Kiss-Me-Over-the-Garden Gate

Has anyone successfully grown these from Seed. I've read that they reseed easily, but I have tried for several years to start some from seed with no luck at all. I can't get one seed to germinate. I've soaked the seeds, I've even tried winter sowing them.

I ordered 3 plants of Kiss Me and 3 plants of the Variegated Kiss-Me-Over-the-Garden Gate from an online nursery. The Variegated ones are nice size and healthy, but the regular ones were small and wilted when they arrived and have since died.

I sure hope I can keep the Variegated ones alive. If there is some special treatment they need can someone advise me.

I would like to save seed so I can share, but maybe there is some special way you need to collect and save these seeds in order for them to grow ..........????

From everthing I have read, these should be easy to grow and propagate, but I've had no luck at all. I would love to hear some experiences from anyone who has grown them with success, either from seed or plants.

I grow just about anything from seed, but I have tried 3 times with this plant..No luck at all.. Not one..

Larkie

Larkie,

Sounds like you have had the same experience with Kiss Me as I have.

Funny ......... from everything I read you would think it would be one of the easiest things in the world to grow from seed.

Maybe someone will post some information that will help us get these to germinate and grow.

I winter sowed some this year and got a few to germinate maybe they have to be chilled.

I winter sowed and started a few in the house, and more directly into the ground.. No luck.. This is unusual for me...I mostly have good luck growing from seed..
Larkie

Like everyone above. I tried for 3 yrs. from seed no LUCK. The 1st. yr. was from seed bought from catalog nursery, thought it was bad seed.
2nd. yr. was from seed from a seed trade--no germ.
3rd. yr. seed from seed trade again no germ.
4th. yr. someone told me they need cold to germinate, so in January I winter sowed seed in a seedflat, covered it with saran wrap with several slits cut in the saran wrap. Set the tray outside. Brought the tray in the greenhouse mid-March.
About another month went by, thought it was failure again.
Then they started to poke through.
Now, I have them all over the gardens from self seeding.
If anyone wants live babies, I will do SASE or trade for them.
They are just poking thru the soil now. All over. They are heavy reseeders once you get them going. Easy to grow plants.

Tree-Climber: I ordered the Variegated ones too. Glad to hear they were healthy ones. I haven't received mine yet. They should be coming soon. I have a thing for variegated plants. Now, I am excited about getting them.

The variegated ones I got were very healthy nice size ...

All I had to do was ask, and the others are being replaced.

But I'd still like more Debby, if I can take you up on your offer for sase. Or maybe I can offer something in trade. I'll email you.

How close do you plant yours? The descriptions I see say they get very tall, but they don't seem to spread in width that much. It looks like they would look best if planted in a big group, and that is probably how they come up when they reseed.

The description of the Variegated ones say they are even taller than the regular variety. I can't wait to see them grow and bloom.

One more question ..................... how long until they bloom? Is it late summer?



This message was edited Apr 24, 2004 4:19 PM

gosh I never post here, but I have to tell ya'll, a friend sent me some seeds, I planted them and had NO IDEA what they were when they hopped up.. but then posted a picture of it and my pal remembered and told me....I have some in my little garden this year from where it reseeded....its a pretty pretty plant REAL tall.....
hugz
Lexy

I'm really surprised that ya'll are having so much trouble..mine reseed by themselves and always have way too many sprout come spring. I have to pull them up otherwise they grow up so tall and shade the smaller stuff that needs the sun. Always have more than I need. I don't plant any of the seeds. Like morning glories....they drop in the fall and when the ground is warm enough, they grow.

Debby, if you still have some, I would like some for an historic house site...

Debby, the plants arrived in great shape and I planted them at our historic house. If they reseed, then we will always have them. I hope to also have Love-Lies-Bleeding and Love In a Mist...Thanks.

Woodspirit1: Your welcome. They will bloom this summer and then for sure they will pop up everywhere next spring. Love lies bleeding is an easy one from seed.

