'Blue Glow', blue sky.
For some reason I thought the pods had to start drying to ensure the seeds were ripe; apparently that's not true. Anyway, I pulled off the top two dry pods from the side flower stem this morning:
The side stem was the one short enough (in other words, reachable) to try cross-pollinating with Manfreda 'Spot'. The two pods yielded three possibly viable seeds (the black ones) and a lot of empties:
I then picked a couple of the non-dried pods. Those two yielded seven seeds. I planted all 10 seeds outdoors in the sunny raised beds I use for summer tomatoes. This winter they are home to sweet peas. I read Agave seeds don't take long to germinate, but our nights are relatively cold now, so I'm not sure if they will live or not. I may have to try some in the house as well. Since there are a a dozen pods left on the side stem and a couple of hundred seed pods on the main stem, I have some margin of error.
Speaking of seeds and Agaves, the lettuce seeds I planted on November 24th are up:
Metal fencing over the raised bed prevents any feral or domestic cat in the area using the bed as a litter box.
As to Agaves, while collecting the 'Blue Glow' pods, I was struck by the smaller of my two Agave marmoratas. It has been a slow grower, and has lost the excellent banding it had when purchased, but the beauty it has now is most elegant:
Nearby, Agave guingola has also been a slow grower. It gets very little water. The teeth on the newest leaf unfurling from the core look like a zipper:
Lastly, this tiny Agave I thought had died over the summer because of excessive heat and lack of water. (Note the fried leaf on the left.)
Our two recent modest rainfalls revived it. It is A. havardiana, as I remember. A. havardiana is possibly the most cold-hardy Agave, to -20F (-28 C). The tiny thing was planted in a tiny pot, which fell and smashed--I thought, "Heck with this." and stuck the little plant in the ground, to live or die. Live it did. I hope the 'Blue Glow' seeds do the same.
For some reason I thought the pods had to start drying to ensure the seeds were ripe; apparently that's not true. Anyway, I pulled off the top two dry pods from the side flower stem this morning:
The side stem was the one short enough (in other words, reachable) to try cross-pollinating with Manfreda 'Spot'. The two pods yielded three possibly viable seeds (the black ones) and a lot of empties:
I then picked a couple of the non-dried pods. Those two yielded seven seeds. I planted all 10 seeds outdoors in the sunny raised beds I use for summer tomatoes. This winter they are home to sweet peas. I read Agave seeds don't take long to germinate, but our nights are relatively cold now, so I'm not sure if they will live or not. I may have to try some in the house as well. Since there are a a dozen pods left on the side stem and a couple of hundred seed pods on the main stem, I have some margin of error.
Speaking of seeds and Agaves, the lettuce seeds I planted on November 24th are up:
Metal fencing over the raised bed prevents any feral or domestic cat in the area using the bed as a litter box.
As to Agaves, while collecting the 'Blue Glow' pods, I was struck by the smaller of my two Agave marmoratas. It has been a slow grower, and has lost the excellent banding it had when purchased, but the beauty it has now is most elegant:
Nearby, Agave guingola has also been a slow grower. It gets very little water. The teeth on the newest leaf unfurling from the core look like a zipper:
Lastly, this tiny Agave I thought had died over the summer because of excessive heat and lack of water. (Note the fried leaf on the left.)
Our two recent modest rainfalls revived it. It is A. havardiana, as I remember. A. havardiana is possibly the most cold-hardy Agave, to -20F (-28 C). The tiny thing was planted in a tiny pot, which fell and smashed--I thought, "Heck with this." and stuck the little plant in the ground, to live or die. Live it did. I hope the 'Blue Glow' seeds do the same.
Oh my goodness, how tall is that seedpod?! Or is it just your angle of taking the photo? Good luck with your seedlings, agave are plants completely unknown to me but I do enjoy them in your photos.
ReplyDeleteI think it is about 15' (4.5 meters). I am curious myself, so when I cut it down I will measure it. Thinking about Agaves, they function in the garden as a type of shrub that naturally forms a globe shape.
DeleteI hope your Blue Glow seeds all germinate. How exciting to try making your own hybrid! Your A. guingola has a very nice form,and looks so wonderfully healthy.
ReplyDeleteI hope something germinates. I would be happy with even one!
DeleteThat's a determined to live agave you have there. It might just reward you with good growth now that its had plenty of time enough in the ground already.
ReplyDeleteIt occurred to me that it's finally reached that "well established" moment. The more I look at plants the more I can identify that time when it happens, when the plant finally is satisfied with location and conditions, and "leaps".
Deletedad gum...pretty impressive
ReplyDeletethanks, Sharon!
DeleteI love your hybridizing ideas! Hope you get lots of babies from the agave seeds and that the stately A. marmorata continues to be happy. The fold marks on that one are lovely, even without its bands.
ReplyDeleteI'll be surprised and very happy if I get anything at all. Even the lettuce sprouts are a thrill. Seeds: I am no good with.
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