I have acquired Rose of Jericho (Anastatica hierochuntica) seeds. Basically this plant grows in the Desert, folds up, and when it rains releases the seeds into the sand and they sprout within a few days.
I have not been able to get the seedlings to live more than a day after sprouting. I soaked seeds in water for half a day and placed on top of cacti soil with extra perlite that was well drained. I got some seedlings but within a day they rotted. I had them under warm gro lights and they sprouted but I don’t know how to keep them alive?
Is there gardening sand I should use as substrate? But the plants in the desert so get some loamy soil mixed in for nutrients so what do I use?
How do I grow this desert plant from seed?
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keithp2012
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- Joined: Thu Oct 16, 2014 8:26 pm
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keithp2012
- Posts: 312
- Joined: Thu Oct 16, 2014 8:26 pm
Re: How do I grow this desert plant from seed?
This is a great video to explain how they grow in the desert. https://youtu.be/XsgHYfulv2g
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One Windowsill
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- Location: Manchester
Re: How do I grow this desert plant from seed?
This paper has all of the conditions they used for germination under "Plant Material and Growth Conditions":
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10 ... 01992/full
The surface sterilisation with bleach may be important. Also sterilising the growing medium. The agar medium is probably not.
It is just a cabbage, how hard can it be?
Good luck!
Edited to add: I just watched the video that Keith linked. The seeds were clearly buried, not on the surface.
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10 ... 01992/full
The surface sterilisation with bleach may be important. Also sterilising the growing medium. The agar medium is probably not.
It is just a cabbage, how hard can it be?
Good luck!Edited to add: I just watched the video that Keith linked. The seeds were clearly buried, not on the surface.
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keithp2012
- Posts: 312
- Joined: Thu Oct 16, 2014 8:26 pm
Re: How do I grow this desert plant from seed?
One Windowsill wrote: ↑Sat Feb 20, 2021 11:45 pm This paper has all of the conditions they used for germination under "Plant Material and Growth Conditions":
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10 ... 01992/full
The surface sterilisation with bleach may be important. Also sterilising the growing medium. The agar medium is probably not.
It is just a cabbage, how hard can it be?
Edited to add: I just watched the video that Keith linked. The seeds were clearly buried, not on the surface.
There are many factors to consider.
Do I grow indoors under grow lights, or direct sow outside in Summer when we get heat and humidity similar to desert rains? It mentions stratification of near 40F, is that implying I put damp seeds in fridge for a day or two in a bag before exposing to warmth, but do they need light to germinate?