Re: Collecting Euphorbia seeds
- To:
- Subject: Re: Collecting Euphorbia seeds
- From: M* T*
- Date: Wed, 24 May 2000 04:31:00 -0400
Well, Karen, the euphorb seed I've handled is black when ripe. E.
polychroma is one I don't have at the moment, so don't know for sure
what it's like, but have to assume it is not that different from the
species I grow.
Look inside your 'fuzzy yellow things' and see if they have small
black seeds in them. If they don't have, then you don't have seed.
If you find seeds, but they are pale tan or green in color...they
aren't ripe and won't germinate.
Generally, when you collect seed in something like nylons, you wait
for the plant to drop the seed on its own and just keep checking
until you see seeds in the stocking and then remove it. Usually the
plant's flower head will have died off and started to turn brown and
papery. With E. characias, this doesn't really happen as the heads
still look good while the seed has flown the coop. E. myrsinites
does start to turn brown when the seeds are ripe. E. amygdaloides
also disperses seed while the heads of bracts are still showy.
The actual flower fades quickly on euphorbs, leaving the surrounding
bracts, which remain showy for a long period. Once the flower petals
fade, the ovaries start to swell at the base of where the flower
petals were, at first being little green bumps, but gradually
expanding and turning lighter in color or tan or brown...you have to
look closely to see them. When they are ripe, they split open and
the seed pops out all over the place. Some plants retain the seed in
the pods for quite a while or until they are disturbed by wind or
something brushing against them, but not euphorbs...they more or less
throw their seed.
If you do have seed, you can sow immediately. Many euphorbs need
cold conditioning, but if you sow in pots or flats and leave them
outside, in a shady spot where you can keep an eye on them so they
don't dry out, you should get germination, either later this summer
or next spring.
I cover my outside pots with window screen wire covers I make by
cutting roll screen to the right size plus about 6" and then cutting
and folding the corners, tacking them with thin wire. You end up
with a cover that fits over a flat of pots and keeps debris, leaves
and critters out of them.
If it's too muddy to plant your Bluestone order, they should be OK in
their pots for at least a week....unpot a few and check the roots. If
they aren't rootbound, just keep them watered until your ground is
dry enough to work. If they are sending roots out of their traveling
pots, pot them up into a larger size pot until you can work the
ground. You really don't want to plant them if the ground is a mud
bath...not good for the ground. If you received bare root plants,
just pot them up.
Bluestone usually sends nice healthy but small liner size plants - at
least they used to last time I ordered, but that's been a while.
These plants would actually benefit from being potted up into quart
size pots for a few weeks to give them time to grow a bit more before
being set out in the garden.
Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@clark.net
Editor: Gardening in Shade
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> From: Karen Butner <abtrlife@earthlink.net>
> Date: Tuesday, May 23, 2000 6:36 PM
>
> Being the person who initiated this topic, thank you Nancy, Marge
and
> Gene for the info. I think I have the seed collected, at least what
I
> hope is the seed. Fuzzy yellow things that are in the center of the
> "flower" (Polychroma).
>
> Now, when do I plant them. Do I have to wait for them to dry or
> whatever, or can I go ahead and plant them now. The only seeds I
have
> ever dealt with are from seed packs bought at a local store. I
looked at
> Gene's article, but it only mentions collecting. I've tried web
> searches, but with no luck.
>
> As a beginning gardener I sometimes get totally mind-boggled and
> brain-overloaded trying to learn and absorb all the information
about
> gardening. Whew!!!!!!! Now I have to figure out how I'm going to
plant
> my Bluestone order that has arrived when everything around here is
mud,
> mud, mud and more rain in the forecast every few days. I know,
those of
> you in the drought areas wish you had some of our rain. I would
gladly
> give you some of it if it meant I had enough dry days to let the
ground
> get fairly dry so I'm not digging up big, wet clods/clumps of dirt.
>
> Karen, on information over load ! :-) and jumping out of her seat
from a
> HUGE crack of thunder !
> z5a, Ohio
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