General Cold Stratification

[jillybean]

I think I messed this up.

I'd had a mix bag of cp seeds. Sprinkled the seeds on a wet paper towel.

DID NOT COVER THEM WITH ANOTHER WET TOWEL.

Put in a plastic bag. Left in fridge for a month. Took them out.

As I was removing and planting the seeds, I realized they weren't really wet and looked a bit dry. I know there are some methods that have you submerged the seeds in water.

Did I screw this up by not covering the seeds with another wet towel?

[hcarlton]

First, it would help to know what kind o seeds these were, since only some actually need stratification. Others could be killed by it. Second, I've never tried a method like this before, but I know most growers would much rather opt for sowing the seeds on the soil surface of a small pot and water them down so that they are completely in contact with moisture. However, I would think that a towel covering these seeds would have been better. However, if the original paper towle was still wet when you took them out, they should have been moist enough.
One last thing: most seeds are better off with 6 weeks of stratification. Only a few species of sundew and the cobra lily really do well with a month or less.

[Richard Davion]

Geez ... Over-R-100-&-50-Years Since The END-of-The-American Civil-War &-They're 'Still'-Digging-UP PARTICIPANTS Methinkst so-to-Speak!!! >(*~*)< / >(*U^)< Ha-Har ... JOKE-[DNOI] Definitley NO-Offence 'Intended'.

[coldcoffee]

"I think I messed this up.

I'd had a mix bag of cp seeds. Sprinkled the seeds on a wet paper towel."

As said before, the best ways to stratify depend on the type. For Sarracenias, and other larger seed varieties, I add a couple of damp (not sopping wet) strands of long fibered sphagnum to a sandwich bag, write the date on the bag and keep in the fridge for however long I want. Sometimes I use peat moss instead of LFS, just depends on my mood. LFS is my usual preference.

For Drosera, I usually sow them on pots prepared for them (generally I start seeds in very small 1" pots), then stick these in gladware containers in the fridge. I include a tag with the species and the date. I generally sow several seeds per pot and then transplant them out when they have germinated and reached a safe size.
If a species is very bad about transplant shock, I do about 2 or 3 seeds per pot and do not transplant them out into other pots unless they are far enough from one another to keep their root structures intact.

"DID NOT COVER THEM WITH ANOTHER WET TOWEL.

Put in a plastic bag."

I dont think the lack of a paper towel is so bad per se- moisturewise at least- especially if you put them in a ziploc bag (then again, why were they dry when you took them out? Was it a ziploc bag? Could be bag have been open? ). If the problem is moisture, I think something else is the primary cause.
I would have put one in there personally as a cushion, (or at least folded them up a bit). Personally, I would not be inclined to stratify with a paper towel. How wet was it when you put them in there? Did you ring them out (you should- at least some. Moist, not wet, is what I go for.)?

"Left in fridge for a month. Took them out."

Usually that is good for many species. As already mentioned some have longer requirements but 4 weeks is pretty common. Some like 6 or more. Just depends.

"As I was removing and planting the seeds, I realized they weren't really wet and looked a bit dry."

A bit? What do you mean? Was the towel damp? If so, you are probably fine. I would be more concerned about sopping wet.

"I know there are some methods that have you submerged the seeds in water."

I have never heard of this for stratification. For germination pre-treatment yes but such submersion usually does not last more than a day or two- unless you are talking about an aquatic species of course. Then again, maybe such a technique exists. Just because I have never heard of it does not mean it is not out there. If it is I would be interested in knowing more about it!

[mbfmark]

I have stratified Sarracenia seeds wrapped in both wet paper towel and in wet cloth and both methods work just fine, with very high germination rates. Even when the seeds are completely wrapped in the towel they can appear dry when you take them out for sowing because they are so hydrophobic. They still seem to germinate just fine.

[jillybean]

Update

Everything has sprouted. Except for the seeds that looked dried at time of planting.

I've identified some of the seeds.

Mixed Dorsera seeds has sprouted.
Sarracenia seeds did not sprout.(My guess not long enough CS)
Venus Fly Trap seeds did not sprout.(Same as Sarracenia)

And still an unidentified seed that has sprouted.

[jhtunion]

May 31, 2012 16:14:16 GMT jillybean said:

Update

Everything has sprouted. Except for the seeds that looked dried at time of planting.

I've identified some of the seeds.

Mixed Dorsera seeds has sprouted.
Sarracenia seeds did not sprout.(My guess not long enough CS)
Venus Fly Trap seeds did not sprout.(Same as Sarracenia)

And still an unidentified seed that has sprouted.

Vft seeds do not need cold stratification nor hot. Sarra seeds definitely need a lomger stratification period, for example last spring I sow sarra seeds, they move around in the container i had them in for an entire year... Then they germinated just this spring.
If your seeds haven't germiated yet is because some moght germinate late or later in the year or in a few years down the road, don't lose hope.

Good luck!