Germinating the seeds
Plant your seeds immediately for the best germination rate Seed pre-treatment -- Soak your seeds in room-temperature water for about 6-10 hours (not more than 18 hours). Each seed should be planted in a separate pot about 2-3 inches tall (5-7 cm) with drainage holes. Fill each pot with a well-draining soil mix. A typical mix is 2 parts potting soil to 1 part perlite or coarse sand. Water the mix until evenly moist (but not soggy). Place a seed on top and cover with about 1/4 inch (6 mm) of soil. Water the top soil until moist. Keep the pots in an area that will stay about 65-75 degrees F (18-24°C) during the day, and 50-65 (10-18°C) at night. Avoid letting the seeds above 77°F (25°C). I recommend placing a thermometer near the pots, since the temperature can vary in different parts of a room. Keep the soil surface moist (but not soggy). If you place the pots in a plastic dome or bag to maintain moisture, keep it open slightly to allow fresh air to enter. Bomarea seeds germinate at different times, with the earliest ones sprouting in 5 to 8 weeks. After 10 weeks, move any that have not sprouted into the refrigerator for 6 weeks, to trick them into thinking that winter has passed. Place them a sealed plastic bag first, and mark your calendar to check on them every 2 weeks, to see if any seeds have sprouted. After the 6 weeks in the refrigerator, move them back into room temperature. They should start sprouting after 4-6 weeks, but allow up to 10 weeks for any slow ones. Transplanting -- Wait until the 2nd or 3rd shoot appears before repotting. A 6 inch (15 cm) tall pot will hold it for several months. Work your way up to larger pots as it grows, until it is eventually in a 5 or 10 gallon (20-40 liter) pot. Transplant carefully and avoid letting the soil ball break apart, which can disturb the plant. Watering the soil before transplanting can help keep the soil ball together. Soil -- Bomarea likes humus-rich, well-draining soil. Don't add lime to the soil, since Bomarea likes slightly acid soil. Watering -- Aim to keep the soil evenly moist most of the time. Avoid letting the soil dry out, but don't keep it perpetually soggy either. Light -- Bomarea comes from the forests, where it gets tree-filtered sun most of the time. Give it some protection from strong afternoon sun. Climate -- Bomarea grows best above 40 degrees F (5°C). The tubers can survive at least several degrees of frost, but this will kill the leaves. Fertilizing -- During periods of active growth, feed about every 2 months with a slow-release (pelleted or organic) fertilizer. If your potting soil contains fertilizer (check the package), your seedlings shouldn't need feeding the first 3 weeks. Up and away -- Bomarea likes to climb, so give it something to play on, like a trellis, fence, or another plant. It should ideally be under 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick, so the plant can twine it's way around easier. Don't prune your plant (unless a branch dies back), but you may wrap any overly long strands down around your trellis. The flowers appear from the growing tips. Dormancy -- This variety may go dormant for a few months in the winter if temperatures are cool enough. If the plant should die back then, stop watering until the spring. Pests to watch for -- Snails and slugs can be a problem in prone areas. Watch for other bugs too, including aphids.
Have fun growing them! - Jeff Strange Wonderful Things
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