I would love some. I had just added it to my list. Let me know.

Hi bakemom, I tried sowing sea holly in march when I first got started here winter sowing and it never germinated for me. Then I read one of your posts later in the season and thought oh I should try again. I bought some seeds and still had no germination after at least 2 months. I finally gave up and just recently dumped it. I would really like to give it another try-maybe your seeds will be the magic ones! I also would greatly appreciate a pic of a sea holly seedling and mature leaves if you have them handy and whatever you do that might help me!!. Thank you so much. Isamae

Hi Bakemom,I too want to try this plant and would like to have some of your seeds.I have never growm sea holly before and an sure it will be a nice treat here.I will check your list.Send me your email addy for me to send and if I have anything you want in trade,I will include that also.Many Thanks.
moonphase

You have email :)

I tried in May from some I got via trade but they didn't do anything.

I would love some! Email coming your way!

isamae - please unblock your email or email me directly. I have no way to contact you and I think you are in need of a little sea holly success!

I must give credit to Storygardener - she gave me this plant - actually two of them several years ago. It was re-seeding for her all over her raised beds. I was astonished because I know this can be a tricky plant for some. The first year I harvested some seeds and ended up with 60 babies for fall plantout. Now, with an initial harvest, it's a matter of days to nice germination.

I still can't decide if this is a short-lived perennial or perennial. Seems like some of my clumps must be on year three. At any rate, they overwinter just fine and bloom the next spring.

I harvested a s-load today and it was the tip of the iceburg, so there is plenty for all.

Bakemom, I think I'd like some seeds, if you have some left! Don't have much to trade for seeds, yet, but if you are interested in hosta, I have 350+ varieties. Or I can do the SASE...

Or, I could pick them up! Let me know.. I'll send you an email, not sure you can email me direct, I seem to have trouble with garden web on that...

bakemon, I would love some of the seed. I do have some four o'clocks I can send you.

jackie

bakemom,
I think I've got you covered on your wish list, except for the cerinthe which I may be able to do in the spring. I'll e-mail you with the details.

I sowed mine (recieved from kywildcat2)on January 10th and had germination by March 14th. I planted out 6 plants in late April and all are doing well, but won't see blooms until next year by the way it looks :D
Here's one taken this morning.....
{{gwi:415648}}

Such pretty babies!!! I love that these seeds/plants are going from coast to coast! This is what it's all about!

Beverly

Think I want seeds for this plant. I sent you an email.

Bakemom, I would love some Sea Holly seeds - that color would go so nicely with our main front bed. Thank you for the offer!
~Irisgirl

Bakemom,
I would like some seeds if you have any left. I have had no luck with these, though I tried last year. Have lots of columbines to trade & will have bronze fennel soon, and cosmos too. PLMK
Thanks!
Rosemary

Must be the same type I have, reseeds everywhere. I've had it for years, loves poor, dry soil; beautiful steel blue stems & flowers! I've wanted some of the other types of sea holly, but have had no luck with them.

Mine flop terribly.....I never get more than a single stalk, not bushy at all and it inevitably flops right over. I don't have much patience for stalking. Any pointers on getting nicer clumps that will stand upright? Is there a dwarf variety I could try out there?

Deb

Oh!! If you have any left, I'd love some! I've tried without success to start them before but I still believe they SHOULD just love my dry garden.

Hi: I would be interested in doing a sase with you
for these seeds. I have tried the last 2 years and
not success. Thanks OrDella

I have plenty to go around. I'm off to harvest more seed!

This looks a lot like Vera's. I think Nancy has the same plant. If you have full sun and drought - go for it.

Just got my sea holly & surprises yesterday, will sow them tomorrow.

Thank you!

I still have more and there's probably enough time to summer sow these for late fall plantout.

Don't be shy - SASBE is fine and I have freshly harvested spring seeds to throw in too.

Got mine about a week ago, planted them, and have germination today!! Hooray!

I've got my containers and plant markers ready. I am determined to get these to work, any tricks or hints for sowing (depth etc)?

Just press them into the moist soil like most other winter sown seeds. The seeds know what to do. You will have results in a matter of days.

I harvested more last night. I have tons. If for some reason any of you fail, don't hesitate to ask for more.

If you still have the sea holly seeds, I would love some. Take a look at my list. Right now most of what I have is salvias. Lots of other things are blooming but not ready for harvest.

Becky
ramazz

OMG, I am so late to this thread, but if you have a few more off those Sea Holly seeds, I would love to give them a try. I have had the damnest time trying to get them to germinate, but I have never tried sowing them in August!

