I harvested monkeytail seeds late Dec. in the greenhouse and I'm waiting like on the hellebores seeds to ripen(outdoors) but I generaly don't harvest until later....unless something like the monkeytail blooms and sets seeds in the greenhouse. Last year I harvested penstemon tenusi(I pretty much alsways mis-spell that)after it bloomed in Dec.

New to my area, I have eagerly been searching for anything that looks detachable from a plant (the most scientific approach an overly excited, non-scientist can manage), and I have been THRILLED to discover recently some new plants (well, new to me) and collect a few seeds:

Juniper
Staghorn Sumac
Rambler Rose (not that anyone would want the seeds)
Milkweed

and some mystery seeds.

And if I can't find enough to occupy myself (never a problem) I can always get back to finishing the job of getting all the little basil seeds out of their shells from last fall, when I pretty much scooped all the branches up and set them aside to deal with later.

It is later. : )

nothing going on here

:)

I am new here as well and have already hit my field to see what I could find. I have found some seedpods on the milkweed vines here that were not able to explode fully because they were trapped in the fence. lol also found some poklesalad seeds that had not yet fallen off the plant to start growing. Other than that most of the seeds have fallen off in the winds we have had and not much is left. And honestly, walmart seed doesn't trade well! lol

I'm starting to collect some yesterday today tomorrow..brunsfelsia pauciflora seeds now. Looking for more info on collecting the seeds and making sure they are ripe so I can share. Seed pods have been on it for months now. Just now starting to turn brown. Also getting some pyracantha seeds if I beat the birds to them..lol. Happy gardening. Bev.

I never stop collecting here. It slows down a lot at this time, but there's always something making seed. Most of the Salvias are blooming and loaded with seeds still and my Brugmansia seedpods are ripening now. (It's like a Pantene ad; don't hate me because my zone is beautiful! -LOL)

I just collected some more marigold seeds...though I've never seen a butterfly or a bee near them, or in my yard for that matter. Go figure. I also have a head of broccoli that has lots of little yellow flowers right now (didn't harvest it soon enough...whoops!) So hopefully I will be getting seeds from it soon.

susanc
I dont hate you because your zone is beautiful mine is too South Florida we never even slow down. Most of our vegetables are grown in the dead of winter that would be 80 degrees lol

Katie

Hi Katie,

You sure do have the most beautiful winters; we spent Christmas in Bonita Springs and Miami this year, and I couldn't believe how lovely it was. When people found out where we were from, they kept saying, "Oh, but it's nice there too!" I kept telling them, "Well, it's not New York, but it's mostly 45 degrees and pouring down rain all day, so not nice!..." L.A. and San Diego have almost as nice of winters as you guys but the Bay Area is pretty gloomy in winter!

carroteggs(?)marigold are great plants to grow in the veggie garden to deterr bad bugs and attrack bennies.

Susan-Katie....PHFT! ~~~~~~~~~~$;>p

bigred - I dont' know about Susan but I have an empty lot next to me ???? we can trade seeds over the fence lol
Katie

I don't have an empty lot, but I have taken over one of the neighbor's flower beds; I'll let Peggy help me plant over there. I'm jealous of all that land you have to plant on, Peggy. I've got what's called "a good sized lot" in California; 7,000 square feet!

I would love to be able to get out in "all that land" to play but weather turned back to nasty,wet and cold all week so I'm stuck inside terrorizing my hub's and dogs.They hate it when Im stuck inside for extended period of time ~~~~~~~~~$:>[

susanc, I *WISH* we even had the 7,000 sq. ft. that you have.

IMHO you're blessed to have that much space to work with since most gardeners here are limited to itty bitty spaces. :)

A normal- sized garden in my community is a 10x10 plot- often carved out of tiny backyards that the wealthier people like doctors and lawyers, business owners, etc. can afford to have.

In the more affordable housing that average people like teachers, salespeople, secretaries and such live in, there is no yard at all, just, a small sunny patio (lanai).

That is my situation- no yard...Our patio garden is roughly 10'x10 and that's where the growing gets done!

OTOH this is a lovely zone to live in... Like you, I also never have to stop seed collecting here if I don't want to. There's always something making seed.

Currently there's heirloom bokchoy, tiger eye amaranth, and "cut and come again" heirloom zinnias setting seed in the patio garden. The Hawaiian super hot pepper (Capsicum frutescens) plant has peppers on it which will be ripe and ready for seed saving soon.

Lots of tropical plants growing in parks nearby seed out during Jan- March. Bird of paradise (Strelitzia) sets seed Dec. thru Feb. and Pua Keni Keni sets seed in Feb thru March. Emilia javanica (red tassel flower) is flowering and seeding all over the place this month; it grows in lawns here like dandelions do on the mainland. And the Asarina scandens are starting to set seed too. :)

Hey Iris, Good to see you back. Lots of folks here in California also only have tiny, tiny plots to plant in or just a patio or deck, so I am indeed fortunate. In my town, even single family homes generally have lots that are 3,000 - 5,000 square feet, so I do have a lot more space than most people. (Except for my friends down the block. They have a 9,000 square foot lot. -practically a fiefdom!) A rule of the universe seems to be that the closer a place gets to having a year-round gardening climate, the harder it is to find gardening space...

Hi Grovespirit
Any chance of setting up a trade for the Pua Keni Keni and Emilia javanica lol those look interesting.

Currently I am getting Clerodemdrom blue butterfly, lots of trees, Zamia and Coonties.

Katie