CLOSED: Free Seed for Newbies!! Come on in!! New Thread 4-20-2009

Ok canna seed need to be roughed up then planted.soaking is ok too but do need roughing.
Hosta seed is a grueling thing to start. It takes a lot of heat to get them going and then you have to really baby them to keep them live after they start up.The ones I started I had on a heat mat for about 2 weeks b4 they started but they didn't last after I took them off the mat so I guess you would have to leave them on it for awhile. Then my Sister tried starting just like a regular way and hers never came up and they were some of the same seed I had used so, just try and use your own judgement.

This is mekos- I just found my way back. I'm game for the mystery seed thing. I have seeds coming out my head. Where do we send them? Do we just address them what zone we live in that grew them?? Then you send them on to others in a similar zone? Let me know all the particulars. I could also do clipping plants for cuttings but I'm not good with rooting stuff. Except gardenia. I can root gardenia blooms. But everyone would know what it was because thats all I can root!?! LOL

Can anyone explain to me HOW to root hybrid roses? I don't know my way around here yet. I do have D_MAIL though.

Hi Mekos,
I am glad you found your way back we hate to have people get lost in garden cyberspace!! The roses any kind I hear will root they have to be kept moist not wet some prefer the baggie method and some under a mason jar. It takes a long time. If you put a clipping in a semie shaded spot outside and put a mason jar over it and leave it for the season even if you think it isnt working just leave it. Check when the season it over maybe youll have roots. In a baggie you can see the roots when they start to form.
As for the swap we are still at the intrest stage I think we got only three that are interested so far. I thought we should give it another week and see who else might want to join. I will start a new thread later this weekwed or thurs this one is getting long , if anyone has dial up it is probably taking a long time for you to get it loaded.
I dont like to start a new thread because newbies sometimes get lost that way if the old thread doesnt get posted they think it dissapeared and cant find the new one becasue it doesnt just show up on your home page anymore. It will eventually after you have posted on it. So any new people that are looking and not talking say hello and the thread will show up for you.
I see some of you posting and trading on other forms its great to see you get involved. THere are some great trade lists out there!! We should be able to keep this newbue gift going for some time!!
Still looking for birs of paridise the last time I was in Florida I saw them on every corner this time I have seen not one. Go figure!!
There are some beautiful flowers here though there is a tree here that blossoms in several different colors Ill post a picture they are stunning they have a long leathery seed pod if only I could reach one!! I have no idea what it is but it is beautiful. THere is also what looks like eucalyptus growing tree size it is stunning too. Flowers here in every color of the rainbow. The only thing showing at home is daffodils so this is a real treat.
Talk to you all soon,
Robin

Sounds wonderful :) I sure wish the weather was warmer here. It was 20C/68F yesterday and it is supposed to be 25C/77F today, so it is getting warmer, but tomorrow is only supposed to be 6C/42.8F. -_-

I would be game for a swap if it is seeds or if the border won't cause too many problems with live plants (and it doesn't take too long to get here).

ookay. I got my newbie packet a few days ago, and i gots lots of questions...LOL

1) I received a pack of Hosta seeds that looks as if its labeled 'Bagoe'. I cant seem to find any info on it and could be misreading the handwriting, so if anyone can tell me if its actually something else, that would be great.

2) Fish pepper.. never heard of it. Gonna add it to my veggie garden tho and pray they germinate. Anyone else with experience growing these?

3) Orange Amaryllis Seed: do I just stick these in the ground ? I thought Amaryllis had to be grown from a bulb???

4) Cannas. I understand you have to soak and nick the seed. but what to do after that? plant in container or put directly in ground?

ok, thats enough questions for now...LOL

Cue_chik, click on the following like for some information and photos of the fish pepper from plantfiles: http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/54799/

They are tasty, hot, and quite prolific. This is my second year growing them, and I'm a big fan. I would take a photo of my current batch of seedlings to show to you, but my camera is charging right now. However, they are a variegated pepper (both the leaves and the peppers themselves), so when your seedlings start showing weird white patches on the leaves, don't worry. Start seed like any other pepper (let us know if you need any tips)...and enjoy :-).

Starting Amaryllis from seed: http://www.donnan.com/amaryllis.htm
Starting Cannas from seed: http://www.organicgardening.com/feature/0,7518,s-2-28-787,00.html

Hope this helps :-)

wow, 3 - 5 years before the Amaryllis reaches bloom? *faints* I dunno if I'm quite that patient!

