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Monday, January 24, 2011

Viola Life Cycle (Seed Week & Seeds Give-away)

Thank you for joining in, sharing your thoughts and experiences for “Seed Week”. Initially the “Seed Week” is held from 22nd January till 26th January. But my math calculation were wrong that is not even a week isn’t it (My apologies, math was one of my weak subject at school). So if I counted correctly, the last day should be on the 29th January. Hopefully, this will allow more post to be link in this time frame. 
What is “Seed Week”? 
Sharing our own experiences and gain knowledge about collecting, propagating, growing seeds, bulbs, tubers, rhizomes, or cuttings and can be about how to keep them in top shape. The wonderful thing about collecting seeds from plants that thrive in your place is that each year and the next year, the seeds will become more and more adapt to your garden environment. Please join us for this seed week. I will randomly choose 5 participants for home saved-seeds give-away. I like to share my home saved-seeds to you.  There is a linky to link your post at the bottom of this post. It can be a new post or and old one, also not limited to one post only.
 
Here are interesting and inspiring post link that is very helpful. 
 
HERB

FRUIT

VEGETABLES
OTHERS

PROPAGATION

FLOWER

VIOLA

The first flower seed packets that I bought was viola (cottage mixed). Actually the word viola was not even in my vocabulary back then (Brought up in tropics). I chose viola from the flower seed rack in Bunnings because it was May here (mid-autumn) and the information written about sowing time is right for this flower at that time. I am a girl, I wanted something to cheer up the garden, something colourful instead of only greens. I was a young gardener, thought I can always buy them if I want to. Now I start to change my ways of thinking. To be honest, I did not collect any viola seeds the first time I grown them. But viola made me fell in love with her, I thought I will never see her again unless I have to go shopping for viola again. I have limited budget and want to try something new, so I gave up on Viola. Sometime in June last year, I saw many viola seedling around the place where I planted viola once.  How happy to be re-united with viola again. A word of caution: After  you planted viola in your garden, you won’t have to plant them again, they will self-sowed next season and won’t leave your garden anymore Winking smile. It has become a beautiful weed in our garden. Viola seedlings scattered around the garden, I just transplanted them in other parts of the garden. I don’t know why but I found seedlings more in semi-shade rather than sunny location.

DSC08374

viola seedling

Viola has gifted me with more than 50 seedlings last spring and I transplanted them in many places to see which companion that is viola favourites. Viola look good as a border plant. It has shallow roots suitable growing in container as well. From my observation viola grows well together with beans and under chili plants.

Viola cottage Mixed

Now I have repent, I start to collect viola seeds last spring. Out of fear, that maybe someday we will moved and I have to say goodbye to our violas.  It is very easy to collect viola seeds. In the picture, you can see a fat seed pod where now can cut the stalk and wait for the seed to pop out from the seeds naturally. DSC08216

Viola seed pods almost ready to burst open.DSC08279

Viola seeds pop out from the seed pods.DSC08287

Now, whenever we have to move to a new place, viola will always be apart of us.

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11 comments:

  1. AnonymousTuesday, January 25, 2011

    Violas look so pretty, don't they. We have them here as wild flowers, so I never thought of saving seeds, but I just might save them next time and sow them in different places where they usually don't grow. They grow mostly in shades of tall trees.

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  2. Mr. H.Tuesday, January 25, 2011

    Many years ago I planted a few viola seeds and forgot about them, now, like you we are blessed with more and more of them each an every year as they so easily self-seed...I love plants like this and the smell is heavenly. the funny thing is that I have never actually seen them go to seed, so I found your pictures to be most interesting. I will have to pay better attention to them next year. Also, I have noticed that the edible leaves are extremely cold hardy and am thinking of trying to grow some under our winter row covers this next year...such a wonderful little plant.

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  3. p3chandanTuesday, January 25, 2011

    I wish they can be grown here, wouldn't that be so lovely having colourful violas all over in my garden!

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  4. rainfield61Tuesday, January 25, 2011

    It is so nice if I can decorate my Chinese New Year with the colors of viola.

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  5. kitchen flavoursTuesday, January 25, 2011

    Viola certainly has become a 'sentimental plant' to you! Mine is gerberas! Viola are really pretty and colourful, they would look really attractive and cheerful in any garden. Do you think that this can be grown over here? Will look this up on my next visit to the nursery, I'm pretty curious to see whether they have the seeds here!

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  6. shazTuesday, January 25, 2011

    That's great to know about viola. Because of limited space, I try to keep all my sunny areas for edible plants, but this season the violas looked so cheerful at the nursery I bought some :) Good to know they self-sow. I need to get my act together and collect my celery and oregano seeds before it's too late. My poor garden is suffering from neglect :) Love the sound of seed week too.

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  7. StephanieTuesday, January 25, 2011

    Thanks for sharing about viola. I can't forget the first sight of this pretty flower. It is still in my head. It's wonderful to know that they self-seed. Now I am begining to like to this plant a lot :-D Oh they are edible flowers! You can include them to garnish salad and food ;-)

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  8. Sue GarrettTuesday, January 25, 2011

    Both violas and pansies are great during the winter months too as they seem to just pop up from under the snow and still have flowers.

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  9. agreenearthWednesday, January 26, 2011

    Thank you for your comment on my site, and enjoyed your seed saving post. Am also beginning to save my seeds and plant from these seeds. So important to keep all our plants stocks.

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  10. Malay-Kadazan girlWednesday, January 26, 2011

    vrtlarica ana~ It must be very pretty to look at viola in a place where it is consider as wild flower. Thank you I just remembered that viola seeds germinated better in shades.

    Mr. H~ Viola seed pods must contain so much energy if it can explode and scattered all that seeds.

    P3chandan~ It will be nice to see them growing in Malaysia as well. But I am going to bring back my seeds so I will like to try if it possible. Or you would like to try?

    Rainfield61~ I think viola will suit well for the year of rabbit. I can just imagine Bambi friend the rabbit with viola.

    Kitchen Flavours~ I am not sure whether there any viola selling at nursery there. But I think Cameron Highland won't have problem growing this flower. The seeds germinate better in shades.

    Shaz~ With the warm weather, I spend less time in the garden. You know the heat here, tak boleh tahan. So my garden is a bit negelected too.

    Stephanie~ It will look pretty and dishes or ice cubes. But I myself have not try to taste it yet.

    Sue~ Your colourful pansies is keeping you warm and cheerful.

    Greenearth~Thank you for linking. Yes it is so important to rely on ourselves to collect seeds.

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  11. AlisonSaturday, January 29, 2011

    I love violas too! Such pretty, cheerful little flowers! There are lots of other plants that will self sow like this, some are just as aggressive, but others not so much. It's nice to have them, and to be able to dig them up and move them where you want them. Free flowers!

    Have you ever grown nasturtiums? They are another edible flower that will drop seeds to sprout the next year.

    Thanks so much for following and commenting on my blog!

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