Seeds

On Saturday, March 10^th, the Master Gardeners held a class on Plant Propagation in the Horticultural Building at Solano College. The class was divided into four sections: layering, dividing, cuttings and seeds. This presentation was open to the public and 25 people signed up and about 45 showed up. The morning went extremely well as the Master Gardeners came loaded with garden plants and cuttings to support and supply each of the four “stations”. The participants divided into 9 or 10 at each section and we began demonstrating and planting. Every 20 minutes or so, the group then rotated to the next section to learn specific techniques. It did not take long before everyone was engaged, planting, asking questions and just having a grand time.

My Master Gardener partner Kris Moore, and I hosted the seed table. We talked about the benefits of planting with seeds, starting seeds, saving seeds, seed catalogs, seed tapes, reading seed packets, seed varieties, different ways to start hard outer-shell seeds and how a seed germinates. We demonstrated planting a plastic flat (lined with newspaper) with vegetable seeds, placed in rows and marked with plastic labels (name and harvest date from the seed packet). We provided peat pots, soil, seeds and water for those who wanted to plant seeds to take home.

During our presentation, we mentioned how much fun it is to collect seeds from friends and family to plant in your garden. It is an economical way to grow plants and seeing the results will remind you of the person who shared. My yard contains many plants that have come from other gardens. The photo with this article is a double hollyhock discovered close to our house, that we collected seeds from then planted in our backyard.

The Master Gardeners taught 45 people the joy of creating plants by layering, cuttings, dividing roots, and rhizomes and sharing seeds. It will be a busy spring for all who participated.

Double hollyhock. (photo by Sharon Rico)

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