Trying some this year for first time. Do you scarify them? I am finding conflicting info. I am gonna try some on wet paper towels in baggys on top my water heater. I have some coffee seeds there now.

I haven't. . Looking forward to your results

I haven't either.

Karen

Black tea? No have never tried to grow it.
What is the plant?

Camelia sinensis? Have wanted to do this also. Where did you obtain the seed, David? Will be interesting to read your reports!

@DavidLMO this is an interesting tutorial in pdf form ...Germinating Tea Seeds (Camellia sinensis) - ctahr

Sounds like you are on the right track. The seeds look larger than what I expected. If I am thinking of the right plant

I was thinking of trying this with Camellia sinensis myself, they are probably hardy here and I thought it would be really fun to make my own tea! However this does look like an instance of "ignoring zones altogether", so if it works maybe we could do a swap for something if you get good germination. The "real" Camellia shrubs are blooming here now, quite a show.

Mary's PDF:
http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc...

YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

Purchase & How-To. 10 seeds for $8
https://narien.com/product/tea...

Never have tried it, but am really intrigued by it. Hope David will post his results.

@RickCorey
I'm so tempted!

Yes -- Camelia sinensis.

All tea - black, green, white etc comes from the same plant - simply treated differently and picked at different times. There are some minor varieties, but essentially the are all Cameia sinensis.

Seeds are failing large. A bit larger than an olive pit. Very hard shell, but no too thick.

Do NOT remember who I bought them from WAIT.... http://seedrack.com - Whatcom seeds

I soaked them for 2 days. Then scarified them. Then planted 6 in seed starting media and placed 6 in moist paper towel in baggy on top my water heater.

Will let you know the results. The seeds are 2 years old so ....

And yes - just me ignoring zones some more. I will take them out in summer and bring them in in winter. Though I think they are hardy to zone 6.

I have > 20 plants in my basement that are way out of zone. And another couple dozen all over my house. About 100 in my garage. Capers, pomegranate, avacado, mango and pineapple in my kitchen. Myrh and frankincense in my bedroom. Ylang Ylang vine in my back bedroom. Among others. Like a Bird of paradise & 2 gingers and a plumeria in my living room.


And seeds for another 60 or so species way out of zone started.

Seriously---myrrh and frankincense? I really need to expand my growing horizons. Those are wonderful aromatic herbs? that I love to use, but never considered growing.

David--thanks for sharing your growing adventures with us.

Linda I grow sooooooooo much. Heh. Right now trying to grow a coconut too. I am freaking nuts! That one is looking iffy --- like my Mango. Faile twice this year so far. Two years ago I grew 2 of em.

Yep. The myrrh and frankincense are over 2 years old. I am keeping them small for bonsai. I also have 5 different species of Bauhinia I grew from seed for Bonsai. In my basement now with my 3 Brugmansia plants and Oleander among others.

One of my newest this season is from seed is Key lime and Date palm. I have a year old Fig and a pineapple for > 1 year. And .......... Others new this year from seed are Lisianthus, Agapanthus and Crocosmia - all from seed I harvested from my own plants.

" I really need to expand my growing horizons". Go for it - it is fun and challenging. BTW - screw zones.

I have 40 Plumeria seedlings in my basement too.

I would like to grow vanilla. You give me hope. However it just hardly ever gets very hot here. Have you ever grown a vanilla orchid?
I grew a Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia) in my dining room, it even bloomed, but it took over the room, and had to go. I had to hire a teenager to help me get it into the trash, I think it weighed about 200#. Fun though, while it lasted!

@DavidLMO - lisianathus are fairly easy from seed, but slow growers. I usually start in January for blooms mid-late summer, but they do bloom until frost. Even have had some reseed here in my compost.

I'm still working on artichokes, too--can be done in our zone but takes a bit of planning to trick them into producing the first year.

Can you post photos of your frankincense and myrrh? Would love to see what they would look like.

Pistil said:I would like to grow vanilla. You give me hope. However it just hardly ever gets very hot here. Have you ever grown a vanilla orchid?

Nope. Now THAT is a CHALLENGE. And you might get it to grow, but likely never see a bloom. I had a plant I purchased, but it died.

mom2goldens said:@DavidLMO - lisianathus are fairly easy from seed, but slow growers. I usually start in January for blooms mid-late summer, but they do bloom until frost. Even have had some reseed here in my compost.

I'm still working on artichokes, too--can be done in our zone but takes a bit of planning to trick them into producing the first year.

Can you post photos of your frankincense and myrrh? Would love to see what they would look like.

Yes-I bought some Lizzy at our MG plant sale in April and they bloomed from June or so til I brought them in late October. They are in my basement. One of the plants produced seed which I am growing. Started them in January.

I have 2 dozen Artichoke in my basement that I started in December. I have some in my garage but I think they croaked.

Will try for the pics, but not much to see. The Myrh (2) are only 10 or so inches high. The Frankincense is ~ 2 feet. I chopped it and it did not back-bud. Threw out another branch right near the cut. [sigh]

I should have also mentioned one of the esoteric things I am growing --- Caper started from seed 2 years ago.

Oh and I also have a Bay plat. That one I bought.

Total FAIL

I tried 3 different ways - perhaps the seeds were not fresh enuff. I really wanted to grow a tea shrub,

Sorry, David. I'll bet you'll try again, though

If at first you don't succeed...

Karen