I planted my Red Hot Pokers last year and got no flower, but this year I got flowers. They are beautiful. The birds came in and ate a bunch of the flowers and now I have stems with lots of, I guess, seed pods on them. Are those little pods seeds for new plants ? Can I save them, dry them out and start a new bed of Poker plants, or are they just something the birds eat ?
Seeds - I usually take the long spent spikes off of my pokers, but this year I am leaving them for seed. Hope you had the opportunity to watch the birds feed on the pokers?
Seeds - I usually take the long spent spikes off of my pokers, but this year I am leaving them for seed. Hope you had the opportunity to watch the birds feed on the pokers?
Many believe knifophia to be invasive- so seeds may be left or gathered after dry. If you gather in a ziploc, add a paper towel to help absorb moisture and find a safe place to set with the top open awhile longer...
Many believe knifophia to be invasive- so seeds may be left or gathered after dry. If you gather in a ziploc, add a paper towel to help absorb moisture and find a safe place to set with the top open awhile longer...
Many of us use a tiny silk bag around the seeds so they dry completely before harvesting. Many reasons for doing this! To trap small seeds, to insure maturity of the seeds, to prevent the moisture in the green seeds from rotting them. Yes the maturity of the seeds for germination could be in question since you grabbed them prematurely....the bags allow them to dry on the stalk...
It is hard for me to leave mine to seed (which is what I wanted to do THIS year). The spent bloom stalk with seed pods are ugly. About how long does it take for the seeds to be mature? Not sure how patient I will be.
Dont look at it as ugly- think of them as your gold left unprotected as they ripen. Wheat is not harvested when golden and pretty- they wait til the stalks are the color of the soil so the moisture content wont rot the fruit. The seeds need to have dried, or the stalks to have dried enough that when you harvest the stalk there is no moisture to rot the seed.
I cut my stalks down when the "seeds" turn brown. I think they are ugly too. I've had my hot poker for years and have had to dig some of it out. It eventually dies out in the middle like Ornamental grasses. It's definitely an easy plant to take care of. Some people don't like hot pokers, Kniphofia.
Thanx birder!
Interesting birder.
Has anyone actually had luck with planting the poker seed?
kittriana - Since I did not wait for them to turn brown, will putting them in a brown paper bag with some paper towels to soak up any moisture, help me salvage seeds that can be planted next season ?
I cannot tell you since I dont know how far they had advanced. You can certainly try.
I remember being very interested in trying to get a pepper to grow, so when mama used them, i would save them. Alas green peppers arent mature enough for the seeds to mature- but I only thot certain peppers grew to red....
Wonder how many hundreds of seed are inside these capsules? Still just waiting. . . .
Oh well. Being a beginner gardener, this all has been a great learning experience. I can't complain since I did get the beautiful pokers to bloom this year, and the rest of my garden is doing well also.
Oh come on now - It is harder to look at your garden when it's sideways. You've got to work on that. I really enjoy the pictures people post!
I posted this several times where the orchard oriole was taking nectar from my pokers. Not sure if you are aware of or even have orioles there in VA, but this was the first year I had seen this with my pokers. So it was encouragement for me to plant more if nothing else, for the orioles. Both species of orioles enjoyed them (orchard and Baltimore). I don't think I had any decent pictures of the Baltimore taking nectar.
Interesting, I have been trying to grow this from seed (bought) for 2 years now, with no results (wintersowing). I bought bare roots and think I finally have 2 plants that are going to make it! I think they are very interesting looking. Based on my difficulty, I had not heard they were prone to invasiveness :) I will keep an eye on them!
I had always admired these plants when they were blooming and thought they were a novelty. The first plant I bought, I planted on the other side of a big pond which was a long way from the house. The plant was growing and doing fine, then the next spring when I passed by the poker plant, I noticed the deer had eaten the new growth almost to the ground. I quickly got the shovel and dug it up. It didn't have much hope and so I split the plant in a couple of places. I have had pokers ever since. The deer probably did me a favor. They are not near as fragile as I first thought. I have not started any from seed, however I am letting mine go to seed this year. They seem to like it high and dry more so than in a low moist area. Good luck valal with yours - I hope you have a good a luck as I have had.
Seeds are prone to factors such will only sprout when good and ready if they have lain dormant til they like the conditions- or freshness, like onion seeds have a short window of waiting or they are too old- rates of viability, such as only 1 out of thousands had actually reached maturity...
You have tubers in ground- allow them to set this year, gather sun and nutrients, and before they get too big next year, dig them, split them, and stand back! Luck always!
Hmmmm....might have to move to my back; drier garden...put them in the one in the middle of the backyard that seems to be less dry.
Thanks for the tips, ladies
