Mid-Atlantic Gardening: Seed starting MAF April !st 2014 Part 2 , 3 by Gitagal

Gitagal wrote:
Muddy.

I grew Cleomies a few years ago and I do not remember any issues with thorns.
The stems of the Cleome, as they grow taller, spread out like arms.
Hence the other name for Cleome is "spider flower"...
The blooms are beautiful--random mixes of white, pink and lavender...or a mix.

The seed pods are skinny little pods about 1" long. They form up and down the
stems, from each flower, curving downward a bit. These pods can hold 30 seeds each.
They will ripen from the bottom up. Oldest first. If you don't pick them--
they just pop open disbursing their seeds below....hence so many babies...

Watch the color of the pods.....when the pods look slightly grayish-green--they are ripe.
When you reach in to pick it--have your hand around them--as they will pop open in your hand.
Like a pod of peas. You can see the pods in pic. #4.

Plant Cleomies where they will have lots of room. Grouping them will give a mass effect.
Grown singly--you will notice the spreading 'arms" more...in a group--it would look nicer.

They can be spectacular....G.



This message was edited Apr 27, 2014 6:37 AM