some pride of barbados seeds in the coffer filter and some in peat pots. Neither are sprouting yet. I am having a good lesson in patience. lol
Keep me posted on your progress.
Thanks
Linda

Hi Linda,
I also started some "Pride of Barbados" seeds, but I put them in a container with a little water. Changed the water every day, and after a week I could see the root protruding. I put them in some pots earlier this week, so I'm not sure how long before I'll actually see leaves, but at least I know "something is going on". LOL! I am not all that patient. I usually dig up seeds if I feel it is taking too long.... That said, I have some clematis seeds that's been "doing nothing" for almost eight months now. Will see what happens.

Elsa

Some clematis seeds can take years I have read... Kind of discouraging cause I am not that young! So I bought some plants...LOL

I also dig up seeds. That is probably the worst thing I can do but I can't stand not knowing.lol. Your right I should buy plants.lol Its so exciting to see seeds grow though. I think I am in a catch 22 . I am new to seeds except for brugs, which I grew last year. They were easy and mostly all grew. I guess I though everything would sprout as fast.
Linda

Linda you are not the only one. I started the seed-game at the beginning of this year. Every time something I sowed starts flowering it feels like watching your baby taking his/her first step.... Nothing beats the feeling. I also started taking pictures of all the different flowers I have in my garden and it is amazing how much detail goes missing if you only look at a flower. Can't believe all the "detail" that goes into each and every little flower.

Gardening keeps one humble.....

Wow! I have to tell you I've been lurking here for a few months, studying this seed starting method and just tried it for the first time a couple of nights ago. I put them in coffee filters, then in a small cardboard box on top of the fridge.

I have my first sprouts already - in 2 days! Morning Glories, no less!! I'm so impressed, and soooooo jazzed up now!! This is so cool! :)))))))))))

MG's are easy. They'll germinate right in a cup of water. Good job though, starting seeds gives you a bunch of plants to play with on the cheap if you have the time. MG's are one that take no time. Water germinate, heat, sun and they grow. No fooling around to wait until next year to see what they look like.

Yes, I have a bunch of different seeds going this way, but I was surprised about the MG 'cus the pkg said 14-28 days. I'm loving it!! :))

I tried some Cassia bicapsularis with the paper towel method (I think it's now called Senna bicapsularis. Doesn't matter---they'll change it again next month). In this case, it REALLY doesn't matter, because I think the plant was mismarked at the nursery. But I had all these seed pods dangling down from the shrub, so I figured what's to lose? Put 50 of them on a wet paper towel (I used a double folded part of the towel on the bottom, single towel on top), popped them in a baggie and threw them on the grow mat in the GH. "Full" sun (such as it is through twin-wall plastic). I was hoping to get 5 or 6 decent plants out of the mess. Four days later, I happened to notice that the previously smooth top layer of paper towel had become all bumpy looking. Opened it up, and just over 50% had sprouted roots. Couldn't believe it! I closed it back up and returned it to the mat. A week later I noticed a lot of green showing through the top layer, so I pulled them out again. The 26 early sprouters all had cotyledons, and were screaming to be planted in proper soil, so I did. Twenty two of the remaining 24 seeds had roots of varying lengths, so I folded them back up and put them back on the mat. That's a 96% germination rate! Blew me away! This Senna "?" had a srong stubby tap root that didn't get too involved with paper towel, so getting them out was relatively easy. Can't imagine how you'd get a tender, multi fine root plant out of there without taking at least some of the towel with it though. Started some Salvia and Impatiens on a Paper towel today, so I'll find out!

Wow, StonoRiver! That is excellent! Are the seeds similar to the Senna alata?

Stono,

I have heard recently that you can stand the baggies up and the roots, which grow downward of course, will not grow into the filter or paper towel.

Standing the baggies up does help with that, and the roots end up nice and straight, with no kinks in them. I use tea boxes with the tops ripped off to stand mine up in.

That sounds like a brilliant solution! It makes for a fascinating experiment. I attributed the ridiculously quick germination to the close contact with the grow mat (I laid the baggie right on the mat). Since I can't realistically suspend the grow mat, I'd lose any benefit the direct heat provided. I could suspend the baggie over the grow mat, but circulating fans that I need to keep running24/7 would dissipate the heat before it could be transfered to the baggie...
I don't know the answer to your question, Syrumani---I've never seen Senna alata seeds. I'd be glad to send you some of these so you can compare, if you'd like.