Post a reply

Image
Aug 11, 2015 3:09 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Lee-Roy
Bilzen, Belgium (Zone 8a)
Region: Belgium Composter Region: Europe Ferns Hostas Irises
Lilies Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge)
So my flowers from H. harrisiana are over and are now setting seed(?), see photo:



However the seeds (?) are falling off prematurely (?) while they're still green and I don't know whether this is normal or not :s Anyone have an idea what to do? I'd like to sow them.

Thumb of 2015-08-11/Arico/36bf8e
Last edited by Arico Aug 11, 2015 6:45 PM Icon for preview
Image
Aug 11, 2015 7:32 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Lee-Roy
Bilzen, Belgium (Zone 8a)
Region: Belgium Composter Region: Europe Ferns Hostas Irises
Lilies Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge)
Alright, I came across a blog of someone who also grows Hymenocallis and confirms that the seeds are indeed green when they're ripe and should be planted asap.

So tonight I harvested about 40 and put them in a zippie bag with some water to germinate. Hope it works.
Thumb of 2015-08-12/Arico/9285fb

Thumb of 2015-08-12/Arico/134baf
Image
Aug 19, 2015 6:51 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Lee-Roy
Bilzen, Belgium (Zone 8a)
Region: Belgium Composter Region: Europe Ferns Hostas Irises
Lilies Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge)
Nothing so far. Anyone have experience with these?
Image
Aug 20, 2015 2:59 AM CST
Moderator
Name: Allison
NJ (Zone 6a)
Charter ATP Member Forum moderator I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Dog Lover Hummingbirder Container Gardener
Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Region: New Jersey Seed Starter Garden Ideas: Level 1
I was hoping someone has experience.. I do not sorry
Image
Aug 20, 2015 3:03 AM CST
Moderator
Name: Allison
NJ (Zone 6a)
Charter ATP Member Forum moderator I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Dog Lover Hummingbirder Container Gardener
Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Region: New Jersey Seed Starter Garden Ideas: Level 1
this page says typically propagated by division

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/p...
Image
Aug 20, 2015 7:46 AM CST
Name: Karen
Valencia, Pa (Zone 6a)
I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Cut Flowers Winter Sowing Charter ATP Member Seed Starter Echinacea
Plant and/or Seed Trader Region: Ohio Region: United States of America Butterflies Hummingbirder Celebrating Gardening: 2015
I've no experience either, sorry.

Karen
Image
Sep 2, 2015 4:41 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Lee-Roy
Bilzen, Belgium (Zone 8a)
Region: Belgium Composter Region: Europe Ferns Hostas Irises
Lilies Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge)
Well they have started germination after weeks. Almost gave up hope, but alas Hurray!
Thumb of 2015-09-02/Arico/1fa79f
Thumb of 2015-09-02/Arico/ed8aba
Thumb of 2015-09-02/Arico/2e5baa
Image
Sep 3, 2015 6:38 PM CST
Moderator
Name: Linda
Carmel, IN (Zone 5b)
Forum moderator I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Charter ATP Member Region: Indiana Dog Lover Container Gardener
Seed Starter Herbs Vegetable Grower Cut Flowers Butterflies Birds
No experience here, either, but loving learning about these. Looks like you are on your way!
Image
Oct 7, 2015 12:50 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Lee-Roy
Bilzen, Belgium (Zone 8a)
Region: Belgium Composter Region: Europe Ferns Hostas Irises
Lilies Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge)
It's been a month since my seeds sprouted a root and have been potted up. I checked the pots yesterday by turning them upside down in my hand and lifting it up and saw the roots are reaching the drainage holes, but there's no sign of shoots above soil :S Also I saw that some of he roots turned brown and looked dead (or it may have been something in the potting mix, hard to tell). I watered them again yesterday. I also added a white LED light strip from my old aquarium in hopes that that will trigger leaf growth. Sad

Thumb of 2015-10-07/Arico/29a6aa

Again, does anyone have experience with these? Or crinums perhaps?
Last edited by Arico Oct 7, 2015 12:50 PM Icon for preview
Image
Oct 7, 2015 5:59 PM CST
Name: Karen
Valencia, Pa (Zone 6a)
I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Cut Flowers Winter Sowing Charter ATP Member Seed Starter Echinacea
Plant and/or Seed Trader Region: Ohio Region: United States of America Butterflies Hummingbirder Celebrating Gardening: 2015
Not me, sorry .

Karen
Image
Oct 8, 2015 2:27 AM CST
Moderator
Name: Allison
NJ (Zone 6a)
Charter ATP Member Forum moderator I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Dog Lover Hummingbirder Container Gardener
Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Region: New Jersey Seed Starter Garden Ideas: Level 1
me either sorry
Image
Nov 7, 2015 3:30 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Lee-Roy
Bilzen, Belgium (Zone 8a)
Region: Belgium Composter Region: Europe Ferns Hostas Irises
Lilies Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge)
So it's been a good 9 weeks now and still nothing. I got anxious and just tipped over one of the pots and broke up the potting mix. Eureka! Little bulbs forming! Hurray!
Thumb of 2015-11-07/Arico/4728b8
Image
Nov 9, 2015 6:03 AM CST
Name: Dnd
SE Michigan (Zone 6a)
Daylilies Dog Lover Houseplants Organic Gardener I helped beta test the first seed swap Celebrating Gardening: 2015
Garden Ideas: Level 2
Yay! Hurray! Your experience is going to help others in the future, no doubt. Congrats on the bulbettes! I wonder how long it takes for them to bloom the first time. Maybe you could set a calender note to come back to this thread in 3 years and post bloom pictures. Big Grin

