Although I don't have near the amount of stuff that others do here on this forum, things seem to be ok. We have had something like 27 days(and counting) over 90 degrees and lots of extra high humidity to go with. Pretty unusual for Minneapolis, Minnesota. We even had a time when the dewpoint(yes, the dewpoint!) reached 81 degrees for several hours. But then last year was just the opposite with only 2 days barely reaching the 90 mark.

A few years ago, I witnesses the melting of wild Escobaria viviparia(cactus) in western Minnesota during a particularly long, wet spell. So I was also afraid to water my hardy potted cacti (Escobaria spp.) during such high humidity, and kept them out of the rainstorms as much as possible. However I did miss a few downpours during this grueling weather, thankfully without consequence. I wonder if it could have been because these cacti were thirsty and drunk up the excess water quickly in their pots?

There has been definite, visual suffering on the part of the alpines, and some did just melt away. But I did learn in my attempt to reduce heat stress, that at least the alpines I have, can take a lot more deep shade and a lot more watering than I ever thought healthy.

Rick

I don't exchange seeds but plant my own. That's not to say I'd discourage anyone from participating in the NARGS exchange. NARGS seeds are discussed a lot on Alpine-L (be patient. The site is a technological dinosaur) If you enter 'NARGS' or the 'seed exchange'' in a search on Alpine L then all types of archived info will pop up.

I planted my first seeds today. All local natives. this includes :

Clematis occidentalis
Beargrass
Glacier Lily
Sausseria nuda (a Sawort)
Phacelia Sericiae (my favorite)
Wood Lily

I usually have decent success with most natives. It always seems a long way from seeing results but it's something to look forward to. A lot of these plants are just as easy to divide, etc but the challenge of growing a plant from seed just makes the result a bit more special.

leftwood, re your message above on Escobaria vivipara. I have this cactus growing in a few spots in our garden. A couple are in alpine troughs and get drenched with the regualar watering. They do fine. The key is good drainage. As long as the water is passing through then the amount of water or rain isn't that important. the biggest problem can be in spring when the snow melts and the water pools around the base of the plant on the frozen soil. I find more success by planting the ball cacti on a golf-ball sized mound of gravel above the average level of the soil The water runs off better and doesn't accumulate.

Here is a link that might be useful: Alpine-L

Well, I had some successes and many failures:) A few weeks ago I transplanted my seedlings into the coldframe: Primula denticulata, P. japonica, Pulsatillas, Silene schafta and another species that I don't remember right now; some alpine asters, Iris versicolor, linaria. I know there are more but I can't remember. i had a couple of lewisias but they died. I also had a couple of Lilium form. but the foliage died back. I don't know if I have a bulb or not. I knocked the pot over and dumped all the soil mix out. I scraped it all up and put it back in but who knows where the bulbm ended up, if there was one:( Seems like I'm forgetting something important. Will have to check my labels tomorrow and see! I still have narcissus and tulip seeds, penstemons, and some ohers that I plan to sow in the cold frame and probably should have done that already. It's just been so hot and i knew i would forget to water them. It's cooler and wetter outside now.

I didn't join NARGS until it was too late to get in on the 2004-2005 exchange, but I made up for it with the RHS seed exchange, and by purchasing from just about every cool seed source out there: JJA Seeds, Gardens North, Phedar Nursery, Theodore Payne Foundation, Plants of the Southwest, Rocky Mountain Rare Plants, Chiltern Seeds and I probably forgot a few...For my first foray into growing from seed I had spectacular results. I basically winter-sowed everything, and I had lots to plant/enjoy, lots to share, and have lots that will be ready next year (bulbous plants, peonies, stuff like that).

I used a makeshift cold frame for germination and growing-on: I bought the biggest translucent plastic storage box I could find at Target (about $15.00), dumped a 50-lb. bag of sand into the bottom, and called it a cold frame. I set my pots of seeds in it, putting the cover on when it was below freezing, taking the cover off when it was above freezing, and bottom-watering by leaving a small gap in the pots so I could dump water into the sand and let it percolate up. It worked/works incredibly well, especially for the ease of setup and the cost.

