multiplication
As autumn dumbfound into its stride , many perennial plants are going over and if flower heads are left on the industrial plant , they will go to seminal fluid . Last yr I do good greatly from the seed distributionschemerun by the Hardy Plant Society . This scheme relies on donations from member all over the world – last year there were over 2000 varieties to choose from . This year I ’m going to save some come for myself , but air the legal age of what I collect to the HPS . I squeal that at the back of my mind I ’m aware that this will entitle me to an extra 10 seed parcel in my rescript . It ’s all about me !
Some plants have seed dispersal mechanisms that make it difficult to collect ejaculate , but for many the procedure is broadly similar and straightforward . If there ’s a particular peak I want to grow from , I make it obvious which stem I need to collect the seeds from . On a give plant or radical of industrial plant , there might be a particularly interesting flush that would be good to propagate . For example , I have my eye on some particular rudbeckia that had fantastic mark , and some helenium that were unusually colorise in comparison to their static - mate . This is a good approximation as once the flowers have faded and the petals omit , the source heads all count the same . Trust me when I say you wo n’t be able-bodied to enjoin for certain which one is which . I have used various methods in the past – tied some string round the stem , or a coloured typewriter ribbon , and this year I have just stuck a plant life label next to the groundwork of the stem . This is in the main because I had some in my air hole at the time , no cunning architectural plan as such .
The seed heads take to be quick to give up their ejaculate . If the pod is still soft and green it ’s too presently , they should be brown and perfectly - looking . Next matter is to verify the cum heads are nice and dry . Ideally , hold back for a dry , breezy day . If they ’re squeamish and ironic I go direct to the next whole step , but if the atmospheric condition is not cooperative , I prune the stem off and leave to dry out on some newspaper in the shed . With some plants the teetotal seed will come pullulate out of the seed point , some pods are more reluctant to release their passenger . Rather than wrestle with single seed pods , I snip off off all the pods and put them all in a plastic tub , which importantly has a tightly fitting lid , then give it a proficient handshake , up and down , side to side , for a minute or so . This loosens the seed nicely .
It ’s potential to assort the ejaculate from the other detritus manually , but that is exceedingly fiddly . For teeny seeds , I use a fine metallic element sieve that I temporarily liberate from the kitchen , over a soup bowl . I pour the contents from the bath into the screen and gently shake that about .
The seeds usually come down through moderately readily into the trough . Some junk usually follow with the seed , but that is easily remove just by blowing very gently across the bowl – the fluff is much light-headed than even the teeny ejaculate . lightly though – the seed are short themselves and you do n’t want seeds all over the place . If the pods were dry in the first place , or have been dried out first , the seeds will also be very dry . They must be nice and dry before storing or they might moulder . I just use whatever envelopes are handy , pour out the semen in cautiously .
By the way , both sift and bowl will demand a good wash in hot water afterwards , a dishwasher hot cycle is good , as some seeds are toxic .
If you project to keep seeds for years , and many do shop for a long time , it ’s important to consider storage methods . A sealable bathing tub or box is upright , particularly if some silica gel is included to capture any persist moisture . The reposition box should be celebrate somewhere ironical and nerveless , not too spicy , humid or moist . If you have elbow room , seeds can be keep in good condition in a freezer for age .
intelligibly tag the envelope or packet , whatever , with the flora name , miscellany , day of the month pile up , and any other information that might be utilitarian months or even long time in the futurity .
Because propagation by seed relies on a planty intimate brush , in most cases there is another flower call for somewhere . 50 % of the genetic material in the source comes from the parent plant , but the other 50 % come from another flower . It might be from the same plant , from a neighbouring plant in the same group , from a different grouping of the same plants elsewhere in your garden , or just as probable , from someone else ’s garden . Those bee get about . One of the joys of propagating from seed take in this way is that you never really know what you ’re locomote to get when you inseminate them . The resulting flora could be standardised looking , or have quite unlike peak , occasionally a really wild one . At its most basic , this is how works stock breeder get novel varieties , although I expect it ’s done a little more scientifically .
Even if you do n’t plan to grow from seed yourself next year ( what ! ? ) , I would encourage you to find a local seed commutation and donate some seeds , they ’ll be thankful .
Some plant in my garden that set seed that is easily gather this room are :
Why not give it a try ?
I ’ll be back shortly with more propagation nonsense .
