Post by meizzwang on Jul 10, 2023 17:15:46 GMT -5
Here are some really rare psittacina genotypes that came from the oldest seeds I've ever been able to germinate! about 3 years ago when they were put into stratification, the seeds were already 11 years old, but they were stored for Jesus: they were kept refrigerated in an air tight container, they never absorbed ambient moisture from the air the whole time, and were also quickly dried for Jesus at the time of harvesting. The quicker you can dry out seeds without damaging them, the better the chances they'll survive long term storage.
These were some of the most difficult seeds that I have ever attempted to germinate! For one, after stratification, the seed coat took 2 months to crack open, and about 4 months total before you could see the first juvenile trap. For comparison, fresh seeds take about 21 days to get to the same stage. These seedlings at first were so "out of juice" that one little mishap, like letting moss overgrow them or any amount of fungi get into the soil was guaranteed death. I remember getting a stunning 60% germination rate (if you consider the seed coat cracking open germination), but out of those sprouts, only about 40% made it ONce they got established, they grew normally and were no different than other other psittacina, but getting to that point was super difficult.
When it comes to seed shelf life, sometimes comparisons are best to get the big picture. I have many Sarracenia seeds no more than 2 years old that had 0% germination despite trying to store them properly. Maybe they were dried improperly before storage, or maybe I took them out of the fridge too many times during the winter when there was nothing else to look at. Or, maybe I did almost everything right, but one day it rained and somehow moisture crept into the packet somehow. Lots of things can go wrong when storing seeds, even if you know how to do it right and try your best to keep them as viable as possible for as long as possible. That said, leaving Sarracenia seeds in a room with fluctuating temperatures, humidity, and light, you can expect them to not last much more than a year.
Switching gears: these psittacina genotypes originate from a genetically rich and unique looking population that was frequently mowed many years ago, although in recent years, we noticed round up is being used a lot more frequently. minor also existed at the same site, some of which were very red! It's unknown if the original population still exists today as it comes from private property and we have long since lost touch with the original land owners.
S. psittacina (population) Charlton Co, GA, pics taken 7/10/23:
ickr
Nice red individual. Judging by the shapes and the fact that there are hybrids showing up in this batch, It appears this population had some historic introgression with minor:
These were some of the most difficult seeds that I have ever attempted to germinate! For one, after stratification, the seed coat took 2 months to crack open, and about 4 months total before you could see the first juvenile trap. For comparison, fresh seeds take about 21 days to get to the same stage. These seedlings at first were so "out of juice" that one little mishap, like letting moss overgrow them or any amount of fungi get into the soil was guaranteed death. I remember getting a stunning 60% germination rate (if you consider the seed coat cracking open germination), but out of those sprouts, only about 40% made it ONce they got established, they grew normally and were no different than other other psittacina, but getting to that point was super difficult.
When it comes to seed shelf life, sometimes comparisons are best to get the big picture. I have many Sarracenia seeds no more than 2 years old that had 0% germination despite trying to store them properly. Maybe they were dried improperly before storage, or maybe I took them out of the fridge too many times during the winter when there was nothing else to look at. Or, maybe I did almost everything right, but one day it rained and somehow moisture crept into the packet somehow. Lots of things can go wrong when storing seeds, even if you know how to do it right and try your best to keep them as viable as possible for as long as possible. That said, leaving Sarracenia seeds in a room with fluctuating temperatures, humidity, and light, you can expect them to not last much more than a year.
Switching gears: these psittacina genotypes originate from a genetically rich and unique looking population that was frequently mowed many years ago, although in recent years, we noticed round up is being used a lot more frequently. minor also existed at the same site, some of which were very red! It's unknown if the original population still exists today as it comes from private property and we have long since lost touch with the original land owners.
S. psittacina (population) Charlton Co, GA, pics taken 7/10/23:
ickr
Nice red individual. Judging by the shapes and the fact that there are hybrids showing up in this batch, It appears this population had some historic introgression with minor: