I collected loads of seed heads this year from various types of pansies and violas, mixed them all up and sowed them in big seed trays then planted them out when they had reached about 4 inches of growth but not yet in flower. It's been great because normally I'm pretty OCD'ish about my colour-schemes but this year I've deliberably let myself not know what colour or size I was planting out and the mix 'n match has created some lovely unique baskets and displays. Sometimes being random is surprisingly good.
If you don't cut the flowerheads off they turn into a star-shaped husk full of seeds. I leave them until they have dried enough to turn dark, then scrape the seeds into an envelope. If I'm being anal, I mark each envelope (acid-free) individually but this year I just did one big mixed bag and planted randomly. The germination rate seems to be as good/bad as bought seeds. The fun bit is that even if you keep the seeds seperate they might not grow exactly the same as the parent plant but they are free and even if they are different, I've learned to embrace the difference!
That's what I did, I picked lots of pods, put them in one big paper bag, dried them on top of the boiler and they burst inside the bag. loads of seeds. I got some trailing ones from a friend. like to see if those make it next year.
Posts
just ordered some online
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
should i be dead heading them, due to a few in the hanging baskets looking like the heads have turned to seed??
I do unless they're in beds where I want them to self seed
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
THANKS DOVE
Planted my new ones last night in a big pot so hopefully they will get themselves settled in
I collected loads of seed heads this year from various types of pansies and violas, mixed them all up and sowed them in big seed trays then planted them out when they had reached about 4 inches of growth but not yet in flower. It's been great because normally I'm pretty OCD'ish about my colour-schemes but this year I've deliberably let myself not know what colour or size I was planting out and the mix 'n match has created some lovely unique baskets and displays. Sometimes being random is surprisingly good.
I know this sounds silly but how do you collect the seeds?
If you don't cut the flowerheads off they turn into a star-shaped husk full of seeds. I leave them until they have dried enough to turn dark, then scrape the seeds into an envelope. If I'm being anal, I mark each envelope (acid-free) individually but this year I just did one big mixed bag and planted randomly. The germination rate seems to be as good/bad as bought seeds. The fun bit is that even if you keep the seeds seperate they might not grow exactly the same as the parent plant but they are free and even if they are different, I've learned to embrace the difference!
Hi MACAVITYTHECAT
That's what I did, I picked lots of pods, put them in one big paper bag, dried them on top of the boiler and they burst inside the bag. loads of seeds. I got some trailing ones from a friend. like to see if those make it next year.
Hi All you Viola lovers . Have just joined .
Thanks to DOVEFROMABOVE for including The National Society Web Site on an earlier post..
Quite a few people visited this from his message.
I will be following your thoughts as to what people like so much about the flower