Gaura seeds

I am trying to save Gaura seeds from a commercial cultivar that did well in my yard, and overwintered from last year..
It appears the little seed (pods?) generally detach themselves as soon as brown/ripe, but I have found a few. Probably I should have put a nylon stocking over it.
I thought the little brown "pods" were probably holding multiple seeds, but they never seem to open up to release any seeds, and so I cut one open with a knife. I found a single very alive looking "seed" inside, not multiple seeds. The capsule is very hard. So here are photos. Do you agree the brown thing is the actual seed? I need to know if I need to do anything else prior to storage. And for sprouting next year would it need soaking or scarification?

Hello Pistil Yes those are the seeds , The few seeds I had gotten , originally purchased the Bride seeds
Are that size as yours , small , elongated , and hard
They reminded me of 1/12 th the size of cucumber seeds .

Hi, the capsule should be planted whole. That is what made all my plants come from the wild seeds I collected. They swell and expand and contract over winter as they stratify. Planting in Fall or very Early Spring is recommended for these types of seeds.
( This is just my experience with this type of seed)
Debra

Ah, I shall wintersow them.
And I have enough to put a packet in the seed swap.
Thanks!

there's a seed swap?

October 30th it starts deejay9 is running the swap ,

link '

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1405444/

This message was edited Oct 24, 2015 4:27 PM

Darn, mine are still blooming like crazy but
I never thought to look for seeds!

Thanks.

I had my mind on figuring out what the seeds look like for dark knight caryopteris.
I know there are seeds because new ones pop up every year. That fragrance wafts everywhere...but so delicate .......I just love it. I would like to get some going across the garden.

missingrosie-
about the Caryopteris- I have a 'Blue Balloon' I just love, found 'Dark Knight' was not hardy here. I have decided to play around with cuttings to make more, having read somewhere they are pretty easy. I have a book about propagation that says for Caryopteris:
March-April tip cuttings
June-August semi-mature cuttings
Oct-Nov hardwood cuttings

Of course I read this in September. So early this month I set up some cuttings, but they did not seem at all like hardwood, as the plant had barely stopped blooming. All the leaves are falling off and I think it is not going to work, probably with our mild Autumns the plant is just not at that stage yet. I will try again next month, and in March if that does not work!

Since this is the propagation forum, I would encourage you to try it too, we can compare notes. Also, I have looked for seeds on my Caryopteris a few weeks ago, the little seed pods seemed mostly empty. I think this is a case that calls for the Organza Bags people keep talking about. I geared up for seed saving this year. I went to the Dollar Store where I got organza bags and strainers and sifters for a buck each!

This is fun. I'm such a geek.

Yes most of what I think are seed pods are still young and fresh.
The few that are brown are empty.

I will try a cutting and see how it does.
How would you describe that scent?
Not mint..semi floral ...but spicy.
You probably dont know what I mean by this but it reminds me of a floral Sen Sen

Not hardy because....of heat!
We are border 7a/b so colder than you right?
If I catch some, I can send to you.
And if you like blue ( no fragrance ) i have a few blue star amsonia -- the 4 foot. The one that GLOWS gold in the fall. Also have a few of the shorter - pretty blue too.spreads well. I never collect those seeds but I have a few shorter. (16-18 inches ) not as fine textured as the 4 foot

I had trouble finding seed pods that are ripe, those pods fall so easily/fast on my Guara. I was beginning to think it was sterile. I guess the organza bag does have to come out.

Missingrosie, your Caryopertis sounds yummy.

Hey Debra and Ju (the big guns) thanks for weighing in on this thread. A friend in need is a friend indeed!

second mass full of seed pods ( again) I used to grow Caryopteris, man I think that was one fof the first "new" flowering shrubs I grew when I started my Back yard project. Some how, it died.Mine was variegated with blue flowers, our drought in 2012 made it bite the dust.

Well...the pods are green and fresh still and the seeds are so small to manipilate out.

So, if the pods are blue green and fresh -- not brown ( because the brownare empty ) EVEN if open enough to actually see the seeds --- that is still too soon -- right? The seeds in those are green not brown. So tiny tiny.....

-----------
I did this yesterday

I only had three bags but I have some pantyhose I would rather stick myself in my eye than squeeze into ever again!

I will try to collect some if I do then ( not sure how successful will be number wise ) can send. The fragrance always end summer takes by surprise...like tiarella....a baby soft fragrance ...and then gone! The pods and leaves if you grind between fingers is more herbal minty.

It sounds like the panty hose should work. Then maybe just try planting all the pods you get, maybe some will be fertile. Or possibly you have a sterile plant.

There are seeds in the immature pods.
I have just missed the brown ones.
I know know not sterile because the original shrub is gone and this is an offspring (two offspring)

But, I think I will try what you suggest, I will plant a browned cluster.

And try the cutting but still too soft.

I forgot to check my gaura for seeds. oops

Cool thing about gardening, there is always next year. And now this IS next year!
ps I never got the wintersowing started, now it is spring. Oops.

I didn't get any Wintersowing done either Pistil, the weather kept getting warm.

A little not much here

No winter sowing here, except a bit of a scatter in the raised bed by the drive way. I pulled my tulips out of the fridge and potted them.

I think I need to wintersow in early-mid November, we always get our coldest weather then. By mid-January it is milder, and by the end of January spring is coming.

would it be possible to winter sow in an old refrigerator if I had one available? (don't, but I am considering finding one)

The answer is yes, and no!

Real wintersowing means out in the weather, with cap off, so precipitation washes through the "soil", which is needed for a few species to wash away germination inhibitors in the seed coat. And it is so easy to do in the off season.

But... Most of the seeds we put in wintersowing, are just there because they need cold "stratification". which means they need a cold period. A fridge would be great for this.

But...since all they need is to be cold and moist, you don't have to get a whole fridge for this, you can (I do) use the 'Deno Method" devised by Dr Deno- place seeds on folded moist paper towel, in a loose sandwich baggie folded over, in your fridge for a month or two or three (some species are double dormant and need a period on top of counter in betweed cold periods). THEN plant the sprouting seeds into the little pots. You can fit a LOT of these in a very small part of your fridge!

I will now do this on the seeds I was going to wintersow.

hmmmm. I think I could come up with some paper towels and ziploc bags

He used the non-ziplock type, so a bit of air could get in, they are even cheaper!

like a folded over fish bag? which I have 2 rolls of?

fish bags might be thick and big, which might not allow enough air in, but you might try. Here are some photos of one I just pulled out of the fridge.
If you like poking around in old threads here on DG in the chilly days of winter, search out threads on "Deno".