New New-bee thread!! Come on in!!

In case you don't know or have forgotten I am prone to typos and occasional ...um ...forgetting...(just in case the Kelly Twins are watching) I havent made a thread in over a year so I am rusty. Patience and pre-forgiveness...and on we will go!!
"Beginning"
Noun
"The point in time or space at which something starts."

Postage Plunders
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1286269/


Iris Draw for the New Bees is here
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1294140/

The Iris Draw deadline is the first day of spring!!
Spring is on Wednesday, 20 March 2013

As far as I can tell...We came from here... http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1111944/
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1293657/
new thread #2
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/f/gardentalk/all/


Chat Thread here also lots of new and old Newbees...be sure to stop in and introduce your self...

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1152857/


K here we are!! This thread is for Newbie information and questions, No scrambles on this thread...

To get your free seeds

Be Sure to put your dmail name and a note of wants in your envie, along with return name and address
Address exchange is here http://davesgarden.com/address_exchange/
You have to add your information to be able to access everyone else's

Please feel free to Dmail me with questions
Many of us "oldies" and some Newbies would like to share our seeds with those of you new to Dave's. By new, we mean you joined in the last 8 months(or so) and are a paying member.
Send me a SASBE (Self addressed, stamped bubble envelope) and we'll send you 10 packets of seeds. (Usually more, depends on our stash) That's all there is to it. Let us know you are sending your envy. Just Dmail me with sent envie today in the subject. You will get a good variety of good seeds.

If you can, stick a note in your envy and tell me they types of things you like. Veggies and Flowers, some seeds you are looking for, stuff like that. It will help me fill your envy. I can't always get just what you ask for, but will try.

Postage keeps going up so now we need five usually,

Send 5 stamps and an address label with your name on it.
4 of the stamps will go back on your return envy, the extra will go into the "pot" I don't use it for personal use, but it helps when some mail comes with postage due and when the "oldies" send boxes of seeds sometimes there is postage due.
Best thing to do is just send me an empty bubble envy with your label and stamps inside. I can use that same envy to send your seeds back. Saves that envy!!
Also, if you will scotch tape the envy to send to me, I can use the self adhesive and won't destroy your envy pulling them open when I get them.
Please make sure you put enough stamps on your envelope you send to me. An empty bubble envy is at least 84 cents, so two stamps. If you are sending seeds, it's more of course.

PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR D MAIL NAME WITH YOUR ENVY.

I am in the address exchange, so you know where to send the envy. If you can't find it, just d mail and I'll shoot it right to you. At the top of your home page, you'll see the link "EXTRA'S" ,Go into that link, scroll down and you'll see the address exchange this goes to the exchange http://davesgarden.com/address_exchange/ you have to add yourself to the exchange then you can get my address.

Oldies!
If you would like to donate seeds, it would be great.!! I know how much I loved it when I was new and someone sent me seeds to get me started. Now I want to pay it forward and maybe you would too.

For those of you who would like to help the newbies, but just don't have a lot of seed, if you would like to trade for seeds, that is great as well. Send seeds for the newbies and I will send you the same amount back. Put a note in with your DG name and let me know what you are looking for also.
Happy Gardening Everyone,
Robin


* I try to give you what you put in your note of wants. The seeds for the newbees are donated by gardeners all over the world. I can not promise you will get what you ask for. You will get a great envie of seed!! Robin


If you are Zone 8 or above please send donations and requests to Rising Creek.
You will find her here http://davesgarden.com/members/risingcreek/

If you are zone 7 and Below please send donations and request to me here
http://davesgarden.com/members/arejay59/


Read more: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1297842/#ixzz2dB75HHxT

Thanks for starting the new thread Robin. How are the seeds going. I will have lots of 'Love Lies Bleeding'including 'Golden Grains' and 'Elephant Head' this fall and I am sure there will be lots of other stuff too. Mittsy's seeds look awesome!! I was drooling over them, especially the snaps.

I watched a beautiful big butterfly on the butterfly bush today-it was wonderful and funny. He tried to leave a number of times, he would get 12 to 15 feet away but would turn around and come back to it. This went on for a good 10 minutes.

