N. gracilis from seed

[AaronJ]

Could not find anyhting specific through the search function.

Does anyone have any experience with growing N. gracilis from seed?

Thanks,

Aaron.

 

[The Griffin]

I have not done gracilis, but it should not be hard. Is this your first seed?
Nepenthes seed seem more prone too fungus than other cp seed, in my limited experience. I have had seed germinate on milled sphagnum and peat/sand. A popular substrate by a UK friend of mine is perlite/vermiculite. It is more inert than the organic compounds, sp less prone to fungus probably. make sure you soak the perlite and vermiculite to leach any salts/unwanteds.
After than, warm, humid conditions(a baggie works) and bright, non-direct light and you should have germination, if the seed is fresh.
regards,

Joe

 

[JanW]

If the seeds are fresh, there will be no problem to get good germination. If you have tiny seedlings, repot and give them a slow-release fertilizer in the substrate (Osmocote).

Jan

 

[AaronJ]

Thanks Joe & Jan,

Yes, this is my first attempt at Nep seeds.

I was lucky enough to get so many seeds that I can easily try several batches of 30-40 seeds per batch.

This first batch I am trying with a 50:50 peat:sand mix in a minim plastic propagating greenhouse which is being kept in my glasshouse.  Night temps can get down to 10-15C and day is about 25-30C (all depends on the water) so I figured this might be getting a bit cold at night for N. gracilis.

What do you think about the lower temps?  An issue for germination?

I'm also thinking to try a batch in an old aquarium with a heater and fluoros in order to keep more stable and higher temps.  In this I’ll try some with the 50:50 mix and some in LFS (both live and dead).

Hopefully with all of these bases covered I should get something.

Aaron.

Ohhh!  Another question.  For the seed that I do not immediately use is keeping it in an airtight ziplock bag in the fridge the best place?

 

[The Griffin]

No. For most cp seed, the fridge is good, but not for lowland Nepenthes seed

Jan, I am sure this is covered somewhere, but how much osmocote do you use?

Regards,

Joe

 

[JanW]

... about 4 or 5 for a 7x7 cm pot.

Jan

 

[The Griffin]

That is what I would have guessed, thanks.

Cheers,

Joe

 

[JanW]

Sorry for the kind of late answer...forgot about that posting.

Jan

 

[jimscott]

There's a Nep gracilis in Upstate New York. I think HE was grown from seed!

Sorry, couldn't resist a bad one.

 

[pond boy]

Lol@Jim! Is equal parts lfs sand blasting sand a good mix for nep seeds?

 

[JanW]

I use only pure peat...that dark stuff which is old and death, not peat moss and no living ones either. On peat you see the seeds and see germination at once. Later I put them in new pots with Osmocote.

Jan