Gentiana verna

Germination

Sow indoors at any time. Sow into a cold frame in spring or autumn. Indoors, surface sow onto moist, well-drained seed compost. Just cover seed with a sprinkling of sand or fine grit. Cover the tray with glass or plastic to keep the moisture in. Ideal temp. 18-22°C for 2-4 weeks. Then cold stratify, move to -4-+4°C for 4-6 weeks, a fridge is ideal, then return to warmth, 5-12°C for germination. In a cold frame allow natural winter/spring cold to offer ideal conditions for germination to occur, if germination does not occur you could move the whole seed tray to the fridge for 4 weeks or so, then return back to warmth for germination. Do not discard the seed tray prematurely. Germination takes 14-180 days. Transplant seedlings in spring or autumn.

Growing

Prefers a gritty, loamy soil which is moist but well-drained and which does not dry out in summer.

Cultivation

No pruning required. Requires little attention.