In running the seed exchange I am assuming that the dry amaryllid seed has reasonable viability and can last a few months until I run the next seed exchange. The issue with the big, honking moist seeds is that they often start germinating in transit and then I have a tender delicate radicle to deal with. Somehow I have to not destroy the radicle in packaging and mailing the seed and the post office has to cooperate in this endeavor. If growers mail directly to the people who want the seed it cuts out the time in transit and handling. I will also flatly state that I’m not willing to act as a "short order cook in dealing with the seed exchange". I’m already getting out fresher seed than you can get from the NARGS seed exchange. Even if I just have one or two species to deal there are still a lot of steps in sending out the seed. I have to enter seed in a spread sheet, package it so it stays moist so preferably in vermiculite or something similar, write the blurb, post it online, collect orders, deal with questions about orders, randomize orders. Then I need to fill the orders of the few lucky people, This involves setting up for Stamps.com <http://stamps.com/>. So first I fight physically with the mess of cords and then I get to fix with whatever glitches the software throws at me this time. Actually mailing out the seed is then pretty easy, lucky. Basically I’m not willing to go through this whole rigamarole several times a year for just a few seed. Ideally I’d just do a couple of seed exchanges a year. So this is why I’m not willing to take seeds of plants that are likely to start germinating in the process. Jan Jeddeloh > On Sep 14, 2022, at 10:34 AM, Robert Parks via pbs <pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> wrote: > > I would expect that seeds with brief viability would have some outliers > that would germinate well past the expected Sow By date...but the > recalcitrant seed from the amaryllids simply won't wait to germinate. > Regardless of conditions...drops on the ground in the sunny Indian Summer? > Germinates and dessicates. Put it in the fridge, dry? Germinates and > dessicates. Sowed on/in any medium at most any temperature with moisture? I > hope you wanted more of them, because the viability is near 100%! > > On Wed, Sep 14, 2022 at 10:21 AM Jane McGary via pbs < > pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> wrote: > >> I wonder if all the seeds that people believe have brief viability are >> actually so fussy. I've been growing plants from seed for 40 years, and >> I often take a chance with such species even when the seed has been >> stored and badly handled, for instance in a large seedex. It is >> surprising how often a few seeds will germinate and grow on. It would >> make evolutionary sense for a plant to produce seeds with a range of >> viability periods. However, it's true that I don't grow the subtropical >> amaryllids on which this discussion seems to center. >> >> Jane McGary, Portland, Oregon, USA >> >> On 9/14/2022 8:02 AM, Shoal Creek Succulents via pbs wrote: >>> I offered to do it too, privately. >>> Heat packs can be offered at addtl charge should a member in a colder >> area >>> want to participate. >>> >>> >>> On Wed, Sep 14, 2022 at 9:55 AM Robert Parks via pbs < >>> pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> wrote: >>> >>>> Dealing with recalcitrant seed is a challenge, and as the season goes >> on, >>>> becomes regional, as the seed isn't frost hardy, so cannot be shipped >>>> throughout the USA. >>>> >>>> That said, I'd be willing to do it. After all, I do my own every year, >> both >>>> recalcitrant seed, and tender bulbs in winter. >>>> >>>> Out front, the Nerine filifolia is in glorious bloom, soon to be >> followed >>>> by a profusion of seeds with about a fortnight of dormancy. >>>> >> _______________________________________________ >> pbs mailing list >> pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net >> http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/… >> Unsubscribe: <mailto:pbs-unsubscribe@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> >> PBS Forum latest: >> https://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbsforum/index.php/… >> > _______________________________________________ > pbs mailing list > pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net > http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/… > Unsubscribe: <mailto:pbs-unsubscribe@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> > PBS Forum https://… _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/… Unsubscribe: <mailto:pbs-unsubscribe@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> PBS Forum https://…