6,340 Garden Web Discussions | Growing from Seed

Check you soil temperature with a cheap thermometer from the grocery store. I think they are called candy thermometers (Some meat thermometers don't register low enough temperatures), have a metal probe that can be stuck into the soil and a dial on top to read temperatures.

I too have noticed that newer furnaces put out lower temperature air. Also the top of newer refrigerators are not as warm as the old ones were. I start my seed on a shelf in the laundry room above the washer/dryer. It is not consistently warmer but then neither is nature consistent. I wonder if sometimes the variation in temperature could be healpful.

I have a newer furnace also with the chimney no longer needed due to cooler air generated. I have no issues with my seed starting. I place flats in a heated room in my basement with good germination results.

check out wintersowing here or 'wintersown.org'

Great! I am so glad it's not too late - will sow them this weekend.
Thank you both Morz8 and Genoprizebull.
Happy Thanksgiving weekend!
~Natalie

When you graft onto a seedling the seedling is juvenile but the scion is from a mature tree and has the maturity needed to produce flowering/fruiting buds. The number of years a tree remains juvenile depends both on the species and how well it is grown. A tree grown without root competition or compaction problems will fruit earlier. Many university tests have been made as well as those from fruit grower societies. Al

Thanks for the explanation. Good info.

From the FAQ here:

To find out the germination requirements of a specific plant type the plant name + germination into an internet search engine. There are literally hundreds of thousands of plants with different germination requirements. A search engine can rapidly provide links where you can read the answers.

EX: Google "catalpa seed germination" gets you many links. One is to the Thompson-Morgan Seed Germination Database which covers every species you can think of and which you can print out free of charge.

Also, if you will search this forum (use search bar at bottom of the page) by name of seed you'll find previous germination discussions on most of them. I found instructions posted for most all on your list.

Good luck.

Dave

Here is a link that might be useful: TM Seed Germination Database

Thanks for helping, heres some successfull results i found with the palo verde seeds: using a pair of nailclippers snip a piece off the seeds, not thick just enough to get through the seed coat, then soak in water, i had roots appear in 3-4days, i will get back info on others when i find results

My acorn plants are in a big pot and growing well. I want to know when should I move repot individual plants.

I have a couple with 5 inches tall with 5 leaves. I planted them in September 08, it's been now over 2 months. Thanks.

At the size you have now I would transplant. Oaks send down a tap root when very small and may be difficult if the root is too deep and wrapped around each other. Al

Fantastic, I really appreciate the info. Sounds like the same method I had to use on my canna seeds. Boy, were they hard! Ended up having to use a drill, but got 100% germination. I'll start poking those little buggers right away. Again, thanks a bunch nckvilledudes.

No problem.

that last link is very cool, and helpful. I'll definitely book mark that one. Thanks for sharing it.

I lOVE that site. Jjust need to give fair warning to those on dial-up. Its an extremely heavy site.

my berries are green will they change colors to white and when do I harvest them?

My berries have green for months.some have dried & turned tan. There is still moisture inside. When is the best time to harvest?

Theresa

To most of the world, Mountain Laurel refers to Kalmia latifolia Linne. The plant is assigned to the Heath family or Ericaceae. The use of a common or local name as You have done exhibits the complete futility of such a name. When Kalmia is used, anyone, anywhere in the world will completely understand what You are trying to convey.

This is out of"How to grow Native Plants" by Jill Nokes. GREAT BOOK!!! for those who like texas natives. Seeds may be scarified with a knife or file. Or soak them in concentrated sulfuric acid for 30-90 minutes Pre treated seeds will germinate in 2-3 weeks once the soil has warmed The medium should be extremely well draining and drenched with fungicide. Use a deep pot to germinate in , not a flat. Grow in shade for the first year before you put it out in the blazing sun. They will grow in the shade and partial shade but they bloom better the more sun they get. There is a silver leafed variety

To the out of state person who was worried about cold hardiness. They do Zone 8. Central Tx gets into the teens pretty much every winter for a brief period. Normally one or two nights and then it warms up in the day. We do not stay below freezing but rarely during the winter. Last year we had a 3 days of continuous below freezing wet weather. YUCK. We have trees all over town and we have trees indigenous to our hills. On the map , I think thast we are the furthest north that the natural habitat goes. You see them growing in the wild on limestone hills with perfect drainage. It might be a thing of moisture and cold combined that does them in. Cold and wet might be the bugger and that is why they grow in west Texas but not in Texarcana.

I have used a stationary belt sander to nick my seeds and I have put them out a bit before the soil warms totally. I find the rot problems increases as the weather warms. Rot is the problem. I have many seeds that have rot in the pot before germinating.