FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

I am having no luck with getting ping seeds to germinate. I've sown on chopped sphagnum, peat/sand, and peat/perlite with zero success. I can sprout sarrs, flytraps, and sundews without a problem. Can anyone give me some pointers?

I use only sifted peat that has been boiled and rinsed so it has a low tds when soaked in or or distilled water. Tamp the peat down slightly so that it has a smooth surface, to better assure seeds will have a good contact with the surface. Try not to spread the seeds too thickly and mist gently to help make contact with the media. Cover with plastic wrap and hold in place with a rubber band. Then wait, making sure the media does not dry out. I use the tray method with a hole in the bottom of the pot.

The ping seeds I have successfully germinated have all been very fresh. I have had success with this method with warm temperate and mexican -type pings. I don't know how long ping seeds remain viable, a few weeks of age is the max for ping seeds I have successfully germinated.

You must basically set up a mini-greenshouse for them so that they don't need to compete with moss and other pests. They are fragile when young and don't tolerate much change in the environment. Once seedlings get to about 1/8" in size I give a very fine spritz of very weak maxsea to help them grow, but only every couple of weeks. It's OK to take the plastic off for a few mintues to provide a feeding, but I would leave it in place until the plants are at least 1/2"

Keep in mind that the quality of the seeds and age make a huge difference in success. I fail with a lot more seeds then I succeed with.

use only very fresh seeds, most of the unsuccessful results are in germinations of old seeds

twitcher wrote:The ping seeds I have successfully germinated have all been very fresh.

jeff wrote: ↑Fri Jun 25, 2021 1:23 pm use only very fresh seeds, most of the unsuccessful results are in germinations of old seeds

How would you define very fresh? Days, weeks, a month?

As soon as the seed capsule is ripe, spending 2 months becomes problematic.
the more we advance in time, the more germinating power decreases.
nevertheless for other type of plants germination power can stay for a very long time