Cute ones. I love the first one, the Erigeron.

Just revisited this thread to get reacquainted with what I should use to pot up the first of my rock garden seedlings. One of the first will be (Lewisia rediviva var. minor), winter sown and germinated in vermiculite.

(There's nothing quite like this sense of free-falling into the abyss! Can you tell that I'm not overly confident? )

Okay, but seriously, all I really need to remember is plenty of grit, and keep it lean...right? Add a top-dressing of grit (or sand) also and I should be fine?

I regret not taking pics of Lewisia cotyledon seedlings when I did their transplanting. The "stem" that these little guys make below the leaves and above the roots was already very thick. So if you can take close ups, have the camera ready; I think you'll be kicking yourself later if you don't. It was really difficult to transplant the roots in the soil media and at the same time keeping the neck in the gravel part. What I ended up doing is planting them on a little mound in the pot, and overlaying it with a thick layer of #2 grit and making a level surface. Not sure that would be the best way, but they did like it.


I haven't transplanted my Lewisia rediviva seedlings that came up last year. They retreated back into the soil relatively early. They don't naturally keep their leaves all summer, so I wonder if transplanting during the growth period is the right thing to do? Anyway, I didn't see an immediate need, so I left them.

Pretty blooms!

That's great information, Rick. Thanks!

A raccoon tromped in my lewisia seedlings last night, but they still look happy. They're just kind of laying around on top of the vermiculite. Just about any of my other seedlings would have been dead already.

They are tough plants. They are suppose to be difficult to move as adult plants. But I gave it a try last fall with my 10 year old plants. Every one of them made it.

I forgot that you had mentioned they are only in vermiculite, chelle. Due to the absence of nutrition, I would be giving them a very dilute fertilizer every week or two.

I potted these up in two different containers; one mix seemed way too loose, so I did another with a bit of moist sandy clay and two driveway rocks and sandwiched the seedlings between them. I moved the sandwiched seedlings outdoors on day three, and kept the other container under cover for now...just to see what happens. Both sets of plants look wonderful right now. It's difficult to describe it, but they just look so much more robust than many others of their size.

I don't know why, I mean I know, but I just don't like Perlite or Vermiculite...
Perlite (when it's too much I feel it just retains too much water).
Vermiculite I feel the surface looks really dry, makes me water more and in fact seedlings die...
Oh well! Maybe I just haven't discovered the secret.

Indoors, or out under high cover? What do you think would be best?

Tonight 25°F, tomorrow's high 37°F, tomorrow night 25°F...Lewisia rediviva and Stanleya pinnata seedlings.

I ended up bringing these into a bright, cool room for a bit.

I suppose one wouldn't call them seedlings anymore, as these are now 9 weeks old, but the cute factor is off the scale!
Both from seed from the NARGS seed exchange.

Erigeron compositus ex Mt. Adams


Draba ventosa(?)

Rick, the Erigeron is an amazing looking plant! I thought it was a cactus at first!

Sad to say it, but your "Draba ventosa" seed was misnamed. Here's what Draba ventosa looks like:

I know! I'm really excited about that Erigeron. And, it hasn't even been outside yet. It's been growing like that exclusively under fluorescent lights!

Yes, the "Draba ventosa" was from the NARGS seed ex. Seed donated by Rick Lupp and A. Ward from Glouchestershire, UK. Whose came up, I wouldn't know. These have not seen real sunlight yet either. You probably right about the ID, but I'm not giving up hope yet. It is interesting, whatever it is.



P.S. For whatever reason, I couldn't post these pics on the NARGS forum earlier today. Will try tomorrow.

and you are correct--cute factor is off the scale!!

I couldn't post photos to NARGS either this evening - don't know what's up.
My Draba ventosa produce seedlings in the trough the original plant is in and I'm afraid they don't look like that at any stage. The wonder of that erigeron would make up for the draba disappointment for me though!

Edit: I'll try to remember to collect some seed from the draba for you.

Thanks, Lori!

I am so excited! So far, at least 50% of my rock garden seeds have sprouted, and all of my transplants are faring well. The little Stachys lavandulifolia seedlings are so cute! I'm enjoying them now, even if they eventually fade away in our summer humidity. I have noticed that my Minuartia laricifolia seems to need watering about twice as often as the others, so I am learning that even with these plants, needs vary.

Newest arrivals just noted today are:

Penstemon uintahensis
Erinus alpinus 'Albus'
Michauxia campanuloides



This is fun!

Right On, Chelle!
Your S. lavandulifolia might be just fine.
Here is a pic of mine--it is just raring to go...