Seed Snatchin' XVII...Making More Seeds

I've got babies growing all over in my wintersowing pots. it's so much fun. it's been so warm here that I've had to take the plastic off and water them at least twice daily so they wont dry out. I still haven't donr the veggies... and I said i wouldn't be late doing them this year!! I'll get them started soon this week.

Susan

It was 20 degrees F. this morning, so my wintersow stuff is just sitting out there frozen. Most of it won't even consider coming up until sometime in April. Meanwhile, I'm filling the basement!

Your garden doesn't miss a beat and you sure do know how to make up for lost heat up there! :)

Susan

Tomorrow I've got to clear some space and add some tables so that I can turn on the halide light. I try to wait as long as possible since it pulls a lot of current and my light bill gets crazy.

Oh my gosh, I guess I just fell off the bus there for a while! How did this thread get off my "watched" list?? Well... I'm back! :-)

WZ, you've got Dmail... I can't believe I let those Torenia seeds you wanted slide off my radar... so sorry! LMK what else you'd like & I'll get them out tomorrow!

I had fun catching up here... will have to post pictures of some of my sprouts! I have a bunch of poppies from WZ that are coming up in some quart containers I wintersowed -- so cute!

Gettin' ready to set some cauiflowr plants outside today - may be too early - but I can start more if'in they don't make the trip.

Hi, everybody! Just taking a break from transplanting violas. My basement is full of flats, and the halide light is on, as well as all the light racks. I've got to get the greenhouse fired up and online by next week or I'll be hanging flats from the ceiling by strings!

Dyson, you're already setting out plants? I've still got 2 feet of snow on the ground here. It will be late May or June 1 before I can even think about it. Meanwhile, they'll all migrate out to the greenhouse, then out to the tables with row cover by mid-May.

Critter, just answered your email. Glad you found the bus and got onboard!

http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/584872/

hey there yall.. I've got a co-op on Messenger :)

Susan

Glad I did not put those starts outside yesterday - we are haveing a cold spell.

Hey Susan! Some of my I.Summer Rudbeckia made it through the winter! I have 4 or so plants alive. Whoo hoooo!! I get to have my flowers even after being so lazy this winter!! :)

Nicole DM had some in her by the street corner for 20 years. It always came back.
Sidney

Hi there! We had a relatively mild winter thank goodness for those of us that did not mulch. I was scared about losing all my brugs and they are growing out just fine now. I've got all kinds of things calling my name outside! Today is going to be a lovely day for gardening! Have fun everybody!

Susan

Susan, Our mild winter was hard on the plants. To many thaws and freezes, they didn't know what to do.

Hi everyone, Susan I checked my brugs that I left outside and I have 22 in one bed and they are all up and running. Then on the other side of the house I have another bed with probably 15 and I don't see them putting out as much and I didn't mulch them like I did the other side. I rooted several down in the basement over the winter. Here's part of them (21). I lost the tags off of them so I don't know what is what but I will be able to tell when they bloom.
I didn't do any seeds during the winter but did do several this spring.
Cardinal Vine
Formosa Lily
Purple Triple Datura
The above is up and growing.

Several more that I put out yesterday.

We're gradually thawing out here. The driveway has melted, but there is still about a foot of snow in the yard. The bed on the south side of the house is beginning to wake up. The crocus are blooming through the straw, and the tulips, daffodils, and oriental poppies are leafing out. One Primula polyantha has a small pink bloom on it.

This is anxiety time here at Weezingreens. Both the greenhouse and basement are full of plants, and I'm still transplanting like crazy. I've got Dennis shoveling snow for a spot to put up one of the Costco tents. We'll cover it with plastic and add a heater like we did last year. I can put some of the larger, tougher plants in there until it is safe to put plants in the bigger, unheated greenhouse. It is still dropping into the lower 30'sF at night, so heat is necessary. By mid-May, we should be able to put flats of plants out on the tables, and by Memorial Day, we'll be open for business.

