6,340 Garden Web Discussions | Growing from Seed
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.
Daryl, I'm not growing it but from what I can find, Fragrant Angel is a Terra Nova/Dan Heims introduction and plants offered for sale are clonally reproduced. While you may get a percentage of similar plants growing from seed, there is going to be variation from the parent plant in many of the seedlings.
Thanks so much. What suggestions do you have for multiplying it as fast as possible here at home? I don't want to spend $ purchasing more plants if there is a reasonably good way to try it at home. Would it work to dig it up, overwinter it under lights in an effort to make it grow fast, and then divide it? Or would that just stunt it from the move and disruption of it's natural dormancy cycle during winter?
Thank you.
Daryl
Here is a link that might be useful: Cedar Mountain Farm Bed and Breakfast
I take care of a public garden in New York and we have Nigella ( love in the mist) galore. Once the seed matures the plants generally die back. We usually just spread the seed over the same area and some grow this year, aome the next. We have them scattered through a large bed of bearded iris and they are a great addition since the iris have such a short bloom time.
cosmos.
Here is a link that might be useful: cosmos
I forgot to mention it will reseed and you will have flower next season.