Hi--I live in Rhode Island but have friends who now live in Texas (Junction area). They'd like to know if your Texas Bluebonnets would grow for me up here? I've done some looking about but couldn't find anyone who had anything definitive to say. I know your bluebonnets are related to our lupines, but I think their needs are rather different. My inclination is to think that our area would not be dry enough for them. Any thoughts appreciated. Thanks! :)
Texas Bluebonnets
Yes, they will grow. I have a client who has them growing in Mass. Your best sow time for spring is between March and May or in the fall. you can dormant sow when the soil temp is below 50*
Oh wow--thanks 1lisac!
The botanical name for Texas blue bonnets is Lupinus texenis (Fabaceae) if that helps at all but I know they will grow.
1lisac, do U mean we can still plant bluebonnet seeds? thru March?
Not here. Up north they can sow them into early spring but they bloom later. Here, where its warmer, they need to be sown in the fall. The info I have says between Sept 15 thru Dec 15th. The earlier in that window the better.
the seeds for those are tuff, need winter
The plants are tuff too they live through the freezes here. Its the heat that kills them.
OH DARN! I just planted some a few weeks ago and some are coming up. I guess they will either just die or maybe some of the seeds that don't come up may last till next year? And I was so proud of my little ones... :) Janet
They may mature enough I don't know. I'd be surprised but let us know. It always bothers me that they put the seeds for so many native wildflowers on the market now when most need to be sown in the fall. It took me years of sowing seeds to figure out what the problem was.
The seeds can last a long time but I would resow in the fall just to be on the safe side. If I'd known how wet the weather was going to be I would have sowed a lot more seeds this fall but after this summer I never thought we would get below 80 again. LOL maybe there are already enough seeds out there.
What type of soil conditions do they need? Do they reseed well in a yard?
C
My MIL planted seeds several years ago and hers come up every year, which is where I got my seeds from. Unfortunately, I planted all of mine. Fortunately, she can still collect some for me. :) She lives in New Orleans on property that used to be a horse race track. She has the BEST soil--hahaha!
They are not very picky about the soil, they are a wildflower so they adapt. Its more important that they get light and water and that they are actually touching the soil when they are sown and dont land on grass weeds etc..
I have bluebonnets ready to bloom:) They will self-sow and quite a few feet from the original mother plant. I have a patch that was started this way and it has come back every year. I do sow seeds in the fall before Thanksgiving; and those that self-sow were large clumps by Dec.
Because of the hard seed coat, don't be surprised when they don't all germinate. I had sown seeds in a friend's bed in 2010 and then spring 2011 came but nothing came up so I transplanted some of mine to her bed and they bloomed but still hardly any germinated this fall. We were hoping for massive coverage but no such luck.
I gave her some of mine last month and they are doing well. These are a bit persnickety - needing the cold and water/rainfall to erode the seed coat. I do have a few 'babies' coming up now, too.
I thought they were annuals that had to reseed every year? Have you tried knicking or soaking the seeds before fall sowing? I had a few packets but never planted them. Thinking this fall I might get some fresh seed and give them a try. I always admire them when they bloom nicely.
C
They are annuals they can last up to 10 years as seeds then germinate. You can scarify them or buy them scarified so they germinate quicker. They do reseed annually but those seeds may not germinate for a few years.
i just read that the BBs will benifit greatly from innoculating the seeds anyone ever try this ??? Just curious as I am innoculating my peas and beans this year never have before but seems as if that is something that commercial soybean growers do so I always say "look to the pros " when in doubt....
I never have, but I do buy them scarified. When they reseed they are on their own. That is really interesting I have never heard of that for BB. Ive never done that with legumes either. Can you let us know if it makes a difference or not?
BB are lupines which are legumes so it make sense to give them a little bacteria too. Never had enough beans or peas to make it worth my while, is it expensive?
C
I was just thinking that I thought I remembered they were legumes, but wasn't sure. Can you explain that, please?
The inoculates that I've seen were not expensive. I just never thought of using it because beans are one thing I can grow with no problems, except Spider Mites.
This thread has gotten really interesting. One simple question leads to so much information.
I have basically given up on most veggies. The shear number of species of pests they get in my yard is amazing. Explain what?
C
Explain how they are legumes, if thats possible?
They are in the Family Fabaceae along with other plants. Thats the legume family. Meaning they should have root nodules that contain nitrifying bacteria.
Lupinus texensis
This message was edited Feb 25, 2012 7:36 PM
I've been having a pack of inoculant in my fridge waiting for bean planting time. I've never used it but you read to use it EVERYWHERE in info about planting beans/peas. So I'll use it and see if it makes a difference. I have some bush beans to plant.
As for my baby bluebonnets, I hope they survive to flower and seed. If not, I'll try again IN THE FALL!! By the way, I scarified some and soaked overnight, some I froze and poured boiling water on them, then planted, and some I put straight in the ground. The scarified and soaked ones are germinating the best but some of the others have come up too.
I did a bit of research on innoculating various plants in the legumes it seems that for the most part there is no innoculant that is a sure fire FITS ALL seem that each legume requires a seperate bacteria BUT peas and beans each use the same ones and here is another useful fact the legumes will gretly benifit if planted in the same spot for several years in a row it seems that the bacteria carry over
OOPPPS forgot to add that I bought enough innoculant to do 20lbs of seed for $3.75 my friend oedered some from amazon that you just sprinkle in the planting furrow The kind I have is a black powder that looks like graphite Messy stuff I used a vynal glove to plant with ...
Newton-do you know of other plants that fit are in the Legume Family?
It's a big family LOL! I also don't know if all plants in that family actually have the symbiotic relationship with bacteria but I have always assumed they did.
Thanks, I always just thought Legumes meant peas and beans, but I do remember reading somewhere about the BBs.
Clover Peanuts> soybeans > a very long list of which these are just some that comes to mind right now
Clover, thats a cover crop, which makes sense. Just always thought of Legumes as just peas and beans. Grits-keep them coming. I never realized that legumes were anything but edibles I guess I could google it but its interesting to think that BB are adding N to the soil. Mother Nature sure has it worked out. Im interested in the Long List of Legumes. lol
Probably just could look at garden guides or plant files tomorrow I will look right now got to fix the coffee for the morning and haul my sorry but to the shower
Here is a link to a list of plants of the pea family;
http://wildflower.org/plants/search.php?search_field=scientific+or+common+names&newsearch=true&family=Fabaceae
Well now you can see why I always look to Josephine for answers Thank you once again Josephine
Thank you!