Again , both me and my old computer thank-you for the new thread. Sandra

Me again - when you said that you bring your fuchsia into the basement for the winter- do you let it dry out and go dormant until after Xmas,or do you keep watering and provide a light for it? More info please! and Thanks. Sandra

Hi Again All: Just had to show ya'll my latest flower experiment. This is a Tithonia, sometimes called Mexican Sunflower. Quite common annual and reseeder in the southlands, but unusual here in New York. This plant is a real eye catcher in the garden! I had to start the seeds indoors with the tomatoes to transplant in mid-May. Plants are now 6' tall and covered in flowers. Appears to be an easy seed saver, I'll let you know later.

Al

Hi Al Great looking flower- Were they difficult to start from seeds and when you say you started them with the tomatoes-Are we talking February or March?Sandra

Nice! I collected pink striped Gazania seeds last winter from a lovely planting in Satellite Beach, started them here in May and they are blooming now. So unusual.

Gazania is beautiful Mittsy!! I love your Mexican sunflower Al.They take such an awesome photo too!! Mexican hats do you grow those too Al?
You are welcome Sandy it was much needed I forget sometimes so just remind me to start a new one!! I watered my Fushia by the way all winter it looked pretty sad by the time I could take it out again but it did come back.They are perennial in the right zone and some species of them grow into shrubs and trees even. I do believe you can start them from cuttings also.

I can't believe it. Right after proclaiming that I have never had a reblooming iris ever bloom for me Cantina is going to make me a liar! I thought that it had some terrible deformity occuring and lo and behold it is a robust bloom stalk. Pictures will be forthcoming and we can all watch in anticipation of this magnificent "FIRST".

Woo Cantina pretty!!

Mexican Hats? We could be talking about the same thing with a different name...

Yes, I started the seeds inside around April 1st, we plant outside in mid to late May.

Al

Cantina 1
Datura, not fragrant ?
Pink? Glad, I should have known buying from a discount store!

Its a pretty glad though Mittsy I see some pink stripes in it!! Mexican hats are that color Al but they look more like a coneflower and the center stands taller even than that but it is the color orange and yellow or red and yellow. I cant seem to find the photo but I will!!

Hi all - need info on collecting seeds. Know how to do easy ones like marigolds but not sure on some of the fancier stuff. Have osteospermum with the nice wine coloured or purple coloured daisy but don't know what is the seed. Also liatris (gayfeather) how do you take the seed without the fluff. I can grow but haven't a clue on some of these seeds and not embarassed to admit it . if you have any advice or know where to find this info, bring it on. Sandra

Good Morning Sandy!! WHat a great question!! I thinl you gave me an idea, I am not sure we ever posted directions to save seed on the thread!! You would think we would wouldn't you!! Let me see what I can come up with, if anyone has ideas jump in!! Maybe something like 12 everyday plants and show the way to collect dry , remove the chaff and store and label? Anyone in?

I can do the annual Rocket Larkspur, if interested?
or Siberian iris.
mittsy

Katlien wrote a great article with photos for making seed-cleaning sieves from PVC "DWV Sewer & Drain Adapters".

They look like nested funnels,and you put a piece of hardware cloth (wire mesh) in each one.

http://davesgarden.com/community/blogs/t/Katlian/10997/

That is a great idea. I just use my kitchen strainer. I don't mind a little chaff, either.

Kitchen strainers and window screening are great.

Strainers are mostly either 18 mesh or 30 mesh.

I think most window screening is 24 mesh.

I got some 8 mesh fabric and put it in an embroidery hoop, which also works with window screening. But 8 mesh is really coarse.

For me the hardest part of seed saving is getting seeds ripe and dry before the rains start in the fall. I never get around to making tall hoop tunnels to keep rain off and warmth in.

I have a similar problem, leaving for our winter home before the seeds are ripe. I have been known to uproot huge MG plants and and load them in the car to dry during our travels.

Seeds that ripen and dry during the summer are so easy! I had some 'Minowase' Daikon radishes go to seed, and now they pop up here and there like pretty weeds. Man, can they grow in clay!

