Repetition

Like most other years, the first week of March brings with it the first snowdrops (early forms) and the hope for the spring’s arrival. It is always an exciting time when we are eager to start working in our gardens. Until possible to do so, plans are being made and (too many) seeds are sown.
After watching many nice plants pictures over the winter some people might also purchase seeds on an impulse.

Most seeds orders from  late February and March always have in common a combination of species: warm and cold germinators. It is nothing wrong about it, but it is important to know how to proceed for best results. Good timing for sowing is very important; please review a previous post if needed:
Timing the sowing in the spring.

Also like in most other years, at this time I use the Hot water treatment on a few species from the Fabaceae family. Please access the link provided, if you want to know more about this easy to apply germination treatment (and related posts): FAQ – Hot water treatment.

On my list this year: Hedysarum boreale, Astragalus missouriensis, Lupinus perennis and  Dalea purpurea (Purple prairie clover).

All these native species would make good additions to my garden: drought resistant, pollinator magnets, and set to improve the soil, like all other legume plants do.

The Purple prairie clover seeds are supposed to germinate at room temperature without additional treatments, but I never germinated it before and it is best to double check it (I will sow few seeds with and without the HWT treatment).

 

Also, on the account of a Fridays seeds – an image with Dalea purpurea ‘seeds’. In this case, the seeds (and pods) remain enclosed in their fuzzy calyces and are sowed as such, in most cases. I would use the HWT the same. I removed a few of the actual seeds just for the demonstration purpose only.