GROWING ADENIUM DESERT ROSE SEEDS GERMINATION

GROWING ADENIUM DESERT ROSE SEEDS GERMINATION

The desert rose (Adenium obesum) plant will add texture and color to any area with its brightly colored flowers, glossy green leaves and unique bulbous stem. Desert roses grow slowly, producing funnel-shaped flowers in clusters during the spring and summer. Hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness Zones 10 through 11, these African natives will grow in wet, humid regions. Desert rose seed germinates readily given the proper care, and grow well as a houseplant or outdoor shrub.

1.Mix one part perlite, one part sand and one part potting soil in a 5-gallon bucket. Add water slowly to the mixture until it is evenly moist but not soggy. Fill a plastic seedling tray with soil, tamping the media down slightly until it is 1 inch below the tray's top.

2.Spread the desert rose seeds over the surface of the media in the tray. Space the individual seeds 2 to 3 inches apart. Press the seeds down gently to ensure full contact with the soil's surface.

3.Put on a pair of gloves. Read all label directions and warnings on a package of seedling fungicide. Dust the fungicide onto the surfaces of the seeds with a small paintbrush.

4.Sprinkle a 1/4- to 1/2-inch layer of soil over the top of the seeds, covering them completely. Lightly mist the soil's surface with water from a spray bottle. Cover the tray with a clear plastic cover.

5.Position a heat mat in an area with bright, indirect sunlight and a constant temperature of 75 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Turn the mat on and adjust its temperature setting to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the tray on top of the mat.

6.Remove the cover once per day, and wipe away any condensation from its interior with a paper towel or cloth. Lightly mist over the tray when the top layer of soil begins to dry. Keep the media moist, but never soggy.

7.Watch for emerging sprouts one week after planting. Remove the cover once the seeds germinate. Remove the tray from the mat, put the mat away and replace the tray in its former position.

8.Water the seedlings in the morning with a watering can when the top 1 inch of soil becomes dry. Pour the water directly onto the growing media, being careful not to splash the leaves.

.

9.Fertilize the seedlings weekly with a 10-10-10 water-soluble fertilizer. Mix 1/2 teaspoon fertilizer with 1 gallon of water. Pour the fertilizer solution directly into the tray, applying it in place of a watering.

10.Transplant the seedlings into individual 6-inch pots when they develop six true leaves, generally four weeks after germination. Fill a 6-inch pot three-quarters full of potting soil. Extract one plant from the tray using a trowel to dig carefully around its roots and lift it upward. Place the seedling into the center of the pot, positioning the top of the root ball 2 inches below the top of the pot. Fill the pot with additional soil until the soil surface is even with the top of the root ball. Do not plant the seedling deeper than it was previously growing. Fill the pot with water two to three times to moisten the soil completely.