Thanks for the info links tho! very informative.

Arejay59 you are such a sweetheart going to all that trouble for me. I love plants that are not common around here and have unusual blooms. Thus the orchid tree, Mexican bird of paradise, Florida orchid,I've never ever seen or heard of anything before except the bird of paradise. No where can I find anything like it around here and no hope of going there and do not know anyone there. So this garden site is amazing for me to trade and swap to get things normally out of my dreams. I have a green house so I can winter over any tropicals. I'm 55 and health isn't great so I'd love to get plants I may be able to see bloom in my life time. This is wonderful. By the way-still pouring rain here.

OH yea, I'll gladly make pumpkin pies for the mail people. or send seeds.HAHA

I have a quilting friend that has the pink orchid tree, growing in her front yard (they come in pink, white and lavender). The pods weren't developed enough before I left to harvest, but she is going to save some for me. I am going to start some of these and will be happy to provide plants in a couple of years time. My citrus seedlings are between 2 and 3
years old and are getting about 4 foot tall. I hope to get Meyer's lemons and Key limes off my trees next spring. I have never seen seeds on the orange bird of Paradise plants, most divide the clump to get new plants. I also have two different nuns orchids. They are growing in the ground in a raised bed. I have never tried to divide, but will look it up.

Hi everyone,
Thanks for the great welcome. Arejay, I am sending my envie this week. I have no clue how to grow from seeds, but I am gonna learn. If you have some advice, I would love some. My land is all steep hills. On one half I have blazing sun all day that kills everything, and on the other I have shade all day and poor drainage. Behind my house is a forest that I fight back every year. I even have a machete. I have 2 gardens now. Shade in the back, full of Hellebore and Toad Lily - and roses and herbs in the front cause they love that crazy sun. Thanks again for caring about us beginners.

Arejay59, Do you think you could find a stictocardia vine (any color) while you are there in Florida for me? Mekos

Mekos, do you think those things you're looking for could be found at a nursery here in FL? I can look around for you- just dmail me a list of stuff you're thinking can be found in FL. :D

This is the only vine I have seen so far. I leave today, but if I see it Ill wrap it up!!

Have a great day everyone. Headed back to Maine.
Robin

I was blundering around last night at some forum and they were saying that the vines are in full bloom in Florida right now. But I can't find my way back there. Sorry. But thanks anyway. Mekos

Hi everyone. DG folks are great! Arejay, I'll be sending my envie today. I don't have much experience with seeds but I'm ready to start learning. I've got a shade garden that I've had for a couple of years now and, thanks to some of the forums here, I started a butterfly and hummingbird garden this year. Thanks so much for helping us newbies.

I received my envie yesterday and was thrilled with the selection of seeds! Thanks arejay59 for coordinating this and everyone who contributed!

Arejay59, need you address again, I have seeds for the newbies. Send d-mail if you want, I just need to know where to mail them to. Mekos

Thank You Mekos you have dmail
The address exchange is here http://davesgarden.com/address_exchange/
Robin

I'd like to thank everyone from Dave's garden site for helping me so much. I was just told by my dr. I was on the verg of a stroke. High bloodpressure and high cholesterol with severe arthritis in my hands knees back and base of my head. I'm always in constant pain. I found this site and got busy little by little working planting and going out more, not only does my yard look better but it has helped my health as well. I feel so much better, enjoy my yard more, my neighbors enjoy my yard more and it's all thanks to you . Such nice people from all over that stopped to help someone they didn't even know. Thank you,EVERYONE that's helped me and everyone else that needed help. Mekos

mekos, I am glad that this has helped you. I know that just getting out and keeping as busy as you feel like with out killing yourself is good for everyone. I too have a bad back and joint pain and it does sometimes hurt me but I know that if I let it, it would eventually get me down to where I couldn't do anything And you can work out the frustrations in the garden and that helps keep blood pressure down LOL
Good Health and Gardening to you. Have faith.

I am glad your here Mekos many of us are right where you are. Keep digging.
Robin
Hi Flower!!

Hey there girl !!!!

Arejay59,

A few days ago I sent an envelope with seeds for newbies to you. I hope you can use them...I think it's such a nice thing you're doing. I wish I could have sent homegrown ones, but I just don't have much that seeds.

