Old bulbs and seeds

[Snooze]

Hi
I have been given som old bulbs and seeds and I think they are several years old. Including freesias, peacock orchids, snakes head fritillary -and some ornamental allium saved seeds. Is it worth planting them? Just wondering if some might grow, although I realise germination might be slow, some of the bulbs seem to have a solid centre so I wonder if it's worth a go.

Thanks



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[Bigmallly]

Nowt to lose Snooze (got me poets 'ed on today). When the time's right put them in pots & see what happens............you never know.

[Knight of Albion]

You've got some beautiful varieties there, dear Snooze. (I must admit I have a soft spot for freesias, esp. the white doubles ... Exquisite.)
If they're still firm and most especially, if they've been kept dry, they should be okay.
Once reactivated they'll soon shoot - if they're going to.

[Snooze]

Thank you, I will give them a go. Some of the seed packets I have been given go back to the mid 1990's so I don't know if they will grow, but like you say, I have nowt to lose

[Kristen]

You could put a few seeds on a sheet of moist kitchen paper, in something airtight (ziplock bag, but with some air in it, or Tupperware box). if they don't germinate then the rest of the packet is unlikely to ... if they do you can carefully prick them out into modules etc. as soon as they have a little root on them (tear the paper and plant "whole" if the root has gone through the paper)

[Snooze]

That's a great idea Kristen, will definitely try that


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