Brodiaea seed

Georgie georgierobinett@wave.net
Fri, 01 Nov 2002 18:31:28 PST
Hi Mary -

My late husband Jim Robinett enjoyed great success by sowing all Brodiaea
seeds in the autumn, before winter rains would be setting in. If your seeds
are B. terrestris var. terrestris, it is mostly found in coastal and
near-coastal conditions, where it grows in grassy low areas where the soil
stays damp well into late spring or even early summer. It is happiest when
given some protection from the hot summer sun, especially from midday on.
This protection is normally provided by fog in its preferred areas, but can
be provided by growing it where it will receive shade in the afternoon.
Depending on where you live, it may need extra water in winter and early
spring in low-rainfall areas (it grows mostly in areas that receive 30 to 50
inches of rain a year) - as well as some protection from becoming too hot
while its soil is still damp. A good rule of thumb is to stop watering and
dry back slowly when the leaves start to yellow. As a coastal plant, it will
also need some protection from frost and especially from "hard" freezes.
Expect 3 to 5 years from planting to first flowering.

If your seeds are B. terrestris var. kernensis, it grows further south and
further inland, tending to prefer grassy north or east-facing banks,
requires less water (20 inches of rain a year or less in its habitat),
tolerates sun and heat well, still doesn't like hard freezes, and may take
even longer to reach blooming size.

Good luck with it - either var. is a very pretty little plant !!!


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