Posted by Tom Broome on 6/12/2008, 9:34 pm, in reply to "Microcycas Calocoma"
64.12.117.67
--Previous Message--
: I was fortunate enough to win 50 seeds
: on auction. Being the rarity of
: this plant, I wanted to get some
: germination tips. What I do know is
: that people tell me they are tricky.
: They don't like to be overwatered,
: and their first two year mortality
: is fairly high.
:
: I plan to germinate them possibly in
: a baggie with perlite, or possibly a
: large plastic try that is 15 inches
: deep, and 2 by 3 feet in widths.
:
: I believe they should be ready to
: sow,(wait period is short for this
: species) and just want to know your
: advice. (Which is very much
: appreciated by the way)
: I really wish to keep the mortality
: to a minimum, and my experience is
: fair, but I still consider myself a
: newcomer to cycads.
:
: Thanks in advance,
: Mark
:
The good seeds germinate fairly easily without any problems, its the bad ones that get fungus on them and ruin others, if they are in the baggie and you don't check it every day. The baggie with perlite sounds pretty good. I had 100 seeds one time and I just did them like I always do, like in my germination article, where I put them half way in sand that I kept just slightly moist. Another possible thing is the tray you mention. With one that big, they would have decent space between them so a bad one doesn't foul out a good one. You could also put them half way down in the coarse sphagnum moss with a big baggie around the pot. You might need to use more than one pot though. They key really is what you do AFTER they germinate because that is where you will kill more than you will do in the germination process. The main thing on germination is to not keep them real wet and as soon as they sprout, take them and out and plant them in what you will keep them in for a while. Good luck, but I see you already have good luck, because just getting the lot on this auction was amazing. If I remember right only 2 or 3 user name people even got those, and I suspect that two of the user name people were one in the same.
Message Thread:
« Back to thread