help needed: Hibiscus moscheutos seeds

I have been successful in growing a lot of things from seed over the years, including the dust-like seeds of African violets. So what can be my problem with hardy hibiscus? They've been in for over a month now, in damp seed stating mix, 65-70 degrees under fluorescent lights (4 inches) and covered to keep moisture in. Nothing. I have about 10 seeds left I am considering for winter sowing (zone 5) this week.

Any recommendations or observations?

Grayson

Did you scarify the seeds? I just read that the seed coat is hard and may need scarification to aid in germination. If the seeds were fresh then I would expect quick germination (at least that is what happened last summer when I collected seed off 3 different hardy hibiscus and sowed them in clay soil - I got very good germination within a week of all 3).

I will try that with my remaining 10 seeds. I just read that winter-sow is not necessary

Thanks
Grayson

Grayson, it miet be that you have to much moister, I would take the cover off. Hib seeds tend to rot easily if to wet.

Wilfred

Photo of how I have my seed planted.

They look great, Wilfred

How long did it take them to sprout after planting them?
Grayson

Usually seeds take between a week to three weeks to germinate depending on the weather Grayson.

Wilfred

Here are a few more I've have germinated using this method

garyon,
Here is how I started hardy Hibiscus seeds last winter.

I nicked, then soaked in hand hot water over night. I then cut a kitchen paper towel in half. Fold the half towel twice. Wet it and squeeze excess moisture. You want it moist, not wet.

Place your seeds in the center of the towel, fold one end over the seeds twice. Place this in a zip lock baggie. Zip it closed but leace 1/2" open at one end. Blow it up like a balloon, then quickly zip it close. The air inside will stay if the tracks are correctly lined up. It prevents the towel from sticking to the plastic sides.

Place the package at room temp. Or on top of a frridge, where it is warmer, to germinate. Mine sprouted in 2 days.

Here are the sprouted seeds still in the paper towel just prior to planting up. I used tweezers to hold the seedling.

Here is one of the plants 2 years later.

Thanks, everyone. I have a few seeds left and I will scarify, soak and bag them tonight and tomorrow.

Way to go Blomma, thanks for helping Grayson, I'll try that with some off my tropical hibs seeds next time to see what happens, and you hib looks fantastic.

Wilfred

You are both welcome and WQP thanks for the compliment.

My method of starting seeds, called the Deno method, is the only method for starting seed I use now. I use on all types of seeds with better germination than when I used soil. Even daylily seeds do well this way.

I used this method the first time to test perennial seeds I have had since 2002 to 2006. I was amazed at how well it worked. That is what sold me on this method. What is great is that no wasted seeds, just use a few more than the number of plants you want. Also, they seeds are in no danger to dry out. Just check seeds daily after the 3rd day. Sprouting can happen over night. You don't want the rootlets too long before planting.

If stratification (cold moist) is needed, stick the baggie in the fridge for 3 weeks. Works for daylily seeds.

Small or tiny seeds, I mix with moist peatmoss in a baggie, or plastic container. When they germinate just transfer the peat/seed to potting mix to continue growth. Just gently pat the mix down so it is in contact with the soil. I started Delosperma (iceplants) that way and the seeds were more like dust. It worked great.

This message was edited Mar 14, 2010 9:16 PM

WQP a few seedlings?? on your post above. Holy cow, what will you do with them all? I'm assuming they are all Hibs.

Although not Hibs, I am posting the photo of daylilies sprouted in paper towel just to illustrate what can be expected. They are now 6" high growing under lights. Will interesting to see what blooms I will get.

I say a few seedling cause they are only part of what I have as you can see from the photo below Blomma, and yes they are all tropical hibs seedling, I lost about a hundred to insects, birds, rats, iguanas that like to eat them, too much rain at certain time last year, rain was a killer.

