stratification question...

Right now I have about 60 tree seeds in the fridge but I am a little confused about stratification. When they are ready to plant will the seeds have started to sprout or not? If not will they still sprout if left in there too long, say, two months?

No. They need to warm up to sprout. The whole object is to have the seeds go through winter. Cold then warm and they sprout. I have some in my fridge right now. I potted them up and watered, put a ziplock on to seal the pot. I'm waiting 6 weeks then out they come with bag still on into the warm and light. Seed will think spring is here time to grow.

Or at least that's what I'm doing.

Is it too late to start Aquilegia seeds in the fridge?

What Aquilegia do you have? Some are warm germinators so don't need fridge time.

I have Aquilegia vulgaris 'William Guiness'
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/31519/

And acutally, I just now got back from lunch with another pack of seeds of Aquilegia caerulea 'Red Star'
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/31542/

The William Guiness package said it did need stratification, but the Red Star says it can be started indoors and doesn't mention stratification.

This is the guide I use. http://tomclothier.hort.net/ It doesn't appear that stratification is required for vulgaris but cool temperatures certainly are. I grew 'red star' from seed. It's definitely a warm germinater. You are going to love it. It's so pretty

Thanks for the link dahlia! I've just started seed germination this year so that link will come in very handy for me. And I've just gotten interested in Columbines so I'm glad to know I can at least get the Red Star going, and I'll just try to have fun getting the William Guiness to grow.

your welcome miatablu. I find that one really works well for perennials for me.

dahlianut aka miatared :)

Do you have a Miata? Mine's actually British Racing Green now since I got a another one after I was in an accident last October. Thought about asking Dave to change my member name to just Miata, but everyone here's use to me being Miatablu. And I absolutely love my new/old one, but I'm still 'blu' about losing my old one.

I read your post on the other forum and saw your fabby pics of your new one. I have a 1992 red one. I LUV IT!!! I think you should keep miatablu as a tribute to your old friend.

Very Cool! You know I love mine, because I couldn't even face a spring without one. I imagine your top down season is as short as your garden growning season though.
Miatablu aka Miatnut!

Sorry Herby, didn't mean to highjack your thread.

I winter sowed some Aquelegia vulgaris seeds about this time last year that had been stored in the fridge for just a couple of weeks, and they did fine. So either cold germination isn't a "must" or that little bit of cold storage and cool spring nights did the trick. We've still got some frosty nights in the forecast, so I put out some winter sowing containers of A. vulgaris and A. falbellata just last week. :-)

Critter, since I'm already running out of space under my lights, I'll give it a try.

We'll have to do a little columbine seedling swap, if we're successful! Last summer was really hard on my little seedlings, and most of my winter sown ones didn't make it... :-( Also, for some reason those leaf miners really attacked my columbine seedling flats hard! Hopefully I'll be able to nip that in the bud this year.