Hey, thanks for tracking that info down Zubababy! Looks like it's not an easy plant to grow from seed but I might as well give it try since I've got a few seeds on hand that I collected. I won't hold my breath or anything though. ;) Then again, I have managed to grow calla lilies from seed to blooming size and they started out with slow germination too. It took 3 years for the little bulbs formed from the seeds to mature enough to bloom! ;( - Steve

Thanks, Kim, for the confirmation. I checked on Chinese chives, it's the same as garlic chives mentioned in Field Roebuck's book. He stated, "In at least one controlled experiment, when planted underneath roses, garlic chives completely eliminated spider mites and reduced aphids." Rose magazine site stated that high-nitrogen chemical fertilizer does encourage aphids. The Canadian website that advocated fall fertilization, rather than spring, cited less insect problems with earlier nitrogen fertilization for wheat fields. Garlic chives have white flowers, it is listed among the invasive species. In my experience with invasive species, it's the least invasive, since it can be pulled up easily. It's a tiny bulb - rather than invasive roots. If you cut the flowering stem off before it becomes seeded, then you stop the growth. I was hoping it becomes invasive enough to gather a gallon for making pot stickers -but it did not spread fast enough in our 40" inch annual rain and high germination in magnesium rich soil. I also have the American chives with purple flowers, this is invasive since it spreads by roots. This chives is more drought-tolerant than Garlic, or Chinese chives. Calendula, or potted marigold, is just as pretty but more drought-tolerant than regular marigold. Calendula host many beneficial insects, especially green lacewings. These lacewings fly around and eat Calendula's pollens. But they give birth to larvae, named aphid lion. More info: "Each lacewing larva will devour 200 or more pests or pest eggs a week ... After this stage, the larvae pupate by spinning a cocoon with silken thread... the adult will live about four to six weeks...Each adult female may deposit more than 200 eggs. Nectar, pollen, and honeydew stimulate their reproductive process." What I like the most about garlic chives, or Chinese chives is its medicinal and anti-inflammation properties. It's especially yummy in potstickers, better than green onions. I like Calendula (comes in bright yellow and bright orange), since they are drought tolerant and still bloom during frost. Below is a picture of Calendula in my tomato garden:

I have done it several times with success. Gather the cones just before they fall apart in the Fall. Put them in a paper bag outside, undercover for the winter. Mine were in my unheated, separated from the house, garage. The cones fall apart revealing the seeds and can then be separated prior to sowing in Spring. Seedlings from Cedrus atlantica, 'Glauca' turned out green both times from different trees. I took seeds from the species 'Deodara' and I got species trees. Mike

I am currently experimenting with three different citron varieties grown from seed. My oldest tree is somewhere between 2-3 years (i was given care of it while it was a young 12" seedling and told it was about a year) and the other trees are approx 18 months old. Obviously none have fruited. Although i have never grown grafted citrus - and therefore have very little, if no understanding as to the differences - two things stand out to me as very different from a lot of what i see described on this forum pertaining to grafted trees: 1) Everyone here seems to fertilize often with large doses of FP. The few times i have tried to use FP on my trees - with less added than i see people hear use - i have had almost immediate and obvious "burn" on my trees, including yellowing tips of leaves among other symptoms. [they are very happy when i use the Lutz citrus tabs in the pots and otherwise leave them alone]. 2) the young seedlings are somewhat intolerant of direct heavy sunlight - they seem much less stressed inside the greenhouse during the hotter months and when i have attempted to add supplemental LED lighting during the late fall/early spring i also notice immediate burning of the upper leaves. Since I have not found any great answers as to why they behave this way, I am led to believe that the above issues are just due to the young age/immaturity of the trees. But that barely even an educated guess. I know nothing about "node counts" or the height of mature potted citron, but i am certainly hoping for some fruit sooner than 10 years!