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Suzymac
My Favorite Photo
My Weather
My Garden
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 16, 2004 - 03:20 am EST : |   
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For those of you who have e-mailed me about how to plant clematis seeds, I have written a basic 'how-to' for you to use, You may want to experiment with your own planting methods, but here is what works for me. It really is easy, but it will take some preparation on your part to have the necessary supplies ready for planting. I hope you have a happy outcome. Here is what I do :
To start, a trip to your nursery is needed. You will need these supplies:
A good 'All Purpose' liquid concentrate fungicide. (very important)
some Duct-tape
A permanent marker (I prefer black, as it doesn't fade and the red does !)
Large 'heavy duty' zip lock freezer bags. I use the 2 gallon size.
A good soil....I mix my own seed mixture. I have condensed it here for smaller amounts :
1/4 aged, composted manure
1/2 'flower or vegetable soil planting mix' (I use Schultz 25 lb. bags)
Bone meal (a handful per gallon of soil)
1/4 seed planting mix (a light peat and pearlite mix)
1 bottle condensed,liquid All Purpose Fungicide (I use Schultz)
Mix the soil well in a big tub or wheel barrow.
Fill your CLEAN 6" pots or whatever you have handy and pack soil gently .
Next:
Soak the soil filled pots in the fungicide mixture at 1/2 the recommended strength. (I use a big tub for soaking the soil filled pots and I also put some of the treated water over the tops of the pots.) Drain the pots well in your sink for about 10 minutes.
Check soil level. At this point, your pots should be 1 1/4" below the top rim after a light firming.
Next, spread your seeds evenly over the top of the moistened pots.
Cover with some leftover dry soil at about 1/4 " depending on the size of the seeds. Firm down gently checking to make the soil even. Again, slowly and carefully cover the soil with your water/fungicide mix again, so as not to dis-lodge your seeds. Drain for 1 hour !
Mark every pot with a name-label(the parent, date, etc. and any pertinent information; ie...where the seed came from). I use Duct-tape and a permanent marker on each pot for the label. (It won't disintegrate or fade for a long, long time)
Then, seal each bag into a zip-lock bag. I use the large 2 gallon size and these can fit about 3 pots into each bag.
Next, put each bag into a cool place for 3 months. I have recently begun putting my bagged pots outside into wintry conditions for 3-4 months. I'm trying this for the first time this year and I feel pretty confident about it. If this makes you nervous, then try the refrigerator for 3-4 months, or you could just put your pots into a dark warm place for about 6-12 months, checking weekly, depending on the variety. Some seeds take well over a year ! Cold seems to speed things up for me. After a few months of cold, I bring the pots into a warmer place which seems to 'trigger' things a bit.
Good luck to all with your seeds !
Suzy
Suzymac Massachusetts zone 6-A |
Susanq
My Favorite Photo
My Garden Journal
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My Time
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 16, 2004 - 03:50 am EST : |
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Thank you, Suzy! I will copy and save these instructions.
SusanQ - Zone 4b-5b Wisconsin |
Lindablond
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 16, 2004 - 05:57 am EST : |
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Thanks! :)
Linda Vancouver, Canada Zone 8 |
Hunnerbun
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 16, 2004 - 08:16 pm EST : |
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OK..I am starting to panic.. I just came from the Wal-Mart here and they don't really have anything. The only type of fungicide they had was a rooting hormone for cuttings, and no sight of anything resembling bonemeal. This is the downside of small communities...no choice. Guess I'll have to go digging around at Canadian Tire...they might have something there. At least they have peat at Wal-Mart.
The small grit that you use on top of the pots...what is it and where do you find it?
Could I use the small gravel that you would use in aquariums? There is a pet store here and they sell the small gravel there. I suppose if that is ok I could use that for the top.
Hunnerbun
- Manitoba,
Zone "0b"
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Suzymac
My Favorite Photo
My Weather
My Garden
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 16, 2004 - 09:34 pm EST : |
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Michele, if you can't find the fungicide anywhere around you, then I would bet you could find it on the internet and have it shipped to you. Tomorrow, I'll see what I can find on the net that would work.
As for the grit, anything small will do. However, you won't need it until the seeds start to germinate. I don't put it over the pots until I see one or two germinations. (You have months to go before needing it!) The fine grit is great, because it won't impede the tender shoots as the others follow.
All the seeds were mailed out today. I asked the post office NOT to put the envelopes through their postage machine and they assured me that they wouldn't. I have nightmares about everyone getting 'crushed' seeds.
Oh, one last thing....
The soil you mix can also be used to plant clematis you buy next spring. It's a great all-purpose clematis mix, so any leftovers can be saved for spring planting or for re-potting the seedlings later on. I have a big garbage can of this soil mix handy for all my clematis jobs.
Suzy
Suzymac Massachusetts zone 6-A |
Kvilledude
My Weather
My Garden
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 16, 2004 - 09:52 pm EST : |
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Michelle, I use chicken grit on the top of my pots and put it on the top of the soil when the seeds are planted. I feel that I would crush any emerging seedlings if I tried to put it on after germinations and I have not had any problems with the seedlings pushing up through it. My potting mix consists of 2 parts good quality potting soil, 1 part course sand, and 1 part perlite. Previously I used straight potting soil and felt that my soil was too moisture retentive so added the sand and perlite to lighten it up.
Kvilledude
- North Carolina,
Zone "7A"
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Gardenbug
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 16, 2004 - 09:56 pm EST : |
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An honest report:
I use aquarium gravel...very fine. Unlike Suzy, I use it from the start.
