My Charlie Grimaldi has graced me with numerous seed pods, much to my surprise. How long do I need to leave them attached? What should they look like before I pluck them? I do want to try my hand at growing a few from seed. I'm new at this (1 year) so every day is a discovery with my brugs. Thanks.
When to pluck seed pods
The seed pods are ready to pick when the peduncle turns yellow or brown and dries up or starts to dry up. The cork surrounding the seed will be a dark brown. Remove the corked seeds from the pod and spread them out on a layer of paper towels to dry for a few days. The cork colow will be a tan color by them. If you use a fingernail to remove the cork from one of the seeds, the seed coat should feel dry and hard. You can then place the seeds in a container to store. Of course if you decide to plant the seed, you don't have to dry them out. I like to remove the cork and my nails do less damage if the seeds are dry. This a photo of dried seeds — some with the cork still on, others with the cork still on.
Check out this wonderful thread and good luck and happy clucking to you bagthepi
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/803784/
chrissy :)
Thank you all for the input. I guess I have a while to wait before i can pluck those pods. My count is up to 12 now. I had no idea Charlie would be this prolific. :)
Sarah
Well, actually the count is now 24 pods!!
Okay, so seedling envy is setting in..... my CG produced some pods this year. I put down some seeds in January and I haven't seen a thing yet. I'm beginning to wonder if I took the pod too early. Or.... maybe just not patient enough. I have them in some very good light source, soaked them, (didn't peel them because I felt I was probably mutilating them beyond growing ability)..... I moved them (and planted a new batch of them) to rockwool..... BUT! I haven't taken any cuttings yet. Perhaps I'll just get some more that way! I did get a couple of seeds to go from another DGer a couple of years ago. They haven't flowered yet, but I'm thinking this year. But my CG? Maybe those darned seeds are just sterile! Or like I said, I took them too early.... sigh. Either way, mama CG will do very well this year.
Sanna
Sanna, how was the pod when you picked off of your CG? What was the donor pollen? Usually it needed a different cross. What was blooming at the time of your CG's conception? By my experience, so far, hybrids crosses are more difficult to grow. My noids when they were crossed, and when the seeds were ripe, I've 99.9% rate of germination. Those cultivars crosses I've a very low rate of germination 1-2:10 ratio . Tell me more about your seedpods?
Kim
The pods were starting to yellow, but not totally yellow/brown/dry. Again, maybe I took them too early? The seeds looked like and dried like other seeds I had received from an earlier DG trade. The pollination was by mother nature only. I live on over 2 acres, and know of no other brugs than my own, although I've been told they can be crossed by others way far away! But, I'm ""assuming"" it's CG x Frosty Pink. That's the only other brug I had in bloom last summer. And, if I don't get germination I know it's not the end of the world. It's just one of those projects to keep one sane during the late winter/early spring days.
Today is sunny but it's colder than..... brisk March wind making it seem colder than it really is. Getting down to 38 tonight! For us, at this time of year, that's pretty cold. Okay, so I'm off topic now.... anyway, I am going to take some CG cuttings after I know we're done with the really cold weather.
Sanna (by the way, thanks for the response!)
PS I know it should take another donor for pollination, but is it possible it produced a pod without being pollinated by another brug? As in, CG x CG which would not produce fertile seeds??
Sanna, it is possible to get partial pollination where very little of the pollen DNA managed to reach the ovary. Enough of the embryos formed to cause the seedpod to grow. When the mature seed pod is opened, it looks like you have a whole bunch of cork-covered seed. Peeling the cork off would reveal that most of the cork casings are devoid of seed. This is one of the reasons I like to peel the cork off. I get to find out how many seed I actually start off with. It's possible this is what happened to your seed pod.
Thanks bettydee.... I always appreciate your info!
Yes thanks bettydee ...I found some empty seeds and know know why ...I thought something must have eaten some out even though I could find no sign of bugs. Does that mean there was not enough pollen present? or does that mean that one Brug may not cross well?. I did go on to have hundreds of seeds come up but was quite puzzed re empty seeds ...you have explained that very well.
chrissy :)
I believe the cause is not enough pollen. My Audrey Hepburn sets pods easily. Her pods have all been full of seed. All but one. It was one of the last blooms to be pollinated in that flush. Out of the entire pod, I found less than 10 seed. The rest of the cork casings were empty.
Very interesting.....
I knocked my huge pod off my Texas Pink today when I moved it outside! It was still soft and green! The door facing caught it and snapped it off. I wanted to cry. I have been watching that pod all winter... had the plant in my potting shed outside the window where I could see it all winter.. got really familiar with that pod.
Tammie
I am letting the pod sit and dry a little then I will try planting them.. can't hurt!
Last question: Do I wait until the pods turn brown? Right now, all are still green. Thanks for all the help. :)
Wait until the stem connecting the pod to the plant turns yellowish brown or dries. It is possible for the pod to remain somewhat green. The cork surrounding the seed will be a dark brown.
chrissy, thanks for the picture of the ripening pods.
i have been patiently waiting since last october for the ones on my PL to mature. they look as good, fresh and green now as they did 5 months ago. does it take FOREVER? the plant is in my greenhouse and looking good.
i posted a while back about breaking off one of the branches with a pod during the move, y'all suggested i plant the seeds, no germination whatsoever and it's been a good 4 weeks.
GT in Tn. The broken branch with the seedpod which may not be fully ripe. But, just in case, keep the seeds a while longer. It took me an average 10-14 days for most viable seeds to germinate. Some exception. I've found a new seedling in my transplanted older seedling the other day. Meaning the 'late-comer' got mixed in when I transplanted the other, and just now it decided to sprout. (It was as long as Feb. 24th when I initiated that batch of seeds).
Thanks Chrissy. The picture, as they say, is worth a thousand words. None of my 2 dozen pods are ripe yet. :( Patience is the keyword here obviously. I'll keep you posted.
Sarah
Chrissy:
How right you are!!! Today, suddenly, 4 pods were exactly as you pictured them, brown stems and pod body brownish as well. Wow. Just almost overnight. Now the fun begins?!
Thanks again..
Sarah
My one and only seed pod is GONE.. guess the last wind storm took it. I looked everywhere... sure was looking forward to starting some of those!
I will live vicariously through everyone elses successes this year I guess.
Tammie