Angels or Devils

Hello- new to this forum. This is my first year at DG, and my first year growing Datura. LOL- aren't these guys supposed to be upright? My flowers are hanging like Brugs!

I really had to baby these seeds to get a good plant.....

I think this is black currant swirl....these were easy to grow.

Stramonium is a tease. Not very prolific and the flowers don't last long- but the scent is tantalizing!

Hi fauna, nice pictures you have there! This is also my first year trying to grow Daturas without any luck. Seed wise, that is, the plants I ordered by mail are doing fine! Seed wise, not coming up, to make matters worse, I sent some to one of my friends, and hers are already germinating. You say that the Black Currant was easy, well, that is the trouble maker I have! Can't get it! Any pointers to a newbie?? Clemen

Well, I soaked all of mine with Superthrive. Of course, my climate makes it easy, but I also do bury them lightly as opposed to keeping them on top of the soil. I have several other species that I have germinated as well that aren't flowering yet......keep trying! Lots of water and warm temps. Good luck!

Thanks Fauna, what is superthrive? Clemen

It's this hoaky garden supplement that claims to have all these amazing vitamins and benefits for plants. They are exempt from requiring an MSDS, so no one knows for sure what's in it but I am betting it's alfalfa meal extract. Some people are nuts about it and use it for a lot of things, and you can find it at pretty much any garden center. I just use it for accelerating the germination process.

We'll go get it after work. Sounds like a magic product! Clemen

Superthrive is an expensive version of Vit. B1 - use to prevent plant shock from being move around. i do not use superthrive, only Vit. B1 or a tablet of any vitamin B supplement. i don't buy superthrive. i have other things to spend my money on. Vit. B1 is sold on all store selling plants; walmart and home depot have them. it comes in many names too. since i take vitamin B1, i break one pill and dissolve in 1 gal water, always ready when i need them.

planting or gardening is an expensive hobby, u got to watch ur pocket book all the time, i do!

datura is naturally upright, but if it laden with water or dew it will naturally hang down, or if flower is too heavy for a small plant.

the purple is D. metel var black currant swirl

the yellow is D. metel var ballerina or commonly known as triple yellow or Golden Queen

Clem are the seeds u started in direct sun? i am surprise it has not come up yet. all mine are in the ground, some in pots, but all are in direct hot sun of the desert.

Hi Fauna and Mavie, well I did not get Superthrive, was too tired to go to the store, but any way I looked in my garage and I found Bio start, is that similar???? As far as the seeds go, we've had such a cool Spring and that may be that is part of the problem. Anyway, I have new seeds you guys from some angel in Brooklyn that sent them to me today, so what shoudl I do with them???? Fauna, sorry I am asking questions on your thread and you have been so helpfull! Clemen

P.S. Fauna, I love your pics, keep them coming baby!

F4F - very nice job...can't wait till mine get big enough to start blooming....

i do not know Clemen, i am not familiar with Bio start. as long as it prevents plant shock, maybe they are the same.

Yeah, they prevent plant shock, comes in liquid and granules!
Chantell, I agree with you, aren't Fauna's daturas gorgeous???? Clemen

Awwe, you guys are very sweet. It's been a dramatic introduction to a new world since I joined DG- thanks to everyone! About the Biostart- do you have an active ingredient from the label? I suspect that this is one of those "fixing" biological agents. Those tend to be species specific and I am not impressed with them in general nor would they help a bit with germination. Plain white vinegar possibly would serve you better.

CM- temperature is a HUGE factor with tropicals. I've traded seeds with folks and my general response is, if you have been waiting, you haven't been waiting long enough.....I have stuff just drop to the ground and germinate, so it's usually not the seed! Good luck with round 2.

Fauna, the bio stuff is made by the plant tone/ holly tone people ( all natural),will look at the label tomorrow and give you more more info, any way will try to get your wonderfull liquid or ma vies, which is the same, according to her, asap, I need these seeds to come up NOW!!!!!! Love u guys, Clemen

Ok Fauna, here is the composition of the Bio Tone:

feather meal, dehydrated manure, bone meal, alfafa meal, greensand, humates, crab meal, cocoa meal and sulfate of potash magnesia, mmmmmmmmm delicious!

what do you think? I went two two nurseries today and they did not have your stuff or mavies, so I have not planted the seeds yet!
Clemen

It also says it has mycorrhizae, whatever that means!

CM- that product is an organic fertilizer- one that is probably pretty well rounded, too. All those different ingredients are bringing in different sources for the necessary elements for plant growth. And the Mycorrizae are oganisms that "fix" certain nutrients- they sometimes work. But, the product sounds good, and I would not waste that on seeds. You don't have vitamins in your cabinet? Ordinary vitamin B "human" supplements is what MaVie is recommending I believe.

yes I do! Will do that then, Clem

Good luck! Since you like pictures, here's another for you- a "real" angel this time.

