This is the latest picture of the new ones which were planted from seed in August. They've started flowering.
I was also able to take some cuttings from the earlier one and grow new plants from the cuttings. The earlier plant is still blooming, by the way. I need to take another picture of it.
I've also planted some portulaca seeds, and they germinated and have just started to grow. They look promising. They are so much smaller than purslane sprouts. I was surprised by that.
I thought I should write down my method for getting both purslane and portulaca to grow from seed right here:
1. Pre-wet potting soil by gently mixing it with a small amount of water. Go slow with the water and don't make it too soupy. You want to use just barely enough water to get the potting soil uniformly moist, BEFORE placing it in any container.
2. Once the potting soil is moistened, place it in a container, but don't over pack it and don't firmly press it down into the container. Once it is at a level you want it to be at, then give it a gentle watering to help it settle down into the container, and to make sure it is very moist. At this point, if it settles down in the container to a level that is too low, you can just add some more moist potting soil, and get it up to the level you want it to be at.
3. Purslane and portulaca seeds need bright light and warmth to germinate. Do NOT cover them with any soil. Just lightly scatter them on top of the moist soil. Don't touch them after you scatter them.
4. At this point, there are two ways of watering them-- misting with a sprayer, or watering from the bottom (this is the best way, but who has time for it?). I just lightly mist them with a sprayer. The key is to point the spay nozzle up so it is horizontal rather than spraying down into the container, so that the spray is gently falling down to the seeds rather than hitting them directly, to reduce the risk of washing seeds away, or the risk of washing potting soil on top of the seeds.
5. Now place the container where the seeds can get bright morning sun and afternoon shade, so they get enough light to germinate, but not so much that they dry out before having a chance to spout.
6. Beware of wind. It will dry them out too fast.
