They have been growing very well outside. Temperatures range from 14C at night to 32C during the day. Humidity has been quite high and seems to be averaging around 80% but dropping as low as 55%. They receive full sun all day. I put them in a small plastic greenhouse every night. This is more to make sure that they don't get damaged by animals then worry about temperatures being too low. I'm sure they would be fine left out but I'm a little paranoid.
The potting mix is about 1/4 sand, 1/4 clay, 1/4 manure, with the remainder being a mix of potting soil and whatever else I had laying around. I water whenever the surface looks dry. There shouldn't be any problem with rot because the soil is well drained and temperatures are warm.
Very nice! I planted 5 Adansonia digitata seeds in hopes of germination; however, only 1 germinated and it took 4 months. Where did you get your seeds?
ReplyDeleteThank you,
Airric
I ordered the seeds from an Australian seller on ebay. I just checked and there is only one Aussie seller up, but I don't think it's the same one.
ReplyDeleteThe prices seem higher than I remember but I checked a few other sites and ebay still seems lower. Good luck!
For some reason I have been google searching for seeds and all along I have forgotten the one greatest market of them all, haha. Thanks for the tip!
ReplyDeleteAirric
New Events!
ReplyDeleteI ordered 20 Adansonia grandidieri (Grandidier's Baobab) seeds off of ebay from a dealer in Austin, Texas here in the states. Got the seeds in a couple of days, and right away I noticed that they are much larger than the Adasonia Digitata seeds and are lighter in colour.
For pre-seeding germination preparation I followed your method pretty closely. I boiled water, and poured this water over the seeds (30seconds), in addition to soaking the seed in the boiling water for about 5 seconds. After this I soaked the seeds in hot water, just having the tap all the way to the hot side, and placed the seeds under a UV flood lamp for a night and day cycle (24 hours total). While soaking initially none of the seeds sank, which dampened my spirits; however, when I checked them the next day (about 16 hours) I noticed 5 sank. I'm assuming due to the relatively large size of the seeds that their density is less than that of water's.
Regardless, I planted them all in a soil mixture of: 1/2 sand, 1/4 potting soil, 1/8 manure, and 1/8 cacti mix/bedding. Also I had a layer of rocks on the bottom of the long trough pot I used (which has 2 drainage holes on its bottom, very much like the one you used for your Adeniums). I sowed the seeds about 1 inch deep and thoroughly watered the soil. I placed the pot in a incubator set at 32 C in the afternoon, Day 0.
The next day, Day 1, I checked around the same time and didn't notice any growth and didn't add any water. The incubator I'm using keeps in moisture so the humidity is quite high, and I haven't added a light source... yet.
Day 2, I checked the seeds around the same time as Day 1 and didn't notice any growth breaking the surface. I got a little curious so I dug to one of the seeds at the far edge of the potting trough. VICTORY! This seed has already sprouted albeit very small. I didn't check any more of the seeds so as not to disturb them. I watered the seeds and placed them back in the incubator.
I'm going to head back to the incubator tomorrow and see if any break the surface, and if so add a light source; however, I had a few questions, if you would be so kind to enlighten me. One, when using a bulb does it have to produce UV rays? Some glasses block out UV rays, but when it comes to green houses I guess I don't know what is used. Two, how often did you water your Baobabs? I was thinking about every two days give them a thorough watering? Any opinions?
Airric (Castor)
This maybe a double post! Sorry if so but I couldn't find the original that I posted.
I'm glad they seem to be on their way to sprouting! When growing under artificial light I haven't found the need for UV. Some plants need this light for particular parts of their growth cycles but Baobab don't appear to care.
ReplyDeleteWhen they've just sprouted you can keep them pretty wet. They generally germinate when the tropical rains come so they get a good soaking. The substrate sounds like it's well drained so over-watering shouldn't be a problem. Be careful if they are enclosed though. If there is near 100% humidity and no air flow there is always the possibility of rot (not for the first few days though).
They should grow quite quickly. Make sure to put them in deep pots because after as little as three weeks, their roots can be 6" or more.
My plants seem to just be coming out of dormancy now. I thought I could keep them from going dormant by keeping them in the heated greenhouse but it didn't work.
viewed "Plant Zone" Adansonia digitata(Baobab plant) and very delighted to see it's photograph &seedligs.
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