Winner gets a Monkey sittin on the deck with a Beer! I have a good feelin I may win,(LOL!)call it Monkey luck,call it dumb luck,I just can not start the contest!(Last year,I coulda been a contender!,LOL!)
Somebody please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Start one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Castor Bean contest?
awwww. aren't you the monkey on the deck? :)
Susie started the new 2004 contest here:
http://davesgarden.com/t/430729/
brugie.... don't have a name for it but I wish it could hide the view of my neighbors back yard...lol
If those red blooms are on your castor, I've never seen one like it before. Some red spires would hide their yard. Wish I had some seeds, but I sent them home with someone. I love the red spire's color in the leaves. Well, I'm moving over to the new thread now. This one is taking a long time to load. See ya there Pete.
Well....I have been trying to get Castor Beans for several months and was told at the nursery that they are now illegal to sell and they would not be forthcoming. Seems that a common poison can be made from the seeds and due to Home Security Laws they are listed as dangerous. Sorry to be spoil sport because my mother grew them every summer and I wanted to duplicate her green thumb.
LouC
When did this law start? I just bought 3 varieties from eBay a few weeks ago and they were delivered within a few days. I just did a search on eBay and see they are still selling them. I hope they don't do this. What's next on the hit list? Datura?
http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?sofocus=bs&sbrftog=1&from=R10&catref=C12&satitle=castor&sacat=2032%26catref%3DC6&sargn=-1%26saslc%3D2&sadis=200&fpos=30127&ftrt=1&ftrv=1&saprclo=&saprchi=&fsop=1%26fsoo%3D1&coaction=compare&copagenum=1&coentrypage=search&fgtp=
Datura grows wild around my house... I never planted it and I have beautiful plants! *giggle
the poison is called Roisin and was involved in a mailbox something in Washington DC two or three years ago.
Easy to make and looks like talcom powder according to the big stink when it was found in the mailbox.
Ricin mailing was linked to terrorism.
Then there followed the usual jerks sending out talcum powder to officials in DC
Used to have beautiful Castor bean trees. DDH hated them because they got in his way when he mowed so I got rid of them. Later when I wanted to plant some, no seeds on the seed rack. I think they are beautiful! There are so many plant that are poisonous including indoor plants or others that are inedible because they don't taste good and/or make your mouth pucker. We were told the other day that Turk's Cap leaves are edible but they don't taste good but if you are starving and happen upon Turk's Cap, you won't exactly starve. I have a spot that would really be good for Castor but no seeds. It would be right next to a bush you don't want to use for your campfire or to roast your marshmallows on - oleanders. Go figure.....
Ann
Ann,
You can buy some off eBay. I just checked and there were over 40 offers. I ordered 3 different types off eBay a couple of months ago and checked the germination by planting two seeds of each. They all came up and I now have them in the basement under lights where they are blooming but aren't very big due to being grown in pots.
Thx for the info but I'm not into Ebay. It's just me - I don't trust them but I do trust DGers.
Ann
There are a lot of DG'ers on Ebay- me included! The sellers have a reputation to uphold. You can check their feedback.
Thanks so much! I will have to try them. I have a DDIL who does a lot on Ebay so I'll ask her about all this.
Ann
I've bought a lot of things off eBay and have only had one bad experience so far and it wasn't a lot of money.
You can also check other seed suppliers on line which would be quicker than waiting on catalogs to be delivered through the mail.
I've got a packet ready for next Spring courtesy of "Tropicman." Since these grow so fast is there any advantage to starting them in pots in the greenhouse in early Spring?
I believe you get the best growth in the ground where it will stay.
Castor beans highly resent having their tap root disturbed.
If transplanted they will still grow but not as tall.
I thought the castor bean would be an annual in my area (8b). It grew about 8' this season. Do you think it will come back after we get a freeze? We only get a few during the winter.
I keep cutting the blooms off so that it doesn't self sow and just to be sure the dog doesn't go after the seeds, but I'm thinking about letting it go now and see what happens through the winter. What do you think will happen?
Barbara
BDunn,
I let the castor beans go at the Southern California house and the trunk got so big we had trouble removing them. In Iowa I just collected the seeds and started new ones every spring. Even if it would keep growing for you, it would be better to start over.
Thanks TwinLakesChef,
I think I'll do what you recommend.
I agree, even here in Wisconsin they get so big I need to yank them out with my 4 wheeler and a chain.
A friend in TX said they are like big trees down there.
does anyone have any of Debby's purple castor seeds they could share? someone pointed me to some on ebay, but I"m not sure they're the same.
This ones pretty tall...It's shaking off the winter slumber and the leaves are starting to grow bigger.
Rj
Rj, that's a tree!!!!
Yeah...It must be a perfect senario location, sun and everything..I haven't seen any around the neighborhood as tall
Wow RJ that is very tall. I need about 30 of those to keep the gophers at bay.
LOL, even the rats leave them alone here. I wonder if there are castor bean forrests? besides the one trying to grow in the back garden
Though I notice some of these postings are a couple of years old, I have noticed people interested in purchasing castor bean seeds but cannot find them. Just thought I'd let everyone know I purchased castor bean seeds this spring from Seedrack.com and Henry Fields Nursery. One was a red variety, but I can't remember which place I got it.
Shoot I have tons of red castor beans if anyone wants them.
Jan
Anyone interested just send a SASBE.
i'm in the address exchange. Include a note that it's for red castor beans
budgielover, do you have the one that has the burgandy leaves?
Yes they have the burgandy leaves.
Got it yesterday or day before. Will be picking fresh seeds tomorrow.
This message was edited May 30, 2008 8:40 AM
budgielover,
I would like to have a couple of seed if you still have some.
I will send the sasbe.
Thanks
Mary
Have plenty.
My castor bean plants are about 4' tall and already flowering. Anybody know why? I thought they were suppose to get taller before they flower.
Dean