Wow!! sounds like you had fun and did great! i hope to do better next year. i need an easier set-up. I had my plant shelf next to the ceiling in the basement laundry room. Well, I had two shelves and the top one was up there so I had to get a step ladder and climb up with a watering can and I would often forget or the ladder would be on the back of the truck and it was dark outside, etc. Sigh! I like your cold frame idea LOL!
VG

Well it's now the end of the growing season here. I can look back on this season and whole heartedly say I will NEVER sow that many seeds again at one time. It was way more than I could handle even with the help of my DH.
I can also see that growing alpines will indeed be a challenge for me.

Things were going great this spring until our temperatures went from the mid 60's /low 70's right in to the 100's. Ughhhhh. Almost overnite the Delphiniums, Eritrichum, Androsace, Phlox and others I couldn't believe were growing for me just shriveled up and died. If I wasn't such a beginner I might have been able to keep them alive. Again the Delphiniums eluded me as did the Pulsatilla. Maybe next year eh. It was a good learning experience though.

Some of my successes were with Phacelia sericea, Allium daghestanicum, Alysum stribryni, Verbascum(lots) I'm partial to V. acaule, Onosmas, Glauciums, Dracocephalums, Lesquerella, Physaria, Eriogonums, Papavers and several of the Penstemon.

I'm glad that everyone else did so well.

Do you have any ideas as to what seed you will be looking for this year?

I know what you mean about not sowing as many seeds this year!! I too was overwhelmed--still am so many babies and so little time!! Now how to keep them through the winter--at least the ones I didn't get planted out. I did have luck with the pulsatilla's--this year. I think that sometimes the seed isn't always viable. On my wish list for this year are species peonies. I am still pondering the question of what else to plant. I am planning on retiring early next year so will have more time-- but less disposble income--so am going to try to control myself. I gues I'm going to have to trade seeds-- I collected & collected with the intention of donating to NARGS-- and got caught up with my hectic schedule & missed the deadline for donations----ah well next year!
Tommie

Sagebrushred, I hope you didn't pitch your Delphiniums just yet--I dumped my pot of withered Delphinium luteum into a flat tray, and there were DOZENS of funny little sausage-shaped rhizomes--the plants had just gone dormant! Same with Aconitum helmsleyanum: little tubers everywhere! I also found nice little rhizomes/tubers in my Paeonia brownii and Paeonia californica pots.

I figure our climates are kind of similar, only yours is colder and wetter (wetter being more than 7" average rainfall per year).

I do confess to having overdone it, but I don't plan to stop overdoing it any time soon. This year my first orders will be NARGS and RHS, with "just a few" other odds and ends to round things out from commercial suppliers...and a dozen packets from Silverhill Seeds in South Africa.

I thought about collecting seeds, but the garden got away from me--about the time I should have been collecting, I was busily planting bulbs, bulbs and more bulbs. Now that I'm basically out of room for more bulbs, maybe I can collect seed to exchange, too?

When some of you this past season posted pics of your seedling "fields", I sat back and marveled. There was no way I could do even half of what I saw. I am actually quite relieved to hear some of you have issues with the shear multitude. I was beginning to think that I was somehow disabled, because I know my limits are far less.

I have never started seeds earlier than the natural season would allow, because I don't want to deal with what is needed otherwise. But this coming year, I'll do better. I snatched up a cold frame from a friend's friend, who was moving from a house to a townhouse. It even has heating cables. So I will be embarking on a new adventure. (Yes, we plant people get a bit zealous when talking about our favorite subject.)

Sagebrushred, your experience with what happened with the sudden rise in temperature is typical. Even with established plants in pots (or in the ground), it is amazing what extra shade can do for them in a trying time of the season. I had a few trays of assorted alpines in mostly sun this summer. They were doing fine . . . or so it seemed. Company came over and I moved them temporarily to a very shady spot. They stayed there for a week, and when I went to move them back, it was almost like they had rejuvenated!

I have small alpine willows that are very particular about the heat, but even my potted Pulsatilla turczaninovii benefited from the mid summer shade.

Grandmasgarden and all, maybe we should be making better use of our exchange page. Wouldn't want that excess seed to go to waste. I just got rid of my extra lily bulblets to my GW friends in Minnesota. I don't have too many kinds of alpine seeds, but I do have a few. And I just put them on the exchange page. How 'bout it? Any takers?

