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| I'm pretty excited about WSing again this year after a very successful '09. Last year was a bust with selling the house, but I'm starting up again at the new place.
Sadly, I only collected seeds from my hostas before I left, and I'm really missing the plants I had in my old woodland garden: white dicentra, helleborus, Jack Frost, columbines, pulmonaria, astilbes.... Researching most of these on the forum, it seems like it may be easier to just buy plants of some of these favorites: helleborus, astilbes, dicentra, pulmonaria and Jack Frost (whom I understand is sterile--poor Guy!!!). These appear to be particularly challenging for WSing according to most of the posts I've read. Some take years to bloom and others seems to have germination issues. On the other hand, I will WS the hostas and columbines and try some woodruff. Maybe I'm just looking for the easy way out. (Bluestone here I come!) LOL! But reading this list and from your own experience with these, I'd really welcome any comments. |
Follow-Up Postings:
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- Posted by gardenweed_z6a 6 (My Page) on Fri, Dec 3, 10 at 16:54
| retiredprof - I WS astilbe this past winter and planted out several nice-size plants in October. I'm guessing they'll follow the sleep-creep-leap pattern of perennials so I'm not expecting flowers next year. They sprouted very well, as did the hostas I WS. Now that I know WS works, this year I'm going whole-hog with shade perennials including heuchera/coral bells, tricyrtis/toad lily and more astilbe. Shade perennials do tend to grow at a slower pace than their sun-loving counterparts. I have white bleeding heart that sets seeds but I've never been there at the exact moment the seeds are ripe.
I've got plenty of astilbe & coral bells seeds if you need some to WS. Just email & let me know. They're yours for postage/SASBE. I also have lots of Hosta 'Sieboldiana elegans' seeds if you'd like to grow some of those. |
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- Posted by countrycarolyn 6-7 nw TN (My Page) on Fri, Dec 3, 10 at 17:30
| Granted it is easy to buy the plant, but I LOVE growing from seed. I enjoy watching the process. It is a self reward!!! I am growing 4 hellebores this year, I could care less if it takes 3 years to bloom and 3 seasons to germinate. I just think about the satisfaction of my sister being jealous cause she can't find the plants, lol joking. I will happily share!! Though it is a long awaited self reward. |
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- Posted by retiredprof 7 (My Page) on Fri, Dec 3, 10 at 18:04
| country: Oh, I totally get your point. Maybe I'm feeling the press of time (as 60 looms ahead). These days I'm like: "Get your happy butt in shape and bloom, dang it. I don't have years to wait for you to grow up!" Guess you could say I'm impatient... |
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| Buy plants or WS?? I vote for both!! That way you can have instant gratification, and can enjoy the process of watching some babies grow up. |
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| Another way of looking at it, buying a plant or two not only begins to fill a space, it can give you instant access to freshest seed to sow for more - thinking of the hellebores and dicentra. I've done that more than once, bought a plant for seed....all those groans for example about trying to germinate ladies mantle, and astrantia? No issues if sown right when ripe, who would have thought they would even self sow into my lawn, leaving me to pull a lot more seedlings than I would ever keep. You're 59? You'd better hurry up and garden while you can, Life is unpredictable but you might only have another 25 or 30 years to garden actively ;) Do you like astilbe chinensis? It's a shorty, but I find it throws up a bloom or two second season, at least giving a spot of color. It doesn't really require a chill but WSs reliably, just don't cover that tiny seed. In my cool summer climate at least, it tolerates (doesn't need) more sun, less water than other varieties. |
Here is a link that might be useful: A. chinensis pumila
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- Posted by tiffy_z5_6_can 5/6 (My Page) on Fri, Dec 3, 10 at 21:04
| I have to go with what Terrene said. Instant gratification with personal gratification on the way. :O) Oh, and if Jack frost is sterile, then someone forgot to tell mine!!! Yes, some have more green than the mother plant, but they are still nice and two of them came true. :O)
I've tried to gather seeds from JF, but they are so small and evasive. Following are some winter sown Astilbes. Notice the rogue one on the right...
The things I would definitely winter sow since they grow and bloom so fast for the shade garden are Columbines and Oriental Poppies. |
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| In my zone there's some real logic to buying a few plants. Some heat lovers won't sprout and grow until so late in the year. It's a pain to keep them watered in small pots but planted out into beds they're overshadowed by bigger plants and can basically die out. Too much competition for light and water, and probably nutrients, too. This can be true of both perennials and annuals. Sometimes just buying a few plants makes sense to me. I currently have some things in shopping carts at both Bluestone and Santa Rosa. I expect some of my established plants will have been lost to the drought, but won't know until spring. Karen |
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- Posted by grandmachris 5 (My Page) on Sun, Dec 5, 10 at 18:08
| I'm glad to see you're back on line with winter sowing! I'd vote for buying hellebores and epimediums. Both of them |
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- Posted by countrycarolyn 6-7 nw TN (My Page) on Sun, Dec 5, 10 at 18:27
| In extremely recent experience (wsers swap) shade plants are some of the most common requested seeds!! Bad part few to go around!! So purchase some non hybrid shade plants and save the seeds and everyone will be wanting to trade, lol. |
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