6,340 Garden Web Discussions | Growing from Seed
Mimosa or Silk tree (Albizia julibrissin) seeds are fairly easy to find and grow. Try the seed exchange forum here at GW or collect some of the abundant pods they drop or check online for a source.
Soak the seeds in warm water for 2 days or so. Some suggest scarification, but the soaking should be enough. plant in normal potting mix. be aware this tree is considered invasive by some.
When I lived in Phoenix I would just go to the park and pick some up of germination experiments. Gardenweb has a Gardening in Arizona where you might locate someone to do the same for you. My experience was that you get better results from fresh seed, late summer or fall, and you get better results scratching them with a nail file. But the seeds do germinate rather well when a year or more old and just soaked or planted.
Logan, being F1 hybrids won't prevent your Rocket snapdragons from going to seed--in all likelihood they will set seed. What it will prevent is knowing exactly what the offspring of any seed you save will look like, in the same way that a child of parents who look different from each other may look like a little like one or both parents or neither. Unless there's a plant patent or other prohibition to saving seeds from a hybrid, there's no reason not to experiment. They should be snapdragons and they could conceivably be similar to their parents.
Sure, you can get seeds of open-pollinated snapdragons that you can grow and save seeds of and grow again. Thompson & Morgan has quite a good selection (check the genus name Antirrhinum and look for those that do not say F1) and Select Seeds has a few and so do other places.
Here is a link that might be useful: Thompson & Morgan Antirrhinum
An easy way to tell if you overfertilized is if the leaves are curling under or over. If they curled under, then overfertilization is a probable cause. Growth can be stunted but usually if you catch this in time, the plants can be salvaged.
If the fertilizer is a slow release kind, you probably want to repot with fresh sterile soil.
Overfertilization = dehydration, as the strong ionic solution the fertilizer creates sucks moisture out of the root hairs, rather than visa versa. Re-potting and thoroughly wetting the new soil as soon as it shows signs of a fertilizer "burn" can sometimes help.
When I start seeds, I put them on top of the fridge then anytime I'm using the clothes dryer I'll put a container of seeds on top of it to sort of give them a boost. Most seeds have germinated rapidly doing this with a high germination rate except for my Rosa Bianca eggplant and California Wonder peppers. Both were 0% germination.
Usually long lanky seedlings are a sign of not enough light. When the seedlings emerge, you need to have flourescent lights only a few inches above the seedlings...on 16-18 hours daily to give them enough light to not get lanky. Wishing you the best of luck with your seedlings!
I agree with eternity2669 that it is lack of light. Florescent T12 tube light can touch the plants without harming them.
Another thing that you should modify is the timing of your plantings. Pumpkins and acorn squash should probably be planted directly outside. Melons should be started indoors no more then 3-4 weeks before you plan on setting out. Other plants have different timing requirements.
Jon
Ian,
I'm having the same problem. I purchased seed from a seller on eBay so don't know how they were prepared and I've never seen this seed before so can't comment on their condition. I've tried germinating them in damp brown coffee filters (they just rotted), also cold storage for 5 weeks in fridge, then outside (these are planted in damp seed starting medium in a six pack) and I've yet to see sprouts. Just recently put some in a pot of damp potting soil in a pot on the deck and it's too early to tell if they will sprout.
I'm having terrible luck and only have a few seeds left to try in different settings. The only living plant I've found locally is $39.00 at a local nursery so for now, have discounted that option.
I did see that plants were available at an online Wildflower nursery but shipping alone is $15.50 plus cost of plant so I'm waiting a bit longer to see if I get lucky with the seeds. I don't know if the seeds just aren't viable or if it's something I'm not doing correctly.
Please keep us posted with your progress and I'll do the same.
Mary
I can see why it cost so much to ship, they seem to have quite a strong root system. So strong I wasn't able to dig one up that sets too close to my home so I am going to keep it cut short as it takes up way too much room and blocks many of my other flowers. It needs to be pruned back anyway, at least for my purposes as it gets too gangly. There are a couple in my yard and we don't really care for them that much as we have a small yard and they seem to be more at home in a much larger yard where they can be enjoyed out around the edge of a yard.
In Michigan we direct sowed them in a small rich bed then when they were around 3" to 4" tall we transplanted them and they did fine. Here in Texas we plant them in the fall for a winter crop. They are tough so if you didn't damage the plant they should recover from the transplant shock. Don't give up on them until you have to go for it.
Store in a cool dry location. periodically check for fungal growth. Direct sow in bead after all danger of frost has passed
well, they have germinated and I can't wait to see them grow and get my own fruit! Thank you!