Comments on: the season for saving seed, with ken druse https://awaytogarden.com/the-season-for-saving-seed-with-ken-druse/ 'horticultural how-to and woo-woo' with margaret roach, head gardener Sun, 11 Sep 2022 15:37:27 +0000 hourly 1 By: Ann https://awaytogarden.com/the-season-for-saving-seed-with-ken-druse/comment-page-1/#comment-1347624 Sun, 11 Sep 2022 15:37:27 +0000 https://awaytogarden.com/?p=52112#comment-1347624 Verbena bonarensis flower heads can be picked near the end of their blooming.

Dry those and store them in a dry, dark place. In late March crumble the flower heads over a piece of printer paper. Tiny fine brown seeds will appear, sequester them. In a tray of properly damp seed starting mix sprinkle the seeds like pinches of salt over the surface. Very lightly press them for good seed/soil contact. Use a plastic lid to keep the soil damp. Put the tray in the dark with 50-60 degree temps for a week to 10 days then bring into the light. The seeds should have begun to germinate.
Thin out seedlings when a couple inches tall. Transplant into gardens when about 6 inches tall when the soil has warmed up enough for basil.
I’ve stopped trying to seed them directly because somewhere when the seed naturally falls from the dried flowerhead and lands on the soil surface and finds it spot – is something I haven’t been able to emulate. There is a gravity seed fairy out there somewhere. Same with angelica seed. Good luck!

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By: Jackie https://awaytogarden.com/the-season-for-saving-seed-with-ken-druse/comment-page-1/#comment-1347551 Sun, 11 Sep 2022 00:22:19 +0000 https://awaytogarden.com/?p=52112#comment-1347551 I was so excited when you mentioned Jack-in-the Pulpit! I’ve got a club of red berries out my door step I’ve been waiting to collect and try my hand at. You had mentioned in the podcast other links for more information about this… any chance those links are forthcoming? What Ken described isn’t like anything I’ve read for propagating these from seed, but I definitely want to try it.
Thanks for all the info!

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By: Jacquelyn https://awaytogarden.com/the-season-for-saving-seed-with-ken-druse/comment-page-1/#comment-1347413 Sat, 10 Sep 2022 12:18:59 +0000 https://awaytogarden.com/?p=52112#comment-1347413 I wonder why winter sowing is recommended for some species? Nature sows seeds when they are ripe and fall, so that is what I do, too. I collect ripe seed and sow it at that time. I’ve grown all my prairie plants that way. I guess saving the seeds and sowing in flats, milk cartons, etc. does prevent losses over the winter from birds and other critters eating the seeds, but it’s so much more work.

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