Seed saving & fall planning

[darkcedars]

 I'm trying to get better about saving seeds. This year I really liked a few things that came out of a mixed seed packet from my birthday, so I'm harvesting seeds for next year.  I have a some pink cosmos, bachelor buttons, coreopsis, and malope. The mini marigolds I bought have made tons of good seed heads as well. 

I have a growing list of garden tasks that I want to get done for fall as well.  The area under the burr oak doesn't grow much grass, I'm going to start a bed of hostas under it. 

Comments

[mdehners]

Thumbs up for both;>! I'd been a veg seed saver for yrs but never really thought about ornamentals till I had a number of my fav flowers "discontinued" from vendors so now anything that you can't find at a box store I try to save. This yr the 2 I'm esp wanting to are Dara and Knautia. The Dara unfortunately are considered a treat by my local Deer but they seem to leave those umbels that are starting to turn brown so there is hope. The Knautia is a lovely SHORT(most are as tall as I am)Magenta pompom. It's producing seeds but since it's also the only Knautia blooming this yr the seeds might be duds.....
I used to live in nw florida and found that for lot of what most folks consider standard bedding fare you had to start them in Fall(indoors if they were TA's). Works well for Biannuals too!
Cheers,
Pat

[darkcedars]

Of course if you really like something somdo the deer!

Parents grabbed me some hollyhock seeds off of theirs, if I get them started soon a few might bloom next year.

[mdehners]

Should. We had naturalized Hollyhocks on the property I grew up on and there were always a few that germinated as soon as they hit the ground and some YEARS later(the house had been empty for at least 4 yrs and located in S Utah's high mt desert).
I'm half through fall planting perennials as well as testing out some Wallflowers for Spring blossoming. I've given up on Primroses and Sweet Violets though. The latter shouldn't be a problem because the native Violets are pretty much after grass the main verge veg;>!
Cheers,
Pat

[spiralicious]

Great job on the seed saving. (Or perspective seed saving.) I am horrible about.

That should be lovely.

Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> I'm trying to get better about saving seeds. This year I really liked a few things that came out of a mixed seed packet from my birthday, so I'm harvesting seeds for next year. I have a some pink cosmos, bachelor buttons, coreopsis, and malope. The mini marigolds I bought have made tons of good seed heads as well. <<

That sounds awesome.

I got good seeds from small yellow and orange marigolds.

The tall landrace marigolds in orange to red have been named Shithouse Marigolds by my audience. :D Because they are built like a brick shithouse, they bloom in grass, they survive several frosts, etc.

>> I have a growing list of garden tasks that I want to get done for fall as well. The area under the burr oak doesn't grow much grass, I'm going to start a bed of hostas under it. <<

I have some hostas, and they do well under trees. I also look for native plants. And I have mini-guilds under many of my trees with daffodils, comfrey, wild onion, etc. to attract beneficial insects and discourage pests.

https://www.allaboutgardening.com/plants-under-oak-trees/

https://gardening.org/plants-that-love-dry-shady-conditions/

Look up your state and "soft landing" for native plant suggestions.
https://extension.psu.edu/programs/master-gardener/counties/monroe/news/soft-landings-crucial-habitat-for-pollinators