Castor Oil Seed Sprouted!

[crazy_red]

Not strictly a vegetable but.... I had to do something to satisfy my itchy fingers...

So hurrah, my castor oil seeds have sprouted!

They have to be started really early, or they wont flower. Problem is they can get very large and unruly waiting to go outside in May. So, having decided not to do any this year because they took over the house last year, I put my seed on the seed swap.

Then I had a desperate urge to plant something, so I bid on Ebay and managed to get five seeds for the grand price of 95p.

They've only been in five days and they've all germinated already. The seedlings are enormous....now all i've got to do is keep them alive and stop them eating the pets until after the first frosts

They are supposed to get to about six feet with giant bronze leaves and red flower heads.

Anybody else growing daft things to stave off the spring sowing pangs?

Red x

[BrideXIII]

I certainly wouldn't be growing castor oil plants , but each to their own.
the seeds are highly toxic ( they are a source of Ricin), 3 can kill a horse.one a child.
the flowers are very attractive to children.
and they spread like crazy.

just be sure you plant them out in a SAFE place.

[magz.mccarthy]

I'm growing basil on my desk in the office. It's shooting up! Seriously can't wait to get out digging and growing!

[crazy_red]

I certainly wouldn't be growing castor oil plants , but each to their own.
the seeds are highly toxic ( they are a source of Ricin), 3 can kill a horse.one a child.
the flowers are very attractive to children.
and they spread like crazy.

just be sure you plant them out in a SAFE place.

It's okay Bride, I don't have any small children, even as visitors, and they live on my garden patio in summer

I know how you feel about poisonous plants though, with children and animals about you can't be too cautious. I was always very careful when my kids were small, I wouldn't even have an elder bush cos I worried about them eating the raw berries

Red x

[BrideXIII]

It's okay Bride, I don't have any small children, even as visitors, and they live on my garden patio in summer

I know how you feel about poisonous plants though, with children and animals about you can't be too cautious. I was always very careful when my kids were small, I wouldn't even have an elder bush cos I worried about them eating the raw berries

Red x

cool, the only reason i kinda sorta paniked is we had a scare on the estate 2 years back.
i was at my friends and her two yr old had one in his mouth, her 5yr old had picked it at the end of the estate, some daft begger ( a landscape gardener no less) had planted one, outside his wall actually on the estate grounds.

my friend was very upset cos she had no idea it was poisonous, i had to ring the council who were very concerned that it was there, they are very careful what THEY plant in public places, and they sent a team round to dig it up, we were warned to watch for re-growth though as apparently its very invasive and hard to get rid of.
the little girl said the 'flowers where just pretty pink things' , you can imagine the lectures i gave on never picking anything

[crazy_red]

Bl**dy hell Bride, not surprised. It's enough to give you nightmares isn't it?

Always better to say something than not I think, just in case

Red x

[BrideXIII]

Bl**dy hell Bride, not surprised. It's enough to give you nightmares isn't it?

Always better to say something than not I think, just in case

Red x

i was mostly gobsmacked that a landscape gardner who should have known better did it. with a sign no less saying 'please do not dig up these plants', it was estate land, not hers?

whats more, after the kerfuffle, she than planted a load more inside her wall, that are now massive and grow out over the pavement right on the corner where all the lil kids pass by on their way to nursery school.
now i KNOW that as parents, people should be aware and teach their children not to pick things, but in reality we know this doesn't always happen/get taken notice of.
i just find it irresponsible of someone who knows better to put toxic plants in childrens reach in public!

and those pretty pink seed pods are so barbie/attractive.

[vicky]

Castor oil plants are very popular in some of the parks round here...! I think you have to 'do something' to the seeds to use the poison, but it seems mad to me to plant them with no warning notice or nothing!

[BrideXIII]

Castor oil plants are very popular in some of the parks round here...! I think you have to 'do something' to the seeds to use the poison, but it seems mad to me to plant them with no warning notice or nothing!

you do have to do something to the seeds to produce pure ricin, but all a child needs to do is chew, the seeds are relatively safe up until they are cracked, once the shell is cracked the poison can be digested.

[crazy_red]

Looked at the seed packet, a T&M one, no less and it doesn't give any sort of warning on the packet

Bride, do you think it perhaps it would be a good idea to put a warning on the Vine to those people I sent seeds to just in case they don't know either?

I would hate to think I caused someone some harm...

Red x

[BrideXIII]

Looked at the seed packet, a T&M one, no less and it doesn't give any sort of warning on the packet

Bride, do you think it perhaps it would be a good idea to put a warning on the Vine to those people I sent seeds to just in case they don't know either?

I would hate to think I caused someone some harm...

Red x

well if they are DEFINITELY castor oil plants then it couldn't do any harm, better safe than sorry.

i know i sound a bit paranoid here, but i would hate to think people DIDN'T know, as i am sure do you.

if you still have the packet, google the latin/name and double check we are on the same page, it will no doubt come up on wikipedia.

[crazy_red]

well if they are DEFINITELY castor oil plants then it couldn't do any harm, better safe than sorry.

i know i sound a bit paranoid here, but i would hate to think people DIDN'T know, as i am sure do you.

if you still have the packet, google the latin/name and double check we are on the same page, it will no doubt come up on wikipedia.

The name is 'ricinus communis', which is definitely the castor oil plant - a warning might be best I think

Red

[BrideXIII]

The name is 'ricinus communis', which is definitely the castor oil plant - a warning might be best I think

Red

if you think about it, its there in the name 'ricinus communis'.

a pm to warn can't hurt, just shows you care.