Planting Four-O-Clocks?

9 years ago

When is the best time to plant four-o-clock seeds? I have heard both before the last danger of frost and when all danger of frost has passed. Thinking I should maybe get them started sooner rather than later.

Is soaking seeds necessary for expedited germination?

THANK YOU!

Featured Answer

oakiris

9 years ago

last modified: 9 years ago

Four O'Clocks, Mirabilis jalapa, are annuals in our zone; the seeds should be planted after the last danger of frost in your area. From what I have read, it does help with the germination of the seeds if you soak the seeds overnight or nick the seed casing.

Now there is a native Four O'clock, Mirabilis multiflora, also known as Colorado Four O'clock, that IS a perennial (once it is well rooted) in Zone 5 (and into Zone 4,) and I highly recommend it. It dies back to the ground but comes back up in late spring once the soil is warm enough.

I bought it as a plant at least 20 years ago; the next spring I saw no sign of it so ended up digging up the area to plant something else. The next year, the plant suddenly reappeared in my "upper garden" where I had dumped some soil from the bed where it used to be - either I dug up some seeds from the plant or the tuber itself and transplanted it. Anyway, it has been flourishing ever since. (No sign of it yet this spring, but I remain hopeful and have the area staked off so I don't disturb the soil.) Note that it grows naturally in dry rocky/sandy soils but somehow does quite well here in my lovely clay soil. http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=MIMU

Holly

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Comments (10)

mayberrygardener
9 years ago
I brought a four o'clock home from a swap several years ago, and those things make seeds like nobody's business! I collected a few with the thought to plant some, but many of the ones that fell to the ground came up in their own time, no extra work required. I think that standard four o'clocks are great for winter sowing, and hey, since it's supposed to snow this weekend, you might throw some seeds out where you want the plants this weekend and see what they do, no soaking or anything would be required at this point! Honestly, I've never bothered starting them indoors! However, we've had jays in our yard, and I think they may have eaten all of the seeds that I "planted" (read: let lie) last fall, so I think I'm going to reseed and then will cover the area to protect it and see how it goes. Good luck!
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That monster tuber was not the norm, particularly the tap root. As long as your not planting among tree roots the tuber isn't really a problem. The only way a tuber will produce more plants is if you accidently chop it up with a tiller. Then all the little pieces of tuber will start to grow. The real way that 4 o'clocks spread is by seed and as long as you pull the seedling up before they have a chance to form a tuber your fine. A healthy 4 o'clock is a prolific seeder. The worst is when a tuber grows around tree roots. You'll never get rid of it then!
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Golden David
9 years ago
I've never planted one but I bought some seeds this year and started them in trays in the unheated greenhouse. They germinated about a month ago but have been slow coming up. No soaking, I did scarify a couple seeds absentmindedly but it didn't seem to make a difference.
Paige Zone 5b
Original Author
9 years ago
Thank you both!! I planted over 100 collected seeds in my raised garden bed last Friday so I'm very hopeful that they start to pop up soon! Especially with all the rain (and snow
oakiris
8 years ago
Any luck with your four o'clock garden, Paige?

Here are a some photos of my Colorado Four O'clock in bloom that I took this morning:

Holly
mayberrygardener
8 years ago
Oh I love the color of those, oakiris! I was right on one account and wrong on the other in my earlier prediction: you guys can probably figure out (since I was busy trying to get the townhome in Fort Collins ready to sell... that's a hike when you live in Arvada!) if the Jays ate all of the seeds that had fallen or if I (ahem) did (NOT) actually get any more seeds planted.

My current four o'clock garden consists of admiring my garden at 4:00! I do hope to have some for next year--the color is very different from your picture, oakiris; they're variegated white with pink or yellow or orange "bled into" the white.
oakiris
8 years ago
lol - well, there is always next year, mayberrygardener! And thank you for the info about the 4 o'clocks you were hoping to grow - I actually had no idea that there were variegated versions of the annual 4 O'clocks - :-o - and may have to get a seed packet or two of those. I rather like some of the ones with the bit of yellow on the blooms shown on this page: https://www.flickr.com/photos/marialuisa/9301607470

Holly
mayberrygardener
8 years ago
Yup, that's very similar to what mine look like! I'll have to see if I can even find any of the seeds for it anymore and make sure that you get some!
Paige Zone 5b
Original Author
8 years ago
My little seeds have exploded into HUGE plants....but still, at the end of July, I don't have a single blossom or bloom. I'm hoping that they will start to pop soon because they're really healthy with big green leaves. Any thoughts on how I can force them to bloom?
oakiris
8 years ago
I could be wrong, but I think it might be a bit early for the annual 4-O'clocks to be blooming here, at least it seems to me that my annual 4'oclocks don't bloom until August - which, granted, is right around the corner.

I only have a few annual 4 o'clock left here. They were originally planted by someone who lived here before us and they only get a few hours of morning sun, so not an ideal location, but they come back reliably every year. (It's odd, actually - each plant seems to come up in the exact same location every year, as if they are perennials, they do not appear to come up randomly from seeds, but they are definitely the annual type of 4 o'clock. My plants don't have any buds on them as yet, either. Assuming that your 4'oclocks are planted in full sun, which they prefer, they might be further along than mine, but hopefully we will both see buds forming on our plants soon!

Holly