I chitted Canna seeds, not sure if I did it with Ricunus, can’t remember, I used to soak lupins but don’t bother now. Be careful, as soon as they germinate a dear little slug will have them off to soil.
Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor.
I have to admit to have being been on the sceptical side, @philippasmith2 , having never chitted seeds with knife, sandpaper, nor even front incisors, and I have no idea if it really made any difference at all. Problem is that, as with so many things, unless there’s a simultaneous control trial undertaken one can never really be certain. However, since it worked this time I’ll definitely use the same method in future, with lupins at least 😊
That's always the problem @Winston_The_Gravity_Man isn't it ? Unless you do half and half and then treat them exactly the same from then on, you can't really be certain. I'm pretty sure I've done other seeds using this method but a long time ago and can't remember precisely. I probably got carried away and did all of them anyway so hardly a fair trial
I sowed a packet of white cosmos and a packet of mixed last month. The white germinated well and the mix had three germinate. I sowed another packet of mixed I had lying around from last year, they germinated again within three days. I suspect that there is a duff batch around.
I'm certainly not casting aspersions on seed companies @fidgetbones , but I wonder if these companies DO actually grow and harvest their own seeds or whether, with some types anyway, some or all source them from the same supplier ?
When there's always biscuits in the tin, where's the fun in biscuits ?
If you sow lupin now, are they for flowering next season? Do you overwinter somewhere or plant out this summer? I have hundreds of seeds in the freezer and never tried them.
I don't really know, @GunStreetGirl. I'll be planting them out as soon as they're big enough to have become a bit less appetising to t'slugs and t'snails and if they flower this year then that'll be nice or if they flower next year that'll be nice too. Gardening, as they say, is about breaking rules .... lots of people insist that their way is the only way but actually that's not true (can I be naughty and say it just makes them look stupid ?! )
I once saw on tv that domestically frozen seeds don't have an unlimited shelf life, not like the ones in global seed banks where storage temperatures are kept frighteningly low, so dig out your seeds and get 'em sown and let us know how you get on.
When there's always biscuits in the tin, where's the fun in biscuits ?
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When you don't even know who's in the team
S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
I'm pretty sure I've done other seeds using this method but a long time ago and can't remember precisely. I probably got carried away and did all of them anyway so hardly a fair trial
When you don't even know who's in the team
S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border