Yup, the same here too. I used to baby those weaklings through the winter and fight with the spidermites but now if something gets seriously infested or is half dead, out it goes! I've given up on starting most tropicals from seed simply because most of them take years to ammount to anything in the north. The only trops I start anymore are Brugs because they will flower first year and are just plain easy to grow.

Here are some dwarf castor beans I grew last year.

Karen

Steven...We seem to have the same growth habits. I've overwintered my first two brugs from last year, purchased online from Florida. They are showing signs of life, so that gave me confidence. I just a few minutes ago did a BIN on eBay for a lot of 5 rooted cuttings.

Karen, my castor beans are actually one of the few new things I actually know where they'll go!

Barbara, last fall I sawed down my brugs and put them in buckets of water in the cellar. Thinking maybe because its very cool in there a couple started to rot. So I re-sawed one of them and put it in fresh water. BUT, I also saved the semi-rotten bit that I cut off and soaked it in H2O2 and it actualy sprouted roots! And now after being potted up its starting to sprout leaves! They are indestructable! Even the rotting parts grow!
What brugs did you bid on? Are they named types?




Very few of the new of the seeds I'm starting actualy have a spot picked out for them and the Castor Bean is one of them. We think alike!

You can select 5 from a list of 8.
Let me know if this link doesn't work...

http://cgi.ebay.com/BRUGMANSIA...

Ooo, nice! I have one that I got end of season year before last that looks exactly like the cultivar 'Maya'! It had no name so I cant say for sure it is but its a real beauty!

The original post of this is lurking out there somewhere. It has decided to wander elsewhere in this cubit. So, here it is again...
Just be sure to read the cubit owner's rules. No chat. Just enter.

http://cubits.org/uniqueseeds/...

Sorry guys...that was me messing around and I thought I would try to split a thread. It is located in the Garden Patio forum

Ooopsie Are we bad? We went off topic.

Here you go

http://cubits.org/Germination/...

She didn't scold us and I said I'd get us back on topic...SO...
I am also trying Patchouli SEEDS, which my DH got me online from Australia because I said patchouli was one of my favorite scents in the world. A few are actually up and they are as tiny as lisianthus sprouts, which are also up.

Patchouli? WOW! I hope it makes a nice pot plant for you! I don't think I have the patience to do lisianthus though, its pretty but takes too long.

New for me are 'Picotee Fantasy' Carnations from William Dam Seeds. I just sowed 8 little pots today! They are one of the few things that actualy have a container picked out for them already.

Another 'new thing' I got is rudbeckia 'Prarie Sun'. I see it every year and think how much I want it and I finally got it! The annual black eyed susans are always sold for an arm and a leg in the fall for a 6inch pot. No way am I paying that when I can grow it myself.

I love Prarie Sun. They really are as pretty as the pictures. Here's one of mine from a couple of years ago. I always wintersow my ruds.

Karen

OOO..Just realized another exciting one I am growing new this year. It's called:

"House, 24 hr. soak/nick, heatmat, 2009 seed".

House means I started it in the house as opposed to ones I'll start later in the garage or will WS. It was sown on 2/10/10 and hasn't popped up yet.

I'll bet it will be gorgeous! Can't wait to see it...
and find out what the heck it is????

I remember what that one is I forgot earlier! It's 'Laurens Grape' bread poppy! Supposed to be a true deep purple! Also growing bread poppy 'Venus' which I tried last year but the seedling in the garden didn't make it.

Poppies are ALWAYS the first thing to pop when I winter sow...No pics though...hmmm. I seem to only take lily pics the last couple years. Have to be sure to take more my Seed Children pics this year.

Ta Daaaa... wintersown poppies 3-3-06

Karen

Thanks Karen! I love seeing sprout pictures!

As of now I'll have 4 different poppies this year, which is alot for me.

They are:
'Venus'
'Laurens Grape'
Shirley Mixed
and Mixed California Poppies 'Tropical Sunset'(I think thats the name)

I also WS'd 'Earl Grey' Larkspur so if it comes up I'll be planting it with the poppies. It should look amazing with the Laurens Grape!

Lauren's grape is a maroon-purple poppy.
It would look stunning with Earl Grey Larkspur.

I direct seeded Lauren's Grape with WhiteCloud poppies so
now I have a mix of the seeds for this springs direct seeding.