Pkboo
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Posts: 19
Joined: Fri Oct 20, 2017 10:06 pm
Location: Archer, FL (by Gainesville FL)

Cold stratifying seeds

So I signed up for a garden subscription box & went with their cheapest option which was just to have that that months seeds sent to you. My first box included 2 types of roses & 2 types of raspberries plus they had a sale through FB where I picked up the other color roses & types of raspberries I wanted along with 2 type of mint seeds & confederate rose hibiscus seeds .

According to the instructions that came in my box the seeds need to be cold stratified, except the mint seeds. I have never had to do this with this with seeds before so do I need to put them in soil or is it possible just to put the packets into the fridge? I only got 5-6 rose seeds of each color so I want as many of them to grow as possible. Have enough of the berries to experiment with a little bit but definitely do want to get several of them to grow.

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applestar
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Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Wow as much as I like to experiment, roses and raspberries are not something I have considered growing from seeds in the past.

I suspect raspberries might not be too difficult but it will take several years to grow bearing plants.

Roses that grow from seeds are closer to wild relatives not the showy hybrid teas and large flowered grandifloras -/ ability to bear seeds have been bred out of them and they also typically need to be grafted onto stronger rootstock.

We could actually compare notes since I happen to actually be trying to grow white flowered rugosa from seeds obtained from their hips/fruits from my mil’s garden.

I forgot the hips in baggies in the refrigerator and just extracted the seeds yesterday. I have washed them in peroxide and then rinsed with vinegar and water, then soaked them overnight in diluted willow leaf/bark and oolong tea.

I will be putting the seeds in ziplock bag of moistened peat moss, vermiculite, and little dolomitic lime and putting them back in the refrigerator until mid-May or so. I may or may not also try to wintersow some of the seeds since last frost here is late April.

Mint seeds are tiny but should not be too difficult as long as they are pressed down on surface of loose potting mix, are kept moist, and you provide enough light. They should be germinated at coolish room temperature I believe.

...I can’t help but to comment that fancier roses are normally grafted, raspberries are grown from divided roots, mint from stem or root cuttings or small rooted plants (this is especially true if you want specific flavor/aroma mints). Mints can be grown from very fresh sprigs.

- where do you live and what are the current outside and inside temperatures like where you are?

Pkboo
Full Member
Posts: 19
Joined: Fri Oct 20, 2017 10:06 pm
Location: Archer, FL (by Gainesville FL)

I live in the Gainesville FL area.Right now we are ranging from low 70's to mid 80's for highs and mid 50's to 60's at night.

I hadnt thought of growing roses or raspberries from seeds either until I got this subscription box. I had figured it would be a way to try new plants to grow in my garden & if I didnt want those seeds I could either trade or sell them with someone.



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