I have some seeds for calceolaria, and am wondering how others have grown them.
The seeds are for the ordinary pot plants I think, but I think I have other varieties coming.

Warmth and lights?

I also got some calceolaria seeds this year. This is my first time trying them. Found this on the net-

Growing Calceolaria (indoor) from Seeds
Plant type: Glasshouse biennial
Uses: Pot plant
Sowing: 15 – 20 0C. Do not cover with vermiculite
Germination 2 – 3 weeks.
Light is essential for germination Approximate crop timing (mid season)
Sowing to transplanting 4 – 5 weeks (transplant both large and small seedlings to maintain
a good colour balance) sow August – October for flowering
December onwards. Sowing to flowering 16 – 18 weeks

What does that mean that they are glass house biennial?
I was under the imrpression that they would flower the first summer?

Don't really know what that means. I just copied it from the internet. I think it may mean it's grown by suppliers in greenhouses for nurseries and what not. Not sure though.

Thanks, Dwayne.

Caroline, I don't know which species of Calceolaria you have. I grew Calceolaria mexicana. That's an annual. I'm in zone 6 and started them indoors without any extra heath. I didn't cover the seeds because they need light to germinate.

Thanks. I have the "Anytime Mix" from Parks.

The only time I ever got any to germinate was when I set them outside in a cool, shaded spot. They didn't like the warmth of the GH. Unfortunately, I let them dry out, so I never got any mature plants. Mine came from Parks, too. But according to Tom Clothier's site, the seeds want 65 to 75 deg. to germinate. I think I still have some. Maybe I'll try them again, but in a somewhat cooler spot in the GH.

Hmmm---if they need cooler---I'll have to make room in a window
as it gets very warm under the lights.

I grew Calceolaria biflora from NARGS seed exchange seed last year. Planted Feb. 3rd indoors and germinated at room temperature on March 11th; good germination (though it took a while) and they grew well indoors. The question is whether they'll make it through the winter! I bought a couple of plants many years ago, and had them winter over, hence the renewed effort.

http://encyclopaedia.alpinegar...

I originally did C. mexicana warm with light, but they do self-sow here so this year I just winter sowed a batch. They matured pretty fast ...definitely a first year bloomer.

Thanks for the info. Lori and Chelle.
I have an order into NARGS as they had several Calceolaria on their surplus list.
I am not sure which species these commercial seeds are.
The seed and plant companies seem to use Marketing names and not proper Latin names.
I think they should give both names.

Wow---I guess I shall do a study of the Genus calceolaria.
They sent andina a yellow, fothergilli a yellow with red, polyrhiza a yellow with red spots,
tenella another yellow, biflora a yellow, corymbosa a yellow, chelidonoides a yellow,
mollissima a gold color.
I'll have to research each of these before I try to germinate any of them.
The Parks ones are hybrids of some sort,but I do not know where they fit in.

I'll have to write an article on the Calceolaria after I research and grow these.

Good luck with growing them! That should be an interesting article.

Three weeks after sowing and placing under lights :

calceolaria chelidonoides germinated in two weeks
Most of the others; andina, biflora,corymbosa over the last (third ) week
molissima and polyrhiza only one or two have sprouted
fothergilli and tenella not at all

I have moved them to a cooler north window now.

Way to go, Caroline!

Karen

Are we to assume this is under room temperature??

Information, everyone, information!!!
I have been recording anecdotal personal experiences like this and adding them to the Deno list that already encompasses around 5000 entries. I'm not close to "publishing", but if you would like a "work in progress" spread sheet, you can treemail me with an email address. So far, I have put in about 550 additional data points, including around 250 species not previously on the Deno list. But it's really sad that I could easily have added 2500 new data points, if only growers would be forth coming with their method. I constantly ask, and plead for real data, and everyone says "what a great idea", but few things change. Fortunately, I have a small group of faithful contributors, and Lori ( ) is at the top.

Sorry! Seed germination here is in warm basement 75ºF
and the cooler window is about 65ºF.

Often that is the case, where warm temps produce maximum germination, but seedlings need to be move to cooler locations to survive.
A smart move, in my opinion.

I've entered your germination data, Caroline. You are contributor #32. If fothergillii and tenella germinate, I'll add them too.

Great! I will hang onto that tray, and if nothing happens:---
then I will try chilling and/or freezing the ones which do not germinate.
Some of these originated up in the Andes Mountains so may need cold.