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Carnivorous Plants

Cold Stratification.

18 years ago

How do you cold stratification properly? After a minor disaster with grey and green moulds, only two of my purpurea seeds sprouted and even then only one has grown into an inch-high sapling*, the other died of natural causes.

From what I know, you're supposed to have damp LFS, not wet, but damp. Place the seeds on/around it and then seal it up in a miniature ziplock bag and place in the fridge for 4 to 6 weeks. They say check every week, but I checked every day and its the only way I knew they were attacked by mould. Any longer and they would've all died.

There has to be a better way. Anyone care to share?

*I'm very proud, by the way.

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Comments (2)

wildbill
18 years ago
Sounds like what you did was pretty good to me, sorry you got mold.

I use those small 4 inch or so round flat containers like you get from the deli. I chop the LFS very fine with scissors - this makes transplanting the seedlings easier later on. I fill the container with the moss, get it damp, then pack it down flat with a spoon or something. Then I sprinkle the seeds on top. Sometimes I dust the seeds with powdered fungicide like Captan and transfer them to the moss surface with a small paintbrush. Then I snap the lid on the container and place in a ziploc freezer bag for the 4 to 6 week fridge period.

When I remove the seeds from the fridge, I put a small hole or two in the lid with a soldering iron and place the container under lights. The holes let in a little air which helps the keep the seeds from rotting.

I hope this helps.

Bill
xpochian
Original Author
18 years ago
Thanks for the excellent and fast advice, I think I'll do that near the end of February. I've managed to get my hands on some leucophylla seeds and I'd hate to loose them. My drosera were spitting out seeds like crazy, but thankfully, no stratification is needed for them.

I also discovered rather ironically by a local biologist friend of mine that purpurea used to grow wild all around my home town up until about 20 years or so ago. Hopefully when mine gets large enough it can safely live outside. I'd love it to repopulate the entire area, but I'm not holding my breath. ;)

Thanks again.

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