Probably

 

Over the years I've developed a fairly ruthless approach to starting perennials. In late autumn I sow seed in flats, cover the flats with 1/4" hardware cloth to keep squirrels and jays from digging in them, and leave them outside to experience their first Pacific Northwest winter. If they survive the wet, the chill, and the occasional ice storm, they germinate sometime in the spring. Unfortunately, so do any weed seeds that managed to drift in.

I know what a lot of perennial seedlings look like, and for things that are new to me I have some good books to help me out. But every once in a while I'm just completely stymied. So I think I've just pricked out seedlings for a dozen pots of Shooting Star, but I'm not entirely certain.

Time will certainly tell.

Slow Gardening

 

I am pleased to report that the flowering red currant bush I grew from seed has bloomed for the first time.

I've always grown most of my plants from seed. This isn't such a big deal with vegetables and most flowers, but shrubs, vines, and trees are a different kettle of fish. Some seeds need at least one cycle of freezing and warming weather, and the instructions I've read for some seeds advise that stragglers may take ten years to emerge.

From the plant's perspective, this is sort of a brilliant wait-and-see strategy. A long-lived plant has to assure it will take root in an environment that will allow it to reach maturity and reproduce. Having the seed test out the environment is an energy-efficient way for the plant to determine if it will thrive.

Once the seed has found that moisture and temperature will meet the plants needs, it germinates and the young plant typically grows like crazy, putting out enough growth to keep it from being easily washed away in a heavy rain or eaten.

My flowering red currant bush, which is native to this part of the world, took five years to bloom. I may have lost a year due a couple of unexpected transplantings, but on the whole, I'm very pleased.

And now that I have a seed-producing engine, I can let the bush and Nature set about to create more plants for me.