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How I sow Cephalotus seeds.


dimitar

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I’v been asked several times from many growers how I sow Cephs seeds.  Well, the time has come and finally I found some time today in the greenhouse and sowed them.

Anyway, here is some FAQ that I’v been asked and of course the answers:

Usually I sow the Cephs seeds in early autumn ( as it is now) and they spend all the time from now up till early spring in the greenhouse with all my other plants. The temps vary from 13 - 26C during the autumn to 0C -10C  during the winter and usually with the warming of the time 15C -25C ( early March) they start to germinate naturally.

The potting mix that  I use even I don’t know what is it with certain. All is mixed up by eye and I don’t follow proportions like 1:1 peat/perlite or 1:1:1 peat/perlite/sand etc. My mixes are from peat, perlite, sand, seramis, lava rock, pumice, coco peat, coco husk, peat fiber, coco fiber, chopped sphag, charcoal, orchid coir and stuff like that... or  in other words everything that I have in my hand.

However, even if u ask me in what soil are potted  my adult Cephs -  I can’t answer, because as I said above everything is mixed up according to the needs in certain time and whatever I find. On the other hand I never find Cephs too fussy about the potting mix and what ingredients are included in it.

It is important to mention that the seeds that I have received from John Yates from Australia, however I usually got them in autumn ( autumn in Oz),  but during the same time here is mid spring ( Europe), so our seasons have different time and here is already too late the seeds to be sown. So, once I got the seeds I keep them in my fridge (4-5C) from the spring up till the autumn ( like now) and then I sow them.

During the last 4 - 5 years I tried and did several experiments to sow seeds in summer time here or late in the summer with the hope  to get germination – all I ended up was 0% germination, so all my attempts to sow those Oz seeds failed.  The conclusion is – they should be sown in the right time ( autumn)  - at least that work for me.

It really does not matter those seven months. Yes,  this is the time they have spent  in my fridge - from spring to autumn  but that doesn’t mean anything  neither cold stratification -  it means just seeds storage and nothing else.

The real cold stratification begins now – cold and damp strat. The seeds need cold and damp strat not just cold and dry as in my fridge…

Anyway, the seeds that I get from my plants usually in mid summer I don’t keep them in my fridge up till the autumn.  I keep them in dry t/c jar in my greenhouse at temps 35 -  45C during the summer and I sow them now  with the other seeds from Oz.

What I use – whatever container I have in my hand. I mentioned already about the soil.  I use labels and rain water.

What I do -  I just sprinke the seeds on already wet soil in the autumn. Then gently I spray them with water so they can stick to the soil and that is all I do.

The light is not a factor for high germination rate. I've had 98% germination in the darkest corner in my greenhouse under the benches where the light is 30% or less. Just bright position is enough.

The high humidity is not a factor for high or good germination rate -  I’v had high germination rate at 18 -20% humidity.

I do not spray and do not use fungicides when I sow the seeds neither during the cold stratification nor for my seedlings or adult plants – just I have good ventilation with lots fresh air.

 

I hope this helps and answers all questions that you guys asked me.

 

Please note that what works for me and my conditions the same may not work for u and your conditions.

 

Good luck to all !

 

Here is a tray with seeds from: Cephalotus Two Peoples Bay,  Cephalotus Denbarker, Cephalotus Northcliffe, Cephalotus Gull Rock Road,  Cephalotus Big Donk  etc. This year I sowed  seeds from different pure locations, location hybrids and my own crosses - all 23 types. Frankly this year is my last year when I sow Cephs seeds...

 

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1897919_734762759894633_1492437472245451

Edited by dimitar
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Thank you for sharing your experience. We have only 1 season in Singapore. Most ceph seeds i bought are fresh. Some already cold stratified, i just sow them 2 weeks ago. I hope they all germinate. I will at least keep them in germination container base lfs and top live sphagnum for a year. If they dont germinate. I need to fabricate a "spring" season :(

15367120245_738d329280_b.jpg

Edited by tish
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I would like to add some other thoughts as well regarding the Cephs seeds:

 

- notions like " fresh seeds - good germination" are urban legends. I'v had perfect rate germination from 2 years old seeds kept in fridge.

 

- there should be made a difference between  seeds storage in fridge and stratification. These are 2 different things. To keep the seeds in fridge doesn't mean stratification and doesn't mean they are ready to germinate once u take them out from the fridge...

 

- the real Ceph seed is inside this hairy coat and the real seed is small round embryo. A friend of mine from USA decoat them and take out only the real seeds from their hairy coat before sowing. The germination rate is the same - neither better not worse as those which  are sown with their hairy coat.

 

- fungus problems kill the small embryos still in their coat inside and such seeds never germinate, so proper cares should be taken as during the sowing and during the storage.

Edited by dimitar
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  • 4 months later...
  • 5 months later...

So, after I read all of the above I'm still unsure about the stratification process. Is it needed or not? Some cephalotus germination guides say keep them in the fridge in the soil or without soil, for about 8 weeks. My cephalotus is in flower now, still unsure if I will get seeds but hope I do and then I have to have a plan in place.

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Hi Dimitar

I have seen your post on how you sow your Ceph seeds and I would like to ask for tips on a successful germintation.
I bought some seeds this autumn from Triffid Nurseries here in the UK and got two varieties of Ceph's. 12 seeds of ordinary C.follicularis and 6 of Triffid Albany Black. This will be my first time growing cephs from seed and it is the Albany Blacks that are the most important with there being only a few seeds.

The seeds have been in the fridge since 21st November and I'm bringing them out on the 9th January to sow them properly. The soil I'll be using is a 1:1 moss peat and grit sand mix. I do have access to a hygenic heated glasshouse, which has a temp range between 15-20C durring the winter and it also has lighting and a heat bench at a constant 20-25C.

I will be grateful for any tips and imformation on what to look out for when they are germinating.

Mike

 

 

 

Hi Mike,

 

Please, read again my first post in this thread. I think the last part ie. the last few sentences answers your questions  :yes:

 

"  What I use – whatever container I have in my hand. I mentioned already about the soil.  I use labels and rain water.

What I do -  I just sprinke the seeds on already wet soil in the autumn. Then gently I spray them with water so they can stick to the soil and that is all I do.

The light is not a factor for high germination rate. I've had 98% germination in the darkest corner in my greenhouse under the benches where the light is 30% or less. Just bright position is enough.

The high humidity is not a factor for high or good germination rate -  I’v had high germination rate at 18 -20% humidity.

I do not spray and do not use fungicides when I sow the seeds neither during the cold stratification nor for my seedlings or adult plants – just I have good ventilation with lots fresh air. "

 

 

You can see the results as well herehttp://www.cpukforum.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=56721

 

However, if u have more question, please drop them straight in this thread ( no PM), so answering them here we help other people with same or similar questions...

Edited by dimitar
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