Hi I want to try to grow a passi from seeds. I tried earlier this year, just putting the seeds in a small container of MG and nothing happened. I now have more seeds from a friend and don't know what to do to ensure germination. Is it to late to try to start them from seed? Any suggestions and ideas would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
passi newbie needs advice
Try soaking them in wet paper towels for a few days (up to a couple of weeks) before planting them. Then wait (up to a few months). Soaking should do the trick for the standard maypop. Many passies are difficult to grow from seed. Which variety are you trying to grow?
Mark
Hey Mark - howdy neighbor :) I have p. incarnata 'maypop', p. cerulea and p. edulis flavicarpa. I'll try the paper towels and see how that goes. Put them in baggies? Do I leave them in there until they start to sprout roots?
I would let them soak for a week or two and then plant them in seed starting mix to germinate. The soaking is just to wake them up. If they germinate on the paper towels you could damage the roots easily when transplanting them. I don't use baggies--I use gladware containers or plastic shoeboxes--they are easier to work with. I drench and drain the paper towels every few days, and change the paper towels after a week (to prevent mold).
Hey Em, I grew the P. Edulis flavicarpa, P. foetida, the Bat wing one, can't think of the name now. I soaked them in orange juice for 24 hrs and planted them with a heat mat and most of them germinated in less than 7 days. I may have just been lucky but it worked for me.
Em you can get some passi's from me when you come.
i plant all my seeds in straight vermiculite and keep in a large freezer bag and use bottom heat heres a fruit from flavicarpa that i planted about 14 months ago paul
This message was edited Jun 29, 2008 6:42 PM
I have read and tried the orange juice and high acid citrus juices to help break down the germination inhibitors on the passie seeds. This year I grew quadrangularis, alata, mollissima, incarnata, caerulea, edulis and edulis flavicarpa all from seed. I also grew a few panama red and semannii, but germination with those wasn't acceptable. Once I soaked the seeds, I started them in ziplock baggies. then put them on bottom heat. It worked real well for me.
I have also found that with the hardier varieties, winter sowing works wonders for my germination rates.
Linda
Does anyone have a good source for seeds? I want to try again next year for the ones I didn't have this year.