CLOSED: Volunteers Needed For Seed "Flower" Experiment

Oh, boy! Thank you for your e-mail that I could be added in. I can hardly wait to get started! (Email sent)

I sent out 9 mudflowers today, will send the rest out tomorrow.. please show me how they look when they arrive, and if we could all mark the spots/planters where these will be in your growing area, that would be great. The idea is to let the Natural Growing process go, outside. Mine is in the house waiting to go outside when you all get yours. It will stay out all winter.

So, the idea is to just place them somewhere in a flower bed, just on top of the ground and leave them alone and see how they fare through the winter and if anything grows? I have lots of squirrels so I hope they don't find it attractive!

Bonnie

Debra, I am very concern about squirrels. So if you do not mind, I plan to put the one you send me into a prepared clear winter sow container and place it out front so i can spy on it frequently.

MARY

Yikes. I hadn't thought of that. I have a terrible time with squirrels too. I'll have to come up with a way to keep them off this thing.

If you are putting it in a pot how about if you put some chicken wire to cover the pot ?? I don't have problems with squirrels here but that's just an idea.

I wasn't going to use a pot, but maybe I should. Chicken wire would be easier to put over that than trying to fashion something in a bed.

Well if it's going to be on the flower bed you can still make a cage out of the chicken wire and place it around the hole that's going to be dug up for it as well as the top to make it a close cage. I bet a squirrels won't get to it.

I am not too sure about that Roly. I am finding acorns in places that I thought were squirrel proof .... and not just a few acorns.

Yesterday, I dug up my giant elephant ear plant. I had a large cinder block covered by a large plastic bin (Using it to help hold the giant leaves from touching the ground). After removing the plastic bin, I noticed a considerable number of acorns in the hole areas ofthe cinder block.

I will try and post a picture tomorrow of the container that I am planning to use.

MARY

Maybe the squirrels won't be attracted to them. :o)

I hadn't thought of the squirrel problem. I have acorns and pecans that pop up everywhere from two blocks away.. I think the idea is to at least set it where you can let the elements get to it naturally.. You guys are all the observers.. You will have to separate seedlings anyway in the spring when they all start to sprout. It will be in a clump. That is what happened here last spring, so I let them get big enough to transplant.Look at the list of plant seeds.. it will be interesting to see what the sprouts look like. You could try a plastic netting over the top of it. How ever you all plant these little things is up to you, I just want to make sure it is marked and documented so I can see what zones have what results, and if my mix is good enough for future "Mud Flowers" What happens is the rain and snow and sun will wet and melt and dry out and wash the seeds around in an area. I am using an old popcorn tin with holes drilled out on the back full sun patio, with a plastic net over the top. I pile leaves over all the beds every Fall, and then clear the leaves in spring. I haven't decided whether to cover this pot with leaves Like I do everything else, or just leave it bare and watch what happens. Everyones packages are sent.
This is this past years experiment, only instead of making flowers I just made seed balls. The daturas did not come up until august. Now, they are in pots in the basement nursery blooming. Dang it.

Very cool idea with the popcorn tin - why didn't I think of that? LOL... This is going to be fun;o) Mine will go in a big pot (or popcorn tin if I have one kicking around here somewhere) and out back near the veggie garden. Full sun and nice southern exposure for the winter...

Last fall I "threw" seed balls all over my sons place and around his house, and they popped out some really nice flowers. Then I spent the rest of the summer dividing them and spreading them. They were all prenniels. These "mud flowers" have annuals as well and that is what I am watching the most. Well, I am also wanting to see the tall great blue and tall red lobelias come up for everyone.

Some things may not survive our summers here, but once I can ID each plant then I can move it to conditions that hopefully it can survive in;o) I'm a zone pusher extraordinaire - lol.

lobelias, do okay in part shade with lots of water.. it gets cool enough prolly in your area thru winter at night. If not, you could always refrigerate the flower for a few weeks .. I have no clue if they need cold to germinate, hence the experiment.

I'm gonna let Mother Nature do her thing, so we'll see what happens;o) We rarely get frost - ie: 30° or less...

Debra, I am so excited. It will be great to see how the seed reacts to the different climates. The seeds I'm planting won't have had a winter rest... Will keep you updated.

