6,340 Garden Web Discussions | Growing from Seed
There are plenty of answers, but I guess Dave isn't present at the moment. Your request for Dave is probably why your question has not been answered.
There are many reasons why BER happens; it's often like a house of cards. The primary (fundamental) reason for this disorder is that the demand of Ca exceeds the ready supply. WHY this occurs can be complicated.
There may be an excess of other cations in the soil, such as magnesium (often applied in epsom salts), or potassium. BER is often induced by heat and drought stress, as well as big fluctuations in soil moisture. Excessive amounts of N in the soil, resulting in a lot of vegetative growth will also invite this disorder. Finally, if there is an inadequate supply of calcium, ready for uptake by the plant, in the soil....there will be a problem. Most calcium products need quite a bit of time for the particles to break down to the elemental level so that they can be take up by the plant.
Druse - Making More Plants.
Callicarpa (beauty berry)
Clean seed of pulp, surface sow or sow barely covered as some light may be beneficial to germination. Sow indoors @70F for germination in 7-14 days, or sow outside in Fall for Spring germination, or sow outdoors in Spring (this is not a seed that will lose viability by storing dry).
Semi-ripewood and hardwood cuttings are both reasonable possibilities but there doesn't sound to be anything difficult about the seed.
I have a saucer magnolia tree in my backyard. Just collected seeds for the first time this year. Assuming that the seeds and seed pods are very similar. Not sure if it's the same method but the seeds should be red. You'll want to soak them for atleast 24 hours then peel of the red coating as well as the fleshy pulp to remove the hard black seed inside. They need a cold period. So store in a refrigerator from anywhere of 1-3 months. Then sow.
I had some already in the refrigerator for a few days and I took them out before adding more and sowed in a small pot. It could take a couple weeks to a couple months to sprout but thought I'd give it a try and see.
Cocculus carolinus - The seeds need cold stratification of 3 months and will then germinate in an additional 21-30 days at approx 68� F. You can place cleaned seeds in a bit of moist sterile sand or moist vermiculite and put into your refrigerator for 3 months, or sow in pots and leave them outdoors over winter for the cold period.
My List. All have strengths and weaknesses but all have been dependable to me. Shipping costs will often dictate from whom I make a purchase.
My Favorites:
***Jordan Seeds, Inc. (Bulk Vegetable Seed)***
Seeds of Change
Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
Bountiful Gardens
Johnny's Select Seeds
Territorial Seed Company
Also Acceptable:
Mountain Valley Seed, Inc. (Bulk Seed)
John Scheepers Kitchen Garden Seeds
Vermont Bean Seed Company
Pinetree Garden Seeds
Shumway's
Totally Tomatoes
I've collected and grown plants from both.
Yes; the imaptiens should have light brown/brown seeds. The white ones aren't ripe yet. If they have snapped off the branches, they weren't. If they were ripe, they would've already popped open when they hit the ground. The ones I've picked have always been still on the branches, and are bright green and fat. I usually collect them by snipping off the branch the pod is on, and then gently put them into a cup, which a lot of times enough to pop them open. They aren't called 'touch me nots' for nothing!
As for the begonias, definitely let them get nice and brown until they are practically falling off the branches before gathering. Then, dry them well and store them until you are ready to sow, sometime in early winter. Mind you, I've only gotten a few plants from many pods. They are indeed dust size, and very tempermental. I rubbed the pods gently over the soil and hope for the best, but germination is slow and really tiny. But if you do get some to germinate, be patient and you will be rewarded with beautiful plants that are tougher than the store bought ones. I put mine out in the winter sun on a windowsill and they never burned in the summer sun.
The ripe impatiens pods turn light green, get bulbous, and lean at a right angle to the stem. The ripe pods will come off stem with very little effort. These pods usually have mature seeds. I grab them from below with three fingers and gently remove them from the stem ("sneak up" on them). I then squeeze and burst the pod over a cool whip container to save the seed. I dry seed and burst pods in a pie tin until dry enough to sort out seed.
Previous poster covered begonias quite well - I have nothing to add.
Have Fun!
TK
I have a nice bed of Alpine Strawberry(Reugen), and I also put them in containers. Nice flavor. Every year I save some berries for their seeds and start a dozen or two plants. To save seeds pick ripe strawberries, slice them in half and let them dry naturally. The seeds can then be gently rubbed off the dried berry halves. Easy to start - cold treating seeds helps. I transplant my new plants into containers and get lots of nice bugless and slugless berries every season from those new plants (keep them watered). Kids love finding and picking the berries when they are off the ground in containers. Like finding little treasures.
University research over the last few years has resulted in some changes in planting recommendations. Now they say to bare root your seedling grown in potting mix and plant in your native soil with no additives what ever. I have two apples and a pomegranate to plant this fall that I have grown in containers, and I will use this method myself for the first time. Al
I have used their seeds, and I have had good success with them. They are extremely cheap, but just as stated above they usually contain seeds that are very common. With that said I love those wildflower mixes, (I love daisies though) they have all kind of flowers in them which most are perennial. Some 2nd year bloomers some not. One year I got the most beautiful poppies out of a wildflower pack, and I didn't save the seed and I have been unable to find anymore packs like that.
Another place I discovered that has some good seed variety is t's online all seed packs are $1.00. I think shipping and handling for 19 packs is like $4.25 not bad if you ask me. I provided the link below, she has a great selection of seeds.
Here is a link that might be useful: T's Seed Sale
Thanks for everyones feed back. I had boughten about 23 packs of various seeds. Some wildflower mixes too like someone suggested above. I'm anxious to see if they germinate. I guess for the price ya can't go wrong. We'll wait and see what spring brings. :) Thanks again.
Seed companies love to load seed mixes up with annual rye grass. It germinates quick, has lovely color, and is easy to grow.
The problem is that it is an annual, so the end of the year, it is gone for good.
The perennial grasses are slower to germinate, and you will lose them if you allow the seeds to dry out. To establish lawn, you must water briefly several times each day.
Washington DC, you might consider one of the hybrid Bermuda grasses, bred for golf courses. It never gets tall and it's tough as can be. You'd buy that as turf, but to save money, you can cut turf into plugs and it fills in fast.
Garf,
I can attest that oilpainter has it right. I do it the exact same way (I've had well over 100 seeds in the same tray) with the exception I don't have the mix soggy but rather barely damp. I use my finger to make a hole in the target pot, gently pull up the plant, stick it in the hole and push the mix around it. Most of my trays have 18-36 cells (nursery flats) and after I finish, I soak the trays till they are completely saturated, thus helping the mix to settle around the roots. On a real bad day, I may have two plants not survive.
Mike
store the seed at 70F for 6 mnths THEN store at 40F for 3 months THEN lightly cover the seed soil temp 65-70F can take up to 540 days to germinate.
cuttings much quicker
Thank you!