pick_me

4/20/2008

Collecting my seeds!

grape hyacinth seeds
Grape Hyacinth seeds 40 of them.


Going from a sad post to a happy post. I got some seeds collected. Another wonderful thing that makes me happy besides growing seeds is collecting seeds. Well, they weren't collected from plants I grew from seed. Even though the plants I didn't grow from seed I still get the great feeling of collecting them. To see the pods form and find that you will have seeds. Seeing pictures online of what the seeds and pod will look like still never prepares me for what I find. I love opening the pods and having seeds fall out.

My Grape Hyacinths long stopped blooming. Their pods finally dried up and I got 40 seeds from them. Now what will I do with 40 seeds that will take a while to make 40 bulbs? So if anyone out there wants some grape hyacinth seeds to sprinkle somewhere and be surprised a few years down the line when they grow drop me a line. I'm all for sharing and trading. Of course being a newbie myself I was thankful for the many that gave me extra seeds when my first attempts failed . Or when I was just looking for any plants to grow just to get my hands dirty and my balcony full.

snapdragon seeds
Snapdragon seeds from just one pod.


Back a few months ago I had a snapdragon stalk snap off with some intense wind. There was one seed pod on it and I was very sad. I thought for sure the seed pod was doomed and I would get no seeds from it. Like many of my other plant ventures patience paid off. I kept that pod anyways and let it dry. Just a last week it was ready to crack open. Now if I had known the seeds were so tiny I wouldn't have opened it where I did. This was just one pod! So many tiny little seeds. I have 12 more pods drying up that I just took from a stalk a few days ago. The snapdragons are pink and they smell like candy. I love to sit outside by them and smell their fragrance and admire the white columbine at the same time. Yet again if anyone wants some snapdragon seeds drop me a line!!!

Also if any Austin gardeners or other southern gardeners want some red yucca seed I have many many of those too. I plucked some pods off the one plant in our apartment complex. I'm not sure if I'm a fan of the plant or not so I have been avoiding planting a seed. They are great for xeriscape gardens, tolerate heat, is a texas native, get 3 ft by 3ft, likes full to part sun, has coral flowers, blooms spring through summer, attracts hummingbirds and butterflies, is deer resistant and not effected by wind. So if you just want to try some seeds give me a holler, don't be shy.

8 comments:

Amy said...

I have some pink columbine grown from seeds I collected at a home we rented for two years. It was great fun to see them actually *work* and get some great plants as well.

Gardeness said...

That's great! I've not done seeds so I'd like to know if it's that difficult. Does the plant need to completely dry up or if it's just wilting can you still harvest seeds?

Anonymous said...

I don't need seeds but thank you. I do like to pop seed pods. I like the impatients. They curl when you pop them. It freaks you out. Cleome seed pods will pop in your hands. Cleome is fast and easy and I think you should try some on your balcony. It's way too big for that space but it would be a hoot to see it grow out there. Only plant one seed or two cause they will germinate. Oh gosh girl--I got seeds---I think I got your email addy. I'll pop you a line and get your address and send you some. Have you done one before? It will be like having a sunflower in on your deck.

This will be fun to see one of my seeds growing on your deck! You are going to kill me cause it gets huge!

Linda said...

I'm a great seed saver too and I usually end up with way more seeds than I can ever use. Sharing them with other gardeners via the web is wonderful.
Sow Then Grow

Priscilla George said...

amy- Wow pink columbine sounds great. I hope my columbine get some seed I would love to see them grow and bloom.

nancy j- love growing seeds. Luckly the weather here gets warm early and their isn't much of a winter. I would have to make a grow station inside if that were not the case. Too bad you no longer have the greenhouse.

the gardeness- The plant does not have to dry up just the pods. I like to let my pods completely dry up on the plant but sometimes I will pluck them off and let them dry off the plant. It's just preference but when they dry on the plant I have a better feeling the seeds will be viable.

anna- Seed popping that is a new hobby I will have to try ha. I will gladly take a few of your huge cleome seeds. We do sell them here and they fly off the shelf. I would love to see a monster on my balcony. It will get us both a great laugh. Do drop me a line. I'm sure you can find my email possibly in your comments. Thank you thank you for the kind offering.

crafty- I love to visit your sow then grow blog. I'm one that am shy on commenting because I feel I never have anything to say. I really do get more seed then I can use. I only want a plant or two but packs don't come with so few seeds unless they are vines.

Aunt Debbi/kurts mom said...

I have a whole cabinet full of saved seeds. Maybe I've gone too far.

Unknown said...

I tried to save some seeds last year, but I didn't let them dry out long enough and they ended up getting mold. I wish I had a neighbor to plants with. Free plants and gardening advice... what could be better than that?

Unknown said...

Hello - stumbled across your blog when I was searching for hyacinth seed pod information. I recently came across a bunch of pods laying on the ground next to a garden with TONS of grape hyacinths. The pods were not dried up yet, but I'm hoping they'll still develop in the immature pods. If not, maybe you and I can set up a seed exchange! I have several varieties of columbine, and millions of seeds! (mirandaodell at gmail.com)