Rick

I completely forgot about the exchange page on this forum. That's a good idea Leftwood, other than I sent all my seed to NARGS. As Napolean Dynamite would say "Gosh".

Ljrmiller that's good to hear about the D. luteum and P. brownii, both of which I attempted this year. I'm hoping my DH didn't dump those pots. I'll check the pots if I can find them, although I'm not getting my hopes up. Yes I do believe that the aridness makes our conditions similar, of course with the differences you mention.

Leftwood if that's typical than I feel a little better that perhaps the seedlings demise wasn't entirely my fault. Sadly, sudden temperature increases are pretty much the norm here. Some years are worse than others, and this was a bad year. Next year I'll have to really watch the temps. and move the plants into the shade a bit sooner. Since I won't be planting as many seeds I should be able to keep a better handle on things.(I hope)

Vegangirl I can sympathise with having to water plants on the top shelf. I've got a small set up in the basement where I start my veggies. I finally had to go buy a step ladder the keep by the shelves. Trying to climb up the shelves holding the watering can got a little dangerous.

Grandmasgarden, have your soldanellas sprouted? I've been perusing old catalogues trying to decide what seed to look for(limit myself to) and ran across a picture of some type of Soldanella. Very pretty.

As Alpiner notes natives do rather well for me also. I will be looking for plants that originate from Utah and the surrounding areas this year. Things like Astragalus, Cryptantha, Phlox, Townsendia, Zigadenus, etc. I also killed several Draba this spring. I'll have to try some of these again to try and redeem myself. Maybe I'll try a Pulsatilla again. Who knows maybe the third time will be the charm.

We had a drought this summer, was hard on established plants--but definately tough on the seedlings. They did fine as long as I watered them--but transplanting was really hard--lost a whole flat of Penstemon pinifolius & Cistus ladanifer
Leftwood, thanks for the prompt-- I will list on the exchange page---soon as I get everything catalogued. I feel that aspect of this forum is under used. I should list some of these seedlings too before weather becomes an issue. I am going to try to over winter most in the pots--with a good layer of mulch. Fall plantings rarely suceed here for some reason. I am going to plant most of my seeds out in my frame covered by window screen. I did lots of experimenting this year (and even kept notes!) and discovered that many of the seeds stratified in the fridge withlittle or no success had much better germination when put outside. Gentians were a case in point--zero germination from fridge plants-- but gobs of plants from the outside sowings. Geez it's not even cold yet and I'm ready to plant!
Tommie

Tommie, I noticed that quite a few of the native (dryland) plants I tried specifically wanted repeated freeze-thaw cycles prior to germination. I suspect that a fridge (even one with a defrost cycle) just doesn't give the temperature changes needed. I start my seeds sort of like you do (frame covered with window screen)--I pot them up, put them in flats, put the flats either in my "plastic storage box cold frame" or on wire shelving and let them fend for themselves for a month or two.

I had quite a few pots that I stratified in the fridge but only a couple germinated. I think I'll do them outside next time. My primulas, pulsatillas, linaria, and iris all stayed green an healthy in the coldframe until frost browned them. I hope they survive the winter. But all my alpine asters died. I thought they were easier to grow! On a positive note, I had my first cyclamen hederifolium bloom this fall. I've nursed these babies for years!

I agree with everybody...I had way too many pots but I probably will do the same thing next time:-) I *always* think I'll have more time and energy next time.

Congrats on your cyclamen! My iris seedlings for the most part stayed green way past freezing. In fact they were green when I covered them for the winter. (They are under snow now.) I grew Iris sanguinea and I. sanguinea nana this year, and boy are the nana's small! Really quite promising. These are the iris I grew from seed this year:
sanguinea
sanguinea nana
forrestii
humilis(Siberian form)
seedlings of 'Roy Elliot'
sintenesii var. brandzae

Add to that these already mature iris , and I'm starting to get a collection:
chrysographes
cristata alba
cristata 'Vein Mountain'
gracilipes alba
graminiea
lacustris
pumila (4-6 inch heirloom)
setosa ssp. artica
setosa ssp. canadensis
sibirica (few regular cultivars)
suaveolens (yellow form)
tectorum
tectorum alba

I envy your iris collection!!! I hope they all do well for you.

