Phytolacca americana "silberstein"...Variegated Pokeweed

I know that many consider this a very noxious weed...I am inclined to think this also.

BUT, the variegated version is quite beautiful and exotic looking.

I was able to locate seeds and they came with instructions that they were to be planted indoor and kept below 40 degrees for about 30 days. Then brought up to above 50 degrees after that.

So.....any advice? Do I plant in my peat pots and stick in the fridge? Or can I just stick the seeds themselves in the fridge?

appreciate everyone's kind help!

carole

Hi Carole. I think the seeds probably require cold stratification, which means planting them in their pots, probably covering them, and putting them in the fridge for the 30 days. It's the moisture/cold combination that is important here, so just putting the seeds themselves in the fridge would have no effect.

Good luck!

--Ginny

Does the variegated one come true from seed? I'm not familiar with this particular one, but with many plants the variegated ones need to be reproduced from cuttings to guarantee that you get the nice variegation.

Thanks Ginny......I thought that would be the answer! They will nicely be chilling next to the eggs! DH will just LOVE this one, LOL.

Ecrane3.....Good question! Never thought about that. I have been doing business with these folks I bought the seed from for several years. I am going to drop them an email with that question. I did buy some seeds last year for a variegated perennial and they grew out beautifully.

sure do appreciate the help :-)

carole

Like I said I don't know anything particular about the pokeweed, some variegated things will come true and some things won't. But knowing that you got your seeds from a reliable source I'd guess they probably would come true. I figured they might have been something you picked up from a trade or from Ebay, and then it's more likely that people would have seeds that might not come true.

YOu could germinate the seeds in damp paper towels or coffee filters inside a plastic bag and put the bag in the fridge. (Deno method)

Or put the seeds in a baggie with some planting mix to germinate. That would save you having pots of planting mix next to the eggs...

I grew several of these plants from seed a couple of years ago. I used the Deno method that he calls Outdoor Treatment, where you sow the seeds in moist paper towels, put them in loose baggies, and put them in a shed or unheated garage for the winter. I had tried to germinate them before using the fridge with no luck. The outdoor treatment worked really well. They germinated nicely, and the plants were very beautiful. The leaves looked like they had been misted with white paint.

Wow...have never heard of this Deno method.

If I an understanding this correctly, seeds are put between moist papertowels or coffee filters then into a baggie. Then fridge/garage/outside. What I'm confused about is....do they sprout in the baggie?

The Deno Method seed starting is another way to put some 'controls' on Mother Nature for getting a good percentage or quicker germination. The exact process that you try will be dependent on whether your particular seeds require cold/moist stratification, or some warm/cold/moist/warm or lots of climate change or whatever...

Some seeds may sprout right in your refrigerator.

Other seeds you can remove from the fridge or the cold shed after a time, place in a warm spot, and they will sprout in warmth. (sometimes I tape the folded coffee filter in baggie to my sunny window.) Then plant in planting mix in a flat or pot.

Sometimes seed starters leave their baggies in the cold shed and start checking for sprouts when the weather warms up .

If you find some sprouted seeds, take the sprouts out and plant them in your favorite planting medium and put them in a sunny or lighted place, or sometimes right in the garden if it's warm enough in the open.

Deno Method steps from the Seed Site: http://theseedsite.co.uk/seedsowing.html

OK....here's what I am going to do.....

I am going to try all suggestions I have received (I have enough seed)!

I know that at least one of these will work.....if they all do.....well, I'll be giving them away.

Thanks to all of you for sharing your experience and suggestions with me!

carole

Easy in warm.
Doesn't require cold strat, especially considering that the species popps up all over the place in the garden.
P.'silberstein' is a much weaker plant and apparently shy to flower. Mine are still in pots growing slowly.

I got about 10 seeds of var. poke year before last. I just winter sewed them. All but two were variegated.