Debby,

The Kiss Me's you sent me are still doing great too!

I'll be thinking about you when I see them bloom. And I'll always remember your kindness every year when I see them return. (hopefully they will reseed and I can pass your act of kindness on to another gardener next year.)

Kathy

Debby,
Like you did , I have been trying and trying =((

I have such a perfect spot on this 100 year+ farm.

Can you send me some for SASE ? I really don't have much to trade at the moment, still waiting fot everything to start growing . It was in the 40's last night and we are getting a couple more to follow.
PLMK
>^,,^< SB

Scooterbug: You've got mail.

This photo is about a week old, but mine are blooming! Can't believe the growth of these things, Thanks Debby

Oh, I'm so excited !!!!!

My Kiss Me's from Debby are doing great too !

and here's a picture of one of the variegated one's I ordered from an online nursery.

Not very tall yet, but looking very healthy.

We haven't had much heat yet ........... June 24th, and it didn't even hit 70 .............. brrrr.

T_C, That is an amazing looking plant. Should be a real stunner when full size.

I know what you mean about cool temps, 48 for a high today and low 40's to night. Nothing has really started growing like they should yet but the 'mystery' leaf chewers are in full force anyway =((

scooterbug,

This years weather has been "different" to say the least.

My sister lives in Madison, WI so I visit Wisconsin frequently. It's a beautiful state.

If you want some seed from my variegated plants just let me know. I'll also share seedlings next spring if I get lots of them.
I think that is only going to happen if it warms up quick!

Tree_Climber: it looks like you have blooms on the variegated Kiss Me. My Variegated ones are looking pretty good too.
We are having the cool temps too. Today was beautiful. Hope yours was too.

Lilyfan: Your welcome, they go esp. good with the purple castor bean. Just throw some seed out this fall of the Kiss Me, where you will plant the castor beans next spring.

This message was edited Jun 25, 2004 9:47 PM

Ohhhhhhhhhhh.....
What an idea, "Castor Beans and Kiss Me's"

I have a couple of the usual red or pink Castor bean plants. I hear there are other varieties. I've got to look into that.

Edited to add:

I can tell you from first had experience that Castor Beans are definately easy to start from seed. I've got about 20 of them in small pots ........... and can't figure out where to plant them. The seed was 3 years old, so I didn't think they would all germinate ......... they did!



This message was edited Jun 27, 2004 8:35 AM

This message was edited Jun 27, 2004 8:36 AM

Tree_climber: How about me sending you up some seeds of these Purple Castor Beans. This is the only castor bean I will grow now. I love the dark foliage, this photo was taken at dusk.

Debby , TY so much for the seedlings. They have been re hydrated, trimmed and planted in a nursery bed . Where they will stay until fully recovered and ready to be put in full sun........ 2 of them already have eenie-weenie flower panicles starting =)

Debby,

That's an amazing Castor Bean. I'd love some seed! It looks wonderful in front of the yellow.

I do have some flowers on my variegated Kiss Me's, as you mentioned above. I was wondering if I should remove them so the plants will get taller? What do you think? I checked them today, and they aren't producing seed yet.

Tree_Climber: I really don't think it matters on the growth of the Kiss Me's to de-flower, they should get taller even when blooming.
I checked mine again tonight, no blooms yet. I think I have to move one. It is really still small, shaded to much.
Love the variegation and the leaves are so soft and fuzzy feeling.
I will get the P. Castor Bean seed out to you. You could still plant them this year as fast as they grow.

I'll plant some this year and save a few for next year, just in case I don't have a long enough season to get seeds of my own.

Thanks so very much .............. What fun!

Debby, I have some of your purple castors growing this year. I love plants with distinctive color and structure.

BTW< Did you get my E ? I sent it after I received the 'Kisses"

Scooterbug: Yes, I got your email and sent a reply back. It must have gotten lost in cyberspace. I will resend. I have been having some trouble with my ISP and their email.

