| I have tried planting seeds for Caper Bush but cannot get them to germinate. I've tried indoors, outdoors, and in a cold frame. How can I get the seeds to germinate? |
| Seeds for your Caper Bush (Capparis spinosa) take a long time to germinate, so don't give up. They need light to germinate, so sprinkle the seeds on top of moistened seed starting mix and press them in, but don't put additional soil on top of them. Place the pot or tray into a plastic bag, or cover with plastic wrap to help hold the moisture in. Keep the seed tray at 70F - 75F degrees until the seeds sprout (about 4 weeks), then remove the plastic and place the tray in a brightly lit area. After the seedlings have developed two sets of leaves you can transplant them into individual pots and feed with half-strength liquid fertilizer. The Caper Bush is native to the Mediterranean region and will develop into a 5 foot shrub with white flowers that contain showy lavender stamens. The flowers open at dawn and close in the late afternoon. The unopened buds are pickled as sold as capers. |
