Monday, August 10, 2020

And I was afraid there would be no seeds...

A bit of backstory; I lusted after a plant known as Ptilostemon afer when Peter, Alison and I visited Far Reaches Farm in 2018—if you happen to click on that link, it's what I refer to as the "exceptional thistle." Somehow Kelly (one of the owners at FRF) remembered I was interested in the plant and brought me seeds when he came to Portland to speak during 2018's HPSO Fall PlantFest. Even though I suck at seeds I managed to grow a few of them on and they bloomed in my garden this summer...

I was thrilled! Then the plants flopped and generally looked horrid, I cut them back and stuck them in a vase arrangement, afraid that I was sacrificing any seeds I may have got and the chance to start all over again.

That's the thistle-like flower at 12 o'clock in this photo...

But then this happened...

That looks promising!

I'm waiting for an afternoon with no wind when I can see exactly how many seeds I've got. Surely I can turn at least a few of these into new plants?

Weather Diary, Aug 9: Hi 84, Low 56/ Precip 0

All material © 2009-2020 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

12 comments:

  1. What a surprise! I always thought the seed had to mature on the plant. Please keep us in the loop as to the progress of germinating.

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    1. Yes this was my thinking as well. I went through and cleaned up the seeds this weekend. They ran the entire spectrum from barely formed, to dark brown with small light brown ones in between. That is to say they weren't all mature but some of them definitely were.

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  2. I've had similar anxiety over the old flowerhead on my Sonchus palmensis, not knowing anything about what it needs to germinate. Finally just laid the dried flower heads on various parts of the garden...oh, for more expertise!

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  3. It looks promising to me! I suck at seeds too but I figure, if I keep trying, success will happen sometimes...

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    1. And those little successes just keep us coming back for more.

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  4. That looks like you are on your way. Love what appears to be a greenish Alstroemeria in your bouquet. I brought in a broken Peony stem and its seedpod has opened to reveal seeds should I want them.

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    1. I love those alstroemeria and buy them whenever I see them at the grocery store.

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  5. The abundance of nature is such a wondrous thing!

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    1. It certainly gives me hope for the world.

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