Oxalis squamata Viola cotyledon Lachenalia angelica Lapeirousia oreogana & silenoides

[kavanaru]

Does anybody here has some experience growing this species from seeds?

Beschreibung und Bilder von Oxalis squamata (Ojos de agua), eine chilenische Pflanze, dargebracht von Chileflora.com, Ihr Partner für Samen von chilenischen Pflanzen
Viola cotyledon on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Lachenalia angelica
http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswik...eogena_BD2.jpg
http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswik...es_Nam_br2.jpg

We have recently received these seeds from a friend, who brought them from South Africa. So far, we know that for the Oxalis and the Viola, we need to wait until Autumn, in order to sow them (they need several months at 40F to 55F in order to germinate. As per lachenalia and Lapeirousia, we can sow them already as they need temps above 68F for germination.

any advice would be highly appreciated, as this is the first time we try germinating plants suitable for "Alpine garden"

[Faan]

If that is the colour of your oxalis it is going to be very nice. I have a couple of different ones in bloom in pots in my back garden, e.g. white, pink, a darker pink, yellow etc. Many people regard them here as a pest in the garden. The grow here in most cases in a sandy soil with very little compost in the medium. Sometimes the sand look like sea sand.

What you can do is to put some ordinary soil about halfway up in the pot. Fill the remainder of the pot with swimming pool filter sand and place your bulbs in the sand at about 1cm from the top, covered with the sand and at the end of the growing season you will have quite nice clean bulbs to store for the next season. Do not overfeed them as that will for sure kill them.
I might be mistaken, but the plant in front of the oxalis in the picture look like a Babiana of which we beautiful ones growing here.

The Lachenalia is also a very nice one. I also have a few different ones in pots.

In general these plants prefer a deep pot. You do not need to plant them to deep, but the bulbs grow themselves deeper into the soil over a couple of years. We have someone at our bulb society who would put two pots on top of each other and you still find the roots growing out of the bottom pot.
Do not water these plants in summer, rather take the bulbs out of their pots and store in a safe place away from pests and bugs who could enjoy them for dinner! You may also store the bulbs in their pots for the summer, but do make sure that the pots are dry.

You are right about the temperature drop at night. As soon as the temperature drops at night will these bulbs start sprouting.

[kavanaru]

Hi Faan, thanks for the tips I will keep them in mind, once I get my plants germinating

my problem is that normally you find info on how to treat the bulbs, but less info regarding how to start froms seeds, whic is my case for all 5 species...