The plants really start growing once the get into the greenhouse. There is something special about the natural light. They even prefer the greenhouse light to the big halide light downstairs. They'll really be happy when they can go outdoors. It's always a pleasure to introduce them to the fresh air and sunshine for the first time. If plants had eyes, they'd become very wide, and if they had mouths, they'd form the word 'Wow!'

Zen, yes my aunt in Wisconsin said she was expecting to loose quite a few things due to the lack of hard freezes, which is certainly different from down here.

Jim, how pretty!! I've got a few moonvines comiing up.. I had loads of them and the plastic was touching them overnight when we had a frost and they got zapped :(

Weezins.... I can relate... we are jsut finishing up a week of spring break and what should ahve been a week in the garden working was a week away and now I'm catching up. I'm amazed what happens in a week. i came back and I have foxgloves putting on flower stalks and my phlox shot up as well as many other things.

Back to planting I go!!!

Susan

This message was edited Apr 11, 2006 8:35 AM

All my beds are still covered with straw, and many with plastic. We, too, have issues with mild winters and the freezing and thawing. I think our plants like a good nap, and being awakened every few weeks is tough on them. I always prefer a cold hard freeze, then a nice mulch of snow...that doesn't melt away mid winter!

Foxgloves ready to bloom, Susan! I'd be jealous if I didn't have so much to do before the season truly starts here. Before I had the nursery business, I used to go out and start digging around as early as the ground would allow, but now I'm lucky to touch any of my beds until late June! They are all planted with perennials, so they don't need much tending, but everytime I pass a bed of perennials, my fingers itch to scratch around there.

The upside is that I don't disturb the soil in early spring, so I get lots of volunteer seedlings, and there are some nice surprises. Had I been digging around, they would not have happened. By late June, my south bed has spent tulips to trim, and the beginning of the inevitable weeds. I transplant volunteers to pots, then add annual bedding plants to the front of the beds. I never have time to fuss over my beds. I'm too busy taking care of my potted plants and the customers who buy them.

I tried to find soem foxglove seeds yesterday at walmart but they are already gone. I started some orange black eye susans yesterday that I snached seeds from a bed at my bank. Also 3 different Hollyhock and some Japaneese Morning Glory.

I've got lots of foxglove seeds. Just email me if you want me to send you some.

I got my foxgloves from a woman who was selling them at a .25 a piece in the GA market Bulletin. I drove 45 minuted to get them after my own seeds fizzled. So I've got lots and I have an entire "foxglove garden" on the side. I have always wanted foxgloves in my garden and now the wait is over and they are going to show for me. I'm excited. I will take pictures and post when they really get going and my camera is fixed. I have the alba seed, but nothing so far.. maybe a little to early in the pot I have them sown in??

Yes weezin, I got lots of seedlings too... WEED seeds!! I kinda let it go over winter and once I got in there and started working I couldn't believe how bad it was. I had a neighbor that said he was glad I was okay since he thought I was ill or something... I guess he saw my beds and I don't usually let them go like that.. Well, they are almost all back up to speed and I am determined to become the mulch queen this year, besides the dumpster diving diva. I am not going to let there be a bare spot anywhere on the ground anywhere!! And in places where I've got unplanted fertile soil waiting for plants are going to get a sheet of clear plastic.

I also did get a slew of rose campion seedlings.. wow! What a great reseeder that one is. I moved them to better locations and still had to pot up many many more to share. :)

The truth is I'm still such a novice gardener that I probably wouldn't recognize lots of plant seedlings and would probably pull them on accident thinking they were weeds. I have had many a doubt when pulling weeds.. Last year I was pulling weeds in the daylillies and I thought gee, these plants sure look like tomatoes and they smell like tomatoes but they just can't be.. My then 4 year old came up and said look at all these tomato plants and I figured if he knew, I should know too! Yes, they were from the compost heap and I did let them grow against the fence and they were better then the ones I grew on purpose! Thank goodness for wintersowing. I see now that I'm not the only one... my husband asked if all the phlox I have... (a good deal of it from GaRedClay :) !!) were weeds!! I told him, well I guess that means you can't ever weed my garden could you.. not that he has ever anyway!!

