C.C. - I just nicked some of your Brug seeds and have them soaking with a drop of Clorox bleach in the water to help cut down on the mold. I'll plant them in rockwool and let you know when I get them to germinate.
I am sold!!!
Thanks cc and Donna. I thought it was used for insulation,so I will check my local DIY store for some.
I have hundreds of Cannas and a few Brugs to get started,and anyway to speed up the process and cut down on loss is greatly appreciated.
Right back at ya,Kell,LOL!
RE: If there's a consensus to set up a co-op to buy rockwool maybe I can help, as I have a resale license and can get wholesale pricing. Depending where the wholesale distributor is located the shipment can be directed to another volunteer DG member who lives in the area to further save on shipping costs. This member would then re-distribute the contents to the members of the co-op.
Wow Kell, your seedlings look great! I'm ready to jump onto the rockwool bandwagon. I have some brug seedlings growing in soil but I have many more seeds that did not germinate. After I buy more seeds, I think rockwool is definitely the way to go.
I did it! I did it! I just got home from Worms Way. I have to say they run a really neat, really clean store and the employees are very friendly (even gave my 2 year old candy.)! One is a Master Gardener and plant addict! Of course I told them way too much about Brugs and DG. :) Turns out they had a few seeds of "angels trumpets" that they had just received from a customer but hadn't put the two names together. As a rule, they don't sell plants but you should see the stuff they have growing with hydroponics! Heck, they even throw in cuttings if you buy a system. LOL I ended up just getting the plug size in trays. They are the same size as the 1.5x1.5, just without the corners. I only started with 100 plugs. I still have a few seeds from Susie and from Peggy. Anybody need help growing out a few of theirs? ;)
Congrats, 'Chele :) I'll bet that was a fun trip! I wish I were a bit closer to make it quick trip. You're REALLY going to be overloaded with plants now :)
Hi gwist ,
.......Nice to see you here.
When you plant your nicked canna seeds in the rockwool, covered and on bottom heat...Stand Back! Mine germinated in 24 hours.
Now what am I going to do with 48 cannas???
I think after this spring, we will all be re-evaluating our seed sowing habits.......LOL
§hirley
LOL Scooterbug! You can never have too many canna! I think I ended up with 90 something from seed last year. I grow one kind for the hummers and had lots of those, so I just planted all my seed growns in a big patch. The 30 something named ones went by the pond. ;)
Kell, I missed your post on the first reread. I did put one seed in the hole. But, since I didn't peel or soak, and I am also growing datura, I put a slit in each of the rockwool pieces in different spots. So, hopefully I will get at least one sprout from each piece of rockwool. If I see multiple sprouts, I'll divide immediately to avoid a tangled web :)
Great!!!...Now I need a Pond????
LOL
§
Gasp! You don't have one yet?? Let me get you the shovel! ;)
Which comes first? The pond or the green house? That's a tough one!
You can squeeze in a whole lot of cussing and get rid of a whole lot of frustration while digging the hole for free. LOL If I could have afforded the greenhouse first, I would have had it first. I could afford the pond liner (with my discount!). I already have the pond, so.... let me pass the plate for the greenhouse. ;)
Hey, I did forget to mention something really weird and interesting. One of the sales people I talked to today, said a rockwool rep, actually smeared the rockwool on his arm and said if it makes you itchy it is better to rub it in and your body/the makeup of your body will dissolve the stuff. She said he actually ate a piece too to show her that it was safe to handle and deal with! How freaky is that!?!
Well, there's a time each month that I'd not only have the energy, but the need to cuss (and, cuss a whole LOT)! I just don't think I'd have the patience to fuss with keeping the water healthy in a pond :) I think I must be pre-M or something...
Okay, how old is that sales rep at wormsway? He actually ate this stuff? That might qualify for Fear Factor or another reality show!
Back to the topic at hand ~ lol... here are my datura seedlings after just 10 days! That's a new record for me after last years attempts!
Cool, I'm going to get some started soon. I've also not had a great time with them in the past. They have always been very slow starting for me and then late blooming.
Really too cool! I may just have to start Ma Vie's seeds! My yard is going to look like a nursery this spring!
Chele, I sure hope that rockwool rep had not eaten a cucumber after he swallowed the rockwool!! LOL
thanks for the tip,scooterbug.last year I planted 20 canna seeds,but only 4 came up(thank goodness).I have close to 100 this year,and if they come up so quickly my neighbors will have to make space in their gardens,lol!
