Sowing Seed Part 2

   This year I'm prepared for better success. I changed my soil mix to prevent holding water for to long, and the I got smaller pots to transplant them to when they are ready. I also plan on fertilizing the seedlings before I transplant them to give them stronger roots and caudexes. I'm also trying a few different methods to assist in preventing fungus from even starting to grow.



    The first step in sowing Adenium seeds is preparing the seeds. If you have obtained fresh seeds, as in right off the plant) the seeds can be sown directly into the soil you have prepared. If the seeds have been off the parent plant for a little while they need to be soaked for 24 hours prior to planting. I use the paper towel method to soak the seeds in a solution of 1 gallon of water mixed with 1/4 cup of 3% hydrogen peroxide (the kind you get at the drug store). The peroxide is used to kill any pathogens that may be on the seeds. Sterilizing the soil mix, by placing in the oven at 200 degrees for an hour can be beneficial as well.

Jiffy Seed Tray

   After soaking for 24 hours I prepare the seed trays. I use the Jiffy brand seed trays/greenhouse that can be purchased at your local garden center due to the ease of removing the seedlings when it's time to transplant them, and because they come with a clear plastic lid to help keep heat and humidity in while the seeds germinate. I fill each individual cell with soil leaving about a cm from the top of the tray, leaving one cell near the middle edge empty to help facilitate watering after everything has sprouted. Now place a seed atop of the soil, one per cell, gently pushing the seed into the soil. Once each cell has a seed, I lightly sprinkle more soil over them, just enough to cover them, and then I spread a layer of finely crushed oyster shell or perlite over them to completely fill each cell. Crushed oyster shell can be found in a couple of places; anywhere you can purchase sand (it is sometimes known as Coquina sand), I found mine at a livestock feed store called chick grit (you'll need the type intended for chicken hatching's) or you can use any fine sediment that won't hold water. This is used to prevent moisture from sitting at the base of the stem where fungus will grow. I then soak the trays with the water/peroxide solution till each cell is saturated, and place the plastic lid over the tray. I place my seedling trays in my patio to germinate because it's nice and warm, and the seedling will get some light once they sprout.

   While the seeds are germinating I lift the plastic lid off the tray daily to give the seeds some fresh air. and I water them when the condensation that forms under the lids starts to dissipate. It's important that you don't let the seed go completely dry, so water about every 5-6 days is what I do, again I use the amount of condensation on the tray to gauge how moist the soil is. I use a chemical sprayer to water the trays, again with the peroxide solution, so as not to disturb the sand over the seeds or you can just put a 1/4 gallon of water directly into the tray using that empty cell without having to lift the tray up. I keep this routine until the majority of the seeds have sprouted, which could take 7-20 days. After 21 days I assume the once that haven't sprouted won't sprout.

"If you love life, don't waste time, for time is what life is made up of."
— Bruce Lee