Growing blubells from seed

[Chris Hogg]

I volunteer with a local moor and woodland conservation group. Within
the woodland are a few patches of English bluebells, which are
dropping their seed at the moment, and I have collected a lot of them.
The plan is to scatter them elsewhere in the woodland to encourage
more patches to grow, and hopefully and eventually cover large areas
of the woodland floor with them.

But I read that bluebell seeds like a period of chilling to help them
germinate. In most parts of the country, that would happen naturally
when sown outside, but down in West Cornwall winters tend to be mild.
Would it be sufficient to keep the loose seed in the cold part of the
fridge (not the freezer part) in say a lidded yoghurt pot or similar
for a few weeks, or do they need something more severe, and should I
include some humus (peat, leaf mould, whatever) in the pot to keep the
seed most?

[Janet]

Post by Chris Hogg
I volunteer with a local moor and woodland conservation group. Within
the woodland are a few patches of English bluebells, which are
dropping their seed at the moment, and I have collected a lot of them.
The plan is to scatter them elsewhere in the woodland to encourage
more patches to grow, and hopefully and eventually cover large areas
of the woodland floor with them.
But I read that bluebell seeds like a period of chilling to help them
germinate. In most parts of the country, that would happen naturally
when sown outside, but down in West Cornwall winters tend to be mild.
Would it be sufficient to keep the loose seed in the cold part of the
fridge (not the freezer part) in say a lidded yoghurt pot or similar
for a few weeks, or do they need something more severe, and should I
include some humus (peat, leaf mould, whatever) in the pot to keep the
seed most?

First, seed source matters. Make sure yours is graceful
native hyacinthoides non-scripta, NOT that coarse furrin
interloper, h. hispanica.

Years ago I grew my own bluebell wood by just collecting
ripe seed pods (in July), separating the seeds from the
husks (rolling pin, paper bag) and scattering it by hand
right away, where needed.(Shady area, about 50 x50 metres
under mature birch). No prep of the ground, no covering.
Scottish winter followed in due course.

In the first spring, they germinated like new grass. I
used to crawl on my knees admiring the tiny spikes of
green and nagging the kids not to step on them. I neednt
have worried.

In the third year, the first few flowers appeared.
By year 5, there were so many flowers I was gathering
their seed to expand the bluebell wood elsewhere.

The first time I did this, I bothered to separate the
seeds from their husks; but experience taught me there's
no need for such refinement.

Every new blue bell soon starts expanding underground to
new bulbs. So sow thinly.

*I would recommend mixing the seed with any fine sand,
compost, soil etc just to dilute it so you can fling it
quite thinly and cover more area.

40 years and several gardens later, I've seeded two new
areas, one deciduous woodland and one a grassy weedy
sunlit bank. 2 years later still waiting for the
resulting haze of blue.

Janet

[Chris Hogg]

On Wed, 24 Jul 2024 13:50:54 +0100, Janet <***@home.com> wrote:

Thanks for the tips.

Post by Janet
First, seed source matters. Make sure yours is graceful
native hyacinthoides non-scripta, NOT that coarse furrin
interloper, h. hispanica.

Yes, a very isolated area well away from all foreign imports.

Post by Janet
Years ago I grew my own bluebell wood by just collecting
ripe seed pods (in July), separating the seeds from the
husks (rolling pin, paper bag) and scattering it by hand
right away, where needed.(Shady area, about 50 x50 metres
under mature birch). No prep of the ground, no covering.
Scottish winter followed in due course.

I have collected the seed either by snipping off whole stems and
gathering them top down in a brown paper bag, or if the pods are
already open, just stripping them off by running my lightly-clenched
hand up the stem. You get more in the bag that way. Hang the bag up in
a warm conservatory for a week or so to allow the pods to open and
drop their seeds.

Post by Janet
In the first spring, they germinated like new grass. I
used to crawl on my knees admiring the tiny spikes of
green and nagging the kids not to step on them. I neednt
have worried.
In the third year, the first few flowers appeared.
By year 5, there were so many flowers I was gathering
their seed to expand the bluebell wood elsewhere.
The first time I did this, I bothered to separate the
seeds from their husks; but experience taught me there's
no need for such refinement.

I scrunch the seed pods, before passing everything through a fine
garden sieve to separate the seeds from the chaff, and then carefully
blow away any fine chaff that remains. I know I don't need to, but
it's what I do...

Post by Janet
Every new blue bell soon starts expanding underground to
new bulbs. So sow thinly.

I plan to 'broadcast' pinches of seed as I walk through the woodland,
which is at least 100 years old.

Post by Janet
*I would recommend mixing the seed with any fine sand,
compost, soil etc just to dilute it so you can fling it
quite thinly and cover more area.

Good point

Post by Janet
40 years and several gardens later, I've seeded two new
areas, one deciduous woodland and one a grassy weedy
sunlit bank. 2 years later still waiting for the
resulting haze of blue.

My understanding is that they can take up to five years to reaching
flowering size. Got half a yoghurt pot full of seed so far. I think
that will be enough for this year...

I plan to stratify them for a few weeks in the salad drawer of the
fridge. If I sow them this autumn, they should get a good covering of
leaves - it's a deciduous woodland - before winter.

[N_Cook]

Post by Chris Hogg
I plan to stratify them for a few weeks in the salad drawer of the
fridge. If I sow them this autumn, they should get a good covering of
leaves - it's a deciduous woodland - before winter.

