Chive and other Allium species Seeds. 7.12.15

Chives Seed Heads.  7.12.15

Removing Chives Seeds from Seed Head.  7.12.15

 This week I have been collecting seed heads from alliums.  Bees of multiple types forage many types of alliums.  They bloom at different times, allowing for a long nectar flow.

Kitchen chives (Allium schoenoprasum) have a long bloom period and are very pretty.  Bees forage them continuously when blooming.  They are perennial and easy to grow.  The seed heads and stems have dried out and become brown, so they ready for seed harvest.

Allium karataviense "Ivory Queen" was a new addition last fall.  Of the several bulbs in the backet, only one grew and bloomed.  They are interesting and pretty, and later blooming than most spring bulbs.  It would be nice to have some more, but I don't want to buy them.

I also have a number of specimens of Allium aflatunense 'Purple Sensation' that are at the stage of dried seed heads, ready to harvest seeds.

The seed heads would be nice for dried flower arrangements, too.

The process of collecting seeds is almost too simple for words.  Just cut off the seed heads, collect them in a bowl, and shake them upside down in another bowl.  Most of the seeds will just fall out.  Rubbing the seed heads a little between the fingers will remove more.

I collected them into labeled envelopes, but have left them unsealed.  They are quite dry, due to 2 weeks in the 90s with no rain.

There are several options for planting them.  The easiest would be, plant in flowerpots or flats and leave them in a sheltered place for the winter.

I need to look them up.  Some may need stratifying or aging.  If it looks promising, I will plant them soon, to get a head start.  It may take a couple of years for flowering alliums to bloom.  Chives should bloom next year.

Seed Heads of Allium aflatunense. 7.12.15

Chives and Allium karataviense  Seeds.   7.12.15

Planting Bulbs. 10.18.14

Bulbs to plant.  10.18.14

Before cleanup 10.18.14

 Bought some bulbs.  Except for the tulips, all are regarded as deer and rabbit resistant.  Daffodils and the Fritillaria Crown Imperial were not touched last year.  The Fritillaria has a smell a bit like sewer gas, which may be why.   Alliums were also untouched.  So now for this bed -

Some clumps of narcissus, remaining Jetfire from some that were still not planted, and Red Devon. 

Nectaroscordum siculum.

Camassia quamash.

One Fritillaria persica.  I do't know if it will grow, so just trying one.

One red Crown Imperial Fritillaria rubra.  The ones I planted last year grew well, so I hope this one does too.

A package of Allium karataviense "Ivory Queen".  I haven't tried this one yet

The last package of Anemone blanda went around a replanted Japanese maple.

Layout.  10.18.14

Front bed planted.  10.18.14

I dug up and divided some Chinese chives for this bed too.  They are delicious, beautiful, and the bees love them.

I didn't label where each bulb or group of bulbs was planted.  That will be to discover when they come up in the Spring.

The tulips will need to be planted in containers.  Keep them away from deer.

When these bulbs start coming up, they will be a very welcome sight.  This is one of the first signs of Spring, and they renew my spirit.

The edging needs to be completed.  Winter project.  Also a walkway.

I added a layer of cardboard mulch.  The cardboard was wet.  It's fragile when wet, tears very easily.  So I think the bulbs should grow through it easily.  Plus, I tore the cardboard into irregular pieces about 1 foot diameter.  That allows water to soak through, and bulb growth.  But weed seedlings should not grow.


Planted, mulched with pine needles.  10.19.14

The cardboard is unsightly.  So I raked up pine needles from the driveway and mulched with those, on top of the cardboard.  That looks pretty nice.  The bulbs should grow easily through the pine needles, too.