I just renewed my NARGS membership. I had decided not too because I was discouraged with my lack of success but then it came to me that I could learn from NARGS...Duh!

I am upset with myself that I forgot to sow my narcissus and tulip seeds this summer:-(

Don't be too upset. Daffodil and tulips from seed are on the difficult end of the spectrum, IMO. On the other hand, I have never even tried them yet, so do I really know? I will be trying Fritillaria camschatensis this coming season since someone gave me seed. Iris tend to be incredibly simple.

I think I've mentioned this before, but the bulletin can seem quite daunting to the relative newcomer. But stick with it, and don't be discouraged if even half the articles don't interest you (at first).

When I first joined (and the local chapter too), I was a NARGS member for 2-3 years, then quit, then rejoined for the seed exchange and now I get a lot more out of the bulletin's text. Wasn't that a great "treatise" on Arisaema species this past spring/summer? I enjoyed it very much. I've never quit the local chapter. It really is unfortunate you don't have a posse to get first hand experience. But at least you've got us. (He says egotisticly. LOL)

I have a friend in the club who is an expert at seed growing. It is not uncommon for her to get the same seed from different sources. While one source's seed germinates rapidly, the other might not come up at all. I have now doubt this is the case with NARGS seed too. Lack of germination might not be your fault in the first place. Also, some species seed just don't store well to begin with. So poor success? No, no. Unless you didn't learn anything from it, even failure is successful in my book.

Rick

P.S. This my second growing of Vein Mountain. I somehow killed it the first time - an easy Iris cristata! Goes to show ya: no ones perfect, and certainly not me.

Rick,
Iris is simple? Great! I'll choose as many as possible from the seedlist then:-) Thanks for the tip.

Yes I enjoyed the "treatise" in the Arisaema too. and I also enjoyed the article "Tiny Bulbs for Troughs" in the fall issue. I have a fascination with growing bulbous plants from seed. I wish there were some local folks interested in alpine and rock gardening but I agree that I'm fortunate to have you folks (she says in all seriousness:-))

I'm cheered that your experienced friend has some failures too. Perhaps some of the fault in my failures lies with the seed. I will keep trying:-)

Re your I. cristata. Have you ever noticed that sometimes the very inexperienced often have a "beginner's luck" with things that experts struggle with? For instance, I am an avid birder. My mother thinks they are pretty. I am always on the look-out for new species and rarities. One day she told me she had seen this gorgeous bird that she had never seen before. She told me she could paint it for me. (She was an artist but has since developed macular degeneration). I expected it to be a colorful warbler, certainly something that I with all my years of experience had seen many times. But she proceeded to paint a perfect male painted bunting, a bird that should never have been anywhere near our VA mountains!! and I, the birder, never even got to see it!! And so it is with gardening sometimes too. Anyway, I'm glad your second Vein Mountain is thriving!

Sagebrushred, yes, I have almost fallen a couple of times!! I think Soldenellas are SO pretty. I love all those little delicate things whose seed is so quick to die:-(

Tommie, that's too bad about losing all those seedlings. That's worse than if they never sprouted at all, I think!

I think I should qualify my "iris is easy" statement, as I have only tried rhizomatous types. I really don't have a clue either way about the bulbous types of iris.

Ah yes, beginner' luck. I have experienced it, and I have envied it. I have analyzed it, and I have copied it. And still, sometimes a success, and sometimes a failure.

Ian Young (well known and respected Scottish bulb grower) stayed with me while he presented a talk for our Minnesota NARGS chapter. He says that daffodil seed should be planted deep, and not surface (or near surface)sowed. For a better explanation, see this SRGC thread.

Rick

Rick,

Thanks so much for sharing that link. There is enough stuff there to keep me busy for several winters! How lucky to have Ian Young actually stay in your house!!

I like rhizomatous types of iris too:-) Now I can hardly wait for the seed list to come:-)
VG

I figured why waste a perfectly good thread, so...