I let some radish "weeds" go too long and they formed pods. I uprooted them at that point and threw them to one side where they happened to be up off the ground. A month or two later I stuffed the stems and pods into a box, and the pods dropped some seeds. So I mashed them up with my hands, and got many fresh 'Minowase' Daikon radish seed with almost no effort..

They did all the work themselves, except that they didn't jump into a Ziplok for me and label themselves.

My Pacific Giant Delphinium was even easier to save seeds from. I just didn't cut all the flower spikes, then ignored them until the pods rattled when I brushed against them. (It didn't rain at that time of year.) Then I put a big cardboard box to one side of the plant and leaned the stalks over to pour the seeds into the box. All done.

Also got seeds from some dusky chocolate-puprle Columbine (A. vulgaris, probably originally Burpee's Harlequin Mix. But for those, I had to cut the well-dried heads off, shake them in a plastic tub, and separate from the chaff.

I have some four O'clocks, i just pick them right into a box and let them dry before putting into plastic sleeves... I have a yellow and a pink, if anyone is interested>>>

Oh!! Wonderful everyone this is great the ideas are wonderful!!

Mittsy!!! "I have been known to uproot huge MG plants and and load them in the car to dry during our travels.: Lolololol You are the best Mittsy!!

Did that help Sanra?

Now that the Fall season seems to be in full bloom, we're all getting into the seed saving mood. I think I'm going to wait another couple of weeks to get the flowering seed pods a little more dried out before I pick them off, hopefully before the local flock of birds discovers them.
This year I have tons of marigolds, zinnias, sunflowers, cosmos, coneflowers, susans, and likely my new tithonia.

Is our newbie seed stash still active? If so, do they still need donations and where to send?

Al

Hi all--lol yes this helps a lot. Please keep them coming. Mittsy your MG -where is the seed. I have one- Star of yelta (I think) but it just started blooming about 2 weeks ago. How long does it take to form seed and are they a good size-so I won't be able to miss them if they form fast enough? This one was given to me already started,so I don't know how big the seed was. I love them so if you have a lot of seeds- I can pay postage (hint hint). Charleen are your 4 o'clocks solid colours- if so I have some 2-tone -pink with yellow splashes or yellow with pink splashes(not as much on the yellow), and I am looking for the hot pink ones also. Want to trade. Rick - that screening idea is great, along with the sieves and strainers. Do you winter sow your delphiniums or start right in the ground. They don't like to be moved right? Al, the zinnia seeds are the dried out flower heads?I have a few zinnias also from a friend, so I'm not sure what the seed is. When you say you are going to leave them a while longer- how long do they need? Does the flower head have to be super dried up when you pick it and does it hurt them to be touched by frost. We have already had frost on the roof tops, so I don't know if I will have long enough to gather seeds. Everybody is doing great, please keep the ideas coming. Sandra

Al, yes the newbie seed thread is alive and active. Arejay59 (Robin) is back in charge of the eastern section of the country. It's been split up as it is too much to do the whole country by just one person. She can give more info next time she jumps on. Donations are always . welcome.

As are prizes for contests, we do love to have our fun. And gifts, too. I must publicly state I love my 3 diamond bracelets from Mitt.
Sandra I'll post pictures of the MG seed pods and seeds. These were planted very late and took forever to get going but the blooms were bright fuschia so I thought I should keep them. Only two seeds to a pod, I usually get four or more smaller seeds, but I am not an expert on MGs. I'll check the compost heap and see if I can find any of the Star of Yelta or Grandpa Ott, yes I got some. For comparison purposes I used a penny for size. The larger seeds are from the fuschia MG. I hope this help you. Frost won't hurt your zinnia seeds.

I didnt get any diamond bracelets...
Fushia Hmm someone just asked me for those I guess I better look in that envelope you sent me Mittsy!! Al I am heading to read your post. I guess I overlooked it sorry!! This is great all this information thank you!! Sandra you will be an expert and an addict of the seeds in no time!!

