....perennials are easy from seed, too! This is a fringed Dianthus hyb. 'Rainbow Loveliness" that I started indoors...
...very fringe-y.....
...even cute un-opened, IMO.
My windowboxes were a combo of veggies, herbs and annuals. This one is tomato 'High Carotene', purple basil, italian oregano, evening scented stocks, and jasmine tobacco.
This one is the "mirror image" of the other, kind of a "symmetry obsession" I have with these planters (happens every year, what can I say :)
This plant often comes up in weedy places and roadsides up here, wild cucumber ....
....at the end of the season the seed pods look as though something has dug into them (unless you happen to notice how the bottom is curled back). Upon closer inspection....
....aha! Never ceases to amaze me how well-equipped plants are to handle their own propagation-"launch bays open...eject progeney!" (Or something like that :)
This jewelweed was very happy last season and got quite tall...
...like seven feet!
This tobacco near the door was in too much shade to bloom, but it grew quite well. It seemed to respond especially happily when I dumped my cold coffee into the soil (cream and sugar to boot). I'd read that many plants like coffee, so "cigarettes and coffee" seemed appropriate to me. (Nicotania=tobacco=cigarettes....that's Miss "Super Dork" to you! :)
The direct-sown morning glories were completely un-enthused with the cool summer weather...
....much as other bloggers find them to be rather invasive self-sowers, I'd like to have a bunch of volunteers. 
The window boxes grew well and got interesting as the season wore on...
.....and the stocks bloomed non-stop! They smelled terrific, but the fragrance didn't waft in through my window fan as much as I'd hoped.
The previously mentioned cypress vine was a hit this year, apparently with this cool worm as well.
My moss rose that were direct-sown just didn't have enough time, and a frost killed it off before these buds could open. This year, I'm bringing the planter indoors to sow it under lights for a running start.
Too bad, it would have been pretty (not to mention a germination champ-this was old seed!)
The zinnia 'Benary's Giant Lime' never got to be a pom-pom shape, but it was pretty nonetheless...
...this cute celosia was the most amazing success story. The was seed purchased in 2000, and all I did to "help" was soak it overnight before planting early under lights.
Seeds are incredible.
Too bad, it would have been pretty (not to mention a germination champ-this was old seed!)
The zinnia 'Benary's Giant Lime' never got to be a pom-pom shape, but it was pretty nonetheless...
...this cute celosia was the most amazing success story. The was seed purchased in 2000, and all I did to "help" was soak it overnight before planting early under lights.
Seeds are incredible.
10 comments:
Wild cucumber along with bur cucumber is a common sight around here. They have a habit of climbing over everything in sight. I like them so I don't yoink them all out.
Your Jewelweed looks lonely. My wet garden gets overwhelmed by them but it's easy to thin them out. They yoink easily. I collected some Yellow Jewelweed seed downstate last year and will add them to the mix this year.
Some of my best plants are "invasive self sowers" in other gardens. Here, the dryness, salty soil, and cold winters balance things out.
Ya gotta love projectile seed dispersal! Also love the fringed Dianthus. Did you happen to put in the collard and mustard greens into the seed swap? I'm tickled to try those, think they will be great!
Very nice!
Wiseacre-I would never yoink either of the wild cukes or the jewelweed, they are too desireable IMO. The jewelweed in particular, as the anti-itch benefits of rubbing juicy stems on skin irritations is proven (to me, by me :)
Laurel-I have a similar situation...I think my extremely cold winters are the equalizer/stablizer.
Monica-Aren't the jewelweed seed capsules a hoot?! I can't take credit for the swap seeds....I ordered those same ones for myself this year :) I hope they grow great for you!
Sheila-Thank you! :)
Wow all these cold zone people doing so well with seeds. I have failed so often, but now I am beginning to feel ashamed!
Aw heck, no room in gardening for shame! I've heard it said that you should kill a plant at least three times before you give up trying to grow it...seeds are even cheaper to murder :)
I have a vine that looks identical to your wild cucmber. The skin on the fruit looks the same right down to the pattern, but it doesn't have spikes. It grows to the size of a large grape and if you let it, it will grow over top of everything. The birds love it and they plant it everywhere. The leaves look exactly like the leaves of your plant. I wonder if it's in the same family?
v.
I'd bet a quick 50 it IS related! This one rambles and scrambles too, and I've seen similar varieties in seed catalogs, sold as "decorative cucumbers". I just think they're super-cool, even if they aren't edible or serve a "purpose".
BTW...I feel kinda "Duh" about Monica's comment....I realized all this time later she was talking about the cuke seeds and not the jewelweed. Sometimes I seem to forget that y'all AREN'T in my head with me. My bad :)
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