My husband got home last night from being at the lake with the kids all day and I showed him what all I had done outside all day and he just thinks I'm crazy for all the work I do, but I know he sure is glad to have such a crazy hard working woman that does things as cheap as possible!!

Okay! Back to work!!
:)

Susan

AAhh..Susan..but is it really work, or is it an artist at work?
Like a kid right after I read this forum last year I went a snatchin - and I must say I thought of ya/ll here as I inspected my clerodendrum bungei -- it turned out to be.
The weeding ....I had to excercise voice control, when my friend who was helping me put down some pea gravel in the yard was busy picking out little sprouts out of the ground as I arrived with a fresh load of gravel-- amaranthas ... My unorthadox garden technics sometimes confound my non gardener friends. I know where the parent plants were - and when I am ready to plant some species, I go to that area and pluck them right out where they seeded. Needless to say I encouraged her to focus more on the gravel! LOL.
You have opened up some doors for me I didn/t even know were there. I work in a high rise down town in Houston, and I frequently buy the plants for an extremely discounted price when they change at the end of the month...but then..Diva tactical senarios began recounting through my mind- and after some sleuthing, discovered the dumpster/loading dock (with security permission) with BOXES of plants...bi-monthly they change certain plants and toss them.. now you can imagine the high rises here.. I hear mission impossible music now.....plots, dives and diva tacticals are being planned with clear entrance and exit strategies..daaa ddaa da ..

Happy planting,diving and..well everything!
Rj

Addiction--logging on to Daves and seeing that you can't go to your threads since you let your subscription lapse and paying it immediately and just praying that Dave has it set up so that I can get in immediately!! Whew!!

RJ, I LOVE it!! Boxes!!?? Oh my gosh!! WOW!! Just act as if you totally belong there and you know what you are doing. When folks have seen me pulling stuff out of a heap, I just look and them and smile and act like I know exactly what I'm doing.

I can only compare to yours when I stop by the landscape trucks at the end of the fall season and pull what they have just ripped out. It's hard to get them at the right time and day and have the time to stop, but I manage at times! Of course I have to have the bags and such in the back of the van ready to go.... it really helps that I speak spanish too... The landscapers are so agreable when I speak their language!!

No trepidation whatsoever! I hear the mission impossible music too! Hey, that's going to be my theme song when I'm snatching!! :)

RJ, your right, it's not really work if your so crazy about it. I "loved my art in growth" and "worked" all day yesterday till evening when I found my body repeatedly sitting on the john deere and just staring for an episode long after I'd turned it off with whatever I was hauling. LOL! Gardener hypnosis!

Okay, and today I find myself off center that I can't get right out there this morning since errands call. I guess buying groceries is important too, and having toliet paper is most appreciated by all, but it is just not as personally rewarding. Okay, the garden will be right here when I get back right? I hope so!

RJ, how about your tropical vacation snatches??? Tell us about those here??

Susan

Susan I sent in a subscription to the magazine and haven't received it yet. Looking forward to it.

I love it Jim, I just read the classifieds for flowers/seeds and such. I shop for free loaded horse poo there too! :) I use to shovel it myself and then I got that paper and got smarter! Now I just unload it!! Hmmm, have to find a way to get smarter about that too!

