Old Stored Robinett Seed Update

John T Lonsdale john@johnlonsdale.net
Thu, 28 Sep 2006 08:01:47 PDT
In late winter I was the lucky recipient of many packets of stored seeds of
Triteleia, Brodiaea, Dichelostemma and Bloomeria from the Robinetts, many
dating back to collections in the early 90s.  Rather than sow them
immediately and risk a shortened growing season if they germinated
immediately (which they were likely to do) I decided to refrigerate them and
sow them in the fall.  I figured another summer storage period was unlikely
to make much difference to their viability.  I sowed them about 2 weeks ago
with the bulk of the other seeds I had saved over the summer or collected
from my bulbs and am thrilled to report excellent germination in at least 15
collections – I found another 10 pots up this morning, and I’m sure there
are more to come.  Onco iris seeds are also starting to germinate, and a few
cyclamen.  Trillium seeds are germinating (sending down a root) from last
year’s collections.  Also very exciting (I’m easily excited) is germination
beginning in wild-collected Allium perdulce seeds – this a crème-de-la-crème
gorgeously scented pink dwarf onion from Kansas and other points ‘around
there’.

 

Cyclamen graecum and mirabile forms are incredible at the moment in the
greenhouse and the Sternbergia and Colchicum are at their peak outside.
Crocuses have yet to start, inside or out.

 

All the best,

 

John

 

John T Lonsdale PhD
407 Edgewood Drive,
Exton, Pennsylvania 19341, USA

Home: 610 594 9232
Cell: 484 678 9856
Fax: 801 327 1266

Visit "Edgewood" - The Lonsdale Garden at  <http://www.edgewoodgardens.net/>
http://www.edgewoodgardens.net/

USDA Zone 6b

 


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