Cold stratification means that you need to sow the seed, water the media and expose it to a period of cold temperature, which can vary from a few weeks to several months, depending on the species or cultivar you're sowing. It does not mean simply putting the dry seeds in the refrigerator. Seed only starts the germination process in the presence of moisture and once this process has started, drying out is fatal to the seed embryo.
Keeping dry seed in the refrigerator, however, is the best way to maximize longevity. I keep mine in a Tupperware box with several of those packets of desiccant that come with various things like computer peripherals. Lacking that, a layer of dry kitty litter in the bottom of the box will do the trick - separate it from the seed packets with some paper towels. Or, use a jar with a tight-fitting lid.
| Some Genera Requiring Cold Stratification | ||
|---|---|---|
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Acaena Acanthus Aconitum Anemone (not all) Arum (not if fresh) Astrantia Cimicifuga Corydalis Dicentra spectabilis Dictamnus |
Eranthis Eremurus Eryngium (not all) Gentiana (not all) Geranium (a few) Glaucidium Helleborus (if dry) Lithospermum Podophyllum |
Primula: bulleyana, japonica, pulverulenta Pulsatilla Saxifraga (many of them) Soldanella Trillium Trollius Tropaeolum: speciosum & ciliatum Viola odorata |
| Michael Wilton's Bletilla Germination Method Sterilize chopped sphagnum moss by pouring boiling water over it; bring it back to the boil, then allow to cool. Drain, then pack softly into a pot. Sprinkle fresh Bletilla seed on the surface of the moss. (Seed should be from a freshly split pod or one about to split.) Place the pot on a saucer in a window which receives direct sunlight for most of the day. Keep the saucer topped up with water, (watering the sowing media by capillary action). Normal room temperature, around 68 - 77 F. (20-25C). Seed should turn green after about a week and after about twelve weeks, small single leaves, but no roots, should have developed. At this stage the seedlings should be transplanted to a fresh pots of moss prepared as above and allowed to grow to the end of the season.
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