Intoxicating!

Fauna, what are you doing to me! Drooling, drooling over them! I wish I lived next to you! OMG, beauties alright! Clemen

Clemen ,

ur Bio start sound like a fertilizer/amendment rather than to aid the plant from shock.
here is an example of B1 http://www.saferbrand.com/landscape/b1plus.asp i've seen this on HD, find it to be expensive. i buy the 1 gal container for less than $5.00

those are nice brugs u have f4f.

Clemen,

i try to find on line what u have for Bio start, could not find any, is this link what u have
http://www.backyardstyle.com/shop/index.php?page=shop-flypage-8538#longdesc ?

Mavie, I keep saying you are a smart owl!!! yes that is the product, Fauna says not to use it, on seeds Can't find her product over here, I think I'll do the vitamin thing! Will try Walmart or HD tomorrow, hopefully they'll have yours or Fauna's! Clemen

P.S faunamore of your pic please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i do not know why u have to sweat what to use with the seed. i use plain water in glass jar. life is simple, don't complicate it. ok? hahahahaha!

use the Vit. B1 when moving plants or propagating.

don't get carried away when u shop. watch ur budget. LOL!

Ok mavie, will follow, but so far, nature itself has not helped!

Ma - which Vit B do you use? Just regular "human" tabs? Then put into soil or mix with water and water with? I know I'm making the simply complicated but if I don't ask I'll end up doing something not too smart...LOL ^_^

Clemen ... take it easy. by nature u know that if u get impatient, the more u get work up. do as i do, ignore those seeds, give them time. how is daily temperature these days? i am curious where u have datura seed planted.

yes, take 1 tablet of any Vit. B1 place in one gal container with water. the tablet should dissolve in the water. use the water w/B1 tablet when u transplant.check this link for more info http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=2148341

at HD, i think they carry the Western brand of Vit. B1, 1 gal container, if memory serves me right is less than $5.00. i can not remember the brand name that Walmart carries. but they do have Vit. B1. u can also buy the tablet, if u do not have any at ur house. it goes a long way without the heavy weight.

We can also be pretty smart in this house when we choose to be. My husband owns an agricultural laboratory, has written 3 books, speaks 3 languages, and plays just about any instrument you can name. Me, I have my own credentials and currently work for a nursery that ships very large plants worldwide.Gardening, however, is about what works for you- homeowner or professional. And products- there are a myriad of them, I won't chase them all down and comment either way, usually, and I know that is probably not helpful to most DG members........however, I think there is too much focus on the "magic" product, when the MOST important thing is simple observation from trial and error based on what works for you in your climate, soil type, insect population, mycorrhizal fixer as it relates to your species and/or specific element that it fixes.....oh, wait, now I just got complicated....... I have never made a strong statement before now to support the vitamin B theory, but I completely suspect that superthrive is chemically nothing more than that. Remember I said that a little white vinegar is also a helpful expedient when soaking seeds. For that matter, soaking in water versus nothing is very helpful (as MaVie and I have both already said.) Another technique I use is to push my seeds into the water when they float- kind of a stir it up approach. You'll see the little difference that is helpful for Daturas- they don't need more than 4 to 8 hours of soaking, and you'll see little white "tails" develop on the seed where there were none before. Plant them soon after that happens!

By the way, I know I talk in terms of chemistry and chemical classes and such. My favorite "organic" fertilizer products are humus extracts and worm composts. I love the concept of compost tea extracts and most are good ones although the risk is high soluble salts. Be careful of products with seaweed composts- there is an unregulated risk of high metals- very bad all around in the event that it happens.

Don't usually have the time for many pics- but this week has been the exception. I am grateful someone has enjoyed them!

And, if you really just aren't good with seeds, come visit us in the plant trading forum when you are ready and 'equipped.' We'll take care of you that way, too!

Ma Vie.... we got cross posted- somewhere during that diatribe!

Ma and F4F: I've meant to post about this product for months now and keep forgetting so "now's" the time. Any thoughts, good or bad, on TerraCycle's products i.e.: http://www.terracycle.net/granular_fertilizer.htm
http://www.terracycle.net/tropical.htm (although this one I've not seen locally)

Here's another company that makes those products: http://www.wormgold.com/

And there is one here in FL that I do see at the Mount's Botanical Garden sale although I can't think of the company right now. Usually these are very very good products. I used a dry formulation of worm castings in one of the planters I relandscaped and I've got to tell you that I haven't seen Golden Mound duranta anywhere yet bigger than mine. The only possible variable factor is WHAT you are feeding the worms to make the castings, and the company in FL sends in samples for analysis from time to time to check up on the QC.

Thanks for the info - I've sent an email to inquire about east coast availability

Here is the other vendor in FL that I was thinking of:

http://www.ourvitalearth.com/

Going to peek at that now...