paper towel germination

[Jeanne Hannah]

Here's two cents worth from Traverse City, MI.  I have not tried this with
Arisaema, but "talked" with an esteemed member of AEG, who said he uses this
method very successfully.

I had previously responded privately to Judy McCann, but then thought perhaps
more people who got Arisaema seeds throught the AEG exchange might benefit
from this information:  Follows: a copy of what I sent to Judy:

Dear Judy,

In reading your posting on the Arisaema-L site, I note that you have found
archived documents about Arisaema [specifically growing from seed] on the WWW.
Can you send me a URL to point me in the right direction?  I would appreciate
it.  I, too, feel as though I would like to have some step-by-step
intructions.

I did have a little chat with another enthusiast last week who uses Advance
Propogation Systems trays for growing from seed.  Check these out at
http://www.gardenerssupply.com/

I have not tried any Arisaema seed in them *yet*, but hope to get some seed
so I can try it.  Anything else I grown in them has been just terrific!  [I
can't believe that I just tossed the seeds from many fabulous Arisaema last
fall because I did not know what to do with them! ARRRGHHH!]

The other thing I've learned by browsing in books and other materials is that
what you want to do it to let the seeds germinate, then grow, and when the
green, leafy part dies back, you will want to take the little bulb out of the
tray, rinse with water, possibly use a fungicide like Captan, let dry, then
pack in perlite in a sealed plastic baggie in the vegetable drawer of your
refrigerator.  In other words, give it a false winter for about 8 weeks, then
replant and grow it up again.  This will give you 2 years for one!

Good growing.  Let me know your results.

Jeanne Hannah
USDA Zone 5b

Hope this helps.