I got the most noticeable results one time mixing some organic fertilizer into the existing soil at planting time, and nothing else. That's assuming the strong growth had anything to do with the fertilizer. Since all the plants were given the same treatment, there was no basis for comparison. Same as when it is thought that amending of planting hole backfill produces a benefit - the plants grew so it must have helped. Actually, it doesn't. And the effect it has on how water moves into and out of the amended small planting hole can actually be detrimental. But unless the hole collects water like a sump or loses it to the surrounding soil to such an extent that the new plant is dry all the time - two outcomes that are not unknown, by any means - the plant survives to root into the unamended soil around the liberally amended planting hole at which point growth improves markedly. The plant grew great (after it got out of the amended zone) so the amendments must have been beneficial. Amending or replacing an entire bed, to out beyond the rooting area of the roses avoids the problem of water behavior within small holes, surrounded by different textured unamended soil. But there is still the problem (with amending) of the amendments decomposing and returning the soil to its original condition as the years go by. Not a problem with frequently replaced vegetables and flowering annuals, which are likely to have their bed areas re-worked frequently anyway. But who's going to lift and replant their roses every few years or so?

I direct sow everything after having mixed success with winter sowing. Here's what I grow from seed: Cleome Coreopsis Coneflower Poppies (sown in the fall) 4 O'Clocks Cosmos Datura Marigold Hollyhocks Columbine (sown in the fall) Larkspur (sown in the fall and very early spring) Nigella This has been the best year ever for me as far as success with seeds. We had mild spring temperatures ( by TX standards) and adequate rainfall so the germination rate was great! Unfortunately the weather right now is hot and extremely windy so I am watching everything get wind-whipped. Marilyn

When the seed pods are completely brown and dry and can be easily divided. However, note that the majority of cannas grow from bulbs and most are hybrids and either sterile or won't breed true. Just something to keep in mind. ;) Check out the previous discussion linked below for more details. Here is a link that might be useful: Canna seeds discussion

This may shock sey, but I agree with what he said above. There are two cycles in the life cycle of a tomato plant. The first is the vegetative one where there is growth of roots and stems and foliage. I think that most of you know that small transplants can and do form buds and blossoms, the sexual cycle, and that means that the energy compounds made from photsynthesis are diverted to the sexual cycle, albeit prematurely. And that's why many growers take the buds and blossoms off those young plants as I usually did when I was setting out transplants. Most tomato growers want to keep the plants in the vegetative cycle until the plants are much larger. The blossom cycle itself is about 2-3 weeks so after removing any early buds and blossoms the plants will then form new buds and blossoms and at that point leave them on the plant. From then on of course the plants continue to get larger and larger as well as more buds and blossoms and the then more buds and blossoms and fruit set and fruit maturation, but with more foliage there's more photosynthesis thus more ATP, GTP, etc. to do both at the same time as sey mentioned. So yes, one can keep a plant in the initial vegetative cycle by over fertilizing it and/or growing plants in overly rich soil since that keeps plants in that initial vegetative cycle without going into the sexual cycle. I once was living in a small apt in a house that was owned by two brothers. I wanted so much to grow some tomato plants but the only place available was a small strip behind the garage and they said that was OK. I had to buy some plants, not a problem, set them back there and waited. They sat there and sat there and didn't grow, actually hardly any sun and overhanging branches from the yard of the folks who lived in back. Being now desperate, I fertilized them like no tomorrow and ended up with huge plants that were best used as shubbery, with never a bud or blossom to be seen.<G> And I should have known better since I'm the one who grew up on what we call a truck farm here in the East where we grew many different kinds of crops, and many acres of tomatoes and by age 5 was sitting on the seat atop the water tank of the plant setter and not that soon after that was riding the plant setter with her Aunt Olive and not soon after that was picking tomatoes, and they were 3 peck heavy bushels, but dad would carry them out to the dirt roadway and then come along later with that two wheeled cart, take them back to the big shed where we would then sort and pack them and load the truck to take them to market the next morning, and the gates to that market opened at 5AM when there was a mad dash of all the trucks to get to coveted spots in the long covered stall where the commercial buyers would walk down the aisle making decisions on which farmers' produce the wanted to buy. Darn good memories for me. Carolyn