PBS Forum

CG100,

Bottom heat may be counter-productive!.  You would do much better to maintain an ambient temperature at or near 20C. 

That makes me realize how fortunate I am.  I am on .85 acre; and most of my neighbors are on 3-5 acre plots. In addition my neighbor has given me permission to plant a 35' wide fire-break along my 350' west property line. His adjacent property is open woodlot. This gives me a huge shade garden in which I have built a 150' X30" recirculating brook with 2 small ponds..

I almost never buy only 2 species. Transportation costs are not much more than seed bought from domestic sellers. With my small lots permit I don't need the phyto. In any case, seeing 30 or 40 of each blooming in large plantings is quite worth the expense
 

Wild Seed Tasmania offers 5gm of D. latifolia or D. moraea for 9.35 AUD.
That is about $5.62 or 6.08 Euros. 5gm is about 300 seeds
They offer an extensive catalog of Tasmanian seed at similarly reasonable prices. A phyto costs 36AUD ($22.85  or 23.04 euros)

I find that this allows me to attempt to grow species that tend to be somewhat difficult without spending a fortune.

I had good success with both D. latifolia and D. moraea @ 4.5 tsp KNO3/ 128 fl oz (3.85l) water for 20-25 min.  I was advised by friends in Australia that longer times can be counter-productive.

D. latifolia gave 195 seedlings from 200 seeds. D. moraea gave 89 seedlings from 100 seeds in 11 weelks @ 70 F (21.1 C).

Seed was purchased from Wild Seed Tasmania.

In the International Botanical Congresses there is perpetual contention between the 'Lumpers' and the 'Splitters'. Thus every five years, depending on who is in ascendency, there are few or many changes in accepted plant names. I'm not sure exactly how botanists are appointed to that congress, or which nations are represented; but I know it convenes every five years, and is responsible for all name changes, and additions. 

They no longer do Mail order; but the owner has offered to sell me some seeds when they ripen.

Quote from: Dennis Kramb on June 21, 2022, 08:19:58 PMHello!  Gesneriads won't survive winters outdoors here so I don't even try anymore.  I know Dr. Lindstrom was hybridizing Sinningia for cold hardiness in the South, I'm not sure if that was Z7 or Z8.  I have some of his seedlings but they're houseplants for me.  Do you grow anything like that?  I've heard some of the Gesneriad species from Chile have been grown outdoors in PNW but I don't remember the details.

I grow Sinningia sellowiana [sellovii], and 3 Ourisia hybrids where minimum temperature reaches 15F -9.4C. I understand that Secret Garden Growers in Canby, OR offers several other hardy Gesneriads.

ksayce,

Thank You! 
I purchased Edwin Austin-McRae's book second hand at a very reasonable price.
It is very well written and well illustrated.
 

Quote from: Robert_Parks on June 12, 2022, 08:46:49 PMThank you for your work!

INDEED!

Hi Dennis,

Welcome to the Forum.  It seems we share a mutual interest in Iridaceae and Gesneriaceae.
With Gesneriads my focus is on the few genera and species that will survive 15F.

Hello, Marvin

Welcome to the forum   Lovely plants... very well grown.

Thank You, Robert.

I have about 30 Gelasine coerulea plants grown from seed from multiple sources.

Thank You, Dennis

Martin,

If or when I obtain seed, I will be delighted to share some.