On 2 Apr 2004 03:40:48 -0800, Philip wrote:

Does anyone have any tips for dealing with the seeds of this plant.

I checked out a Thompson & Morgan site and it said "Germination -
challenging", and gave a set of steps to take to achieve success.

http://seeds.thompson-morgan.com/us/...2710/1?SA=1383

Other sources of information, that I cannot trace right now, recommend
a far less strenuous approach.

Sounds like T&M's advice is of the "make it grow" kind, rather
than "let it grow". I'm prejudiced against the former.

I would be interested to hear of the experiences of others

In my experience, cardiocrinum is as easy as any other plant to
grow from seed. The real difficulty is that it takes years before
they flower.

Sow the seed in good soil and cover with fine gravel or coarse
grit. Water well, and keep in a shaded coldframe. Germination
will take place next spring; the seedlings look like those of
onions. Leave them in the pot undisturbed for another year or
two.

Pot on or prick out when dormant, not when in full growth. The
roots of many monocots will not branch if the tips are damaged,
so you want to avoid root disturbance when the plants are in
active growth.

If you have a nursery bed area, I suggest pricking out the
dormant bulbs the second fall after germination. The sooner you
get the seedling bulbs into the ground, the sooner they will
reach maturity and flower. To prevent diseases, set the bulbs on
a bed of sand when you prick them out, and cover with more sand.





--
Rodger Whitlock
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
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