Seed freezing

Peter Taggart petersirises@gmail.com
Mon, 08 Aug 2011 00:20:11 PDT
I have read of this delaying of Amarylliad seeds with cooler temperatures
somewhere in the PBS before- there is a prolonged discussion on the
conversion of growing cycles for different genera and seeds.
In lower temperatures, I have sown South African seed of Nerines, Boophane
and Haemanthus with delays of up to 4 months for full germination, thus
putting the plants on a northern hemisphere growth cycle.
Often they just won't get on with growing while it is too cold. The
application of warmth to Clivia nobilis seeds in winter gave a dramatic
increase in growth rate. I have also had delayed germination on Cyrtanthus
helicticus which was sown 4 1/2 months ago and more are still germinating
and I have seen similar behaviour on Cyrtanthus speciosus and Hippeastrum
stylosum
Peter (UK)

On Sun, Aug 7, 2011 at 10:52 PM, J.E. Shields <jshields@indy.net> wrote:

> That's true.  I've stored Crinum seeds for up to maybe 6 months in the
> fridge -- at about 39°F/4C.  They go ahead and germinate (those that don't
> just rot), and the germinated seeds can be planted OK.  Left in the fridge
> long enough, all end up rotted.
>
> Clivia seeds also keep in the fridge, for awhile.  They seem to slowly lose
> viability in the fridge, until eventually -- after a few months -- few or
> none of them will germinate.
>
> I don't recall having tried to store other baccate seeds in the fridge.  Do
> others have experience with storing "recalcitrant" seeds, perhaps of other
> genera?
>
> Jim Shields
>
>
> At 09:39 PM 8/7/2011 +0000, Alberto wrote:
>
> >Jim, seeds you mention can not be frozen for long term storage but they
> >can be "put to sleep" if maintained at low temperatures (above freezing
> >point of course) to be eventually sown at the proper time in either
> Hemisphere.
> >
>
> *************************************************
> Jim Shields             USDA Zone 5
> P.O. Box 92              WWW:    http://www.shieldsgardens.com/
> Westfield, Indiana 46074, USA
> Lat. 40° 02.8' N, Long. 086° 06.6' W
>
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