RAISING ALPINE PLANTS FROM SEED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 2, 3 January 1931, Page 6 (Supplement)

RAISING ALPINE PLANTS FROM SEED.

The seed of alpine plants is best sown as soon as ripe. ' Vitality is then at its highest, and the seed coat is not too hard, consequently germination is free and regular. Seed that is purchased, however, is seldom "fresh" from the seed pod, and in consequence it often takes eome time to germinate. Even in ■these cases do not keep the seed longer than possible, but sow at the earliest opportunity. The best receptacle for seed sowing is the ordinary Sin flower pot. These can be well drained, are a convenient size, and do not dry out too fast. Suitable soil consists of two parts sifted turf or loam, one part sand, one part leafmould and one part fine crushed 6tone chips. The pots should be filled to one-third their depth, with drainage, using broken pot or coarse scoria. On this drainage place a layer of the rough siftings from the turf, fill the pots with the compost, make fir in, and the top level. The surface of the soil should be about lin below the rim of the pot. Now it is most important when dealing with seeds that may be of long germination or of unknown qualities that the soil 'should be sterilised and the introduction of fern or moss spores be carefully avoided. The best way to do this is to stand the prepared seed pot in a vessel of boiling water or stand them in a zinc bath or tub and pour boiling water on them, so that the water soaks through the soil. A few minutes in the water suffices to sterilise the soil, and the pots should then be taken out, allowed to cool, and the seed sown. Seeds of alpines are often very small, and care must be taken to sow thinly. At the same time, it is almost impossible to procure them' perfectly clean, and the result is that often the packed contains a lot of dust. However, spw fairly thinly and cover accordingly. Fine seeds are best not covered; larger seeds can be covered. For the purpose of covering use finelysifted, sandy, sterilised soil. Having .sown the seed and covered it, place a piece of glass over the top of the pot. Old photographic plates are good .for this purpose. Stand the pot in a cool position and shade almost to darkness. This will mean that every day the pots must be examined, for as soon as there is a sign of germination, they must b<3 given more light. The heavy shading and the glass close over the top of the pot means that fern and moss spores are kept out and watering is not required, as the soil will remain moist for weeks under such circumstances. If water is necessary it should be given by standing the pot in an inch or so of water for a few hours; capillary action will draw the water up to the soil. When the seedlings do appear, gradually accustom them to the light. When large enough they must be pricked out, a similar compost being used as was advised for seed sowing. Just what position to give the plants, or if any particular treatment is necessary, can only be applied by a knowledge of the habitat of the particular plant, and although tlie habits and peculiarities of the majority of plants offered are known, it is surprising how often the "unknown" crops up when one is getting together a collection of alpines. Not only that, but what is satisfactory in one place is almost fatal in another and it is often a case of groping in the dark when one starts raising alpines from seed, but it is the anticipation and surprises, with a good dash of failures, that bring the growing of alpines somewhat on a par with orchid culture, the difference being that for a few shillings and a love of nature, one can get right into raising alpines, where it would take pounds besides a large expense in glass to start' in orchid culture. Once the seedlings get to a size that calls for further room, it becomes a question of where to plant them, as they are too small, and it is hardly convenient to plant them out' on the rockery. One of the best systems is to form ridges, say about three feet at the base, running to a ridge about two feet high. This can be formed by throwing the soil up and then covering with a layer about four inches thick of a compost similar to that recommended for seed sowing, but containing twice as much stone chips. Put on and patted with the back of the spade the small plants can be transplanted without' the fear of the surface setting hard, or slugs eating the plants, arid above all surplus moisture will have no chance of damaging the plants, while the roots will have a good deep root run. Here the plants can stand till they are ready for placing in permanent quarters on the rockery. The system of potting off the seedlings into small pots and plunging the pots into a bed of fine scoria or shingle is very good because it allows the planting into the permanent positions to be done at any time of the year. In the case of lime-loving plants use lime rubble or coarse limestone in place of the stone chips.