Hippeastrum seeds and light

Jamie V. jamievande@freenet.de
Fri, 17 Feb 2006 01:30:46 PST
Darren,

I've been germinating a few Hippeastrums over the past months and concur 
with Hans-Werner in the temperature area.  I have found that germination 
is equally good when I float the seeds in water, plant them on the 
surface or plant slightly below the surface.  Constant moisture seems to 
be key, without it getting soggy wet. (Hans-Werner's suggestion about in 
the dark makes excellent sense.  The moisture level would be more 
consitent).  In the garden, I would try preparing the soil to smooth it 
out, plant the seed on the open surface and then cover lightly with 
clean sand, to hold them in place and maintain moisture/soil contact.  
With the temperatures you have in La Paz, they should be showing leaves 
in 2-3 weeks, I would think. I can't see planting them more than 1cm 
below the surface as advantageous, but I may be wrong.

Something I've notices over the past months of germination; not all 
seeds/crosses germinate in the same time span.  Some have been very 
quick, mainly from large-flowered crosses, while those of H. cybister, 
H. striatum, have been a bit slower, say another 10 days later.  This 
could be coincidence, or simply another adaptation to the species 
natural environment.

While on this topic, I have had the pleasure of blooming some of the 
newer hybrids this Winter, among them H. xGiraffe, H. xLaPaz, H. xTosca, 
H. cybister 'Reggae', H. xExotic Star, H. xEmerald and H. xBenfica.  
Giraffe is a favourite with it's slightly twisted, veined blooms 
underlayed with green.  Also a robust grower.  Can't wait to have a 
clump growing.  It will be a show-stopper.

I hope to poat some photos soon.

Jamie V.
Cologne
 

Darren Sage schrieb:

> Thank you.
>
> How deep can they be planted?
>
> I intend to grow then outside, where we have current temperatures of 
> 15-25 C night/day.
>
> Kind regards
>
> Darren
> (L Paz, Mexico)
>
>
>> From: "Hans-Werner Hammen" <haweha@hotmail.com>
>> Reply-To: Pacific Bulb Society <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org>
>> To: pbs@lists.ibiblio.org
>> Subject: Re: [pbs] Hippeastrum seeds and light
>> Date: Wed, 15 Feb 2006 16:15:32 +0000
>>
>> Hi Darren:
>>
>> You can germinate hippeastrums in the dark.
>> This is even advantageous because then the substrate dries out more 
>> slowly.
>>
>> However when the first seedlings show up with leaves 1 cm long  then 
>> it is
>> high time to apply natural light or artificial light from fluorescent 
>> tubes
>> or high pressure metal halide discharge lamps, the area related electric
>> installation power being in the magnitude of 200 Watts / square meter.
>>
>> I recommend "only" 22 to 25°C indoors.
>> That is enough in order to envoke full growth speed.
>> Higher temperatures means a shift of the light/temperature ratio 
>> indoors to
>> a critical lower level and might provoke a more elongated, unstable, 
>> watery,
>> spillery growth.
>> For the same reason there might be some advantage to reduce the night
>> temperature.  For energy saving reasons (I admit), but with this in mind
>> too, I reduce the air temperature to 20-22°C at night.
>>
>> There is another point of view associated with these recommendations 
>> which
>> might become relevant - much later: You disadvantage those seedlings
>> individuals which have a higher or particularly high temperature demand.
>> For my part I never want to keep such capricious seedlings. These 
>> should all
>> be thrown away when the moment has come to select and  replant the
>> youngsters.
>>
>> Hans-Werner
>>
>>
>> >From: "Darren Sage" <darrensage100@hotmail.com>
>> >Reply-To: Pacific Bulb Society <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org>
>> >To: pbs@lists.ibiblio.org
>> >Subject: [pbs] Hippeastrum seeds and light
>> >Date: Tue, 14 Feb 2006 23:37:18 +0000
>> >
>> >I have been making my first crosses and have just harvested my first 
>> seeds
>> >today.
>> >
>> >Is light needed for germination?  What tempertures are recommended?  
>> These
>> >are crosses from large flowered hybrids.
>>
>>
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