I've grown the KMOTGG for 2 years now from seed. The first year I just planted the seed that someone sent & they grew. This year I bought them because I had not gathered enough of my own seeds, and the package said to put them in some moist potting mix & put in the refrigerator for 2 weeks. I ended up forgetting about them & they stayed in for 3-4 weeks, but when I took them out they had all sprouted inside the bag. So if they need cold strat, I don't know why the first ones I grew sprouted because I did not do that. Unless whoever gave them to me did it, but there was no soil in the seeds.
I will say though, of all the seed that fell off my first pot of KMOTGG, not a single one sprouted in that spot. I was kind of worried about that! This year I planted them in the ground in my vine bed, behind the wire so they would come through, and they did, but they also tower a foot or more over the top and the vines are climbing them. Not a well thought out plan I guess. But now I am HOPING the seeds from this years will not sprout next year, so they probably will! lol
I always say gardening is all about attitude. The things you plant because your bored and you just don't care, those thrive. The things you really want, they don't. ;~)

Aren't these the same as "Love Lies Bleeding"? It says so in my flower encyclopedia (Kiss me is U.S. name, Love Lies is UK name). If so, I grew these from seed. The one I gave to my neighbor is almost 5 ft. tall (which I never knew they could get that tall). I'll have to go over and get a pic of hers one of these days. It's unreal. Tracy from Arkansas sent me the seeds.

I dont think so. KMOTGG gets over 6 to 8 ft tall =)




This is Abutilon's pic ..............

Very strange. Mine is supposed to have the flowers that droop down like that. And my neighbor's is getting quite tall, and hasn't stopped growing yet. Mine that were pictured got a slower start. The flowers on them are a deep crimson - they'll be very pretty when they get longer, and I'll have to take a pic then. I typed in "Love Lies Bleeding" in the PDB and didn't come up with a thing.

Karrie20x,

Love Lies Bleeding is a type of Amaranth. Usually that name is used to refer to the lighter green leaved one's with the pink to red flowers.

I've grown the one you pictured too, with the dark leaves and it has a deeper colored flower. I'll see if I have picture of that one too.

Here's the one that is generally called Love Lies Bleeding. I've never had it get 5 feet tall, but that may be just a factor of growing conditions. I wish it would get that tall ..... there's still time, this picture was taken about the 2nd week in june.

Yes, the foilage on mine is different. Actually, all of them that I have look different from each other. Some are that burgandy color, some are green with burgandy varigation. I really love them. They add such color to a garden! Yes, you're right - Amaranth. I wonder why that Flower Encyclopedia listed them as the same. I've noticed other things in that book that aren't true as well, such as hardiness zones for certain plants. I grow many plants that it lists as zone 9 to 11, and mine, if perennials, come back every year, even if we had a harsh winter. So I know not to take everything that book says as gospel. :) Now - to just get over to the neighbor's house to take that pic of hers - it's incredible! It looks like a tree!

This should clear the confusion ..... These 2 are not related =)

LOVE-LIES-BLEEDING Amaranthus caudatus (A.melancholicus)
The essence of Victoriana with its pendulous, chenille- like marooncoloured ropes up to 3' in length. Very dramatic. Grown in Britain since the late 1500s. D.S. and thin early. Ht. 2'-4', Sp. 16".


Polygonum Orientale
“Kiss-Me-Over-The-Garden-Gate”
First grown in the US by Thomas Jefferson, “Kiss-Me-Over-The-Garden-Gate” is a spectacular, old-fashioned cottage garden favorite. Fast growing, the thick, sturdy stems rise to 5’ and bear flamboyant, arching, pendulous bright pink, bead like, flower clusters 3”-4” long. Lush, heart-shaped leaves are very pretty. Makes an excellent cut flower too. Rich soil is best. Reseeds!



another one of alice's pics

Here's a picture of a red leafed Amaranth, that was sold as Love Lies Bleeding.

Here's that pic of the Loves Lies Bleeding I gave to my neighbor.