African Violet Seedling or Lichen/Moss/Algae?

13 years ago

Hello, everyone! I have always wanted to try growing African Violet from seed. I was successful in pollinating Firebird with Opera's Juliet. The ripened seed pod sat around for a while before I had a chance to plant the seed, so I wasn't sure it would be viable.

I read on line how to sow AV seeds... prepared a mix of half peat, half vermiculite, sifted. Planted the seeds in two clear-covered containers. Placed them under the lights. Two weeks passed and nothing happened.

Moved the trays up closer to the lights... just about 6 inches under them. In a few days, a few green things started to appear.

I was so excited that these seeds were sprouting. Now, however, I am wondering if they are really african violet seedlings or just some form of lichen, moss or algae. They do not really look like the tiny violets that I have seen sprouting from rooted leaves. They give the illusion of having two little leaves, but those two leaves are actually one wavy leaf. It looks like they have fine little hairs for roots... They started sprouting about a month ago, and it seems to me that if they were AV's they would be developing second sets of leaves by now...right?

I have just put a few in tiny containers out in the open, and have lowered them down to the level of my other AV's. Perhaps being so close to the lights were causing them to develop abnormally?

Anyway, here are a few photos. In the upper left hand corner of the second one, you can see that something has sprouted that is definitely not an AV. Can anyone tell me if these other green things are AV seedlings? Or do I have a nice crop of little green mushrooms growing under the lights???? :-) Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading this!

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Comments (6)

jean001
13 years ago
Looks like moss (the green spiky thing) and perhaps a liverwort.
Greg
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks, Jean. I googled "liverwort", and, yeah, looks like that's what I've got. How the heck did those things get into a sealed container??? lol Anyway, thanks again. Looks like it's back to the drawing board with trying to cross AV's and growing them from seed. If at first you don't succeed......
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irina_co
13 years ago
Stress -

the spores of liverwort, ferns, moss were in your peat moss. It is recommended to use sterilized mix for seedlings - you could nuke it in a microwave - so you do not have extra seeds and especially any fungus infection - damping out will kill your seedlings.

I hope you didn't use all your seeds - you can repeat the experiment. Otherwise - I would again create terrarium conditions - and keep the seeds in enclosed container for several more months. If there is a viable seed - it will eventually hatch. I would wait when it is evident what of the new growth is "weeds" and pluck them out.

Good Luck

Irina
Greg
Original Author
13 years ago
Irina, thanks for the helpful input. Unfortunately, I did use all the seed from the one pod that I had. :-( I planted it in two different containers. I will follow your advice and weed out the liverwort (what an awful sounding name for a plant! lol), leaving the containers under the lights for a while longer and hope for the best! As soon as Firebird blooms again, I will try pollinating a couple of its flowers once more, too. And next time I will certainly nuke the seed starting mix before sowing.
Another question: how close to the lights should the seed be placed? One guide that I read said place them at the same level as my other violets. Another said to place them 6 inches below the lights. Any outdoor seed that I start inside, I place just 2 inches below the lights. What would y'all advise? :-)
irina_co
13 years ago
I think what you did was right - just not enough patience. And next time plant may be 20 seeds, not 250 - which is potentially how many you had in a pod. The rest of the seeds you can put in a fridge for safekeeping. They say it is convenient to use itty-bitty semi-transparent packets the stamp collectors keep their treasured stamps.

I heard you can use a Jiffy pellet - you water it, fluff it up and sprinkle the seeds on a surface - it is already sterile.
It doesn't have too much nutrients - and the seeds do not have them too - so make sense to spray the hatchlings with a weak solution of fertilizer - may be 1/8 teaspoon per gallon.

Good Luck

Irina
Greg
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks again, Irina. I have weeded out my two little terrariums as best as I could, and have placed them back under the lights. Now it's back to being patient and hoping!

African Violet Seedling or Lichen/Moss/Algae?

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