Nepenthes seed germination setup?

[Rareraven]

These past two days I've just felt like a big failure... I mean sure I was hoping some would germinate but I didn't think I'd get mold. This is just really discouraging me.

 

[Radagast]

Don't get discouraged. I tried sowing Nepenthes seeds and the first time I tried, I failed. Hard. The 2nd time I did it I sowed them onto milled long-fiber sphagnum moss, placed them on a water tray underneath a humidity dome. If you only sow 1 pot then putting it in a ziploc bag under appropriate lighting would suffice. I checked on them a couple times a week and sprayed them with distilled water. QUITE A LOT got moldy/gross and so I used tweezers to get rid of them. It probably took me MONTHS to see any activity. Finally - I noticed 1 little green seedling...then 2....then 6...and so on. Now I've got 12 little pots filled with individual seedlings that I've selected from the batch. Just be patient.

EDIT: I have even purchased several seed orders from the ICPS seedbank...placed all the seeds into pots in the exact same media/conditions...on the exact same water tray, under the same lights, etc. And some STILL don't germinate. It isn't an exact science - You just have to find what works for your conditions.

 

[KATastrophe]

Like me and bigbella mentioned sterilization on the seed is important cause nep seeds in general can be very dirty and he has a very good procedure to sterilizing the seeds so dont be scared to try again justvsearch for diff techniques that will work for you and try again.. If first you don't succeed..try again!

 

[Rareraven]

How do I staralize the seeds?

 

[KATastrophe]

Go to the 2nd page of this thread and look at BigBella's response on sterilization of seeds.

 

[KATastrophe]

Lowland Nepenthes and even some odd highlander seed are notoriously "dirty" in terms of fungal contamination; and one of the easier methods for cleaning them, prior to sowing; or, for use in TC, involves cleaning the seed with peracetic acid or vinoxide (CH3OOOH), which can easily be prepared with household 3% hydrogen peroxide and white vinegar -- acetic acid, typically at 5% acidity. It is prepared in a 4:1 ratio of H2O2 to vinegar. The vinegar is heated to boiling in a microwave and added to room temperature H2O2. It is a powerful oxidizer and antimicrobial, but does not harm the seed.

They can be soaked for as little as an thirty minutes and sown without rinsing.[/I]

He also wrote alot of other Great info on the subject of what media to use in his expirience and whatnot...

 

[Rareraven]

What does boiling vinager do bit to make your kitchen stink?