Starting Seeds in Sponges Experiment

PudgyMuddpies, I sure know what you mean about that watched pot. I have some Woods Rose seeds I'm trying to germinate in a paper towel... they're not showing any signs at all, even after cold storage. But then I just went searching the Net for information about starting roses from seed and was told it can take as much as two YEARS. My pot of patience will have boiled dry by then, I'm sure.

One of those pages recommended cold stratification and leaving the seeds in there until they begin to germinate -- right in the refrigerator. Certainly the Ponderosa Pines I had stratifying have started to sprout, tucked right in their bags in the veggie bin. Has anyone had slow-to-germinate seeds that sprouted in the fridge?

nowheat,
.........Which wood rose are you trying to start? I nicked and planted Hawaiian baby wood rose, Argyreia nervosa, in RW cubes and they have all germinated within a week =)
Hugz,
§hirley


Edited::: sorry 'bout that... I miss-read your wood'S' rose ..LOL



This message was edited Jan 26, 2004 3:18 PM

Last year I planted wood rose seeds in soil after soaking for a day and they came up in about 4 days. Grew like weeds. It takes them up to two years to bloom.

I think nowheat is talking about Woods Rose
http://www.cwnp.org/photopgs/rdoc/rowoodsii.html

I just plant some wild rose seeds that had to be soaked, then cold strat for 90 days, then nicked and planted. And they too are supposed to be slow starters. I know what you mean about " My pot of patience will have boiled dry by then, I'm sure." I feel the same. Hope my labels don't wear out before they sprout or I will never remember what they were! LOL


This message was edited Jan 25, 2004 7:10 PM

Sorry, I'm going to have to read a little closer in the future. That is a pretty one. Thanks for the link and getting me back on track. LOL!

Wow, this forum is just great with advice... I'm not very good at propagation and when I've started seeds in the past it's been in dirt. This looks *so* much better since you can see what's happening. Here's hoping that everything sprouts up for you all!

Ok after a little convincing, yesterday I cut up some sponges and decided to try out this method with my new "rarer" morning glories. Thanks for the nudge Donna!!

Well Laurrie, if nothing else, you win a prize for having the prettiest medium! :)

Ok that photo was from 1:24 pm yesterday. I woke up this morning, did my usual routine, then checked in on them. 8 am and here is what i found already!!!!! It works wonderful, this has got to be the most rewarding thread around ;)

Here is just one of MANY that germinated overnight!!
I also had a normal "house" heating pad under this since yesterday.

LOL Badseed, that is the only color I had!!! maybe they were just happy with those colors!!

Hi, PM. Wow, I didn't know there were that many Stockton's. We are the one that almost blew away in a tornado last May. Where in So. Cal. is Stockton? I lived in the San Bernardino area for 11 years, and Stockton kinda sounds familiar.

It's in Northern CA, pretty much east of San Francisco and south of Sacramento, in the Central Valley. I was just in that area visiting a friend this weekend (she lives closer to Linden); it was very pretty out there.

I had no idea there were that many Stocktons! I guess it makes sense with all the stock there's been in the US....

Very pretty. So it's not in So. Cal., but the zone is still 9a. I'll bet the weather is really nice, then, without the heat of So. Cal. summers?
Flit, you're more in the area that I lived, except you're on the coast. That tends to moderate the heat some, does it not?

Congratulations Ohio
They all look great and I love your sponges, they are so pretty.
I am about to do side by side experiments with rockwool and both types of sponges to see what works the best for different things.
I think probably the rockwool is going to be the best for the daturas. I thought I saw some roots starting on mine a few days ago, but I must have been seeing things. I believe I saw one seed that was starting to germinate today, but now I am having doubts about my vision.
Good luck to you with all of your babies!!!

It gets pretty hot in the Central Valley in the summer... I've been in 112 heat in Davis, which isn't hugely far away from there. I'd have to ask my friend how hot it gets at her place near Stockton. But it's a pretty dry heat IIRC. They get that cool ground fog that's a pain to drive through but looks really neat, at night, and her house stayed misty even late into the day... there was frost on everything in the morning but it's gorgeous and green right now.

Where I live it's a Mediterranean climate, which I adore. The sea keeps us warm in the winter and cool in the summer. We get rather foggy summers (morning fog), I guess 70s through 90s, and then these gorgeous clear autumns which are like summer but the evenings are nippy enough to keep it from getting sweltering the next day. The best time of year is September and October, with clear days but before the rains. Right now it's in the low 50s/high 40s, probably, which is good because our heater blew out over the weekend and isn't fixed yet. :)

I've seen it snow here, um... once, and once in a neighboring town on the other side of the hills. It snows somewhat in the neighboring mountains but we're not very far above sea level. It frosts over more often than that, but since cold and rain don't usually go together here we just don't get snow. It gets a lot hotter inland, though. We don't have or need AC here; on the hottest days we just open windows and run fans to get the air moving.

I lived a summer in LA and it got pretty hot! We didn't have AC so I drank a lot of lemonade.

