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Frittilaries

cowslip2cowslip2 Posts: 137
in Problem solving
Last June I scattered a tray of fresh seeds of Fritillaries. They have germinated well, and at this stage look just like thin blades of grass. I am wondering if I should leave them in the tray, though, it is only a thin layer of sand, so lacking goodness. They look mighty delicate to handle, at this stage! Most grateful for any advice.

Posts

  • DampGardenManDampGardenMan Posts: 1,054
    Based on my own experience the best advice I can give is to buy bulbs! I tried and tried to get frits past the "blades of grass" stage but never managed it :( The frits themselves managed it a bit better, so there was a slight increase in their number, but never dramatic, though I think the soil was perhaps a bit too dry. We planted 200 bulbs last autumn in our new, damp, garden and have a good show at the moment. I think I will leave them to self-seed ...
  • Paul B3Paul B3 Posts: 3,000
    My experience of growing bulbs from seed is not particularly good ! Once tried Eucomis bicolor ; seeds germinated well but then took about 5-years to attain the awe-inspiring diameter of 1cm(!) . Lost them all eventually to slugs .
    An old delapidated bungalow near us has an exceptionally wet , almost boggy front lawn ; stands in water for days even after light rainfall
    Passed it yesterday and the entire front was filled with literally hundreds of Fritillaria meleagris ; all self-seeded apparently with no help from us .
    The grass (bog) is cut once a year in very late summer , and currently stands around 1foot high .
    The frits are using it as a natural support
    What I find intriguing is how long have these taken to reach flowering size , just left to their own devices ?


  • nutcutletnutcutlet PeterboroughPosts: 26,868
    I leave all bulbs in the germination pots for the first year but they are pots, rather deeper than trays.
    I find all bulb, except a few smaller alliums, take years to get to flowering size. I can't remember when I started mine, I planted a pot of flowering bulbs from a GC and just left them to get on with it. 
    They are in a bit of a bog in wet winters but dry out in summer

  • Paul B3Paul B3 Posts: 3,000
    ..........and very nice too!!
  • Paul B3Paul B3 Posts: 3,000
    Wow !......you do better than I do then !
  • cornellycornelly Posts: 968
    We too have a nice damp patch of ground where fritillaries grow well, must have originally planted bulbs as we find it is better than trying seed, ours have and still are giving a lovely display.
  • DampGardenManDampGardenMan Posts: 1,054
    Ours are going over. When they set seed I intend to scatter some a good way away and see if anything comes up in a few years time.
  • DampGardenManDampGardenMan Posts: 1,054
    Do frits only spread by seed? Or can they produce offset bulbs?
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