Collecting Seeds
Seeds are something I have always collected – it is second nature, even when I don’t want them. Somebody else might. Which is why I now have Honesty seeds out in the barrow ($15 today for the Community House, thank you, everyone). And there are a few more seeds to come.
There is a fine, pink larkspur that was growing wild when we bought next door about 1975, and I still have it – it just keeps coming up from seed. Was thinking about it today as I pulled up one spent plant, and threw it down in another spot in the garden to try and get it established there. That is the other thing I do – pull up the plants which have had their day and, as they are going to seed, throw them on top of the mulch. I have a lovely little purple viola (not as bright as Johnny-Jump-up) which has been growing everywhere on that basis for years.
Hybridised seeds concern me, as they don’t have the same viability to keep coming back time and time again. Sometimes the stuff you buy in punnets reseeds for a year or so, but it never lasts. About the only other flower I have that keeps re-seeding now is the Peony Poppy (the double red, but occasionally other colours) and the Flanders Poppy – which likes growing on bare ground.
But I still keep saving the seed – someone may want it. Must harvest some of the Mustard Greens as a seed when they are ready. Someone might want it.
posted by Linda at 10:24 PM
3 Comments:
Ah, seeds. My husband can spot a tree with seeds on from 10klm, I'm sure. He never goes out without a handful of small freezer bags stuffed in his pocket, just in case he sees some seeds. I guess I should be nice and buy him some zip-lock bags. As a result of this 'obsession' we now have growing 140 Canadian Maples (October Glory from our front lawn), 45 Jacarandas from the South Coast, numerous oaks and maples from a park up the road, and a number of unidentified trees (the label only indicates where he pinched them from). He is so thrilled when something new emerges although we have no clue as to what we're going to do with them all. I do give quite a few away from time to time.
I haven't had to buy any Cosmos, Larkspurs, Alyssum, Gazanias, Gaura or Dianthus for some years; they just keep coming up, everywhere. R. recently planted, and struck, some 20-year-old alyssum seeds. Not that we're exactly short of alyssum but he found the seeds in the garage and thought he'd give them a go.
AAAah! We might have to organise a swap. Do you have Honesty??? The plant, that is. I am missing Cosmos - the one from the punnets does not seed as well as the one I used to have in another garden. And, sometimes when I do get it here, the parrots get it first. They just hang on those delicate branches and pick off the seeds. Must be like a huge party for them here.
Anyone else hanging off here and not talking who wants seeds I mention - you can find my e-mail address on my profile. Drop me a line and I'll tell you where to send a stamped, self-addressed envelope and I will send back seeds.
Only the Honesty worth bragging about at the minute, though.
Yes I would like a few Honesty seeds, please, even though I know they can be a bit invasive, but I'm still strong enough to pull them out. I just rang a friend who I thought may have some pink Honesty but she only had purple and white ones, and hadn't heard of a pink. When I get off here I will check the Diggers catalogues.
I would be happy to send you some Cosmos seeds. I've never had a problem with parrots eating them; probably too busy eating the fruit.
By the way, those 20-year-old seeds that Richard grew were in fact not alyssum but Red Runner Beans that his father had saved.
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