...or just keep updating us with neat pictures of bulb and foliage growth until blooms appear!
Image
Nov 19, 2015 12:18 AM CST
Name: David Laderoute
Zone 5B/6 - NW MO (Zone 5b)
Ignoring Zones altogether
Seed Starter Avid Green Pages Reviewer Garden Ideas: Level 1
It likely might take some time for sure. Big Grin

I am growing 3 things that I started from seed in Jan. 2014 that make "bulbs" - Dierama, Siberian Iris and Dietes. When/if they bloom, I will make a post. All 3 are about 3 feet tall. The 2 Ds are not hardy, so I have to bring them in.
Seeking Feng Shui with my plants since 1976
Image
Jan 3, 2016 4:46 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Lee-Roy
Bilzen, Belgium (Zone 8a)
Region: Belgium Composter Region: Europe Ferns Hostas Irises
Lilies Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge)
Alright everyone, it's been a long time since I posted anything, but then again there was little to post about Sticking tongue out Up until today still nothing has happened with the germinating seeds. I've been searching on and on on the internet looking for a blog, forum post or article about someone else who tried to start these from seed, but came up empty. I even contacted a botanical garden in the Netherlands whom I knew had Hymenocallis in their collection and would sure also be propagating these.
They indeed stated that these plants first form underground bulblets and take a resting period before starting leaf growth. Funny thing, before replying they sent me a link to MY OWN article on this forum on how to start germinating these Hilarious! *surprise!*

Anyway, I continued my search and today I stumbled upon an article about propagating lilies by seed (they're quite closely related) and I came upon a specific term that really described my 'situation' and evolution of the seeds up until now namely 'hypogeal germination' :

http://pacificbulbsociety.org/...

Don't now whether - as stated with the variations on the germination - they also need a colder period or just continue to be warm. To find out I placed about half of the bulblets in the attic where it's around 10°C and can be brought back to a warmer room in spring, the rest stays in the living room (I really needed to have set up a diary on this to describe my findings Blinking ) Anyway, we'll see how it goes and I'll continue to share my findings on this forum for anyone interested.

Here a photo where you can actually see the little bulblet forming and emerging out of the seedcoat. I noticed they form really shallow, right beneath the soil level and pull themselves down deeper.
Thumb of 2016-01-03/Arico/11350c
Image
Jan 3, 2016 10:04 AM CST
Name: Dnd
SE Michigan (Zone 6a)
Daylilies Dog Lover Houseplants Organic Gardener I helped beta test the first seed swap Celebrating Gardening: 2015
Garden Ideas: Level 2
Arico said:I even contacted a botanical garden in the Netherlands whom I knew had Hymenocallis in their collection and would sure also be propagating these.
They indeed stated that these plants first form underground bulblets and take a resting period before starting leaf growth. Funny thing, before replying they sent me a link to MY OWN article on this forum on how to start germinating these Hilarious! *surprise!*

Hilarious! Hilarious! Hilarious! I guess you are now officially an expert! Thumbs up That's awesome that they are referencing your post!

Thank you for sharing your progress. I wish you luck. From the picture, it looks like you are at least on the right path for getting these seeds to germinate and grow.
Image
Jan 3, 2016 11:18 AM CST
Name: David Laderoute
Zone 5B/6 - NW MO (Zone 5b)
Ignoring Zones altogether
Seed Starter Avid Green Pages Reviewer Garden Ideas: Level 1
Lee-Roy from what I have read and my own work, I have found that anything that makes a bulb is VERRRRRY slow to grow. Very.

I have not grown Hymenocallis. I have Siberian Iris, Dierama and Dietes. The latter was extremenly slow to germinate. I had basically given up after months. Then they popped. Dittos for the Siberian Iris. The Dierama was a bit faster.

And in both cases, once they started it was slow going. Months and months to get to 2 -3 ". Notes said 10 months for 3 ".

Anything that makes a "bulb" (broadly defined) is putting most of its energy into making the bulb. Not the leaves. But it needs the leaves to feed the bulb.

It was close to a year before the Dietes got to 12 ". Measuring today, nearly 2 years from seeding, they are 28".

In my area, the Siberian Iris is hardy - the other two not. At about 8 months, I planted the Siberian Iris in my garden and they have done well. They got to about 18 + inches this past Summer.

The Dierama and Dietes are in 10 " containers and I winter them over indoors in an unused bedroom near windows. It stays quite cool in there and both seem to go into dormancy. I water them just enough to moisten the soil, but no more. Do not want to risk rot of the bulbs.

I hope the Siberian Iris to bloom maybe in '16 - '17 fer sure based on research. I likely will not see Dierama or Dietes blooms til '17. Note that these two are placed out in full sun outdoors early May and are brought in during October. I water them daily or every second day at most. It does take dedication to grow bulbous plants from seed. ;-)

I hope that this info may be of some usefullness and best of luck with your Hymenocallis.

http://pacificbulbsociety.org is one of the better sites for anything bulb related.
Seeking Feng Shui with my plants since 1976
Only the members of the Members group may reply to this thread.
  • Started by: Arico
  • Replies: 17, views: 6,135
Member Login:

( No account? Join now! )