Seeds From Busy Lizzie

[hamsterhead]

Good Afternoon

Can I get seeds from a Busy Lizzy or is it easier to just buy new plug plants next year?

[Flummery]

I don't really know - I should think you could save them, but if I remember rightly they are like dust! Best of luck.

[coreopsis]

I don't really know - I should think you could save them, but if I remember rightly they are like dust! Best of luck.

There must be some way to collect them-I was always wondering how they collect the seeds of such flowers,e.g.lobelia?

[Jeanied]

Busy lizzies make a green fat seed pod that looks a bit like a caper. The trick is picking them when they are ripe - when each of the pod segments stands out a bit and the ridges in between are visible. They are terribly difficult to pick without the pod 'exploding' - a weird feeling when you are handling it - so pick into the mouth of an open paper bag. Then it should be a matter of drying and saving the seeds till you need them.

[Two_Sheds]

Busy lizzies are supremely easy from cuttings: rooted in water. Overwinter them on a windowsill or a warm greenhouse

[hamsterhead]

Thanks you all. Seems its going to be a fun time collecting the seeds but I expect it will be worth it.

[valmarg]

On balance I would say get plug plants next year.

As has been said, the seed pods go pop, and spray the seeds, making them difficult to collect.

If you have grown plug plants this year, they will most likely be F1 hybrids, so if you do manage to collect any seeds they will not come true. Acceptable flowers, but (usually) not as good.

The irritating thing about busy lizzies is, that if you buy seed you need to start them off in January with considerable heat, and germination-rate can be very erratic, they are not good value for money. Next year you will find that they have seeded down eventually.

As I say, plug plants everytime

valmarg