Is there a reason Helleborus niger are so hard to find these days?
davidrt28 (zone 7)
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last modified: 9 days ago
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Why are strawberry seeds so hard to find?
Comments (8)It's been a long time since I grew strawberries from seeds, but I remember starting them in January and not getting any strawberries at all until midsummer, with most plants not producing significant fruit until the next year. That's a lot of time in a heated environment at the start and a long wait for a crop, and that's with alpine strawberries (Alexandria)that come true from seed. (And that's not counting any fertilizer or pest control during that long pre-productive period, somethat that a commercial grower can't ignore.) I think most commercial varieties don't come true, so it's sort of like growing hybrid tea roses from seed -- a long time to see results and you don't know whether you'll like what you get. If I get the drift of the linked article, it seems that you can't just cross two varieties and get a consistent or predictable result. Because a lot of the genetic interaction is unpredictable -- not a simple adding of best traits or simple dominance, but what they call 'epistatic.' If I read correctly, they say that the way to get desirable strawberry plants is to make crosses, grow them out, and then establish the good ones as asexually-propogated new strains: 'The important factor to stress when epistasis is important, and when the material can be vegetatively propagated, is the need to identify superior genotypes immediately and maintain them in the population by asexual reproduction.' But frankly, whenever a scientific paper -- like this one -- starts using the Greek alphabet, I figure I'm in over my head and I'd appreciate someone else chiming in. Here is a link that might be useful: Strawberry genetics...See MoreWhy is it so hard to find straw?!
Comments (18)If straw or leaves do not hold soil moisture well that may well mean the depth of the mulch is insufficent. I have seen people plunk down what they tell me is an inch (more like 1/4 inch) of a mulch material and then try to tell me that muclhes do not helps suppress "weeds" or retain soil moisture. If one can still see soil through the mulch material then the depth is not enough....See MoreHelleborus niger seeds.
Comments (6)Your woodland garden sounds like a great project, one I'd like to do myself.... I haven't sown helleborus seeds that have been stored or allowed to dry, but I have had good results with seed given a warm moist period of at least 40 days, followed by 6 - 8 weeks of moist chill...with germination taking place in the weeks after the chill. A very few seeds surprised me by germinating a full year after the others sown in their group. The seeds for these are usually thought to have a short viability, I don't see any reason for you to wait until July to sow them. What I can't advise you on, is how your young seedlings will do over your winter...I've never gardened in Z5. Which brings me to the rest of your garden (and it sounds like you've made a great start already)...I could picture lots of things I would try in a woodland garden here, but I'm stumbling a little on your zone. Astrantia is my longest blooming shade plant; it would be hardy for you (subtle flowers on most though)...it can be a little difficult to start from purchased (stored) seed, but they self seed easily, and seedlings can be moved in Spring to locations of your choosing if you purchased a plant or two this year....that might be a good investment. Epimedium isn't especially easy from seed, but many will spread quickly and can be divided. Cardimine can be pretty in a woodland and those you can start from seed. Heucheras and the candleabra type primroses (i.e. bulleyana) can be grown from seed, some types requiring a chill, the primula will also self seed and provide seedlings for you to fill in other areas.......See MoreOrder Helleborus online?
Comments (3)I ordered a flat of mixed seedlings from Pine Knot at the end of August and I can vouch for both the quality of their plants and their wonderful, personalized customer service. I have ordered named hellebores from other mail order sources, including Plant Delights, Avant Gardens and Deer Resistant Landscape Nursery. All were very healthy and are doing well in their first season in my garden, but were *much* smaller than plants purchased locally even though prices were roughly the same. If you can call around to find a nursery within driving distance so you can personally select larger potted plants in the spring, I would highly recommend that, even if it means a weekend road trip. A local independent nursery near me had a quite a few this spring. By no means did they have an exhaustive selection, but I was able to obtain large, beefy plants of clones like 'Ivory Prince' and 'Pink Frost' as well as select seed strains like 'Mrs Betty Ranicar' and Marietta O'Byrne's single and double lines growing 1-1.5 gallon pots for around $20 each. All were blooming so I could select my favorites. However, if you can't find any local sources, then any of the mail order sources mentioned above will likely provide great material. Just expect the plants to be a little smaller....See More41 North (Zone 7a/b, NE, coastal)
27 days agolast modified: 27 days agodavidrt28 (zone 7) thanked 41 North (Zone 7a/b, NE, coastal)davidrt28 (zone 7)
27 days ago41 North (Zone 7a/b, NE, coastal)
27 days agogardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
27 days agogardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
27 days agogardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
27 days ago41 North (Zone 7a/b, NE, coastal)
27 days agolast modified: 27 days agocecily 7A
27 days ago
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