Hi there,
This is my first post, so we'll see how this goes. 
I want to start some seeds, but I am concerned about the sprouts damping
off
and dying on me. Is there something I can do to help avoid this? The
seeds
I am going to plant a
Wisteria sinensis (Chinese Wisteria), and Wisteria sinensis Alba (White
Wisteria). I think they look beautiful and would really like to try
growing them. Are there any special instructions that apply to treating
the seeds to get them to germinate?
I know starting from seeds is a slow process, that's fine. I have 2 other
trees that I have growing, and 2 cuttings I'm taking this spring.
Thanks for any advice you could provide.
Happy Bonsai, from Loretto (north of Toronto), Ontario, Canada.
On 30 Jan 2005 at 16:15, Marty Haber wrote:
Start with a sterilized soil base, i.e. Perlite. If you have
the time, you
could use builder's sand (coarse), but you'll need to
sterilize it in your
oven. Once your seeds start to grow and you want to
transplant them, Use a
pencil to ease the roots out. Don't just pull them out. Try
not to touch
the stems. If you must touch the seedlings, hold them by the
leaves.
======
In addition to Marty's advice, I'd add that _I_ have had
difficulty getting wisteria seeds to germinate (not that I've
tried that many).
Dirr says if seeds are dry and hard, soaking them in water for
24 hours is best (so maybe that's my problem). he says they
germinate readily. I dunno about Alba; I think the white
wisteria aren't very attractive.
I don't know where you are going to grow them up there; they
won't survive outdoors and probably will do poorly (and will
never bloom) indoors. But it will be at LEAST 10 years before a
wisteria-from-seed even thinks about blooming, anyway.
Jim Lewis -
- Tallahassee, FL - Nature
encourages no looseness, pardons no errors. Ralph Waldo Emerson
************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Mike Page++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++