ephedra from seed - what next

[Guest reville]

Is anyone else out there working with torstens ephedra seed?

I recently germinated half a pack of Ephedra nevadensis seeds in order to gain and understanding of the process from seed to shrub...

After soaking them overnight in what was initially warm water (not hot)

I forgot to pot them up so they spent 2 days in water, by then several had "split" with the root apex starting to poke through

I then put some into coarse prpagating sand and some into a commercial potting mix

which were sealed in a snap seal bag in my spare room (regular comfy house temps)

Within 2 days one had emerged with several more following over the next week.

I transplanted them as they appeared as they get quite a root system very early on.

I put them into a commercial potting mix and moved them to a polystyrene box With a lid fitted with a cut out centre with gladwrap taped over (my humid "emergence" box)

They quickly developed and formed two dark geen needles over 1 week.

Disaster struck when a (very unlucky) slug got on through a hole and ate all but 3 of them.

Thats as far as its gone so far , i am guessing that all the action is below gound now as it prepares for the energy intensive growth spurt beyong the waterleaf stage.

I intend to leave as is until the root system establishes and then harden off slowly before transferring outdoors to the ground.

Im very nervous with primitive plants as i dont know what to expect in terms of growth patterns - any hints??

[Torsten]

I killed most of mine by overwatering them ;-)

Humidity probbaly isn't all that good for them either. Sinensis can deal with humidity, but nevadensis can't.

[DreamingNagual]

Has anyone compared Sinensis to nevadensis

As in which is hardier in aussie climate?

Alkaloid levels?

And also will they die off over winter?

Thanks.

[Torsten]

Has anyone compared Sinensis to nevadensis

As in which is hardier in aussie climate?

Depends where you live. In the sub and tropics you won't be able to grow nevadensis, but sinensis is happy here. In the arid areas and southern australia nevadensis will do better than sinensis, but sinensis will do well too.

Alkaloid levels?

Which alkaloid? Nevadensis contains mainly pseudoephedrine and sinensis mainly ephedrine. Very different effects.

And also will they die off over winter?

No. I think both a frost hardy.

[This message has been edited by Torsten (edited 12 October 2000).]

[Guest theobromus]

The European native Ephedra distachya seems to be totally happy with high humidity. I have a friend who is growing it in Manchester in the UK, also known as Rainy City.

[worimi]

Well I have cracked the code to growing E.sinensis, I think ! Torsten was right. My seedling seem to do well with a little bit of negelect. I initially propagated them in a seed flat in an open soilless mix consisting of equal parts of perlite, vermiculite and peat. The flat was placed on a cheap heat mat(no temp. control)with a layer of capillary mat between the tray and heat mat. Seeds germinated within ten days at which stage I removed them from the heat. Once the cotyledons had developed I transplanted them in a cell tray, which can be a worthwhile investment as you know when to pot-up because the roots can be seen through the bottom of the cell. Normal at this stage the first true leaves are are starting to develop. This the stage that I am upto. I will keep you posted as time goes by.

worimi

[Guest reville]

good work. Thats the kind of info im after as

for commercial prop youd need a relaible method of mass production of seedlings.