> My first seeds have finally come!!! But, now I am a bit worried.
> Could it be too late to start germination? I received D. capensis, D.
> rotundifolia, P. caerula, S. leucophylla, and S. purpurea gibbosa. I
> have not heard of this ssp gibbosa, I ordered purpurea purpurea, but
> this is what they sent, is it the same? I have been instructed to
> refrigerate the leucophylla, rotundifolia, and gibbosa for 4 months,
> is this really neccessary? Or, is there and other shorter method?
D. capensis will germinate anywhere, anytime, (well so long as it's on
the surface of peat or peat/sand, with the pot stood in rainwater or
equivalent) so go ahead with that. D. rotundifolia is a frost-hardy
plant and will usually germinate after a cold Winter (after sowing -
the cold won't help if they're still in the packet). It's always
recommended that Sarracenia are sown and then refrigerated (not
frozen) for a few weeks. I'd say 4 weeks are enough rather than 4
months. It is getting a bit late in the growing season to start doing
this now - perhaps others can advise whether you should wait until
late Winter. I don't know about the Pinguicula.
-- Clarke Brunt (clarke@brunt.demon.co.uk)