Lithops germination query

[ragamala]

Thanks all for the comments. I guess the "too fresh" is the most optimistic answer, although the absence of even a single germination still makes me wonder about iann's thought if some disastrous treatment was at play. And as I said neither was I happy about germination rate for cactus seed from the same supplier, which is far the worst of a dozen sources of seed sowings this year.

However, I will dry the Lithops seed off, try again later, never give up hope! Or maybe try a good wash of a few packets. Maybe with a drop of vinegar even!?

BTW the other source of Lithops seed which germinated very well (apart from MSG) was Conos Paradise. Credit where it's due.

[ragamala]

Just out of interest, I sowed another batch of 12 species Lithops seed on 25th July and 11 out of 12 germinated fine, still waiting on the 12th. Same conditions as near as dammit re temperature, etc, so whatever the factor (still zero germination from that original batch) involved in the original problem it is down to the seed itself imo.

[iann]

Just out of interest, I sowed another batch of 12 species Lithops seed on 25th July and 11 out of 12 germinated fine, still waiting on the 12th. Same conditions as near as dammit re temperature, etc, so whatever the factor (still zero germination from that original batch) involved in the original problem it is down to the seed itself imo.

Very likely. But don't assume it is dead, try again after a while. I get terrible results with very fresh seed, which then germinates well a few months later, but I've also had very old seed be slow and erratic before finally reaching reasonable levels of germination.

[ragamala]

Thanks Iann I'll take your advice - never give up! Well at least not yet. I would be more confident, I admit though, if even just one seed had germinated out of those 40 packets. As I mentioned, the cactus seed from the same supplier had poor results, the worst I've had from commercial suppliers, so that's one supplier off my Christmas card list in any event.

[mary44]

In the spring I was tidying my greenhouse when I found 10 packets of seed from the MSG that were about 6 years old. For some reason I had obviously been interrupted when sowing them, and they ended up in a mail lite bubble envelope on the staging in full sun for 6 years. There was not much left of the envelope as it had been eaten away by snails. Needless to say I did not expect them to germinate but being unable to throw them I sowed them with all my other seeds and was surprised that 5 or 6 of the packets had very good germination. In a couple of cases I had to scrape the seeds away from the tissue paper they are wrapped in and wondered why I was wasting my time on them. So it just shows how resilient lithops seeds can be.

Edited to say I have had very good germination this year from oz lithops, cono paradise, MSG, "old n bald" on ebay and Mesa Gardens.

[ragamala]

Thanks Iann I'll take your advice - never give up! Well at least not yet.

Another year on, an update - I tried recovering seed, storing for another year, or leaving in pots to dry out etc etc. And still not a single seedling germinated from this lot. This is unknown in my decades of sowing Lithops. The supplier was kaktusy.com - caveat emptor is the best I can say.