Propagation: Norm Deno's "Outdoor Treatment" - anyone try it?, 0 by

wrote:
Hi All:
I haven't been here for awhile. Too busy working full time and potting up all my Deno sown seeds that have sprouted, now growing in 6-packs. Deno to me is cold treatment in kitchen paper towel, then placed in the fridge for a certain amount of time. Sometimes twice for those that have double dormancy.

My testing of old seeds turned out to be quite a venture. I hadn't intended to sow seeds to grow, just to test. What a surprise! Then, ofcourse, I couldn't toss those babies out. The problem now is: I sowed too early for my zone 4. Do the seedlings care? No, they just keep growing. Our night temp is still below the freezing point. Today it was 60F degrees. Coming weekend---snow. Crazy!! The seeds in my coldframe should love that flunctuating temperatures. Those were sown Oct '08.

I tried something new with tiny seeds, such as Aubrieta, and Arabis. I filled two small clear plastic containers with lmoistened peat moss. Placed the seeds in the peat mix and gently mixed it in. Covered the container with lids and placed in the fridge to stratify for 1 week. They were sown 3/4/09 and sprouted 3/16/09 after placed in room temperature. I spread the peat/seed mix on the surface of the seeding flat and tamped the mix down. Stuck the flat in a plastic bag. Sure enough they began to grow.

Caption: Photo show 1/2 of what I sowed. All responded with "my" Deno method. Nice day yesterday so gave them an outing in a plastic bin, since I was off work. Back in the house for the night.