Lithops germination query

[ragamala]

I ordered and received about 40 packets of Lithops seed from one commercial supplier (I won't mention the name at this stage), and after three weeks had not a single seed germinate.

It isn't my sowing technique, necessarily, I sowed at the same time and in some cases in same trays another maybe 60 packets of seed from other sources (including MSG) and have had excellent germination results. I did run a small mesem nursery years ago in the 80s, so I'm not a beginner.

It is, however, many years since I last sowed seed, so I might benefit from more up-to-date advice.

My question is - is the failed seed likely to be too fresh? Or is it given the appalling absolute zero germination, likely to be dead? Should I persevere attempting germination, or dry off, recover what seed I can and try again later? Or simply ditch the stuff? Any advice welcome!

I should add that I did order cactus seed from the same supplier, and although I had germination it was again at what I consider a very poor level.

[rodsmith]

I would be surprised if all the seed was dud in view of the large quantity sown. You don't say when you sowed it. My experience with lithops seed is that it needs a combination of heat and cold to germinate effectively. If you have sown it recently it may not have had enough of cold conditions. I usually sow in late February and keep the pots in a sunny place during the day, and much colder (below 10 deg C) at night. Using this regime I usually get good germination in about 2 to 3 weeks.

[kvb]

I germinate with even colder conditions. Max 20 and min 5 C. Never had good results with higher temperature. When , like you, have no germination at all I should also check the soil and water.

regards

Chris

[ragamala]

Thanks, Rod and Chris. I am a bit baffled. As I say I actually sowed this on two successive days together with a larger number of packets of seed from two other sources. And that germinated fine and consistently, when even mixed in the same trays and the soil mix was identical. I appreciate I may not be sowing at ideal time, (at the end of June) and at a time when the nights are not so cool, but what I do not understand is the difference between the batches of seed, and why under identical conditions one batch does fine, starting germination as expected within a matter of days and generally up to very good percentage over a couple of weeks, and another zilch, not a single germination. The species are a mix in both cases (including all this year's MSG offering). I am thinking after your comments of scraping out the unsprouted seed and resowing in my cool cellar with artificial lighting, and daytime mild heat boost.

[iann]

Does sound like it is something specific to that supplier if other seed came up. So many packets of seed wouldn't coincidentally fail. Takes many years, or appalling treatment, for Lithops seed to be completely dead. Too fresh is possible if the seed was harvested this year. Fresh seed should germinate slowly and erratically. There are techniques for pushing it but I've never quite got the knack of it. I just wait until about February when it will germinate better. I've also had very old seed germinate extremely slowly.

[Terry S.]

I agree with Iann, Lithops seed has to be VERY old for it to be dead and not germinate. Even after ten years storage at room temperature you should see some germination. The MSG seed that you sowed would have mainly been harvested in the summer of 2015 or perhaps in 2014. So it would have been a minimum of about 12 months old. The germination of very fresh seed is often not good, so if your supplier had harvested it this summer, that could be your problem. High temperatures can inhibit germination of Lithops but the fact that seed from other suppliers germinated OK, should eliminate this as a factor.

[John Dos]

I sowed fresh seeds from my own plants this year and had no germination at all. I let the pot dry for three or four months and then I watered it again. Germination as good as usual!

[Tonto]

Here in sunny Spain, there is no cold! I set my seed, fresh, from my own lithops and they are up in less than a week. I sprinkle the seed on top of the compost then cover the tray with a polybag. The daytime temps in my greenhouse are 41 or more dropping to maybe 27 overnight.

[iann]

Here in sunny Spain, there is no cold! I set my seed, fresh, from my own lithops and they are up in less than a week. I sprinkle the seed on top of the compost then cover the tray with a polybag. The daytime temps in my greenhouse are 41 or more dropping to maybe 27 overnight.

Steven Hammer reports the same sort of thing, with high temperatures forcing fresh seed to germinate. This has never worked for me, but I would have to go to quite some effort to keep the night temperatures at 27C.

[kvb]

I soak fresh seed in water and renew the water 3 times. This gives me germination >50%, The idea is to wash out inhibitors.

Regards

Chris