T wrote:

On 08/02/2018 04:20 AM, songbird wrote:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stratification_(seeds)

i'm not actually sure if bilberries need this or not
but i'm thinking it may just help because the seeds
are are so small.

That was the description the seller gave and I have seen
elsewhere. From the wikipedia article:

In the wild, seed dormancy is usually overcome by
the seed spending time in the ground through a
winter period and having its hard seed coat
softened up by frost and weathering action. By
doing so the seed is
undergoing a natural form of "cold
stratification" or pretreatment. This cold moist
period triggers

My winter perfectly matched what they described on the
package.

Me thinks they were just dead. I do realize I have a
black thumb, but thanks to you guys help, it is pretty
much a gray
thumb now-a-days. I will order from the source you gave
me next time.

-T

It sounds similar to what is needed for trillium seeds to
sprout.

The recommendation for the trillium seeds were to put them
into the freezer for several weeks, then start the seeds
indoors for later transplanting into their permanent home
in the garden.

I will admit to getting a low rate of germination with the
trillium even with the freezer treatment, but at least it's
better than waiting all winter to find out that you've
crapped out with them in the spring. There's still time to
try the freezer routine again with new seeds or another
batch.

I'm already growing blueberries (had a nice crop this
year too), otherwise I might look into the bilberries myself.

Nyssa, who has zero vegetables this year after Bambi and
crew wiped out the neighborhood's plantings, but managed
to save the blueberries