Elsa

I'm going to put mine out in the yard and see how it does in the spring. What fun!!!!!

I'm going to put mine in a huge pot that I've got ready waiting for it. It's big enough so that I can separate the seedlings once they germinate and give them more growing space and hopefully after that incorporate them in my butterfly garden and around the front yard.

I was going to just put mine in a flower bed but sounds like a big pot may be the best way to go. I was wondering if your experiment was to see if they could be made and just placed in flower beds and left to grow or to see if they would grow in different zones when left out in the elements? If put in a pot outside they would probably be better protected and it would be easier to separate the different flowers.
Bonnie

Ok then I then I am going to put mine out in a spot in one of my flower beds.

Got mine today and it looks like a chocolate chip cookie!!! :o)

Bonnie

wow that was fast! LOL was it intact?

I got mine today too! A four o'clock seed was loose in the wrap but otherwise mine was intact;o) And it smells good too...

Fast indeed. I went to look at my mailbox as soon as I saw the message. Still nothing here. I will post a picture as soon as I get it.

If you have a loose seed, please take some Elmers water soluble glue one drop and tac it back to where it was, Please? I am curious as to how they will move with the weather.

Sure thing Miss Debra - I can do that. The kiddos have lotsa glue;o)

Instead of the pot I have decided to put it a square (1 sq ft) in my SFG... So I just set it on the soil, push it in a but and leave it? No watering or anything? I live in the desert and we get very little rain - lol...

Help Debra.....since I'm going to be testing a MG mudflower, should I follow the same guidelines and plant it right away in the garden or a pot, or wait til when? I thought your use of a popcorn tin was clever and way cool. Don't have one of those handy but do have an old colander that just might do the trick.

I received my my mud flower cake today.

I intend to place it in a container that is about 25% larger than the one pictured with my mud flower cake.

I like the idea of seeing the development of roots.

MARY

This message was edited Oct 20, 2010 8:08 PM

I wonder how one of those 5 gallon water-cooler bottles would work with the top cut off? I, too, think it would be fun watching the root growth.

My big concern is having one of those false-start Springs - when everything thinks it's spring and starts to grow, then the next week we get a foot of snow...

But I guess that's putting the cart before the horse!

Mine was totally intact. Do you want us to post progress pictures on this thread?

Yes, please post progress.. If you all like this venture, then I can make a new set to try using different kinds of seeds. I am considering using short annuals with tall perennials. .
You guys just grow them how you think it would be best for your zones. If you don't get a lot of rain, water as if you do your regular gardens during the course of the year. You might get flowers before the rest of us. That is what I want to see, the growth rate, germination time , etc. We have a great assortment of Zones here, and that is perfect. The rosehips and cinnamon and flea powder should keep the pests off ( insect and mold ) well enough to get them going thru this winter. I am letting nature take its course here in Kansas. some of you have no snow, and no freezing temps, so you might get your flowers sooner.
The water bottles and clear plastic containers are great. I use them inside when starting seeds.
Here is where I am putting some of the seed mud flowers.. I am labeling them as I lay them down. I have lots of squirrels. It will be interesting to see what comes up this spring. At my sons' place, he just threw them down and stepped on them. :P~ some of the seeds are microscopic.

Mine arrived just fine... I'm gonna put her up this weekend when I go get a new pot for her.

Will post a pic when she;s settled in.

Got mines!!! Gonna put it in a pot on Sat. : )
First time I ever sniffed a mudpie lol!!!

My mudflower just arrived! It's a little crumbled around the edges and a couple small seeds got knocked loose, but I have Elmer's glue to stick them back on with. I'll find a place for it in the next day or two. :)

I need to go check my mailbox. To see if mine is here yet.

Mine came today and looks like a chocolate cookie with a dusting of powdered sugar.

If mine arrives looking like that I'm going to eat it!

Wow lucky lucky me, somehow I received 2!!!! Maybe I should go buy a lottery ticket.
Since I have 2 I can experiment with one in the front and one in the back. Due east and due west. Morning sun vs afternoon sun. This is going to be fun. Stay tuned.

Yipey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I got my seed flower today!!!!. Looks good. I'll be planting it tomorrow.

Thank you so much. I'll let you know how it does.

Marti