Here's what I received in my first round NARGS shipment:

Abutilon vitifolium
Adlumia fungosa
Anemone lesseri
Anthriscus sylvestris Ravenswing
Antirrhinum hispanicum ssp graniticum
Aquilegia fragrans
Campanula latifolia
Clematis marmoraria
Eremurus robustus
Erythronium revolutum x oregonum
Fragaria vesca Alba
Fritillaria agrestis
Iris spuria musulmanica
Lilium parvum v hallidayi
Muscari pseudomuscari
Nomocharis farreri
Pelargonium sidoides
Penstemon parryi
Primula burmanica
Primula waltonii
Primula watsonii
Scilla litardierei
Thalictrum aquilegifolium
Veronica gentianoides

Most of the seeds will get winter-sown (my lazy way of doing cold stratification) this weekend.

Got mine the other day too! Whoo-hoo!

Aethionema glaucescens
Ampelopsis glandulosa v. brevipedunculata
Androsace carnea ssp. brigantiaca
Castilleja integra
Clematis mandschurica
Clematis potaninii v. potaninii
Clematis marmoraria
Coronilla vaginalis
Degenia velebitica
Delphinium cashmerianum
Doronicum austriacum
Edraianthus pumilio
Eryngium giganteum
Heterotheca jonesii
Impatiens balfourii
Iris chrysographes
Lysimachia lichiangensis
Marrubium rotundifolium
Mimulus cardinalis
Penstemon azureus ssp angustissimus, cyananthus, murrayanus, caespitosus v. desertipicti
Persicaria amplexicaulis 'Atrosanguinea'
Phyteuma orbiculare
Rheum alexandrae, australe
Ruellia humilis
Salvia forsskaolii
Senecio canus
Veratrum nigrum

Hmm, maybe some zone pushing here and there...
Ack - I'd better get busy figuring out how to germinate these things! And I guess this will pretty much commit me to finally making troughs this spring!
Lori

We seem to have a few things in common. Oh, and the zone pushing too . . . . . . and a bit of wintering inside.

Abutilon vitifolium
Agastache rupestris
Albuca humilis
Albuca shawii
Anaphalis alpicola
Anisodontea julii
Aquilegia viridiflora
Arisaema consanguineum
Aristolochia fimbriata
Athamanta turbith
A. turbith ssp. haynaldii
Bergeranthus jamesii
Echinocereus reichenbachii
Fragaria vesca 'Alba'
Iris chrysographes
Iris typhifolia
Leuzea conifera x macrocephala
Lilium concolor var. coridion
Lilium mackliniae
Melittis melissophyllum
Phyteuma scheuchzeri
Rhodothamnus chamaecystis
Soldanella alpina
Swertia bimaculata

I'll be starting my stuff earlier that usual since I have a cold frame now, but not just yet.

I received about 60% of my first choices this year. It is interesting to see everyones choices and note the wide range of interests in plant material.
Here's what I received this year:

Allium kharputense
Allium zebdanense
Aquilegia bertoloni
Aquilegia discolor
Arenaria tetraquetra ssp. Nevadensis
Asphodeline damascena
Astragalus mollissimus
Aubrieta pinardii
Calochortus tolmiei
Cephalaria alpina
Cortusa turkestanica
Draba bruniifolia
Draba ossetica
Erigeron simplex
Erythronium grandiflorum
Fritillaria montana
Fritillaria pinardii
Fritillaria ruthenica
Globularia cordifolia
Gypsophila repens 'Rosea'
Lesquerella fendleri
Lesquerella intermedia
Lewisia nevadensis
Lilium nepalense
Oxytropis borealis v. viscida
Oytropis shokanbetsuensis
Penstemon aridus
Penstemon washingtonensis
Primula aurantiaca
Primula yuparensis
Schivereckia podolica
Soldanella montana
Townsendia alpigena
Townsendia nuttallii
Zigadenus venenosus

I'm still going over germination information and cultural requirements. I've got things sorted into different groups as to scheduled sowing times. I will be sowing several this weekend, and others in early spring.(so far)

