6,340 Garden Web Discussions | Growing from Seed

Monarda Raspberry Wine is a hybrid - your plants grown from seed may or may not resemble their parent.

Seeds are small -approx 1/32" across and tan colored. Gather the mature seed heads (dried flowers) and place on a plate to dry for a few days. Use a fine meshed kitchen sieve to filter out the seeds, if you can't get all the chaff removed, sow it along with the seed - doesn't hurt anything.

They should germinate in approx 2 weeks @70F, barely cover seed if at all, some light may be beneficial to germination.

I collected seed heads from some nice bright red monarda last fall and kept them in the fridge. When I went to sow them this spring I couldn't tell the seeds from the chaff but just sowed it all. They germinated about %200 in 10 days.

alyssum can be direct sown, lobelia I read needs to be 10-12 weeks before last frost date sown indoors.
I mix small seeds with either sawdust or contactors sand, 3 parts inert to 1 part seed. After the inert and seed are mixed divide this in 1/2. Sow the area once then go back again for a second sowing with the other half for full coverage.
Either distribute with a salt shaker for the sand or for the larger areas I use a broadcast spreader.

Heirloom seeds should not pose any special problems. I started mainly heirloom seeds 5 weeks ago in my greenhouse using propagation trays and heating mats and had a 90-95% success rate; most seedlings came up in 3-7 days. What method do you use to start your seeds?

Figs can start from seed but need to be wasp pollinated, which does not always happen. Expect a low germination. I start mine in sphagnum. They also start in soil  sometimes the birds transplant seeds from neighboring trees. Some varieties of ficus are very slow growing, so expect to watch seedlings very closely the first couple of years.
Fresh is going to be better, but you will lose nothing by trying. If the figs were sun dried without treatment your changes are improved.
Most people will encourage you to start by cutting. I encourage seed experimentation  I have obtained some rare varieties not available by cutting just because my seeds germinated.

Odd....My marigolds develop purple tinged and spotted foliage even before setting outside. I could be wrong, but I think it's normal. I'm sure somebody more knowledgeable will chime in.

Todd In Philly

Now it is turning brownish. It isn't on all of the plants, just a few snowdrift marigolds that are next to eachother. I don't know if it is a disease that is spreading, or a normal reaction that takes a while to happen. Any thoughts?

They won't be ready to put out by your planting date, but who cares about that?

You need to make a nuisance of yourself at all of the local garden centers! Spy and take notes about what they carry so that you can exert your energy on plants that won't be so readily available. I began seeing 'Silver Falls' at the stores several years ago.

All of the work is really worth it when you know that you've produced something a bit out of the ordinary.

I germinate lots of Gaillardia from my own seed. In fact the FanFare shape seems to show up naturally in my garden.
Gaillardia needs hot temps to germinate here so I have to wait until June to start them. In your case you can start earlier. Just put them in soil any which way-they will germinate in spite of what we do. Good luck.

I tend to late winter sow or spring sow them. Fanfare shows up in my batches too. Seems like the Fanfare is a little shorter lived than regular gaillardia. Perhaps 2-3 years for mine.

Ditto on the shuttlecocks. They know what to do and which way to grow.