In a sealed small container like a pill pot, with some activated silica
gel sachet, to avoid mildew

[Chris Hogg]

Post by N_Cook

Post by Chris Hogg
I plan to stratify them for a few weeks in the salad drawer of the
fridge. If I sow them this autumn, they should get a good covering of
leaves - it's a deciduous woodland - before winter.

In a sealed small container like a pill pot, with some activated silica
gel sachet, to avoid mildew

Other references say in a damp medium, sand or peat. So which is it?
Damp or dry?

[N_Cook]

Post by Chris Hogg

Post by N_Cook

Post by Chris Hogg
I plan to stratify them for a few weeks in the salad drawer of the
fridge. If I sow them this autumn, they should get a good covering of
leaves - it's a deciduous woodland - before winter.

In a sealed small container like a pill pot, with some activated silica
gel sachet, to avoid mildew

Other references say in a damp medium, sand or peat. So which is it?
Damp or dry?

You've enough seeds to try all variants. If for weeks in non-freezing
cold and damp then something like Cheshunt Compound would be required
and perhaps the seeds don't like chemicals like that

[The Natural Philosopher]

For googling, stratification is the technical term for pregermination
requirements. No knowledge on bluebells other than totally untouched
ancient woodland is their favourite haunt.

They don't give a damn whether it is ancient or not. They prefer
growing under trees, because it discourages things like brambles,
which will crowd them out. And, with time, in conditions they like,
they will crowd almost everything else out, which is why they so
often dominate in ancient woodland. But it is only SOME ancient
woodland, though I don't know the criteria, and note that they often
dominate in old beech woodland, though no beech woods are ancient.
Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Bluebells need a certain amount of winter light so coniferous is a no no.
The also have to compete...

[Stewart Robert Hinsley]

For googling, stratification is the technical term for pregermination
requirements. No knowledge on bluebells other than totally untouched
ancient woodland is their favourite haunt.

They don't give a damn whether it is ancient or not. They prefer
growing under trees, because it discourages things like brambles,
which will crowd them out. And, with time, in conditions they like,
they will crowd almost everything else out, which is why they so
often dominate in ancient woodland. But it is only SOME ancient
woodland, though I don't know the criteria, and note that they often
dominate in old beech woodland, though no beech woods are ancient.

I've noticed that bluebells prefer the drier areas of woodland.
Depending on how much wetter it is other areas of woodland are dominated
by lesser celandine, wood anemone or ramsons.

---
SRH

[Nick Maclaren]

For googling, stratification is the technical term for pregermination
requirements. No knowledge on bluebells other than totally untouched
ancient woodland is their favourite haunt.

They don't give a damn whether it is ancient or not. They prefer
growing under trees, because it discourages things like brambles,
which will crowd them out. And, with time, in conditions they like,
they will crowd almost everything else out, which is why they so
often dominate in ancient woodland. But it is only SOME ancient
woodland, though I don't know the criteria, and note that they often
dominate in old beech woodland, though no beech woods are ancient.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

[Charlie Pridham]

For googling, stratification is the technical term for pregermination
requirements. No knowledge on bluebells other than totally untouched
ancient woodland is their favourite haunt.

They don't give a damn whether it is ancient or not. They prefer
growing under trees, because it discourages things like brambles,
which will crowd them out. And, with time, in conditions they like,
they will crowd almost everything else out, which is why they so
often dominate in ancient woodland. But it is only SOME ancient
woodland, though I don't know the criteria, and note that they often
dominate in old beech woodland, though no beech woods are ancient.
Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Thing with older woods is they were often part of the general cycle of
farming with pigs being turned loose into the woods in autumn for the
acorns and beech mast but pigs are also quite partial to bramble roots
but wont touch bluebell bulbs (or snowdrops) which over time meant the
woodland floor would be covered in just bluebells

[David]

Post by Charlie Pridham

For googling, stratification is the technical term for pregermination
requirements. No knowledge on bluebells other than totally untouched
ancient woodland is their favourite haunt.

They don't give a damn whether it is ancient or not. They prefer
growing under trees, because it discourages things like brambles,
which will crowd them out. And, with time, in conditions they like,
they will crowd almost everything else out, which is why they so often
dominate in ancient woodland. But it is only SOME ancient woodland,
though I don't know the criteria, and note that they often dominate in
old beech woodland, though no beech woods are ancient.
Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Thing with older woods is they were often part of the general cycle of
farming with pigs being turned loose into the woods in autumn for the
acorns and beech mast but pigs are also quite partial to bramble roots
but wont touch bluebell bulbs (or snowdrops) which over time meant the
woodland floor would be covered in just bluebells

Thanks!

Every day a school day.

Cheers



Dave R

[N_Cook]

Post by Chris Hogg
I volunteer with a local moor and woodland conservation group. Within
the woodland are a few patches of English bluebells, which are
dropping their seed at the moment, and I have collected a lot of them.
The plan is to scatter them elsewhere in the woodland to encourage
more patches to grow, and hopefully and eventually cover large areas
of the woodland floor with them.
But I read that bluebell seeds like a period of chilling to help them
germinate. In most parts of the country, that would happen naturally
when sown outside, but down in West Cornwall winters tend to be mild.
Would it be sufficient to keep the loose seed in the cold part of the
fridge (not the freezer part) in say a lidded yoghurt pot or similar
for a few weeks, or do they need something more severe, and should I
include some humus (peat, leaf mould, whatever) in the pot to keep the
seed most?

For googling, stratification is the technical term for pregermination
requirements. No knowledge on bluebells other than totally untouched
ancient woodland is their favourite haunt.