Hello All.
I started my castor beans under lights about a month ago and they have been doing great. I was very surprised, however, to discover this morning that several are starting to bloom - and they are less than two feet tall! When I plant them outside, will they still grow to a towering size - six to ten feet - or has the premature bloom permanently stunted them? Any advice anyone could offer would be sincerely appreicated.
Erick
Castor Bean Question...
I was told by Kyle to pick blooms for more height,it has worked for me.
Thank you rootdoctor. I didn't even think of that. I appreciate your good advice.
Erick
My seeds are just popping the ground,I hope to get some good ones this year,I let the blooms stay on at the end of season,so they reseed.
Rootdoctor, I've got you beat this year on Castor Beans!!! Mine is taller than my head already!
My Castor Bean plants are doing really well. I didn't start them in the house didn't have the room. Just planted them outside about a 5 weeks ago and they are already about 10 inches tall. This is my first year growing them, I am real excited to see how tall they do get. So I will be sure to pinch off the blooms when they start.
I do have a question how far apart do they need to be. I was told that I had them to close together. I am using them as shade for my tomatoes. Not only for the shade but for the beauty of them. I saw some of Roots pictures of his and fell in love with them.
Calalily if we only had your zone 10 weather here in Kansas, mine might be foot tall by now. LOL
I love your zone.
This message was edited May 26, 2005 12:40 PM
This message was edited May 26, 2005 12:40 PM
I will trade you this 90 degree weather we're having, please send cool air in exchange!
amen, cala.
I will see what I can muster up for the two of you. We are 71 today. But of course it has been raining off and on all week. The weather man said today we wouldn't see any sunshine today until late afternoon. Will I had to go out and move all my hibiscus that I am hardening up for the sun, because around 11 the sun came out and the sky is clear. And I'm not complaining one bit.
We will take rain too, or at least down here we will, lol. I think Vossner has had plenty of rain.
Oh Boy, someone to take about castor beans with. Badseed sent me 2 last fall and since I don't own this property, I didn't really want to put them in the ground.
So I gave each one an individual pot. This one I sunk the pot into the ground in a place the landlord used as a firepit (after I dug and carried away all the burn remains). I put some herbs in the base of the pot and this sits in the middle of the yard where once there was no shade.
Now it shades my pond for part of the day, has bloomed and set seeds already. My first seed gathering was last week. They look like pinto beans, better not take them to the kitchen. This tree is about 7 feet tall. I received it when it was about 18" to 2 feet tall. That was in October 2004.
Molly
:^)))
Whew,killer Staghorn you have there! That Castor sure looks good for being in a pot.
Thanks Root,
I got that Staghorn from a yard sale a little over a year ago with the little blue wagon. Took it chain, hook and all. Wanted it to feel at home.
Now I need to figure out how to take pups to share......maybe when it gets a little bigger.
Molly
:^)))
Rootdoctor can you tell me how far apart the castor beans needs to be after they have started coming up. I have been told that mine are planted to close together, but that is all that was said. Can you please help me out.
Linda
Absolutely gorgeous Molly. Wow.
Erick
Hello Linda.
We grew castor beans for the first time last year and they got HUGE. Stunning, but in a huge way! I wouldn't suggest planting them any closer than two feet apart. But perhaps others with more experience growing them may have other thoughts on the subject.
Erick
I toss 4 or 5 seeds in a hole,tallest ones I had last year were in a clump,if they come up reseeded with 2 in a hole I prune one.I don't think there is a bad way to grow them.I know mine did not do well if I started them early and the Taproot curled.
Guess we need to get our yearly contest going.
Contest, what contest?!
And doncha know, yesterday and last evening we had three very bad thunderstorms roll through here. Lots of wind. That very same castor bean tree you see above was bowed over. I found it that way thins morning and I put my wooden ladder there to hold it back up. I hope once it dries out a bit it will stand on its own again.
Molly
:^)))
Just a fun way of showing our Beans every year,No prize and no real winner,just good fun.
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/430729/
Thanks Rooty, that was a fun thread and so many different colors. I love that one Polaris had with the burgundy branches and green leaves, and oh yeah, the really deep burgundy/purple leaves. I think that was Scooterbugs.
I wonder if any of those people have any seeds left from last season. Lucky me, mine have been blooming and going to seed already and it's only May.
???????
Molly
:^))))
Count me in. I like a good contest, especially when it is for fun.
Molly, sorry to hear about my baby. :( I have more if you need them but if you collected seeds you might be better off to just plant those.
Chele",
Thank you, you are so very sweet. I'm hoping she'll learn to stand again, the main trunk never even broke, just bowed over. But the ladder stays there. I need it to climb up to collect more seeds anyway.
And yes, I have been collecting, just like you taught me. Funny, if I had had the patience, I woulda figured out the seed collecting......eventually. :^))))))))
Molly
Here is a picture of my Castor Beans coming up in my garden.
Linda
Here is a Castor Bean Plant that I transplanted in a pot with thread coleus with them. I didn't think the Castor Bean Plant was going to make the transplant wilted down bad and lost all the leaves except for the new ones coming on in the middle.
Thanks to Debby for the Red Castor Beans.
I've been harvesting seeds for months now. Plants are about 7-8 ft tall.
If anyone needs seeds, let me know.
Jan.
Hey folks, this may sound silly, but are they poisonous to dogs? I have a new beagle pup and he could use some extra shade near his pen.
What do you think? Would Castors be OK?
I don't want to move him to our woods. We have coyotes, racoons, ect.
Can you help me out?
Castor Beans ARE poisonous--but if your dog is not prone to nibbling plants it will be ok. If he IS prone to do such perhaps you could still grow it near him but cover the stalk or something?? Just be SURE he cannot get ahold of any leaves, flowers or seeds!! Would hate for you to lose your new puppy!! Bonnie
Well, I guess I should not plant them this year. He is biting off daylily blooms and chewing on most everything!
We placed a tent shaped tarp over his cage.