Susan

Ahhh..Hawaii seed snatching 101...
I took some photos today - but did not have time to resize them.
I am hoping someone will recognize the picture of a shrub..that I forgot the name of. My friend in Kauai had a huge varigate shrub (looked like a tree) It had green and white stripes on long leaves- very stunning I thought.. I informed my friend that there might be a few branches missing around my departure time..! In Hawaii- there is a rather stringent agriculture law in place for importing/exporting plants. Importing -because the majority of all those beautiful tropical plants were brought to the islands over the past century from all over the world- populating the islands with some rather aggressive flora. As a result, the few indgenous remain on the islands- according to the Botanical Gardens in Kauai. I had the good fortune to meet a guy (my friends employer), who owns the Island of Ni hau prounounced ne e how and a large chunk of Kauai as well- Mr. Robison- who (whom?) has been collecting and preserving the remaing islands indiginous plants (very quietly- drama and politics of a former collection). We chatted a bit and he invited me to the location- unfortuneatly we never got the chance as he is a busy island owner.. So..with good reason for Hawaii to carefully monitor the imoporting. Exporting - there are some pests and diseases that came along with the imported plants..beetles and what not. As a responsible cutting and seed snatcher- I inspected and washed the cuttings, did the H202 paper towel soak. Packed the cuttings in a box, along with a snatched coconut -sprout (whats Hawaii with out a coconut?),
- At the Botanical Gardens..which is really a rather captivating research center. http://www.ntbg.org/
Some of the research are discovering some truly amazing results including some encouraging progress for interupting certain types of cancer from the vinca plant and alternative fuel from an invasive, imported cactus appropriately named petroleum cactus I think. Of course, I was tailing the end of the small group we were touring with, luxuriating in the formerly private garden from the 1800/s- and day dreaming about where I would be taking my tea tonight-- perhaps the the Australian Tree fern grove ...Tailing the group has it/s advantages as there were numerous seeds, and pods strewn about the ground and hanging over my head., Oddly, there were no instructions, rules, regulations prohibiting the select group trailing, seed snatcher from stuffing his pockets full of unknown delights! Eyes rolling, my friends shaking their heads were amused at my unbritled enthusiasm. Ending the tour in the gift shop was like christmas- Hawaiin wood rose seeds (beautiful yellow morning glory looking climbers) blue, pink, red gingers- ti red and green, australian fern balls, bamboo orchids, red and yellow hibiscus and macadamia nut tree - cuttings and seeds found their way into my gift bag. All inspected by the state, I still pondered possible complications upon my return to the mainland. Plotting my next move at my friends house on the beach and having my aquisitions stren about the floor like a kid checking out his halloween haul of the night- I decided that I should Fed ex the cuttings and seeds, and aforemention snactched items back to the mainland to avoid unwanted attention. Coconut and all carefully packaged and shipped, making sure to divert some into my suitcase in case of an -eggs in one basket senario occured- As fate would have it, I nearly had to club an agriculture inspector over the head with the bag of fauna I was bringing back in my carry on, so he could inspect it at my exit point in Honolulu.
Trying to be such a good seed snatcher and all..sheesh..
My package arrived a couple days after I was back in Texas-- christmas all over again...I immeadiantly removed the coconut seed and snatched cuttings all in excellent condition.
................well.......you did ask..!! LOL - coconut residing in the front garden, seems to be satisfied at the moment.

Rj

phew - and now you need a vacation from your vacation! Sounds like you had tons of fun!

Wow! What a great time and how fun. And you were such a good, responsible snatcher!! :)

Susan

Interstate and international snatchin'... maybe we need to set up a fund for bail money! LOL! Since I've had this little nursery business, people bring me things... I don't even have to check dumpsters! I have a spot where people can drop off pots and cellpacks, and at the end of the year, I rinse them out and put the away, or give them away to another garden nut.

The fact that we don't have any other local nurseries is good for business, but I have to travel 120-150 miles to get bargain plants or dumpster gems. Some of my best plant scores have come from areas that are being demolished and no one wants the old established plants. Have shovel, will travel!

Yesterday morning, we awoke to a new layer of snow, but it has disappeared by now. In spite of the cool temps and the foot or more of snow in the yard, it is definitely spring. All the little crocus are blooming in my south bed, and my other plants are starting to sprout up under the winter mulch. I'll need to get out there and remove some of it.

