I have 4 o'clock seeds that I gathered last fall. Now the 'mother plant' has produced a lot of babes. This afternoon I attempted to dig up some volunteers. I fear I didn't dig deep enough. Does anyone know how they grow? What I pulled up looked like the pointy end of a very small carrot. Didn't have many roots or fine hairs attached. There are more volunteers so I can try again. I did pot the one I dug up just in case, but seriously doubt that I got it all.
4 o'clocks - Advice please
If the little plant is from last year's fallen seed, there wont be much root. If small it may still be feeding off the large seed. Usually going down 3 inches will get it all. Old plants have a potatoe-like rhizome, the older the plant the bigger the potatoe.
Steadycam - If these little guys appear to still be alive on May 18th, would you like them? As I mentioned, I did pot some up. Swirled them in a little seaweed/fish emulsion (yum) first. I knew someone wanted volunteers if I could capture any and I'm thinking it was you. Since the ground is still wet from our thunderstorms I may make one more try.
Assuming I could do it, which is a big assumption, if I were able to get one of the bigger plants (there are many), how deep would you guess that I'd want to dig and would I be looking for a rhizome? (I've never grown potatoes, but I know what iris rhizomes look like.) I won't take everything b/c might get more seeds for the fall RU.
I don't feel the least bit guilty about this b/c they are in an alley and when someone buys the house next to me, that whole area will be bulldozed. In return, all the rats and roaches will run to my house for shelter. :D
They grow up from the little round seed. If you pull them up and get the little seed, you've gotten it all. I pull up and chuck a bazillion four o'clock seedlings into the compost pile every year. They pull up very easily when young.
If you dig them up to pot I would try to go 5-6 inches for the bigger ones to get all the root. Do you know what color these are?
I am bringing seeds that I gathered last fall. The flowers are sorta coral or peachy colored. I don't want to pot any for myself. I was just going to experiment. One day out, the ones I potted look pretty sad. Since I was out most of the day, I didn't get around to trying again. Maybe tomorrow.
I potted up a whole bunch last spring for the RU. I put a couple of seedlings in each cup and they did great. Most things don't look great when moved, but perk up in a couple of days.
I agree as we dug some last yr. I would try a seedling if you get a chance to dig any. If not would love some seeds as I don't have a peach one
ILJ99 - if I haven't already done so, I'll add 4 o'clocks by your name in my list.
OK great :)
Hi Gals!
How did the transplants do? I have several volunteers around my white and a few pink. Would love to have a few more bushes. Lost 2 this winter!
Kiley
The ones Tx flower child brought me are doing great. I have transplanted the new volunteers from last year's seed many times and never lost a single one. Go for it.
Really? My newly transplanted one is still alive? Cool.
We had some good rain yesterday. Going to let them hang around in the ground for a bit to enjoy the goodness.
Delighted to hear I can fill in the gaps from Winter's loss.
Thanks very much!
Kiley
Once established, the plant forms a tuber. It took FOREVER for my plant to come back due to the whacky weather we had, but it's finally made its appearance and is loving all the rain we've had lately.
Didn't even know we had them for the first year we lived here! Husband kept mowing over what he thought were "weeds." Having moved from extreme South Texas, we didn't recognize Mirabilis jalapa!
Tubers must be huge. The bushes filled a long East facing wall.
Kylie, where in south TX ?
I was visiting a cousin in Double Oak today. She has more 4 o'clocks that she knows what to do with. They keep reseeding and are everywhere. She said she recently just flat old weeded some out. Wish I'd known that. But now that I do, I can prob. get her to pot some up for the next RU.
If she didn't get the cauldex they will come back. If she will pick off the black seeds which are very visible she can keep from having so many of them. I love my 4 o'clocks What color does she have?
I'm pretty good at going out and either plucking blooms before the seed develops or harvesting seeds and putting them in the trash. I definitely don't put them in my compost pile or the yard waste bag that goes to the City.
I know my cousin has some magenta ones b/c I saw 'em. She said she didn't remember what all she had but did mention white and yellow ones. She knows about the seeds and I'm sure she'd be glad to share them with us. I'm just sorry that I hadn't been out to her place before the RU instead of shortly after it.
Sorry so late in responding! Brownsville...... As far South as it gets. My home town.
Just wanted to add a postscript about my cousin and her 4 o'clocks. Was talking to her today and she said she'd save up a bunch of seeds (and would try to label the colors) so I'll have 'em for our Fall RU.
Woohoo, I want some if you have plenty.
Hope to have a lot. When do they start setting seeds so I can start reminding her?
They seed right after they bloom and every single bloom produces a seed.
I have fuschia and yellow seeds foe postage :)
ILJ99 - Are the seeds from before or are your 4 o'clocks blooming already?
From before
I would love to have white and any other colors please
My wintersown 4 o clocks are getting close to blooming, I think they may be from you, Sandy? Have y'all seen the 'marakesh' and 'broken colors'? Anyone know if they reseed true or revert?
Did we trade by mail SPWD because the spring is the only RU I have been to in Arlington.
I believe the seeds come true and do not revert. Haven't checked to see how close mine are to blooming.
Yepper we traded by mail, you sent me some evergreen wisteria seeds last year, but I remember now that I got the 4 o clock seeds from you at RU (along with more evergreen wisteria!!). The other 4 o clock seeds I wintersowed are from a lady in IL. A mixed pack of yellow and white, and another packet of pink. Plus I got two 4 o clock seedlings at RU. Maybe I should save seeds from them all and next year I'll try hybridizing in hopes of those exotic multicolor blooms..
You can buy seeds for the broken colors. I am sure you can find someone to trade for too. I dug what I think may have been broken colors but only had 2 blooms (white with a little pink and looked like the yellow had a little pink. I potted them and hope when they bloom I will know for sure. I didn't want to let them get mowed over so I dug them not knowing for sure. Dug several small ones and if I know which they are can offer them in the fall. Not sure how they do in pots as far as blooming as well as in the ground.
All the rain we had really sent the bees out. My evergreen wisteria already has a hundred teenie tiny seed pods forming and just started blooming 2 weeks ago.
I'd love to see pics of it when it's in full bloom sandy! Evergreen wisteria is one of my favorite plants :))
I may track down some broken colors 4 o clocks soon. Can't resist multicolor blooms!
2-3 RU's ago I could not give 4 o'clocks away! I had fuchsia and white. I still have them and will share with all who want them. Ive thrown away all the volunteers for this year but there will be more and I will now have the salmon/peach ones that Flowerchild gave me at RU. Ive always wanted the pink and white broken colors or pink and white striped so if anyone sees those, save me a couple seed. I got my white one from ONE rustled seed from a few streets over from me. They are hard to beat for deep shade and the fragrance is nice in the evening.
I WILL be bringing plants to the Spring RU's.
I gave away some 4 o'clock seed at the spring RU in Arlington. If you asked for some during pre-trading, then they prob. came from me.