Dracunculus VULGARIS

Sowing and germination

Dracunculus seeds are extracted from ripe orange berries, completely cleared of pulp and washed: the pulp contains substances that inhibit germination. Then the seeds are soaked for 24 hours in a weak solution of potassium permanganate or in a solution of a growth stimulator: SUPERthrive, HB-101, Aminozol, Epin or Zircon. Stratification is desirable: 6-8 weeks at 3-5°C in wet sand. Sowing is carried out in a loose substrate of peat and sand to a depth of about 1.5 cm. The sowing is moistened with a spray bottle, covered with a transparent lid or placed in a greenhouse and germinated at a temperature of 18-22°C. Shoots appear after 4-8 weeks, unevenly. The crops are ventilated daily and condensation is removed. In the first season, seedlings produce one simple leaf and grow a tuber; the plant