Hi Sunshine,
I did not get them yet but I will post when I do. Any seeds are great next year you will have homegrown and we will have all new newbies!!
Thank You
Robin

Hi, everyone. I am new (2nd day, I think), and have just finished reading this thread. I will soon put together my envy wish list, but I have a couple questions, since the only plant I have ever grown from seeds is Morning Glory.

Is there a best time of year to plant seeds?
Where should I store my seeds until I am ready to plant (cool, dark location?) and will they keep indefinitely?
Is there any prep work that needs to be done to the seeds, like soaking, nicking the shells?
Do the seeds need to be sprouted in containers first, or can they go straight into the ground?
Are there some seeds that should NOT be attempted by newbies?

I suppose much of this depends on the seeds I request/receive. Should I just google "Starting _____ from seed" and go from there?

This is all very exciting! Last year we went from two scraggly yews in the front of the house to several lush gardens containing leucothoe, kalmia angustifolia, astilbe, kirengeshoma palmata, hydrangeas (hortensia and lacecap), pieris, viburnum, rhododendrons, ilex glabra, enkianthus, cercis candadnsie 'Forest Pansy', clethra alnifolia, and more clematis and perennials than I can count! I did it all myself, and I instantly developed a deep respect and admiration for people who do this for a living because my knees and wrists felt like they were going to fall off.

I also look forward to the possibility of local swaps. I don't have any seeds to share, but I have several items in my garden that came from my mother's garden, which I think is the nicest way to grow a plant. I have enough Geranium macrorrhizum 'Bevan's' to cover the ground of everyone here! OK, I exaggerate, but I have enough to share with neighbors and plunk in the woods and on the stone wall behind my house.

peony8,

Alot of what you get in seed will depend on your zone and what grows best for you. Some seed require nicking and some soaked and some sown directly in the ground. My suggestion is when you get your seed just look them up and find out when to plant and which are maybe indoors or what ever the requirements are for that particular plant.

I will have to say after you get all your seed started you will have seed to share, that is what makes the seed giving a lot of fun. You have nothing to start with and then you have gobs to share with everyone later.

If you want go to the Swaps, Round Robin forum and you will find all kinds of people that are swapping all the time.

There is all kinds of stuff going on at DGs any given time of day !!!!

Have fun and enjoy the site.
Happy Gardening and a big WELCOME to our corner of the gardening World.
flowerfantasy

Wow Peony sounds like a beautiful garden you have!! We will all be watching for your trade list to go up !!
Robin

I look forward to it, too!

The following is a mini slide show of before and just after planting last spring. I need to go back outside and get some new picture to add to this album because the viburnums have grown at least 18 inches, and the clethra are putting up shoots in different locations (I guess they spread by suckering).

http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y192/skwpt/garden/?albumview=slideshow

Since putting in the garden in the front yard and the backyard shrub border, I created new gardens on either side of my shed, expanded the garden on the southwest side of the house and put new gardens in the shade beneath the stonewall that borders our yard from the woods.

So I should have seeds and cuttings galore to share and trade!

Hi everyone,
Just a couple of things...lol funny right coming from me? I can talk forever right.. that's what you all said tell the truth. First I am recuperating I promise I will be back on my game next week. The trip wore me out. I have moved very slow. Tuesday is coming and I will get to the post office rain , sleet or snow.
Second , I have a couple of people looking for Spanish flag. Does anyone have any? Dmail me if you do. ok? see short and sweet .
Robin
Peony 8 I am off to see your garden!!

Peony,
Wonderful job beautiful. Keep the pictures coming.
Robin

beautiful job Peony. very lovely garden.

Thank you. Pretty soon I will have no grass left in the yard. I wonder how long it will take to fill a third of an acre with flowers and shrubs!

NOT long with this site! These are some of the most awsome, generous people you will EVER find to help ID and Share plants. Bless you all. Who ever thought this site up deserves a plak of a flower to put in their garden of an ANGEL. WHO is she?!? Mekos

Dave is the Develope of this site and it IS the most AWESOME SITE!!!!!

LOL, Im almost to the 'No Grass Left To Speak of" stage in my backyard. I prefer to call them 'pathways of grass'...lol. literally takes 5 minutes to mow.

SORRY DAVE. YOU deserve the statue from all of the users here. HOW about we start a fund for a statue for Dave? We all that can send a dollar and some one that knows the info for Dave, lives close by ,gets the money, goes to buy it and deliver it from us. WHO's on the bus?!? Mekos