Morph: Gonna try the datura's. I've had poor germination with daturas in all the years I've planted them. Great. Now I gotta get the rockwool.
Gonna start my first dats.
.................To start with 'Dat-Dummy' bought seeds.......
Hah! Live & learn..............
1......double White ruffles with black to purple throat, a strain of Meteloides X Candida ???
2..... Datura Metel{var Ruba}. Single variety of the Datura metal double & triple flowers,cream inside,some flowers have a light green halo at first opening,with a light color lavender outside.
3.....Datura Meteloides( Double Raspberry or Black Currant Swirl). Pristine White with double black to purple throat.
I hope you have good luck. I've never had good luck with purchased seeds, but I wasn't using rockwool either. Hope this makes it easier for all of us.
That's why I was so excited about the datura germinating! They usually bloom later in the season because they take so darn long to get going in the first place! Fingers crossed that I can handle all this and get into the ground at the right times :)
Many Datura seeds are more finicky when it comes to breaking dormancy. That is why Gibberellic Acid is utilized on difficult seeds. Many Datura seeds are coated with GA-3 for a slightly higher price. Or you can purchase Gibberellic Acid separately, mix the solution, then soak your seeds in it, prior to planting them. Hopefully, that will speed up the germination process.
Wow, thanks for that tip, Shirley! I just received some seeds that were marked with that GA-3 and I had not idea what that meant. I appreciate the helpful information as I've never heard of Bibberellic Acid before.
If you want to do a little experiment on your Datura seeds. Soak & nick both varieties first, the seeds coated with GA-3 and the ones that have no pre-treatment. Plant in the same manner. Then see which seeds germinate first! The seeds coated in GA-3 should sprout within 1-3 wks. The others could take several more weeks to germinate.
Well, in anticipation of receiving brug seeds, I ordered rock wool and the pre-soak today. Are you all using domed trays or covering them with cellophane or something similar to maintain high humidity, or is that not necessary with rock wool? Please LMK. Thank you!!! Gretchen
Shirley1 , can the GA3 solution be stored for further use?
Yes, humidity is necessary to encourage a high degree of germination with any growing medium.
I still have my GA3 stored in its original bottle in a dark cool closet.
If you are asking about GA3 mixed with water, I mix only a little bit, or whatever is needed to soak the seeds and throw out the rest of the solution. I would then mix a new solution the next time I used it.
TNX
No problem! :~)
Kaufman, I am going to use Rubbermaid/Sterilite containers. My plug trays hold 50 each and will fit right inside a container.
Thanks Badseed -- I have some domed trays that I have used for traditional seed starting, and I'll use those. I just wondered if it was different with the RW.
PS: I have assorted seeds started in a cut up cellulose sponge on 1/21. I just checked and as of this moment all but one (esperanza) have germinated!!!
http://davesgarden.com/t/414786/
Well that is too cool Kaufmann. I will have to read up on that. I guess you have to catch it fast before the roots dig into the sponge. Can you post pics?
Chele, can you stick a label stick in each plug?
I bought some little rubbermaid like containers and some bigger ones. I wanted to fit all of one kind of seed in each container so I could use just one label per container. Less chance of them falling out. I picked the size of container depending on how many seeds of one kind of cross I want to germinate. I put the containers in a see thru plastic bag and close it with velcro.
Yeah, I can label each plug OR label each row. I may even do 2 seeds per plug, one on each side of the slit. I don't plan to go TOO crazy with seeds this year. Famous last words. :)
Kell
Out of about 15 that I have taken out of sponges an dpotted up, I only had one that the root got trapped into the sponge. I cut it down to about 1/4 inch cube and left it on the little root with I was repotting I am expecting by the time they change pots again that it will have pushed its way out of it.
I am having more trouble keeping things in than getting them out, but everything that is popping are the large seeds, may be different with small ones, and I am anxiously waiting to see.
Kell: I am using biodegradeble sponges and if the roots work their way through, I plan to plant the whole sponge... If it doesn't work, I'll know better next time. I am NOT going to use sponges with my brug seeds. That's what I ordered the rock wool for. As my sponge is yellow and its very difficult to see the germination at this point. Once its easily visible, I'll post a photo.
I ordered some rockwool this past week.. just sitting here waiting for it.. meanwhile, ruined a few seeds the cork was really hard and I may have used tooo much strength in peeling the seeds, got way down in there, now I know what's inside there.. Will try again. Thanks for the post above Kell, I am really learning alot here.