I just love looking at what everyone has received!! What a wonderful resource we have in NARGS!! The diversity of seeds available is astounding! I received 90% of my first choices, but I ordered REALLY early.
Abutilon vitifolium
Adonis vernalis
Allium cyathophorum v. farreri
Allium karataviense
Allium narcissiflorum
Allium pulchellum
Campanula carpatica
Campanula incurva
Campanula barbata
Carduncellus mitissimus
Chrysanthemum weyrichii
Cistus creticus ssp incanus
Corydalis solida ssp solida "George Baker"
Corydalis solida f. transsylvanica
Cyclamen coum
Cyclamen hederifolium "maple leaf"
Dryas octopetala
Erigeron compositus
Rhodiola rosea
Penstemon cardwellii
Penstemon pinifolius red
Podophyllum hexandrum mix
Pseudotrillium rivale
Saussurea discolor
I think thats it--combined all my seed into one list for sowing.
Good Growing
Tommie

I'm excited about my first order to NARGS.
Finally received seed yesterday, 50% of my first 25 choices & 8/10 of alternates.
They sent some wonderful substitutions.

Aquilegia colchica
Anthemus santi-johannis orange
Aster novo-belgii 'Alert' ruby red
Campanula ledebouriana
Campanula primulifolia
Campanula raineri hybrid
Clematis Betty Corning
Clematis Candida
Clematis Rooguchi
Corydalis solida f transsylvanica
Daphne laureola ssp philippi
Deinanthe bifida ex Honshu
Dianthus furcatus
Dianthus oschtenicus
Dianthus simulans
Dianthus subacaulis
Erysimum kotschyanum
Fushia procumbens
Gentiana andrewsii
Geranium magnificum
Incarvillea mairei v grandiflora ex ACE pink
Morina longifolia
Sisyrinchium macropeda(nv)
Silene dioica
Veratrum viride

The second-round list is on the website, and I received my form last night. I mailed the form back with my choices today.

I received my second-round seeds. More horticultural bizarreness :-)

Anemone altaica
Anemone rivularis
Aquilegia buergeriana
Arisaema triphyllum mix
Arisaema triphyllum ssp triphyllum
Astrantia major mix
Begonia grandis ssp evansiana
Callistemon hardy hybrid ruby
Cardiocrinum cordatum
Colchicum macrophyllum
Daphne mezereum
Dianthus superbus mix
Epipactis gigantea
Eranthis cilicica group
Freesia elimensis
Helleborus foetidus
Incarvillea olgae
Liatris cylindracea
Lupinus argenteus
Moraea huttonii
Morina longifolia

Bizarre? Some of my friends thought some of my stuff was bazarre too. Some houseplants, most winter sowed, some will be direct sowed. I think this is a pretty complete list now. I've got way to many already.