Sorry about that, guess Mitt didn't know you needed diamond bracelets! I felt really, really bad when I lost mine.

I'm going through my MG seeds and will send some to Sandra. You do remember the Mittsy's mailbox mix, don't you. I must have collected several thousand seeds. I'm still getting volunteers each year around the mailbox. Sometimes it's hard to even see the mailbox! I picked a bouquet to show you what they look like this year from the volunteers I missed last year. One picture with flash one without.

Mittsy they are beautiful!! Yes I do remember your seeds!! I was teasing about the diamond bracelet I thought we might hear from Mit on that one!! Diamonds being a girls best friend and all. Im sorry you lost yours, I lost a ruby bracelet once.

Just to clarify, I've never had a diamond bracelet (cubic Zirconia, rhinestone or otherwise) I was referring to the TB iris.

rotfl. I was beginning to wonder about the diamond bracelets. Beautiful flowers, mittsy. :)

Mittsy those flowers are gorgeous. Those are the Grandpa Ott? When you say volunteers, do you mean these beauties will reseed themselves. Those pictures are worth a thousand words-now I know what to look for, but have no seeds forming yet. You said only 2 seeds in the fushia ones but 4 in the others and by your pictures they are a pretty good size, so I won't miss them. Good idea putting the penny in the picture. Sandra

They are NOT Grandpa Ott. The flowers were just picked off my mailbox, hence Mittsy's mailbox mix! I can never get all the seeds collected every year so I have volunteers come up and cover the mailbox.. They are all open pollinated, and are a mongrel mixture. Maybe I should start calling them Mittsy's Mongrel Mailbox Mix.

Good one. :)

Love that name!! Mittsy's Mongrel Mailbox Mix. I don't have any diamonds Mittsy bt I do have some Hollyhocks that will have some seed!!

Oh, that is a pretty one, is it short or tall? I have one that is almost black, it's a single and I kinda prefer the doubles. It's still blooming so guess I won't get any seeds before I leave, took some out of the freezer and put more in. Hard to keep them all separated and get them dry and give them the cold treatment. I wouldn't have noticed them at all but i went out to graze through the red raspberries.
Not as many as earlier but a welcome treat just the same. The grapes are just begging to be canned, but I think the birds will have to take them.

It's not as tall as I have seen but its the first year so we will see what next year brings! I will have some seed if you want some Mittsy. Anytime.I love mallows to I pulled mine up last year so just small ones this year now flowers and my Sylvestra Malva did I get that right just disappears I get maybe one every other year.

Getting back to Sandra's question - Yes, I like to pick off the seed heads when they are sort of a crispy brown color and nice and dry. Frost won't hurt them much, in fact will help in the drying process. It pays to wait a bit and not harvest them too soon when still green. My only exception to this rule is when the seeds are threatened by birds, then I bring the seeds inside to my screened porch to dry. The birds around here will outsmart me every time, and I stand to lose about everything!

Every variety is a little different, but you'll soon get the hang of it! Some would say it's kind of addicting. Seed pods are usually located somewhere near or under the flower part.

Zinnias are easier than some. The seed pod is a fingertip shaped bump in the middle hub of the blossom. I trim up the leftover dried petals with scissors to minimize chafe. The loosened seeds look like little arrowheads. I can't possibly sort out all of the excess chafe, but I plant them quite generously anyway.

By the way, the easiest way for me to plant a lot of these somewhat generic seeds is to use a square or rectangle pan with drainage holes in the bottom. Fill with potting soil, grow them out, then cut out the plant starts just like piece of cake or brownie.

Al

Great tips Al!!! Thank You.

Al Great descriptions and tips -Without them I would have been planting flower chafe thinking it was part of the seed. Robin, great looking Hollyhock. Mittsy- "took some out of the freezer and put more in" "give them the cold treatment" do you put your seeds in the freezer for just a short time to stratify or to get rid of any bugs - do you do this for all seeds?Sandra

I give the freezer treatment to Rose of Sharon seeds and to Hollyhock seeds to rid them of creepy crawlies. I use the refrigerator for cold treatment.