Ornamental allium seed

[bazzaboy]

Last year I gathered seed from flowering ornamental alliums that I had sown as bulbs; I didn’t know the species but I did keep separate “small”, “short”, “medium”, “tall” and “star”. The star one produced very few seeds (just 6) but the others were much more productive and I have a small envelope of each type (if anyone wants some?)

But now I come to thinking about sowing them I’m surprised to find the on-line and book pundits on such matters suggest it takes many years (5+) to get ornamental alliums from seeds to flowers…. One authority even suggests it can take A. cristophil 4 years to germinate and a further 5 to flower….! Is this info correct? Is it worth the bother?

How come I sow ordinary onion seeds and onion sets every year (for kitchen use etc) and if they bolt and are left to their own devices they produce flowers in one season (or as bi-annuals certainly in two)? What's the difference and Why? And what do you get meantime, just a blade of grass?

Might it be easier to grow acorns and walnuts?

[vicky]

They take a while to flower from seed. I reckon about 3 years. If you're lucky! I don't bother to grow them in pots - the ink comes off the label and I forget what's in there. But if you chuck the seeds on the ground theygrow quite easily, you have to not weed them as they do look like grass!
I can't tell you why, maybe edible onions have been selected for generations for their bulking speed?
Acorns and walnuts are easier but you probably have to wait even longer for flowers!
First year flowering perennials like verbena bonasiensis, agastashe, monarda or chrysanths instead?

[bazzaboy]

They take a while to flower from seed....
Acorns and walnuts are easier

Yikes, really? o.m.g., I thought I was joking when I said that! P'raps you were too?! Thanks Vicky. I suspect you're right about selection for edible onions but then I'm asking myself why I don't just grow those for flowers instead as they (and garlic) produce interesting flowers and dried seed-heads etc.... With those I stand a chance of living long enough to see 'em! But I think I'll have to put them in a trough or planter of some sort as in the open garden or allotment they'll just get overtaken with weeds in no time at all....

I notice there's not a big rush of people asking if they can have some... I wonder why? Flowers are largely a new experience for me so thanks for the recommendations. I obviously have a lot to learn on this as this afternoon I thought I'd sow some Agapanthus when I espied in small print "Plants will flower 3-5 years from sowing from seed." Argh! I think I might go back to parsnips.... much easier.

[chris]

*chucks his seeds in the compost*

I'll buy some bulbs

[veggiechicken]

There are lots of interesting edible alliums with attractive flowers. I grow garlic (aka chinese) chives which have, would you believe, garlic flavoured leaves and delicate white flowers which smell of roses. I also have some tall chives with quite spectacular pinky purple flowers that look stunning en masse. If you can get hold of seeds of wild leek, the flowers are about the size of tennis balls and the plants are a couple of feet tall. I would always choose to grow a dual purpose plant over one which is purely decorative - although I believe you can eat all allium leaves.

[bazzaboy]

Thanks Veggie C, really interesting, I'll try them.... Several main seed companies list "garlic chives" (e.g. T&M, Marshalls, Suttons, though only T&M also list them as "Chinese Chives") so no problem getting hold of those. Lots on on-line recipes for their use too, thanks.

"Wild Leeks" however a different matter... they seem to be native to N.E. USA, grow best in shaded areas under tree cover, called "ramps" in the culinary world but seeds, even in USA, quite rare and haven't found any at all in the UK. I'll try on the seed thread...

[veggiechicken]

Wild leeks grow around the coasts of South West England and Wales. They are Cardiff's county flower but are only to be found growing in one place in the county -on the island of Flat Holm in the middle of the Bristol Channel. They are a protected plant, part of the SSSI and I have never managed to cadge any of the seeds from the Warden on the island. Wild Leek - Allium ampeloprasum var babingtonii | Shipton Bulbs

[bazzaboy]

lol, this gets more extraordinary with each posting....! So they are £1.50 per seed with no guarantee of success, it'll be like planting fivers to try to grow a Money Tree... So you haven't got any, VC, praps we should share a packet (two and a half seeds each? )

In some contrast to this very exclusive 'erb (are they hallucinatory or something as evidently they were a stock item of the American Indians herb patch!!) I was pleasantly surprised to find Garlic Chives ("allium tuberosum") in Wilko's this morning, not their own brand but a small range of Johnsons Herbs seeds (£1.69 for 250 seeds which price-wise seems a fairer deal). Off to sow some now as instructions on packet say possible to grow as an indoor plant all year round.... Quite why you would want to do that if you're not Jamie Oliver I don't really know but I suppose it all helps to keep Dracula out of the kitchen.... The outdoor set you start off more conventionally in March.

[veggiechicken]

I'm getting confused about which thread to post this on but try these Bazza boy
Allium babingtonii Seeds £2.70 from Chiltern Seeds - Chiltern Seeds secure online shop
Sound like the real thing!

[bazzaboy]

Yes, we should try to get it on all threads, could clearly feature on the Herb one (but "Rule The Roost" might be a challenge )

That seems a big price difference VC, many thanks.

I notice it says "easily raised from seed" and then notes "supplied as bulbils". Is there any difference in approach/technique between the two?

[veggiechicken]

Chiltern Seeds only sell, would you believe, seeds so they tend to give plants comments like easily raised from seed or sporadic germination or something. I would think that bulbils, being tiny plants themselves and just raring to go, should be quite easy. If you like growing unusual things from seed, get a copy of their catalogue. The writer has a quirky sense of humour which might appeal to you! There are no photos and all the seeds are listed by their Latin names (but cross indexed to their English common names). I've learnt a lot from it over the years.

[bazzaboy]

Done, thanks VC, great idea... Have ordered The Babington Bulbils at the same time!

Bazzaboy's Babington Bulbils... sounds like a Monty Python Sketch. I read an article on using bulbils to create prize leeks and can honestly say I didn't understand a word of it. Can you just stick 'em in compost and water 'em?

[veggiechicken]

I think you just put them on the compost - that's what would happen in nature.
BTW would you like to buy my number plate? Its BBB.....

[bazzaboy]

lol... how did you come by that one?

"BTW" would be a good number plate, wouldn't it, something like BTW 007 would be cool!

I"m not particularly into personalised number plates but I would at least be able to remember it.... I can still remember family car registrations from childhood but not my current car which I've had for a few years....

Is the BBB at the beginning or end of the number? That evidently makes quite a difference to value e.g. K20 BBB is currently cited For Sale at £163 whereas as BBB 33 is currently sited For Sale at over £6000....

Which is awful lot of bulbils!

[muslimgrower]

you should have see the size of my alliums that i grew in bnq buckets that use to cost 99 pence and NOW are £1.29 pfffffffst !!!!!