Hi, Arlene.

Have you tried viability tests with your seeds?

Once I've tried a seed a time or two and had no results, I'll try different soaking methods. If you have enough seeds that experimentation is possible, you might try soaking a couple of seeds in water in the refrigerator, and/or a couple of seeds in hot tap water. I use small ziplock baggies and open the bags for air exchange every day or so. Change the water any time it starts to look cloudy, and pot up your seeds immediately once germination takes place. If I don't see signs of change by day three or four I drain the bag of seeds onto a small piece of coffee filter or piece of paper towel, wetting it, and return to baggie. Switch the cold baggie to a warm location, or the warm one to the refrigerator, leaving the baggies open slightly, and watch to see what happens. Ensure that the seeds don't dry out. This can save months of waiting and wondering.

Chelle, I have not with the Alstromeria seeds, but have with other seeds. They are newly purchased from Summer Hill or Swallowtail and I have never had an issue with either of their seeds. I think they are just one of those finicky seeds. But I like a challenge so I will keep trying. I know they take awhile. I have them out of the fridge now and near my heat mat (but not on), still in the zip lock, but opened and I take them out of the bag ever so often. I'd be better off If I got busy and forgot about them since they do take a long time to germinate. The year before I actually got them to germinate but when I was moving them to plant I knocked them over and they were so tiny I could not find them! I saved one and planted it and it sat there all summer. Then the chickens ate the top and pulled the root out! I just got PLANTS from someone local so I really don't need to go through all this pain now but I'll see what these do this year.

I use Swallowtail a lot, too. I always feel comfortable ordering seeds from them.

Experimenting is half the fun with seeds, isn't it? Especially when you have plants to back it up.

I have a variegated Alstromeria indoors. It's floppy and lank, but I'm still hoping for blooms this year.

Yes, experimenting is fun. Always some triumphs and some disappointments but the triumphs seem to overshadow the disappointments.

Oh, one of the Alstroemeria I got today is variegated but she said she did not know what color the blooms are. Do you plan on putting the Alstroemeria outside at all? My daughter lives in Mi. and I was wondering if I could share my good fortune with her!

I think mine might be good to zone 7, so I'll take it outdoors in the summer, and back inside for the winter.

I'm really hoping that mine will be this color White-edged Princess Lily (Alstroemeria psittacina 'Royal Star') .

Wouldn't that be SWEET? If I could convince my daughter to take in for the winter it would work but she has too much going and nowhere to put it so I guess I'll just have to enjoy them myself. Hey, maybe mine will be that color too!