Abutilon vitifolium 3
Acacia cultriformis
Acinos alpinus
Aconitum alboviolaceum 39
Aconitum hemsleyanum 29
Adlumina fungulosa
Agapanthus cv fr U of British Columbia
Agastache rupestris 90
Agastache schrophularifolia
Albuca humilis 94
Albuca shawii 95 syn. A. tricophylla
Alcea ficifolia 99
Allium tricoccum
Alyssum wulfenianum 256
Anaphalis alpicola 206
Anaphalis triplinervis 268
Anisodontea julii
Aquilegia desertorum 345
Aquilegia flabellata var. pumila 'Kurilensis Rosea' 361
Aquilegia formosa
Aquilegia viridiflora 382
Aralia continentalis 418
Aralia wilsonii 420
Arisaema consanguineum 440
Aristolochia fimbriata 467
Aristolochia tomentosa
Athamanta turbith 580
Atropa komarovii 'Turkmenistan'
Bergeranthus jamesii 607
Betula glandulifera
Calycanthus floridulus ex 'Athens' 683
Campanula americana
Cassia alata
Clematis ochroleuca
Corydalis Blackberry Wine
Corydalis ex ex Dufa Temple
Cosmidium burridgeanum
Dasistoma macrophylla
Desmanthus illinoiensis
Digitalis grandiflora
Dracocephalum palmatum
Echinocerius reichenbachii ssp. caespitosis 1331
Eragrostis airioides
Festuca valesiaca
Fibigea clypeata
Fragaria vesca alba 1499
Fritillaria camschatensis ex Kenai, AK
Fritillaria camschatensis exCordova,AK
Fritillaria lanceolata
Gentiana quinquefolia
Glaucidium palmatum 2013
Hesperis kotschyi 1855
Hudsonia tomentosa
Impatiens glandulifera
Ipomea
Ipomea - Flake
Ipomea 'Blue Blizzard'
Ipomea 'Heino Rumi'
Iris chrysographes 1938
Iris reichenbachii 2307
Iris tectorum 1986
Iris typhifolia 1998
Jeffersonia dubia 2008
Lavatera cachemiriana 2053
Leuzea conifera var. macrocephala2095
Lilium concolor var. coridion 2138
Lilium concolor var. strictum
Lilium lophophorum
Lilium mackliniae 2150
Lilium sargentiae
Lilium sp. ex China
Limonium gmellini ssp. hungaricus
Manfreda virgininiana ex Adams Co. OH
Melittis melissophyllum 2302
Mentzelia decapetala
Mertensia simplicissima 2307
Mirabilis longiflora 2302
Nasella tenuissima
Onosma alboroseum
Orlaya grandiflora
Peltoboykinia tellimoides 2565
Peltoboykinia watanabei
Peltoboykinia watanabei 2566
Penstemon 'Chocolate Drop'
Penstemon hallii
Penstemon paysoniorum
Penstemon smallii
Penstemon strictus
Penstemon virens 2688
Physochlaina orientalis 2726
Phyteuma orbiculare
Phyteuma scheuchzeri 4332
Platycodon 'Komachi' 2756
Podophyllum hexandrum
Poncirus trifoliata
Pulsatilla ajanensis
Pulsatilla albana 2894
Pulsatilla flavescens
Rhodothamnus chamaecistus 4396
Ruellia ex 'Midnight'
Sarracenia purpurea
Scilla monophyllos 3194
Semiaquilegia ecalcarata
Serratula seoanei
Seseli gummiferum 3249
Soldanella alpina 4460
Swertia bimaculata 4478
Sylibum marianum
Talinum paniculatum 'Aurea'
Telekia speciosa (Bupthalmon)
Tellima grandiflora
Tsuga canadensis ex Mille Lacs Co.MN
Viburnum dentatum ex St.Louis Co.MN
xPardancanda norrisii
xPardancanda norrisii

And DRAT! my Pulsatilla flavescens sprouted in the initial 2 week warm cycle.

Rick

Regarding Narcissus seed: I don't have anything other than this single experience to go on, but I'm pretty thrilled. I ordered Narcissus serotinus seed from Chiltern Seeds. After a bit of reading, I decided a warm-cold-warm regimen would be best: 1 month warm (indoors, on the heat mat), 1 month cold (outside), then outside as the weather warmed. I duly sowed my seeds in their pot of damp Jiffy-Mix and popped it into the germination setup I have. I was VERY surprised to see little leaf blades emerging in less than a month. I now have them growing on under lights at room temperature until it warms up enough to take them outside.

N. serotinus is a fall-blooming Narcissus, so the "rules" may be different from "normal" Narcissus species. I'll report again if/when I receive my N. romieuxii hybrid seed from the RHS.

Lisa

Am unfamiliar with fall blooming daffs. Do I assume they put up foliage in spring, die back and then a naked flower in fall?

lettwood, from what I could find online, they put up foliage in early spring, die back and then the flower comes up in autumn. Another fall-bloomer is N. viridiflorus. They are native to the Mediterranean, and I don't know if they will be hardy here in Zone 7, or need warmer climes. But I had to try.

Lisa

Just a thought--something that would REALLY help me when germinating my seeds would be if NARGS (and everyone else on the planet) simply put: "Monocot" or "Dicot" as warranted on the packet. That way I could at least rogue out the most egregious of weeds (other than elm and cherry seedlings, because I KNOW what those look like) from my pots. It never fails that either some seeds jump from pot to pot or a windstorm "helps" with a few extras.

The REST of the information I manage to scribble on the packet or keep in my head, but for some reason "Monocot" and "Dicot" don't stick as well in my brain.

Lisa

I know what you mean about seeds "flying around." Might be fairly easy to label each species (monocot or dicot) because the genus would be all one or the other. You wouldn't have to find info on any particular species.

That said, grasses, Lilium, Allium, Iris and nearly all bulbs are monocots. Don't forget about the seed site that might help you out too.

Here is a link that might be useful: The Seed Site