Salvia Uliginosa Seeds wanted

I would love to try Salvia Uliginosa, but I cannot find any seed for sale anywhere. If anyone has any to spare I would be very grateful and willing to offer a range of seeds (mostly perennial) in exchange.

 

I have one of those - lovely tally wavy flowers of bright blue, and whilst the flowers have been damaged by the frost it is still green - but that means can't collect the seed - but as its been there for a few years now, may be able to break a bit off and send it with seeds of I'm due to send you - ruellia etc. One of the seed pods of snow on the mountain has opened and I got a few seeds (due to plant failure, I had to collect them a bit earlier than I would have liked).

You'd better e-mail me your address and I'll get them off to you before the xmas mail rush.

 

PeterS I got you mixed up with t'other Pete, sorry. I still have Salvia Uliginosa if you want me to try and break off a piece.

 

Hi Fran, I'm after perennials to fill the bank where the Elm tree is (the poorly one)so if you have a spare piece....

 

Hi Fran. Please accept my sincere apologies for not replying earlier. Whilst I look every day at the general discussion, I have only just looked at this topic again, and so did not see your kind offer.

Shortly after posting this I found a Salvia forum on a US board, and put the question there. A very kind gentleman Robin Middleton - quite a specialist in Salvias, who lives in the UK, replied and has since sent me some seed. So hopefully I am OK - but thanks again for the offer.

However this does raise the wider topic of exchanging or passing on seed. A forum such as this is an excellent window. Having been a recipient of someone's kindness the least I can do is to help someone else. I know that seed exchanges exist but sometimes you might be looking for something specific or out of the ordinary, and the person who has that may often not want the kind of seeds that you have.

Any ideas how we could tackle this? Is it easier to encourage people to publish want lists. Whilst I have 100 or more plants in my garden, I do not collect seed from many of them, but would be willing to do so if someone wanted something.

Paladin, do you still want some seeds. I have only a few seeds of my own, but I have some old half used packets of RHS and bought seed that have been kept in a fridge. Contact me.

 

PeterS, I think your idea of people publishing a "want list" is great, I am in the same frame of mind as you, I dont normally collect seed, but am willing to do so if I have something somebody wants.

 

Glad to hear you got your seeds its a lovely salvia. In respect of a "want list" I would agree that would be useful, but expand it to rooted/or even non rooted (if kept moist) cuttings as well. They transport easily and fast as long as its not xmas time :D

I have plants that have been sent from the states both as rooted and unrooted cuttings and thats a 5 day minimum - as indeed have my friends in the states from me. Maybe a how to a) collect seed and b) how to take and transport cuttings would be useful?

 

i m not sure about collecting seed... living in scotland i feel the growing season is quite short.........

 

Dont tell DEFRA Fran.

 

I won't - but I am also very careful - as are my stateside friends - to send bare rooted, washed off and checking the type of plant.

Paladin - sorry I didn't see your post, my apologies. I'll see if I can divide a bit off for you. If I can - I'll let you know, and you can e-mail me your address. I thought you were going to fill the gap from your departed golden elm with another tree?

 

Fran. I am fascinated by the concept of sending rooted and unrooted cuttings by post. I have only ever considered seeds by post to be practical, and even then never actually sent any out. When I started 3 years ago I bought 28 packets of seed and raised them on my diningroom table. They subsequently turned into 700 or 800 young plants, which is a great way of filling up a totally empty razed garden. But I had a lot left over, it never occured to me that they could be swapped by post.

Can you tell us some more - or give us a link.

 

This is an excellent idea! I grow lots of seeds and hate throwing away the excess plants [I wish I could get smaller packets!]. I'm also always collecting seeds as I don't like to see anything go to waste. :rolleyes:

 

Fran, having read all the learned advice offered during that dry period I decided to water the Elm and kept the hose on it for several days then I cut out the dead wood. Now it's up to nature,so watch this space :confused:

The grass bank is a little bare and I'm trying to cover the areas between the shrubs so all offers are welcome

 

Paladin - have managed to seperate a rooted bit, and its currently in pot, so e-mail me your address and I will send it to you after xmas.

PeterS -I can tell you what has worked for me within the UK, - and a method used by a friend. Outside the UK, I am careful to wash the roots, stems and leaves to remove any risk of tranporting pests etc, and am careful of the plants I send.

Rooted cuttings within the UK I send intact - I wrap the rooted area with damp kitchen toweling, (my friend used spagnum moss) then wrap that in cling film - leaving the stem and leaves exposed. Then I feed the cutting into a loo roll and pack into a box leaving the ends open. If too big for a loo roll I use a box - but then I carefully secure the plant in the box to prevent it moving, and carefully pack round with bubble wrap or newspaper. First class post works fine, but if its important that its fast, I use same day delivery.

With unrooted cuttings, I wrap the base of the stem in the same way and take a number of cuttings grouped together - but I also cut all foliage in half to lessen the loss of water. With these I always use same day delivery.

My friends in the states have sent me both rooted and unrooted cuttings in zip lock bags, and flat cardboard envelopes, so they get a bit flattened - but I have had success with these too.
Hope that helps

[ 11. December 2005, 04:21 PM: Message edited by: Fran ]

 

Thanks for the advice Fran. It is very logical, I think the key extra element is the loo roll for protection. My problem is that I find cuttings a bit hit and miss without even sending them through the post. But I suspect the hits were mostly at the right time of year and the misses were at the wrong time. But that's for another thread I think.