There’s so much to do this time of year that the days are a blur! But my garlic is all planted out now, and I’m working on seed collecting as well. I’ve got my propagation presentation this Monday, sadly light on the memes so far (but working on it, if anyone has asexual-plant-reproduction-adjacent memery to offer).
What’s growing on with you all?
Some of my sunflowers are getting to the point where I can harvest their seeds. That’s super exciting because it’s my first time collecting seeds. This’ll sound very dumb, but until earlier this year, I thought sunflower seeds were a bit like apples and grew out of the little things that bees collect pollen from, but then I saw that the seeds grew underneath the pollen. I always thought I had seedless sunflowers. I’ll leave plenty of seeds for the birds, but growing sunflowers from seeds that I harvested myself sounds so cool, and I’m really looking forward to spring now.
First time here as well! Currently away on a trip and hoping that when I get back the sunflowers will be ready and the birds will have left some for me.
I was just visiting New Mexico, and I enjoyed seeing all the wild sunflowers growing everywhere in the desert.
What did you think of NM? And where were you? (I am South of Albuquerque)
I am going to be harvesting wild sunflower seeds as soon as I can to hopefully plant as a privacy barrier in my yard next year.
I was in NM for work and didn’t get to explore too much, but I definitely got some great night skies! Desert ecologies are always interesting to visit as someone from the northeast, I especially liked seeing a bit of the riparian ecosystem around the Rio Grande.
I’m definitely doubling the number of sunflowers I plant next year! Might try some of the varieties that have multiple blooms as well, as fun as the mammoth ones are.
That’s fantastic, great job! Growing plants from seeds you’ve collected yourself is one of the coolest things I know of, and it’s one of the healthiest addictions around.