FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

Darlingtonia seeds need a cold, damp stratification. However, I don't know the best way to go about doing it.

Should I go ahead and prepare pots, then sow the seeds, then put the whole pot in the fridge?

Or, should I put them in a bag with a little bit of wet sphagnum?

I've heard of doing the wet sphagnum in a bag, but it seems like the seeds would be hard to find afterward in order to transfer them to actual pots. The first way, to me seems much easier. Anybody with experience with Darlingtonia seeds, what's your favored method?

Nickrober wrote:Or, should I put them in a bag with a little bit of wet sphagnum?

I've heard of doing the wet sphagnum in a bag, but it seems like the seeds would be hard to find afterward in order to transfer them to actual pots. The first way, to me seems much easier. Anybody with experience with Darlingtonia seeds, what's your favored method?

I've done the wet sphagnum thing once with several species of CPs...NEVER AGAIN! Like you say, it's very hard to find the seed. There's really no reason to do it either. Just use a damp paper towel. Or, if you have the room, do as you say and prepare the pots, sow the seeds and then put the whole pot in the fridge.

Also, I'd recommend trying some of the seed without stratifying it. I like to experiment just to see how "necessary" stratification is. I've sown some Darlingtonia seed without stratification and I got pretty good germination.

Thanks for the help Matt.

Matt wrote:Also, I'd recommend trying some of the seed without stratifying it. I like to experiment just to see how "necessary" stratification is. I've sown some Darlingtonia seed without stratification and I got pretty good germination.

Would you say it would be worth trying it with half the seeds? Or should I risk less seeds without stratification?

Also, what medium do you use? I've heard using only LFS works best.

Nickrober wrote:Would you say it would be worth trying it with half the seeds? Or should I risk less seeds without stratification?

How many do you have? You could probably do half of them. I'd say do at least 10 of them without stratification.

Nickrober wrote:Also, what medium do you use? I've heard using only LFS works best.

I've got some on live sphagnum, dead LFS and my regular mix (Steve's mix of 50% peat, 30% silica sand and 20% perlite). They all germinated and are growing at about the same rate as far as I can tell.

I guess I have about 50-100 seeds... Just a guess though. Planning on trying to split them into just 3 pots since I have limited space and they take so long to grow. So maybe about 20 - 25 without stratification.

I may try Steve's media mix, or LFS, haven't decided yet. I feel like Steve's mix is easiest to work with.

Nickrober wrote:I may try Steve's media mix, or LFS, haven't decided yet. I feel like Steve's mix is easiest to work with.

I agree that Steve's mix is easier to work with. I'd stick with it. I don't think that the LFS is going to make that much of a difference. At least in my tests the germination rate and growth (so far) has been basically the same in LFS and Steve's mix.