Collecting & Sowing Seeds

 In the propagation workshop I attended a few weeks ago, I learned to collect and sow seeds.

I had already learned to collect seeds from my onion blooms. Just cover them with a mesh bag until seeds turn black and begin to fall off.  But these are easy to spot and collect.  I don’t know when native plants seeds are ready or even what to look for.

We set out walking to some nearby dry brush:

He demonstrated how the different plants look at different stages with there blooms and how to distinguish last year’s seeds from this years.

Once the blooms are ready to harvest you cut them and place them in paper bags. Shake the closed bags and seeds should fall off the blooms.  Place the seeds on the table to get a good look at them.

If you aren’t sure if this is debris or seeds, there is a website that can help. Search: 

http://hazmac.biz/061009b/061009bPenstemonCentranthifoliu

There is lots of native seeds that are photographed. 

Once you are sure you have seeds.  Get your pots ready with soil. Use seedling mix and moisten well. Add seeds on top and then lightly cover with more seedling soil mix. 

Water mornings and evenings every day until seeds spout. Then continue watering everyday as needed. Keep out doors but not in direct sun.

Below is the notes on each of the different plant seeds and how to care for them.

I didn’t do the hummingbird seeds as I already have the plant and it’s easier to divide from the root. But he should us how to start from seeds. Place seeds in a small moist pot with seedling mix. Place in a ziplock bag and place in freezer for 4 weeks. Then bring it out and begin watering twice daily.

I mentioned to him that I keep my native plants in containers and he recommended I use fertilizer to help give nutrients to the soil.  If your plants in the ground, they don’t need fertilizer as the ground has the nutrients they need. Use 1/4 to 1/2 the recommended ratios.

Propagating Cuttings

What can you divide and multiply at the same time?  If your a gardener- it’s plants!

 There’s many types of ways to propagate- in this week’s chat- we’ll be focusing on cuttings.

I know you can do this method with mint- and salvias are part of the mint family.  I attended a garden workshop and we also did woolly blue curls and seaside daisies into cuttings.

After a few tries at the workshop, I went home feeling confident and did it to my white sage. We measure the stem using the palm of our hands which is about 4 inches.  Each section where a leaf comes out are called nodes.  So I made my cut just under the last node. Each of the nodes will hopefully grow roots.

I carefully removed the leaves. 

Then I clipped the top leaves so the plant can place its energy into growing roots.  I saved all the leaves and placed them in a mesh bag to dry. 

Now I have my cutting ready:

I placed it in the flower pot with all the other cuttings. 

The soil we used is 1/2 seedling soil 1/2 perlite. Mix well and lightly water mornings and evenings for about a month.  Place a label and note the plants name and date.