As a result of this weird climate I'm often confused by seed packets, because they talk about frost and such! I'm not ever really sure when to plant non-natives, either; natives actually like being planted in the fall before the rains. Luckily I have plenty of plants that are happy to volunteer.

aknapp -- you aren't alone. I too thought my daturas were germinating in the sponge. They are the only things that hasn't yet... Am going to try some brug seeds in it after while. Will keep you posted.

Ohio -- congrats! And they are so pretty. Reminds me of my prep school days (pink and green) LOL

Gretchen
That is incredible. I again last night thought I saw signs but I am not for sure yet so I will make any claims.
I did start my side by side experiments last night and I may start a new thread for that one. This one has gotten pretty long.
My butterfly pea vine and morning glories have started to germinate and a couple have little stems with leaves so I am really happy about that and everything else is still lookig really good.
I had to pot up some naturiums yesterday, I knew they had a little growth on top, but I picked up the sponge and it had 2 inches of root growing out the other side of the sponge. All but 2 of them were like that, so I figured I had better get them in some dirt.
I am very pleased with most of my results so far. I had done some geranium seeds on top of a sponge and so far they have not done anything, but I am waiting patiently. (haha)
Have some new pictures but have been lazy and not gotten them posted.

I'll tell you what -- I have had the hardest time getting some Pride of Barbados seeds going the traditional way. Kept molding on me before it would sprout. Well, all four that I started in the sponges have sprouted and one will have leaves before noon! I think Daturas just take a long time to germinate. I'm not giving up on mine. I just started 39 brug seeds in the sponges this morning. I had planned to use rock wool for them, but the shipment has been delayed and I had already soaked them, so we'll see what happens. The rock wool will be here Friday (I hope) so if there are no roots by then, I'll just transfer them. Hope you have a great day!!! And, yes I think it would be appropriate to start a new thread for the side by side experiment. :)

well here I am at a week. I have not been getting the Germination speed that the others have gotten & I am thinking it is because these are trees. It is still much faster then in dirt.
Once I can take these off the heat, I am going to start another tray but it will have to wait. I am anxious though because I want to test my theory that it is slower because they are tree seeds & not because I have a gangrene thumb. LOL
Donna

donna,
....... all seeds have different germ rates. Some tree seeds can take 2 years.....scheesh !
I have sown some in bag enclosed seed cells so I only need to check when it looks like it may need more moisture. These can take a year, 3 months down and counting.. LOL
.....But really ..who's counting ?
;~P
>^..^< §

LOL, I would be counting! I would have the plastic so fogged up from breathing on it that I doubt moisture would be a problem! LOLOLOL
I am not that patient. I am already looking at these with a gleam in my eye...sucking all the heat up that I could be using for more appreciative seeds! LOL
But seriously,
thanks for telling me that because now I know that if I don't have something by Feb, that I can safely stick these in a container & stick them by the window & forget about them until vacuum days.

After they sprout do you plant the sponge with it or do you pick it out and save the sponge for the next batch?
Dee

Plant the whole thing =)

The spongs thing does work, it took one night for my beans to start growing, I'm going to wait till they are a bit bigger to plant them. Has anyone noticed whether they transplant easily when started in a sponge?

Finally something you all want that grows aplenty up here in the frozen north. That rose is our provincial emblem grows like a bad weed and I am always cutting them back in the gully behind the house> LOL
This sponge thing looks very intriguing - ususlly start in root trainers but then I wind up with empty cells because of no or delayed germination. This way I could just move the seeds that have germinated. Do you thing you could trim away most of the sponge and then plant the remaining sponge/seed in a root trainer

I am doing experiments both ways, but yes its possible to cut the sponge all most off. I have done it on some things, and just left it on others. So far I am seeing no difference in the two methods, but its probably to soon to tell.
Let us know if this works for you. I agree about removing the seedlings as they sprout that has been great.
I also like being able to see what is going on, and I am saving a lot of rootstarter and not making nearly the mess.
Good Luck

Well I am going to go out and buy some sponges today. Think I saw a big bag at the dollar store and that should be plenty to start with. I wanted to do the rock wool but it is proving to be hard to wait on, and in the future when I am ready to plant then sponges are alot easier to get.....
.....did yall use bottom heat on all of these or none or what?
Dee

No, I did not use bottom heat, but I did have a utility light with a plant bulb in it, trained on them about a foot above the tray, and it did keep them warm. I've since moved the sponges to the GH to make room for brug seeds, and there is no heat on them at all.

PS -- am sending you an e-mail on the snowbank that MainTreeFrog has for sale.

Hi all,
wanted to say that I had river birch sprout today. They are just tiny little specks & I had layed them on the surface of the sponge rather then tucking them into a slit because of their size. I had doubts it would work but it did. I got too impatient last night & tried to remove a shell cap from the end of a labernum sprout, and the whole time I was doing it, my brain was telling me to stop, to remember the last time I did that! LOL
Well, I did not listen and yes, I ripped the top off. I was so disgusted with myself! I can only assume it will wither & die now that the leaf is gone. What a bonehead I am! Like the sprout cared if it looked "messy". :~)
Other then that, pretty much the same, just more in the rows are sprouting, but all the same varieties. We had a sunny day & I got to spend it outside cleaning my sideyard where I pot things up & store all my plants to overwinter. It was so much fun!
Donna

Kaufmann- I put my little cookie tray of 12 sponges (cut into 1x2inch pieces) on top of the water heater and cover with saran wrap for humidity. Looks lame but it really worked!