Requests are still coming in and I still have plenty of sea holly for all. Germination for me was 5-7 days. In other words, first seed popped in 5, all were done by 7. This, in dappled shade in a 2 liter.

There's still time people! Send those SASBEs and we will have a sea holly wave.

Bakemom, You have got a sasbe coming your way! I can't wait to grow some of your sea holly!
Thanks!

bakemom, looks like just about all of your sea holly seeds germinated and none of the store bought ones did. thanks for sharing your seeds! how big do your plants get? Isamae

1-3 feet tall this year. Congrats on your babies.

I still have plenty of seed people. Email me if you are interested.

Help Bakemom! It's been a week and I don't see any germination. I think I messed it up. I was afraid to place a clear cover over the flat because it is so $#@$% hot, but I wonder if the seeds need the humidity? (seems like there is enough in the air! I have kept them well watered (but not TOO damp)from the bottom. I had them in dabbled sun but moved the flat to full sun - still nothing. Should I cover it now? What do you think? MAybe I should wait a few more days before I give up?

Nancy

Don't over think this. Wait a few more days and keep in dappled shade with a vented cover. Just like winter sowing, just with the goal of keeping out of direct sun and not drying out. At the same time, don't keep it too moist, just not dried out.
If this doesn't work, I will send you more. You WILL have sea holly one way or another.

OK, went out this morning a repostioned the flat to dabbled sun and added a proped up clear cover. Took a close, close look to see if I could see any little tails going down into the soil from the seed but none yet. I do think I had a birdy visitor while they were undercovered though. Seems like less seed on top of the soil, but still plenty.

I'll give it some time now. Thanks!

I'm reviving this thread to ask another question.

I was one of the lucky ones who received some of Bakemom's sea holly seeds (thanks again so much!) I sowed them as instructed and got a remarkable germination rate (almost 100%!). But now it is almost time for frost, the baby sea hollies are only about 3/4 inch tall and I don't know what to do! Do I plant them out in the garden to fend for themselves? Do I have to coddle them through the winter indoors? Do I cover them up and pretend they are very, very early ws sprouts?

Help!!!! Please?

I planted the last of mine out last week.

Dos anyone have any ideas for good companion plants for sea holly? Bakemom sent me some seeds just recently, and I'm wondering where to put them, or what to plant them with. Also, I gather from reading this that I should hold onto them till early next summer and sow them then? I wouldn't want to try them now cause we just got our first hard frost last night.

Alison

{{gwi:415649}}{{gwi:415650}}{{gwi:415651}} I got fabulous germination from Bakemom's Sea Holly seeds too. These seedling went out in the beds 2 weeks ago. I puzzled on companion plants as well, so I am interested to see what is suggested. Most of these went into a bed that is currently new and empty, so I can plant around them once ideas are forthcoming! A bunch went in behind a front bed edge of lambs ears - I thought the gray fuzziness would be a nice contrast to the blue/purple gray spikeyness.

Oooooo, Nan! I wish mine were that big already!! Hope you will post pictures of the sea holly/lambs ear combination - sounds very interesting! I'm planning to put mine, along with some dusty miller, in a bed that is in front of a young long needle pine (from a distance the texture of these pines always makes me think of fur). I'm hoping it will make a nice contrast. In front of the sea hollies will be Stella D'Oro daylilies for color contrast.

I like my hollies with rudbeckia. That being said - I don't have the "eye" for color that many artistic people have.

lindakimy, your baby sea hollies should be fine in the ground because our cool nights are happening fairly gradually. Of course, if it makes you feel safer, you could put a cardboard box over them for tonight~

dawiff, funny you should ask ... i was struck by a picture i saw on the interwebs this past weekend when i was drooling over piet oudolf gardens online ... eryngium underplanted with oregano. both plants enjoy the same sunny, dry conditions & the calm regularity of the background oregano really makes the bristly blue eryngium pop. i can't seem to find that picture again, but it looked fabulous & i fully intend to steal his idea next year.

cheers.

Dirtysc8!!!! I'm so glad to see you post! You've been on my mind so much lately (don't know why) - been worried about you.

Last evening we got very busy bringing in houseplants that had summered outdoors. Good thing, too, considering our temperture in the low 30s this a.m. But, in all that flurry, I completely forgot the flat of sea hollies on the back deck! I guess we'll see just how hardy they are. Luckily they are under a big oak and I'm hoping the frost didn't last long enough to do them serious harm.

Marie, I love the oregano idea! In fact, I've been thinking about using several herbs in my flowerbeds next summer. There are so many pretty ones - the variegated sages, purple basil, etc., and my garden lacked the low growing things around the edges this year.

Bakemom,
I need your address again. Have some seeds for you. Pls email. Thanks!
Rosemary