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From: arf@ddsw1.MCS.COM (Jack Schmidling)
Newsgroups: rec.birds,rec.garden,sci.environment,sci.bio
Subject: JEWEL WEEDS AND HUMMINGBIRDS
Message-ID: <1990Jul26.021804.22195@ddsw1.MCS.COM>
Date: 26 Jul 90 02:18:04 GMT
Reply-To: arf@ddsw1.MCS.COM (Jack Schmidling)
Organization: ddsw1.MCS.COM Contributor, Wheeling, IL
Lines: 38


 
 
               JEWEL WEEDS AND HUMMINGBIRDS
 
 Last Fall, I sent packets of jewel weed (Impatiens capensis) 
 seeds to several dozen people on this net.  I absolutely 
 guaranteed that anyone who planted these seeds would have 
 hummingbirds next (this) Fall, even if they lived in the 
 middle of a major city.
 
 Well, if my lack of success in getting  these seeds to 
 germinate is typical, I don't expect a standing ovation.  I 
 kept two lots of these seeds; one spent the Winter on the 
 back porch exposed to weather and the other I kept in the 
 house.
 
 To determine dormancy requirements, I made germination tests 
 of both lots, on a monthly basis, from November through 
 July.  To my utter amazement, not one single seed 
 germinated.
 
 What I already know is that,  the original two plants 
 produced dozens the next Spring and each year there is an 
 exponential increase in the number of plants.  This year I 
 had to pull out thousands, they are so prolific, if just 
 left alone.
 
 Two questions:
 
 1.  Did anybody have any luck with the seeds I sent?
 
 2.  Does anybody have any idea why these seeds will not
     germinate?
 
 
 Jack Schmidling    arf@gagme