And you haven't seen my Desert Rose seedling or my Amaryllis seedling, have around 60 types of amaryllis and I had them bloom almost all at the same time so I cross pollinated them all to see what would happen not thinking the would all set seed pods, from 4 to 6 seed pods each plant and each pod had 20 to 30 seeds in them so at the end I had thousands of seeds but only had time to plant a few hundred of them rest of seeds were lost as they have a short life cycle. Now I just have to wait two to three more years to see what come out of the Amaryllis seed I planted as I do with the Tropical Hibs, At least the Desert Rose takes only a year to bloom, only have about two hundred since I given a lot of seeds to some friends I have, use to though away the seeds since I didn't have the time to plant them and they also have a short life cycle, right now have only few seed pods left on DR plants, but I have had from time to time more than 50 bods on them and each pod can produce 20 to 70 seeds.

Now to answer you question, { what will you do with them all } easy, Go Crazy trying to transplant them all into individual pot to let them grow for two or three years to see what comes out of them.

Wilfred

Wilfred, I wish i had your yard, and your paicents to wait years for a flower... Hell i wish i could keep a hibiscus alive over the winter but that seems two year in a row to not be possible..
jen

Wilfred, you must have a lot of space for pots. The most I have ever sown is 12 of each variety of perennials. Ofcourse it adds up when I do several different varieties. Usually it is 6 for me, and 6 for my daughter.

As far as waiting those years for blooms, I figure that the years will pass by whether or not you sow the seeds. I am sowing Iris seeds and they too take their time blooming from seed. Likewise Daylily seeds.

From the sounds of it, I think you are addicted to seeds, or seed sowing. LOL! You live in a much warmer growing zone than I so it is understandable. Do you garden 12 months per year? If I lived in a warm zone, I would probably garden myself to death.

Lilly

I can imagine a Dr. Seus cartoon of Wilfred's house with fifty million pots of plants all over the place stacked up and lined up and all over everything. Chairs all full, even a row balanced on the back of the chairs. One little spot clear on the corner of his bed so he can sleep curled up. One burner on the stove, the rest of the stove has plants on it.

Oh, and don't open the frige!

The seeds I placed on filter paper and put in a plastic bag show no signs of germinating. However, the ones I gave up on and then placed outside for "winter-sow" have started to sprout.

garyon,
I didn't use filter paper. It is too hard and don't hold the moisture. I used kitchen paper towels.

Did you nick first, then soak over night?

When I've tried that method, the roots were always so stuck to the paper towel. Any suggestions for that?

blomma:

They were so small I couldn't get hold of them, so I rubbed them against sandpaper and then soaked them. Should I dry them off and start again, or have I messed them up? I should have followed the instructions as you gave them to me.

Thanks
Grayson

Molamola
I sure do. Just tear the paper around the roots and plant all. The paper will rot. Also, I try not to wait that long before I plant.

garyon
Sandpaper works also as long as it broke the outer seed shell. Are you talking about Hibiscus seeds which are not that small?

Use a tweezer on small seeds and and a nail clipper to nick with. Tiny seeds don't need nicking. Only those with a hard seed coat do.

Don't dry them off. Just follow my directions. The seeds should be fine. If they are already soaked, just continue with the Deno method in paper towel.

If it's any help, I put several winter sow containers of hib moscheutos out about 3 weeks ago, and they germinated in about a week, and are growing in abundance now. I didn't soak or scarify them before putting them out. Just placed the containers in a warm sunny area. The only advantage I might have given them was that the warm, sunny spot was on top of my hot tub, so the constant heat from that probably acted like a seed heating mat and helped give them a jump start.

If you run out of seeds, I have some hardy hib seeds from my grandmothers plants that I'd be happy to share. I don't have the particular species, but suspect they are also moscheutos. Let me know and I'll check and see what colors I have. I think there are red and white seeds left from what I sowed myself.

Can I send SASE? I would like to try again.

Grayson

Sure, I'm in the exchange. Just drop me a dmail when you send it so I can be on the lookout for it.

Thank you jlj for reiterating what I said earlier - no special needs are really needed for sowing and germinating hardy hibiscus seeds.