Sowing Because You Can

I struggled with a title for this one but its on the propagation theme.

Ive harvested a few seeds this year from plants that will do ok next year and I also want to use again / more of in the garden (mina lobata, ligularia etc).

I'm about to plant some seeds from our Foxtail Lily. This seems about the right time to plant (autumn, winter stratification with germination next year).

I don't really need any more so will probably end up giving most away, plus the plant wont flower until year 2.

I have the space to do this and will have more space next year when the agaves are planted out.

Ive also got 20+ (and increasing) Indian bean Tree seedlings coming on and I don't need another tree.

Am I the only one planting seeds because they are there ?

 

No - not the only one. The birds have been doing just the same thing all over the place here

 

Not so much sown because I can but sown because nows the time to sow;

• Fritillaria imperialis
• Asphodeline lutea
• Digitalis laevigata
• Bomarea edulis
• Lilium formosana
• Salvia forrskoallii
• Salvia dolichantha
• Salvia glutinosa

I'm also experimenting with Canna paniculata. It has self seeded freely so I suspect that sowing now and subjecting to winter cold may be less hassle than scarification.

@andrews - Bomarea edulis is a cracking vine and maybe worthy of consideration for your exotic bed.............
Bomarea edulis by longk48, on Flickr

Bomarea edulis by longk48, on Flickr

 

This is all I need

Encouragement to buy even more seeds

Great looking plant - I'll try and sneak some more seeds in​

 

After years and years of sowing seeds of all kinds of stuff I've eventually managed to put a lid on it, and now tend to only plant seeds of stuff I really want.
Which is not that much really, as I dont have the space for much more without getting rid of old friends.

 

@andrews - sadly, sowing far too many seeds is an addiction. Some people buy shoes, I order seeds, or gather seedpods, or get people to bring them back from holiday. And unfortunately I end up with too many young plants to look after. I wish I could be like @pete but it is too tempting. And think of the challenge!

 

It took me 40 yrs to get to this stage.

 

But @pete - I've been sowing seeds over 50 years - I'm a lost cause.

 

Oh! what a relief. I thought I was the only one with a problem. Yes, been there done that. Got the tee shirt. Perhaps some members used to smoke. I did. Yes I found it the hardest thing to give up. I managed it back in the 1980's thanks to a severe dose of shingles.

Garden thankfully is so much more pleasant, but it does come with some vices. Excuse the pun, but it grows on you. At whatever stage in your horticultural interest, the urge gets you. The desire to grow your own. Somehow it perhaps give you the feeling of being a creator.

So, being aware of possible failures, we counteract that by over sowing. Hey- ho a good year and practically every seed germinated. Yes some seed is difficult to germinate. However the critical time is from here on in. Nursing and cultivating the new plants.

Laugh. I once imagined what it might be like to have a garden that contained at least ONE of every plant available. Wake up Mike. Take more water with it. It has to be a personal matter at the end of the day. I bet you will continue to sow more than you need. It's in your blood.