6,340 Garden Web Discussions | Growing from Seed
I dont know how much space you have, but with lupine and poppies, I probable would just winter sow them. My space is limited however, my indoor set up is for veggies and annuals and other tender plants. Any temperate plant I will try to wintersow, besides its fun to throw seeds and dishes into the snow and have all your relatives and friends think your nuts if you dont know what im talking about you can check out www.wintersown.org or just check out the forum here on gardenweb.
It's a lovely thought, but if the back of the flower is still green and has not yet begun to turn yellow, I'm sorry to say it may very well not form seeds. If the back of the flower has begun to yellow, you could put the flower head in a dry, well ventilated place and wait to see if the seeds might ripen.
I must sound like I'm trying to discourage you and I'm not, but open pollinated sunflowers, whether from a home garden or grown for the florist trade, will produce flowers different from the parent flower. If it's that particular flower (color, size) that would remind you of your missing loved one, you might be better off looking for the same thing in commercially grown seed and planting that each season - you could still have the sunny tribute in your garden.
A neighbor and I planted a row of sweet peas this Spring for a neighbor who loved them and is no longer with us....each bouquet a happy memory.
Many perennials do need a cold moist period before they will germinate, the two you mention do not.
Cone flower (echinacea) should germinate in about 2 weeks at 70F, and blanket flower (gaillardia) at the same temp in three, barely cover this seed as some light may be beneficial to germination.
Were the seed heads fully mature on the plant when you harvested the seeds? Have you sown these outdoors...if your temperatures are much warmer than the optimum 70ish it could be interfering with germination.
Here is a good listing of mirabilis to help you identify your flowers.
Good luck!
Christina
Here is a link that might be useful: Mirabilis jalapa
Hi Aprilfool,
I just recently purchased a house and my mother had decided that she wanted 4O'clocks in my flower beds, I have quite the color range in both beds and I have some pure yellow and pale yellow that are just producing seed, and my mother is collecting them. I can find out how many she has collected and would be willing to work a trade with you for other seeds if you still would like them.
Steven
I'm also in zone 5. Have a unheated greenhouse that I have over wintered perennial seedlings in. Sounds like you could add another row of blocks, then glass over all. Come spring when worried about hot tempatures remove a block or two for circulation. Dont forget to give them a drink of water now and then.
This is a tropical plant, so it is not cold hardy at all. However, as origami said, it is very easy to grow from seed. I would sow them in early spring instead of in winter. In warm weather,if you soak the seeds overnight before sowing, they will germinate in only 2-3 days
I got some Bird of Paradise seeds (about 20 in all). After my hubby threw some of them away (he didn't know what they were), I have only had 3 germinate. I had them in a bottom heated tray. It did take quite a while for the 3 that I did get, but when I checked some of the other little pots, the seeds appeared rotten (all squishy). I'm wondering if it was too hot. I now have the others that have not germinated in an unheated tray (with a lid for humidity). Don't know if this will be more successful. My problem now is to get more leaves on the existing 3. They seem to have stopped growing (but are still green, so not dead). I don't know if I should put them outside (where it is HOT) or leave them inside.
Hi, I have had great success with germinating MBOP. I snip the eye of the seed lightly and soak overnight in warm water. I have about 95% germination success this way. Also, I have found that they get root bound very quickly. I planted some in the ground and they took off quickly. The ones that I left in pots have not grown that quickly.
I am fairly new to this too. I have taken my seeds and cut off the bottom (flatter side) and peeled them. They seem to get a fairly good root in a few weeks. I potted mine up in a regular 4 inch pot (like the kind your annuals come in from the nursery) in regular soil (I'm guessing what you have on hand is ok). I put them in full sun at first. One is not doing so well. The other one is doing great, but I had to move it to part shade as I think the leaves were getting burned. I also have a couple of others that have roots (so I planted them), but no stem or leaves. I had to move them to the shade as the sun was starting to burn the pit (which was about 3/4 buried). Can't really say how well they are doing--still no leaves. Next time I may wait until there is a stem before removing them from the water.
I do it every year using Park-Starts. They grow under a generic shoplight with two 48-inch 40w flourescent bulbs. Try to keep the seeds/plants within two inches of the light. My shelf is adjustable and when I'm lazy I just put something under the containers and raise/lower the containers. It's easy using Part-Starts. The directions are very user-friendly. Good luck. P.S. Be sure to harden-off carefully when moving the plants outside.
