newbie questions

13 years ago

I have dabbled a bit in gardening in the past, but I'm really pretty clueless and this year I have become obsessed with gardening. It's beginning to show....I have one or two things that I am thrilled with and all the others are really trying my patience, lol.

1. what is meant by a standard plant? I have read on other websites to make sure I have a 'standard' ... but I can't seem to figure out what is meant by that phrase.

2. Is there a skill of some sort needed to grow passion flower? I have tried 3 times this year and NONE of them germinated. I bought a packet, nothing, bought another packet, still nothing. Determined to get atleast one, I bought a third and yet again, nothing. :( I believe that I am following the directions on the seed packet so I'm stumped as to why I can't get any of them to grow. That old saying about the definition of insanity is true... doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Passion flower is driving me insane.

Early this year I started what seemed like a gazillion seeds indoors. I have had quite a bit of success in atleast getting things to germinate, but not the passion flower. I started zinnia, african daisy, salvia, morning glory, painted daisy, cosmos, foxglove, petunia, sunflowers, columbine, and maybe some others that I can't remember. Most I have been able to get from the peat pods into my garden and they are still growing...though they are FAR from blooming. Most everything is 6" or less tall and just beginning to get true leaves.

3. When it warmed up, I started some things right in the garden, but only about half of those have sprouted...oddly enough it was the ones the dog decided to dig around in... go figure--seems his paw is greener than my thumb, lol.

4. I have a clematis vine that is gorgeous, I would like to find a way to share it with friends (and have it be true to the one I have). Is there a way to collect seeds from it? I have no idea what kind of clematis it is. the pictures should be thumbnails that you can click to make larger.

Thanks!

Rhonda

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Comments (3)

oilpainter
13 years ago
A standard is a shrub that has been pruned to have a stem with growth on top. You have seen those entrance way plants in the doorway of stately homes that have a stem with a ball of leaves on top--that is a standard.

You can take cuttings from Clematis. You will be sacrificing a bloom or 2 but also bushing out your plant. You need rooting hormone and a good draining potting mix. Moisten your mix so it is wet but not too wet. Fill a pot with the mix. Cut about a 6 or 8 inch piece from a growing tip. Cut just below a leaf--the roots come out where the leaf was. Dip the cut end in the rooting hormone. Dibble a hole in you mix and drop in the cutting and cover it in. When you see new growth you know it is making roots. Wait a few weeks and then plant it outside.

Passion flower requires a very fast draining medium. Check the link below.

Maybe you planted the seeds outside too deep and that's why they sprouted after the dog dug them up. Most seed only needs to be 1/4 inch deep and some shouldn't be covered at all. Read the info on the seed package.

I think I've answered all your questions. Feel free to reply if you have more

Here is a link that might be useful: Passion flower
oilpainter
13 years ago
Whioops forgot to tell you to remove the bottom leaves of the cutting. Strip the leaves from the cut end up about 2 to 3 inches. Then dip in rooting hormone. Rooting hormone is cheap and readily available where you find planting supplies
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taz6122
13 years ago
I have found it better to make your cuttings at a 45 degree angle and not to put the rooting hormone on the wound but where you strip the lower leaves from. Rooting hormone on the wound plugs it and keeps it from taking up water.
Soak your passion flower seeds in orange juice. Others will say no but I scarify too. I planted 10 seeds last year and none came up. When I sifted through the soil and found only one, I scarified it and it sprouted in 3 days. I now have 5 rooted cuttings and the original P. incarnata.