could anyone tell me the best way to get my seeds to strike? i`ve had them
in the refridgerator for 22 days and still no sign of life. can i put them
outdoors instead? i believe that frost can make them strike, is this right?
thank you in advance for any advice,
tony.

"tony" wrote in message
...
i believe that frost can make them strike, is this right?

Try it with a few. The biggest failures I've had with seeds have been caused
by trying to germinate them all together. One thing goes wrong and you lose
the lot.

I've had a few seeds in the unheated greenhouse ( the fridge is full of
food). They did nothing until the recent frosts and then loads came up so
there is probably something that breaks down in seeds below zero which
allows the germination. I think the point of putting things in the
fridge/airing cupboard is to 'trick' seeds into thinking the seasons have
gone past and it's time to germinate. If it's the right time of year anyway
then you might as well just let nature do it for you.

If there is no frost forecast where you are soon, I see no reason why a
short spell in the freezer wouldn't do the same but you should probably make
sure they're not too wet when you try it.

Martin

On Sat, 18 Jan 2003 22:43:56 -0000, "tony"
wrote:

could anyone tell me the best way to get my seeds to strike? i`ve had them
in the refridgerator for 22 days and still no sign of life. can i put them
outdoors instead? i believe that frost can make them strike, is this right?
thank you in advance for any advice,
tony.


One autumn a few years back, a friend gave me an envelope full of
Meconopsis betonicifolia seeds which she had collected from plants in
her garden. Having little idea what to do with them, I left the
envelope in a kitchen drawer until around February or March when,
feeling guilty at having ignored them, I decided I'd better do
something with them.

I shoved some multipurpose compost in a pot, sowed the seeds on the
surface and covered them with about a quarter of an inch of coarse
grit. I then put the pot outside in the rain and cold. I doubt if
they got much frost, but it certainly was pretty chilly from time to
time. A few weeks later, seedlings emerged like the proverbial
mustard and cress.

Now the only reason why I gave the seeds this treatment was because I
didn't know any better and hadn't realised that Meconopsis seeds were
"difficult".

I can't help wondering whether we don't sometimes make seed-sowing
much more complicated than it has to be.

Norman Tulloch

"Norman Tulloch" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 18 Jan 2003 22:43:56 -0000, feeling guilty at having ignored
them, I decided I'd better do
something with them.

I shoved some multipurpose compost in a pot, sowed the seeds on the
surface and covered them with about a quarter of an inch of coarse
grit. I then put the pot outside in the rain and cold. I doubt if
they got much frost, but it certainly was pretty chilly from time to
time. A few weeks later, seedlings emerged like the proverbial
mustard and cress.

Now the only reason why I gave the seeds this treatment was because I
didn't know any better and hadn't realised that Meconopsis seeds were
"difficult".

I can't help wondering whether we don't sometimes make seed-sowing
much more complicated than it has to be.

Yes, and we sometimes forget that hardy plants are just that *hardy* and
often suffer badly by being mollycoddled. Meconopsis hate being hot and wet,
and this is what folk often provide for 'special' seeds.

Rod