Cleome seeds

Moorestown, NJ(Zone 6b)

I bought from Amazon some Cleome seeds, which arrived this August in a tiny plastic envelop from China. There are probably around 50 - 100 seeds if so.

My question is how to plant them, including how spread them out, what time of the year, how deep, etc. I have read about keeping them in the refrigerator for a week, which is where they are right now.

The earth is parched right now, and the days continue to be sweltering hot, so I'm hesitant to consider this the early fall.

Thanks in advance.

Milton, MA(Zone 6a)

Betulo, do you know about wintersowing? That's how I sowed cleome seeds (when I grew them). Wintersowing involves creating a vented container and sowing the seeds in it in the late winter or early spring. Some people wintersow after the equinox. It achieves the same thing as the stay in your refrigerator, so you may not care! Check out this article http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/585/

Moorestown, NJ(Zone 6b)

That is quite interesting. Thank you.

Being that we are so far from next spring, do you think I should keep the seeds in the refrigerator all fall and winter?

Milton, MA(Zone 6a)

I think you don't need to. (I would lose them behind something in MY refrigerator! )

Probably a week or two in the cold would mimic the winter effectively. But give winter sowing a try! It's fun to do.

Hillsborough, NC(Zone 7b)

Wait until a few weeks before spring and spread them in the patch you have chosen.scratch up the dirt a bit and then sprinkle a bit of dirt over. It is cold enough in jersey for those to get the cold exposure needed. I don't think the birds will get them then. No way to position those tiny tiny things. Where they land -they land. If too clumped together you can thin. You can mix with a little fine sand get good dispersion. Put in a jar with holes in lid and shake.

I go down to the post office and the supermarket where there is a patch and collect the seeds ..very prolific seed makers.

If you get a patch going..you will have more seeds than you need.


This message was edited Mar 18, 2016 8:58 PM

North Augusta, ON

And they self sow really well. I love cleome :) Plant them one year and you'll have them come back by themselves for years.

Thomaston, CT

They bloom forever, but they don't smell very good...that, & the thorns, keep them out of my garden....

Post a Reply to this Thread

Please or sign up to post.
BACK TO TOP