My Salpiglossis...

Thought I would post some photos from my garden last year... these were my pride and joy!

And another...

And a closeup...

Okay... just ONE more...

Hi Zarebeth!

Those are beautiful! I love the depth of color. What is the common name of these flowers? Did you start from seed?

Toni


This message was edited Apr 30, 2005 9:53 PM

Painted Tongue... they are the "Kew Blue" variety and I think I got the seeds from Select Seed. I saved some of those seeds, and planted some left over from last year. I guess I will see if they come true - and have some blue ones for sure! I LOVED these! I guess they are supposed to fade in heat and humidity, but we had a terribly mild summer (cool - yuk), but they bloomed all summer long until frost.

It's too late for me to start from seed. I wonder if my local nursery would have these? I'm going to check with them tomorrow.

How tall do they get? Do you start indoors or direct sow?

Thanks
T.

I had to start them indoors about 10 weeks before last frost date - our summers are WAY too short... I start everything from seed except bulbs. I have seen some at the local nurseries, but not this variety. Some of the colors are very garish, but I loved the blue - try to find one that is already blooming so you can see the color. I planted them with light blue forget me nots (huge mistake - billions of seedlings everywhere!) and yellow rocket snaps. They got about 2-1/2 feet tall.

Well the "Kew Blue" is definitely going on my seeds order list for next year. The height sounds ideal. Hopefully my nursery will carry these. I'll even take the garish ones!

I may have some to trade, if you are interested! They are prolific seeders. I only wish I knew I was going to join this list and be involved with trading... I would have saved more!

Hey Zarebeth...check your mail.

T.

Have you been able to get any fromm seed succesfully -- every year I buy them (because I LOVE them- I get the bolero mix) and I have such a hard time with germination --packet says needs dark to germinate abut they never seem to go for me until they hit light and then only pitifully... HELP!

I use an APS-24 from Gardner's Supply, and I get great germination rates. The ones above I started from seed last year, and I have a good crop this year - 6 from the saved seeds and 6 from last year's seed. The only thing that didn't grow were the fuschias (planted 10, got one healthy and one pitiful) and the Alstroemeria (0% - probably not chilled properly).

I usually put a towel over them and keep them away from the lights until the first couple come up, then I move them under the lights.

Kew Blue is beautiful, but what I'd really like to see is a gold-veined blue. Does anyone offer this?

Zarebeth,
Those are so pretty.
I planted Painted Tongues this winter too. It was a very long haul for them tho.
I had a heck of a time with germination too as Mysticwill says. I put them the seeds on top of the soil according to a seed book, kept them in the dark until they came up, but it took them forever to ever do anything. I finally ended up with 12 plants left at the end. They are in my garden now. Haven't bloomed yet.
I loved the picture of them so I really wanted them to grow, but....
It has been a very cool summer here in Oregon too. So I would have thought that would help them get going. I had just bought some seed from Lilly Miller and tried that. Maybe I need to get better seed? I don't know what colors mine will be.
I will have to see if I can get any seed this fall.
So thanks for posting a picture of them. Always wonderd how they looked in the garden.
Will have to post my pictures if they ever bloom!
Carol

Hmmm, I don't really have any problems starting them, I always get lots. Even with last years' seeds! And the seeds I collected from the ones in the photos above came true, and are the same lovely indigo.

I have tried Salpiglossis for the past 2 seasons and had better luck this year. I ordered the Royale Mix seeds and did pretty much what everyone else has done, only our summers are longer so the indoor seedling time is only about 6 – 7 weeks. I have found with the hot humid summers here, they will need more water than what many plant guides recommend. These get full sun almost all day.

Do you think they would take the high heat and humidity of Baltimore? They are gorgeous!

Well, they take the high heat and humidity of Minneapolis, so I would say probably so. But they may fade a little faster than in cooler climates.

I think Zarebeth is spot-on. If they can survive in Raleigh, NC, they’ll do about the same in Baltimore. As Zarebeth said, however, they may not last as long as in MN. I’ll hopefully get about a month of blooms here.