This is a picture of amaryllis seeds from a seed pod that I just harvested today. The only seed pod that matured for me this year. There are about 50 seeds with the large black flaky looking outer shell and then there are about 50 that are much smaller and without the black flaky outer shell. Are the smaller ones also seeds? I'm thinking of trying three different methods to sprout. 1. float in water method. 2. wet paper towel in ziplock plastic bag method. 3. potting soil in plastic container with plastic dome under Heat Mat.

Appreciate the help
Larry Gosnell
Humble, Texas

small ones on the top to trash

other seeds valuable only if there is acorn in the middle of the seed.

Good luck Larry. They may take between 2 - 4 weeks to germinate

The small ones are under developed seeds and will not grow.

Update on seeds. Floated on water method under heat matt. Noticed first roots forming after 11 days. So about a week and a half. Also tried the wet paper towel in zip lock bag method with some seeds that a person here was kind enough to send me. Some of those seeds sprouted about a week into the process. Will update with maybe some pictures later as things progress.

how much seeds do u need?

@legosnell
Interesting Larry,
In my case, when I used the water floated method I found that the germination time was initially fairly quick around the 12 day period, but the development of seeds was far better when planted in washed sand (to remove salt) topped with a thin layer of vermiculite.
Under three weeks later the water floated seeds had only roots about 1/2" long whereas the planted ones had top leaves over 1" long already. I also planted some seeds in coco coir and vermiculite and the results were identical to the sand method.
Personally I now prefer the coir method (or seedling mix) as development is faster and there is no need for the fiddly planting needed after the floating method.

I still have a few `trials` progressing with the floating method.
`Christmas Gift` x `Naranja` have beaten the record - several are showing roots after only 8 days (without heat mat)
It seems that any seeds with `Christmas Gift` involved are particularly vigorous.

my test run with 2019 seeds and new seeds, both floating method

after 7-8 days, both have 3-4 of 12 seeds germinated, regular water, no heating, but outside temperature is close to 95 F

@sangel
Mine were in a boiler cupboard - held at a steady 80F constantly.
I`m interested how older seeds have an ability to germinate - how many months old were the 2019 seeds, and were they kept cool?

@wibbly

seeds 2019 are about 1 year old, kept at cold, about 42 F

I will recheck in a few days, for now not much difference, only difference that 2019 seeds 2 are on the bottom, 2020 seeds all seeds floating for now

@sangel
Ok, thank you.
I have planted a couple of `sinkers` just to confirm if they are doomed.

small update today

2019 , 3 seeds have a root
2020, 5 seeds have a root

so new are seems to be better, but 2019 still can be used

I will update in the end of the week as well

wibbly said:@sangel
Ok, thank you.
I have planted a couple of `sinkers` just to confirm if they are doomed.

Failed!

I have some seed started too. The ones that I floated started sending down visible roots at about day 11. As the roots reach about 5/8" or more in length, I have been moving them to potting soil.

The ones I have moved to potting soil are raising up off the surface as if the section of root between the soil and the seed is lengthening. They are up on stilts a little bit. Did I do something wrong?

At the same time that I floated one pod of seed, I placed another pod of seed on top of soggy wet potting soil. At 15 days those had swollen, but had not put out any visible roots, so I moved them to the float dish in the hope they would root there. I will go to Wibbly's washed sand on my next trial.

@WAMcCormick

Most probably the soil is too compacted to allow the root to get a hold - and/or there isn`t enough weight of soil covering to give a little top resistance.
Are you using seedling mix or coir etc?
I have had this on occasion and with these few seeds I just lifted them and used a small needle to make a hole for the root and then re-postioned them adding a little covering of media.

When/if you use the sand method they need just 1/8" of sand as covering.
When planted it is quite important to only keep them moist as too much water can stunt their growth, and even rot them.

Thanks for the response.

I have them in Miracle Gro garden soil, but I will get something else today and move the others to sand.

A few are beginning to show a little green.

WAMcCormick said:The ones I have moved to potting soil are raising up off the surface as if the section of root between the soil and the seed is lengthening. They are up on stilts a little bit. Did I do something wrong?

I would not worry about that - Mine have done that.

wibbly said:@legosnell
Interesting Larry,
In my case, when I used the water floated method I found that the germination time was initially fairly quick around the 12 day period, but the development of seeds was far better when planted in washed sand (to remove salt) topped with a thin layer of vermiculite.
Under three weeks later the water floated seeds had only roots about 1/2" long whereas the planted ones had top leaves over 1" long already. I also planted some seeds in coco coir and vermiculite and the results were identical to the sand method.
Personally I now prefer the coir method (or seedling mix) as development is faster and there is no need for the fiddly planting needed after the floating method.

I've used straight horticultural vermiculite for starting rose bush cuttings but never tried it for starting seeds. I'm currently trying out ecoscraps potting mix for most of my new pots which is supposed to be a blend of processed pine bark or wood chips, environmentally friendly coconut-coir, perlite, and compost made from yard trimmings and food scraps.