I have had good success without fungicide...until the second year when I have had some mildew problems, then began using it. I tend to overwater...so watch that you don't!!!
I am not so fancy in my soil preparations...and perhaps it makes a difference. Hard to tell.
Last year's seedlings were kept in the garage where it reached minus 30C.(-22F) If they succeeded, yours will likely also.
For sure I will try the duct tape. I had a major problem with disappearing tags this year! Now I have some baby clematis...of mysterious origin! Very frustrating.
Gardenbug Ontario zone 4b/5b |
Suzymac
My Favorite Photo
My Weather
My Garden
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 17, 2004 - 05:14 pm EST : |
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One of the reasons I like to use my own soil mix is that it is consistent and full of nutrients. The same soil is used for all my clematis needs and there is little or no transplant shock. The plants hardly know they were moved when they get re-potted or planted into the ground.
Aquarium gravel is a perfect size and I use it often. I do find that it's difficult for me to spot germinations in my dark basement if I apply the gravel at planting time. It's simply a matter of preference as to when it's applied.
When I first began planting seeds I didn't use any fungicide. Most of the germinations occurred in the wintertime and the seedlings had to be kept indoors. I lost many tiny seedlings due to fungus and damp-off disease. My Alpinas and Macropetalas were wiped out entirely and I was heartbroken.
Here is a recap of my first year's results using NO fungicide:
The Alpinas and Macropetalas were all wiped out.
The group 2- LFH seedlings were also affected and I lost about 1/3.
The group 3's seemed to be a bit stronger in their resistance. I lost very few.
The species types did very well. I lost very few.
As you can see above, it appears that certain types are more susceptible to disease than others. Since using the fungicide I have lost almost NO seedlings indoors. For me, it's simply insurance against any more heartbreaks. Wintertime germinations are the hardest for me. This is when the fungicide is needed the most.
Suzy
Suzymac Massachusetts zone 6-A |
Gardenbug
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 17, 2004 - 07:25 pm EST : |
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My aquarium gravel is whitish in colour and so the seedlings show up well. I have seen it sold in all colours too, though pink or turquoise are not very appealing to me! The gravel keeps moss from forming in my case, though Brian says in his writings that this is no cause for concern.
Gardenbug Ontario zone 4b/5b |
Hunnerbun
My Weather
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 17, 2004 - 07:31 pm EST : |
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OK...so I went and got some aquarium gravel...it looks like very small polished riverstones...very natural looking color...I hated the look of the colored ones, almost bought the white stuff but then saw this and liked it better.
I also bought some stuff that I hope is fungicide. It is called "No Damp" . The active ingredient is Benzoxine 2.5%. Is this what I need?
Hunnerbun
- Manitoba,
Zone "0b"
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Katie
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 17, 2004 - 08:05 pm EST : |
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I had a terrible time with my second batch of seeds. They got a mildew so bad right off the bat I could see it on the top of the soil. I had to remove every pot from it's bag, mark it and drench each one with half strength fungicide. They do smell better now but I plan on doing at least one more treatment before I bag them up again.
Also this year I simply have them sitting in a back room (no heat goes in there). It doesn't get much colder here anyway and I refuse to do the refrigerator thing again this year.
When I plant my seeds I use quite a bit of perlite in the mix. The perlite floats to the top of the pot when I water. Even grit on the top doesn't seem to help. No matter how careful I water the perlite seems to float right up through the grit. Am I the only one that has this problem?
Katie
- Northern California,
Zone "8"
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Kvilledude
My Weather
My Garden
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 17, 2004 - 08:18 pm EST : |
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I am having the same problem Katie even though I put the chicken grit on the top so you are not alone. Part of the problem for me anyway is that sometimes I get impatient when I sit my pots of seeds in the fungicide solution and I end up pouring some of the solution on top of the pot to speed up the fungicide drench. If I were more patient, it wouldn't be a problem. Of course, you will have to water from the bottom also once the seedlings sprout or the same thing will happen.
Kvilledude
- North Carolina,
Zone "7A"
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Suzymac
My Favorite Photo
My Weather
My Garden
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 17, 2004 - 08:34 pm EST : |
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Katie and Miguel, perhaps you should use the grit in your soil and not perlite. I would think that the grit would give you good drainage and no 'floaters'. I don't use much perlite, but I have used grit in my soil when I have it.
Marie, I still wouldn't be able to see the germinations if I used white gravel. As it is, I need a flashlight to check the pots on the cellar steps and my eyes aren't very sharp anymore. It's time to get new glasses, I guess.
Michelle, I would think that the 'no damp' will work for you. The only way to know is by using it and if you have a problem try something else. I would follow the instructions carefully about using the recommended strength for 'seed starting'.
Suzy
Suzymac Massachusetts zone 6-A |
Kvilledude
My Weather
My Garden
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 17, 2004 - 10:08 pm EST : |
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Yeah Suzy. I have thought about using some of my chicken grit in the mix instead of perlite. I still think my main problem is my impatience with bottom watering when I do the fungicide dip. 
I may try the grit in the mix the next time I have some seeds to start. Thanks for the thought!!
Kvilledude
- North Carolina,
Zone "7A"
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Addict
| | Posted on Thursday, November 18, 2004 - 01:59 pm EST : |
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I use perlite and grit in this and many other composts I make - they serve different functions as well as adding to drainage and aeration.
I strongly suggest you thoroughly wet the perlite before use this reduces the dust hazard and prevents the perlite floating when you first water. I wet the bag as soon as I open it using a watering rose as I use 100 liter bags and then keep watering as I progress down the bag.
Hope this helps.
addict Staffordshire zone 8(just) UK |
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