10 `Minerva` seeds planted today. 19th Feb 2002.

it is better to use a floating method

I agree - I always float mine. But good luck. I would brush some of the soil off the top, so the seed is just laying on top of the soil for best results.

Floating it is then - they`re puffed up and raring to go!

A total disaster - they didn`t germinate.

how old they are ? it should be nore more that 2 years

are u sure that they are amaryllis seeds at all ? please post a picture of them

wibbly said:A total disaster - they didn`t germinate.

Did they get moldy? I wonder if they were blanks?

cwhitt said:
Did they get moldy? I wonder if they were blanks?

Well, I did feel a `bump` in them indicating a seed. I put half in seeding compost and the other half I floated on water. Floated ones seemed to start off ok by swelling. There was no mold, they eventually shrank to mush - the planted ones didn`t show.

Everything was done according to your excellent article on here.
Oh well, i`ll try again soon with my own grown seeds.

wibbly said:
Well, I did feel a `bump` in them indicating a seed. I put half in seeding compost and the other half I floated on water. Floated ones seemed to start off ok by swelling. There was mo mold, they eventually shrank to mush - the planted ones didn`t show.

Everything was done according to your excellent article on here.
oh well, i`ll try again soon with my own grown seeds.

from my experience, as long as seeds are floating they might germinate, if are sunk to the bottom-they are dead

Also you need a temperature of at least 78-80 F for good germination

sangel said:how old they are ? it should be nore more that 2 years

are u sure that they are amaryllis seeds at all ? please post a picture of them

Yes Definitely Amaryllis seeds - from an established seller - advertised as `Fresh Seeds`

sangel said:

from my experience, as long as seeds are floating they might germinate, if are sunk to the bottom-they are dead

Also you need a temperature of at least 78-80 F for good germination

Temperature was good, but I remember now almost all sank after a few days

wibbly said:

Temperature was good, but I remember now almost all sank after a few days

this is a bad

how old they were ? if you know, see my previous msg

sangel said:

this is a bad

how old they were ? if you know, see my previous msg

They were advertised as `Fresh Seeds`

I have been in contact with the seller and she informs me that two other people who were supplied at the same time have had no problem with germination. Also when i originally complained she immediately floated more of the same seeds and has germination.

She is kindly sending me more seeds. Although I don`t know what I can do differently this time

try aging your water for a day before you float them. I float mine in the dark. Not sure if that makes any difference or not.

cwhitt said:try aging your water for a day before you float them. I float mine in the dark. Not sure if that makes any difference or not.

Yes, I did boil the water and let it stand overnight before floating. I will try them in darkness next time.

sangel said:


from my experience, as long as seeds are floating they might germinate, if are sunk to the bottom-they are dead

Also you need a temperature of at least 78-80 F for good germination

On reflection - maybe my problem was in fact temperature. I had them placed on my window cill and I believe then the day/night temperature fluctuated between 68F and 72F

@wibbly

I did mine in a local summer, outside temperature was close to 95-98F (in the shade of course), inside was a little cooler (about 85-90 F) and it was at regular day light.

I have an open boiler shelf that stays at a constant 82F. I will give that a try.

Soooo . . . . I don't use my oven much - use toaster oven and microwave. So I float my seeds in the oven. It is dark, and being in the kitchen stays fairly warm. I do think seeds need to be fairly warm and not get too chilled.

please remember from were Amaryllis came from , from tropics, therefore they should grow and germinate and appropriate temperature.