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Imps are doing great this year with all the rain!

Fun fun fun!

Since they are pollinating randomly what colors are you likely to get? I have a really pretty double I bought in a hanging basket: just like little roses. I would love to have more like that, but I have mostly ordinary singles elsewhere in the garden. If they crossed I’d bet they would all be singles. The ordinary ones are easy enough to find every spring, but I never see doubles sold as bedding plants.

As for the doubles, MrImpatien who lurks on the other forum
mentioned to someone who was wanting to save seed on their
doubles that the doubles have difficulty pollenating
because of all the petals... so if you get seed off the
doubles, it would be interesting to see what grows
out. ??

If you look on the other forum - Imps - I posted on doubles and linked pictures from Ball - they had doubles in beds - and they looked fantastic!!! So take a look...

I'd like to start some from seeds...never done before.

Do I need to do anything special with the seeds? I'm a newbie...I know with bulbs you have to keep them cool, so was wondering if there's any special handling with the seeds?

What about my marigolds? Do these get seeds as well?

KimCoco - I've never done anything real special with them -
I collect them, stick them in a zip-loc when I know they're dry
and stick them in the fridge. NOt sure what others do..
I know other folks don't refrigerate them... they seem to
do fine too.

As for Marigolds - yes, you can get seed from them. Again, if
you're collecting from a hybrid or sterile marigold (I think
they call some of them a tripolid) then your quest will be
tough. Hybrid you won't know what you'll get and a sterile
marigold will not give viable seed. If you want to try I
can post how to take seed from a marigold. (with pics).

So once I have seed, do I sow directly into the ground next year, or do I have to start indoors?

Are all of these impatiens from seedlings????

Double blooming impatiens (this is coming from Mr.Impatien
who is the expert on the impatien forum) are sterile. He
says they spend most of their engergy making lovely petals
and blooms and are for the most part sterile - and the way
to propagate them would be cuttings - I've done that
several times - with success. I have not seen the little
football seedpods on any doubles I've grown.

I'd imagine that your large marigolds would be the same as
any other marigold as far as seeds, Shey. I think the only
problem saving seed would be hybrid (getting something that doesn't look like the original plant) or getting a sterile
marigold - but it doesn't hurt to try - germinate them and
see what happens...?? Give it a whirl.

Kimco - I'm a deadheader when it comes to marigolds, but I
DID find an appropriate flower that illustrates saving seed
on marigolds quite well... nice dead flower... :) Here
goes:

marigold:

HA! here's a spent blossom:

Picked spent blossom:

Break open the bottom:



Pulled apart:

Looking familiar yet?


pull off the petal - and here's your seed!

Taaa-Daaah!

I have an interesting marigold this year - the stem and leaves are turning a cool purple, still healthy, probably cross pollination via a bumble bee? I'll definitely save those seeds. I'll have to post a pic. I'll probably have more questions for you...don't go too far! :)

Paula

I did purple last year - but I think it was closer to pink:

This is this year - red star:

I loved these cuz they were like tye dye...

Cherry star:

This is a new guinea - Coral Flame Java... (I include this b/c it sorta has that 'star' pattern too - but not with white... ? you know?

They have few varieties of 'picotee' too - which is I believe lighter in the middle and darker edge, but not star.

Here are some more 'red star' pictures. I like the fact
that they AREN'T uniform - you don't know what you'll get.

Cindy : )

Thanks.

Paula

Lewis