Hellebore seed exchange?

A forum to discuss and share pictures of Helleborus plants.
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viktoria
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Hellebore seed exchange?

Post by viktoria »

How about we collect some seeds (must be fresh) to trade?

I have double, anemone-flowered, picotee, white, pinks, reds and H. foetidus. Nobody knows what the offspring will look like.

I would recommend one or two dozen seeds/envelope, labelled as to parent type/color. Names do not matter since the offspring will be bustards.
Last edited by viktoria on Mar 20, 2007 8:27 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Hapygdnr
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Post by Hapygdnr »

I have no (hellebore) seeds to trade since I am just starting out with them, got my first one last yr, but would love to try growing some from seed. I hope some members here will want to try the exchange. Good idea!
Jeanne
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pauhaus
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Post by pauhaus »

Hey Viktoria, I'm in! Great idea. :P
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Tigger
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Post by Tigger »

Is there a primer on here for starting hellebores from seed? So far in my garden, God hasn't been keeping up his end, so I could use some info on how to help him.
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viktoria
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Post by viktoria »

I have scads of seedlings all around my hellebores, Tigger, so I don't know what to tell you! As for sowing them, you need FRESH seed, a neutral (or close to it) growing medium and consistent moisture. Hellebores do not like to have their roots disturbed, so prick out the seedlings and pot up (2-3" pots) as soon as first leaves appear and re-pot into quarts or 1/2 gallons in early September. I use soluble fertilizer at 1/2 strength plus Osmocote (or any other slow-release fertilizer).

Viktoria
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KellieD
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Post by KellieD »

I've had no problems with hellebores with disturbing their roots. I've dug, transplanted and divided at all times of the year and haven't ever lost a one.
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kHT
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Post by kHT »

Gosh I just transplanted 12 ~ 2 year old seedlings this morning and they look great? I hate to say it but a couple I had to pull out by the roots. :wink: I have plenty of seedlings right now, got to move many of them shortly!
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Tigger
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Post by Tigger »

Well, I'll keep my eyes open. I don't have too many (yet), but got a Kingston Cardinal (double red from Heronswood) last year and am looking forward to seeing it bloom.

Is it obvious when to gather the seed?

David
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viktoria
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Post by viktoria »

It is not obvious, Tigger. The seed pods stay green for a long time but if you wait too long, you will find them open and empty. One way to make sure you "catch" them is to take a piece of nylon stocking (hate to think of you cutting up your pantyhose :o ), wrap it around a full-size seed head and fasten it with a twist tie, paper clip or clothespin. Then you can wait in peace for it to open.

We may just have invented a new kind of garden ornament?

Viktoria
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viktoria
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Post by viktoria »

It is not obvious, Tigger. The seed pods stay green for a long time but if you wait too long, you will find them open and empty. One way to make sure you "catch" them is to take a piece of nylon stocking (hate to think of you cutting up your pantyhose :o ), wrap it around a full-size seed head and fasten it with a twist tie, paper clip or clothespin. Then you can wait in peace for it to open.

We may just have invented a new kind of garden ornament?

Viktoria
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Tigger
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Post by Tigger »

Well won't that look lovely right next to the front door (where my hellebores are)?

But my friends know me, and will chalk it up to my scientist nature.
KellieD
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Post by KellieD »

Heronswood always harvested the seed when the seed pods were fat, plump and filled out but before the pods split open. They were put into brown paper bags to finish curing and none of the seeds were lost that way. Very important when doing controlled crosses.
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doublemom2
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Post by doublemom2 »

I've gotten dozens (or more!) of seedlings by just letting the seeds ripen and fall to the ground themselves wherever they please. By early the next spring there are dozens and dozens of babies that have germinated in the ground all around the mother plants. I then pot them up to make sure they don't get covered up by the mommy's leaves completely. Most of my 1-year old helle-babies that I potted up last spring are filling 1-gallon pots with huge root systems. They weren't bothered one bit by being dug up and potted. I do think the seeds like to go through the regular winter cycle outdoors, at least my seeds are happy that way!

If I manage to actually catch any seed pods before opening I'll join in on the trade :)

Andi
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viktoria
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Post by viktoria »

My hellebores are only just beginning to show growth! We had 16" of snow last weekend and the ground was still all white yesterday. Sixties today are melting it fast!

Andi, I also have gazillion seedlings around my hellebores and have potted some up. I have not been very successful with keeping the potted babies alive.
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kHT
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Post by kHT »

I'm Game!
karma 'Happy Toes' (kHT)
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viktoria
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Post by viktoria »

Please save/send me seeds of anything interesting, KHT. I can send you seeds of double pink, picotee and anemone-flowered. I'll post pics once they bloom.

Viktoria
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kHT
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Post by kHT »

Do you think I'll have a few??? I took 38 babies out from under the 3 mom plants.
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toomanyanimals
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Post by toomanyanimals »

Karama, are those seed pods? I got my hellebores 3 years ago. Last year and this year they have bloomed, they are the green ones. But I've never seen a seed pod on them.
I did order a few new ones from a co-op, 2 double, 2 red, 2 metallic blue. The red ones were blooming when they arrived last week, it was pink, not red, but still a nice color.

Yours seem to be very happy and healthy. Mine struggle where they are at ... or maybe this is the 3 year so they will do well now. :)

Good Luck to you all with the seed trade!
tma
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kHT
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Post by kHT »

Yep TMA those would be seed pods!! I tickled several of them with my trusty paintbrushes and it takes a few years for them to catch on. These had plenty of shade up until a year ago but now have more sun than they really like. I was surprised how huge they got this year with more light.
So get out those paintbrushes.
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Tigger
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Post by Tigger »

Wouldn't you know we were doing some early spring rearranging and I found two hellebore babies (one growing right in with the crown of a Krossa Regal hosta we decided to move, the other—of course—growing right against the cement foundation of the house). Hopefully they'll both survive the transplant (back into the hole where Krossa Regal was, with lots of fresh compost).

Kingston Cardinal finally started opening a bloom this weekend, after hanging there with fat buds for ages. And the Pine Knot Select (a gift direct from Wayside) still hasn't bloomed in its third year. I'll try to get seeds from the double one (is that a trait passed on?).
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