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What will happen to castor bean seeds?

15 years ago

Though we've had several frosts to around 30 degrees and even trace snow, my dwarf castor bean plants have held on. It was 28 degrees early this morning, and the plants look pathetic with wilted leaves. The seeds are still bright red. I'd like to get rid of this ugly thing that's right in front of the house. Should I just trash it all or will seeds continue to ripen if I cut them off? I'm thinking not. Should they turn brown before harvest?

Karen

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Comments (5)

seedmama
15 years ago
The best way to know that seeds are ripe is when the red pods turn brown then open up, somewhat similar in appearance to a crepe myrtle, in orange like sections. I don't know with certainty, but I'd be surprised if you are gaining anything by leaving them if the plants are gonners. I harvested all my brown pods two weekends ago, open or not. Hard freeze was coming and I don't like to handle ricinis plants after they get gooey.

My castor beans are not dwarf but if you'd like some seeds I'll be happy to share. E-mail me.

Seedmama
kqcrna
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks, Seedmama. That's kind of what I was thinking. I cut down the plants today. I couldn't use full sized ones in this spot, but thanks for the offer.

I went out to cut down those plants when the temp finally hit 32 degrees. I ended up spending about an hour and a half, cutting down and yanking the last few annuals, mulching the last 2 small areas with leaves, messing with the compost, collecting the leftover plant stakes, sprinklers, hose nozzles, all the sundries. They're in my garage, after I thaw I'll organize stuff a bit for winter storage.

Karen
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I should think you could go ahead and plant them in the ground. You want the ground to be thoroughly warm, and the weather to be hot, though. I usually work up a square foot or two of soil (and do several down the length of a border for repetition), adding in some composted manure and just stirring it around until it's loose and fine. Then sow several seeds into the area, spacing them around. Keep them watered, and after they germinate and form a couple sets of true leaves, thin back to just one plant. (They get huge, you know.) Since your seeds are old and iffy, plant plenty of seeds to hedge your bet.
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okoutdrsmman - I have. About 3 or 4 years ago I planted seeds along the east and south sides of the garden area. No gopher appeared to have come in to the garden from those directions. They curbed around and came in from the west. Honestly, sometimes I wonder where the heck my brain was that day. I'm going to plant them again this year in hopes of a good seed harvest. I've been told that if you drop a seed or two in the gophers tunnel - it helps persuade them to go somewhere else. Moni - my front property looks like it's already experienced a gopher blast. Those rodents are certainly being busy. I'd run out of seeds if I put one in every mound right now. Perhaps I need to start some of these under lights too.
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seedmama
15 years ago
I did similar tasks a couple of weekends ago. Last weekend I went through the neighborhood shredding and collecting everyone's leaves. These aren't my favorite chores, but it still beats being inside. Warmer temps do make the chores more pleasant.
vera_eastern_wa
15 years ago
Karen I'm surprised your seeds weren't already mature by now. I've only grown the 'Carmencita' that gets to only about 4 to 4.5' tall and have always harvested ripe seed long before now. Is this the same one you have? Let me see if I still have seeds left over. They won't be from this year since I didn't do any, but from year before.
kqcrna
Original Author
15 years ago
Hi, Vera. I think my seeds were "Gibsoni". They were pretty and I liked them a lot.

Our spring and early summer were cooler than normal and the plants were kind of slow to really get growing. Maybe that's why the seeds didn't get time to ripen. When I chopped the plants down, wilted from freezing, the seeds were still fresh and a pretty red.

Karen

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