Raising Pelargoniums from Seeds Project Progression

Growing  pelargoniums / geraniums from seeds is a challenging and rewarding venture. These little plants was born from the heart of the pelargonium seeds. They lay opened their small leaves so fast, and in almost two weeks had already 4 or 6 leaves.

We used this time a different method to start the germination. As I already told you in my previous post "2011 Pelargonium Seeds Exchange Project", we received 4 seeds of pelargoniums for this project: one seed of Pelargonium Alternans, one seed of Pelargonium Lobatum, one seed of Pelargonium Barklyi and one seed of Pelargonium Bowkery. In the project is specified that we should plant them using sprouting method (eventually scarifying them). So, before sprouting these seeds, we started with some of the pelargonium seeds collected from our garden last year, Prince of Orange and Frensham Lemon varieties.

We removed the seeds from the mericarp, scratched them and placed them in a plastic dish on a moistened paper towel. Next 2 days the seeds were already sprouted and we planted them in a mix of sterilized peat moss, perlite and pumice.




This method is more efficient than the method we used last winter for germinating seeds, the rate of succes being around 90% (last winter we reached only 55% success  rate of raising new plants from seeds). The success prompted us to start the seeds from the project, too.

We were also impressed by the accelerate growth of the little seedlings, perhaps because we removed the seed case after the seed germinated. We are keeping them in a small greenhouse, 10 hours per day under the growing light. In the last week we trained them for real conditions, letting them gradually without the lid few minutes per day (already 1 hour yesterday). Three weeks after germination, the little plants have more than 5 cm high and perhaps in one week, we will remove them from the greenhouse, growing them at the room temperature. My hobby to raise and carry for pelargoniums, geraniums whatever they are, was once again rewarded, don't you think?