It's that time again, the rain beat them down, then the sun cooked them up. I suppose I should do something, mom hates the way they look, right by the entrance. Any suggestions for an annual that likes dappled morning shade and shade the rest of the day that will get out of the way when the lilies return?
These were planted more than 60 years ago.
Hostas would probably be great in the conditions you mention but they are perennial not annual. Are you looking for flowers? Are you looking for a temporary fix?
What are you going to do with all the callas?
The callas will just come back twice a year like they have forever. It's just the "ugly" phase my mom is up in arms about. Flowers or foliage are fine, just not the messy ends of the lillies. Looking for a permanent succession planting, I need something that likes the hot summers here, but isn't a pain to pull out of the way when the callas start marching in again.
Thanks!
Many of these flattened plants have seeds in them. Is there anything special about planting the calla seeds? I mean, can I plant them right now?
I found this in Plant FIles:
Allow seedheads to dry on plants; remove and collect seeds
Remove fleshy coating on seeds before storing
Allow unblemished fruit to ripen; clean and dry seeds
Wear gloves to protect hands when handling seeds
Properly cleaned, seed can be successfully stored
But maybe some DG experienced gardeners could help me. What does unblemished fuit looks like when it's ripe and what proper cleaning is.
Thanks!
mimitho, if you were storing the seeds in an envelope or sending them to someone, cleaning is a good idea so they don't go mouldy.
I think by unbelmished they mean it is a good idea not to choose a seed head that looks like it has a disease.
Proper cleaning would be to put the seed in water and let the fruit around them soak. I did this with Z Pink Mist (aethiopica cross) seeds and put them in a mesh strainer, pouring water over them while I moved the seed about to wash off the debris with my fingers.
I put some of the seed in a propogator in early December when it was fresh, only a few grew then. Now would be a good time, and they would get some size before winter. The remaining seed I put in around early June, they all look to have germinated and are growing quickly. This is the time of year they seem to grow if you just place the whole seed head just under the suface, which is what I did with Z albomaculata, they over-wintered that way and grow when ready, then they can be transplanted. It saves all the storing and sowing! They over-winter easily in a cold greenhouse, mine went through -9C. I think the fruit acids have an effect on the seed germinating as well.
This pic of Z albomaculata you can see some I transplanted from two years ago around the edges of the pot, and some new ones this year form last year's seed at the front. the bigger ones really need a pot of their own now, I did put some in other pots originally and they are now growing proper spotty leaves.
I had some Z Mr Martin (aethiopica variety) seed germinate in early autumn last year in the parent pot where I left the seed, so I transplanted them to pots and many of them got through our very cold and long winter in a cold greenhouse.
Thanks for the insight, I appreciate it very much. Here's one of the seedheads for reference:
It looks a lot like my Pink Mist seed head. I let them get really ripe, to the point of them going soft and starting to rot. the seed inside will be hard and round, it will help them rather than hinder.
http://davesgarden.com/pf/showimage/92625/
I know this is an older thread, but it was the most extensive I could find on collecting calla seeds. My callas starting setting seed it seems like eons ago, I checked them last week and allthough the plant has frozen to the ground, the flower heads are still encasing totally green seeds.
so do I still wait, or is there even a chance they might make it?
They shoud still be OK, mine have been through some frost to 23F (-5C) in pots outside and the heads are still green, just take them somewhere under cover to dry off, they take a long time but it's probably best to leave them until they have dried in their pods.
In my experience they can take a lot of frost, and may even help them to germinate, I usually leave them on top of the pots in a cold greenhouse to do their thing until spring. If you bury the head whole they will germinate, here that is usually in June, once they have sufficient leaf you can transplant them. Tha'ts the way it would happen in nature but you can separate them to sow, just don't do it until sowing time.
Thanks for the info, I did bring in the heads to dry, they were starting to shrivel and yellow...looks like it's gonna be quite a few seeds!