It will be weeks before I can tell what has reseeded itself out there, and by then, I will be too busy to look! Right now I am just trying to transplant thousands of seedlings bursting from their starter trays! It will be another month or so before they can get out in the real world and feel the sun and wind on their leaves. Boy, will they be sp'rized!

Hi all! Don't let the snatching threads die!!! :)

I have been 'reverse' snatchin' lately... I've been throwing out (don't worry, non-invasives, mostly natives only) seeds on the banks beside my work! So far so NOTHING but I keep trying!! Maybe one day I will have some results and something to look at on my lunchtime walk!!!

Nicole

Hi Nicole, You coming to the Ga Roundup tomorrow?

Hey Nicole, No seed snatchers will never die.... just too busy planting up everything snatched!!

Yes, the GA roundup thread has been quite busy today. I'm looking forward to it.

I joined Daves in 2003 and didn't have a garden or a clue. Now, people slow to see everything-- and this is just the start of the season. I am achieving the garden of my dreams and am so thrilled for all the folks I have met here and all the seeds, plants and knowledge that has been shared with me!! I love you guys and you are all responsible for this huge wonderful endeavor!!! YEAAAA!!!!

Susan

We love you too!!
Had a great week-end last year huh Nicole?
Sidney

Yes...may you have dirty hands..lol

I wish I could!! Things just didn't work out this year. I am going over to the Parking lot in a sec to post up pics of my DG tradin and snatchin goodies!! Sidney your mom's roses will be over there!! :) Go see!!

Nicole

Sorry I've been too busy to post much lately. I've got little green plants in two small greenhouses with oil stoves, and a basement full to boot! This is a cold spring, so I can't move to the unheated greenhouse, much less outside! I spent some time yesterday removing mulch from most of the beds. It could still dip down into the lower 30's anytime, so I'm taking a chance of nipping those new little shoots coming up, but it's getting so late in the season! We open our little business on Memorial Day, so I've got my fingers crossed for some warmer, sunnier weather!

Hey all, okay my camera is in the shop which is such a shame casue my foxgloves are finishing their show... but they still have some blooms on the stems.. I just wanted to know what I do to capture the seeds from the stalks?? I know they self seed, but since I am now excessively mulching with leaf mold to prevent weeds, and improve the soil, I think I could be mulching myself out of having foxgloves too and I want to make sure I sow some in wintersowing pots. I need to be ready to get that seed... but this is my first year with them, so I need some guidance. Also, Will seed from this year bloom next year or the year after? Will the plants that have bloomed die after setting seed or could they live and rebloom next year? Thanks!!

:)

Susan

If you cut off those stalks Susan they may send up more.
I want answers too to the remaining two questions.
Sidney

Susan, foxglove put out lots of seed. When the flowers are spent, seed pods form. When they turn brown and begin to split, you can collect seed. There should be plenty for reseeding and collecting.

As for the sequence of blooming, Digitalis purpurea is a biennial, so it generally blooms the second year. Some varieties, such as Foxy, can bloom the first year if started early enough. Generally, the plant will not winter over once it has bloomed. There are some Digitalis that are hardy or half-hardy perennials, as well.

Thanks Sidney and Weezins!! I too heard that I can cut off the stalks and get some more smaller blooms, which seems to be happening on some already... However, this year i'm going to leave them be and let the tall stalks turn to seed and wintersow them all over my pots and redo it again and know better. The goal would be to have foxgloves blooming every year, so I may have to go get some seedlings this year from the woman I got my originals from... if she has any. I have no idea which ones i have ....I would bet on the purpurea and the alba. I'm disturbed that my camera has taken this long to be repaired so I could not share them in their full beauty.. I need a back up camera for times like this!!

Thanks!!

Susan

Whispering .............Canon Powershot...........;)