I used bottom heat on mine, and to date, all have germinated, some I have transplanted, and some will be moved soon. Then I will start the datura's.
This round was all japanese, or rare morning glories for me. And I am so delighted with the results I will probably try starting all my seeds this way!

Congrats Donna on your seedlings, and now keep your fingers off the messy ones!!!

What are the different types of hydroponic media?

Rockwool
Rockwool is a fairly recent addition to the types of growing mediums available on the market. This sterile, porous, nondegradable medium is composed primarily of granite or limestone which is melted and spun like cotton candy. Rockwool is then formed into blocks, sheets, cubes, slabs, or flocking. Rockwool absorbs moisture without holding nutrients, and even when it is completely saturated still retains 20% air for your root system.

L.E.C.A.
L.E.C.A. stone is a type of clay which is super-fired to create a porous medium. It is also heavy enough to provide secure support for your plants' root systems. This non-degradable, sterile growing medium holds moisture, has a neutral pH, and also will wick nutrient solution to the root systems of your plants. L.E.C.A. is often the growing medium of choice of novices and professionals alike because it is easy to use.

Perlite
Perlite is primarily composed of minerals subjected to intense heat which expand and become very absorbent. This material is light, has a neutral pH, excellent wicking action, and is very porous. Perlite is used in a wide variety of hydroponic systems because of its ability to hold moisture and nutrients as well as air, and also because it is very easy to use.

Coconut Fiber
An alternative to using rockwool, Coconut fiber is the first "organic" medium to offer high performance in modern hydroponic applications. Coconut fiber can also be added into soil mixtures to increase water holding capacity. Coconut fiber holds more oxygen than rockwool and is pH neutral. Available as compressed bricks, when Coconut fiber is soaked in water it expands to 6 times its compressed size. Many growers have found that a 50/50 mix of coconut fiber and L.E.C.A is the perfect organic medium.

http://www.gtghydroponics.com/faq.asp#hydtype

Shirley1,
...Interesting reading but I believe ( IMHO) that
............L.E.C.A. is a growing medium not applicable to germinating seeds.
.........As discussed on another thread some have found (coir)Coconut Fiber, can support Fungus Gnats.
It seems in this link that to hydroponic growers these gnats are not much more than a pest.....Could this be because the gnat larvae are not growing in soil around their hydro plants and consequently are not munching on the root systems?

Inquiring Minds Want To Know ............LOL
§hirley in Smallfrozentownrednecktractorville, WI

aknapp wrote on January 21st: Re: starter pots
I am looking for 2 1/2 by 3 I have lots of 4inch ones, and just can't find a decent price at anyplace I have found so far!!!

Alice,
I found a quick and inexpensive way to 'make' 2/1/2 in pots from discarded water and soda pop bottles.
I peel off the labels, and using an exacto knife I cut them into three bottomless tubes. These I place in a newspaper lined tray....fill with potting medium and plant away.
The newspaper holds in the soil, and when I'm ready to transplant I can either slide plant and soil out the bottom or if need be I can slice the side of the 'pot' and peel it away.
I'll try and remember to send a pic of one of my start trays later this evening when I get in from clinic.

RikerBear

P.S. Am loving the sponge germination....gonna have to try this.



This message was edited Feb 10, 2004 3:08 PM

rikerbear
Thanks so much for the tip, I shall have to give it a try!!! I am always up for trying new ways to do things as you can tell.

Here is the pic of one of my starter trays using the water bottle 'pots'. If you look real close you can see a couple Trumpet vine babies poping up.

RikerBear

Very nice looking, we don't use as many 20 ounce bottles as we do 2 liter bottles but they are definitely on my list of things to save now.
Thanks for posting the photo, everything looks good.
alice

Rikerbear - how did you plant your trumpet vines? I have several variety I am growing, but never can seem to grow from seed? I have a yellow one that I take cuttings from for several years, a nice old almost red one, and another that is more of an orange red, leans toward orange. I always just move the babies that runner underground, but want to start some from seed just ONCE successfully!
Any suggestions? Please and thank you :)
Laurrie

Rikerbear is there any chance you have a red one, I have yellow and the orange, but I would really like the one that is red.

Ohio I don't think I have seen the one that you refer to as orange red. Does your red one have a lot of orange in it? I saw a photo of one that was really red, but its hard to say if it was touched up or not. (I can't usually tell when things have been doctored)
Good luck growing from seed Ohio, I have only tried cuttings and underground runners.

aknapp - the more red one is just that, more of a deep dark orange that looks more red in color. I will have to search thru my floppies and see if I can find a pic of it!!
If I do I will post it here on this thread for you.