Hello Everyone: Hey Jarie & Theresa, so glad to hear you have received seeds from Jim. I am waiting for mine to come. This will be my first attempt at Daturas (will also be planting Jarie's seeds, Thanks) So any and all advice/growing tips welcomed and appreciated.
TIA Gloria
Los Angeles County, CA
Hardy Zone:9B
Heat Zone:8/9
Planting Datura seeds.
Soak the seeds in warm water, refresh the water with warm water a few times. The amount of time they soak doesn't seem to have an effect, a few hours to a few days will be good. Most people say over night, I once left them for a week accidentally, lol.
Prepare your soil and pots, sterilize, etc. Fill the pots with soil, pack down lightly.
Press the seeds on top of the soil, you can either leave them on top or just barely cover them with soil.
Water them, I do this by placing the pot in water and waiting for it to soak up to the top.
Place the pots in a bright, partly sunny location. The sun seems to help them germinate faster, but full sun in the summer here will cook the seedlings.
After they're in place, water them when they start to look a little dry, but don't let them get completely dry. And, wait. Be patient, they may show up within a couple of weeks, but sometimes it can take a while.
If you've had good results with plastic bags or humidity domes, you can plant them that way. It just doesn't work for me.
Caring for the plant.
Repot into bigger pots as necessary. The basic care is very close to Brugs. IMO, most Daturas can handle more sun than most Brugs. They don't like to get too dry, but they don't want to be too wet. Feed them when and what you feed your Brugs. And remember that they are susceptible to the same things as Brugs, insects, fungi, diseases, etc.
Pollinating to get seeds, most of the time don't worry about it, as long as you don't dead-head the flowers it will be taken care of.
Daturas are more susceptible to the leaf-spot fungus in my yard, but I don't know if they are just generally more susceptible to it or if it's just in my yard.
Oh, and the Hornworms seem to prefer the Daturas (specifically the yellow one) to anything else in the family. My first year growing them, I followed the path of destruction, a nibble here and there, through the yard, and finally found a 4-inch beast hiding on what was left of the triple yellow Datura he had just engulfed. They eat A LOT at that size, lol.
That's about all I can think of at the moment, gotta run though, eye doc appointment.
Good luck with you first ones!
Lynne
USDA 9b, Heat 10
Bradenton, Florida
Current Kanji: hana (flower)
Thanks for the wonderfully detailed info. They sound like something I can handle. Do the seeds need any treatment before soaking? Here in SO CALI I was thinking of starting seeds now, because I think I can grow them pretty much all year 'round. Is this a good idea?
Aside from their looks, I was hoping to plant them to help shade some of my Brugs (our sun can be brutal here)as well as providing a pretty addition to the Brugs. I see Datura growing wild on the side of the Freeways totally engulfed by ivy and they seem to thrive! So feel encouraged!
Would a seedling heat mat be of use, do you think? I was considering buying one. Sometimes, I know, bottom heat has helped me with other seed germination.Not sure if Datura needs an "extra" push! Thanks for taking the time to help me out.
Los Angeles County, CA
Hardy Zone:9B
Heat Zone:8/9
I treat my datura seeds about the same as Lynne. This year, I'm trying some directly in the ground since I've found a few volunteers that seem to have made it on their own. Will do them both ways inside and out. I'm looking forward to some of the new varieties, although I don't have much room so will be limited.
Thanks, Ruth Ann: Will get a seedling heat mat. Really looking forward to growing some Daturas. They are so very pretty. However, some say not to plant them with Brugs. Is this merely because they are both susceptable to the same viruses and insects, or does the Datura actually cause harm to the Brugs?
Los Angeles County, CA
Hardy Zone:9B
Heat Zone:8/9
Gloria, I wonder if your zone 9b is like my 9b, if so you can start the seeds anytime outdoors, no extra heat required. As for treatment before soaking, some people use gibberellic acid and say it helps. I bought seeds pre-treated with it once but I don't think it really helped because none of them germinated. If you happen to have some laying around the house and want to give it a try, go for it, but I can't say I'd go out of my way to find and buy it. Also, I doubt throwing them in the fridge for a couple of weeks to give them a cold period would hurt, I've never tried it with Daturas though.
Sharon, I'm not really sure if now's a good time for you or not. Patrick (or anyone growing Daturas in a similar zone) would know better than me.
Just a guess here, if you're starting them indoors, planning on moving them outside in spring, you'd probably want to wait until a month or two before the expected time to move them out. However, if you have the space and set up for growing them indoors over winter, heat, lights, etc, perhaps now would be ok? But if the conditions are right, within a few months they could be at least a couple of feet tall. Also, if the light is too dim they have a tendency to be tall, thin, and rather weak-stemmed.
AFAIK, The reason for not putting Brugs and Daturas together is really that they're in the same family, susceptible to the same everything. So if one plant gets something it could easily spread to the other. As long as all of the plants are healthy and their health is maintained, putting them together shouldn't be a problem, at least no worse than putting two Brugs or two Daturas together. Just remember to keep an eye out for problems and take care of them quickly, before they have a chance to spread. If a problem gets out of hand it can wipe them all out in one shot.
By the way, Brugs grow a lot taller than Daturas.
Lynne
USDA 9b, Heat 10
Bradenton, Florida
Current Kanji: hana (flower)
My datura seeds itself in every year, have a single white and a triple white. I am able to give away many seedlings each spring.
I like to start my seeds on top of the refrigerator, it gives good bottom heat. Once they sprout I move them under lights, cold frame or greenhouse depending on seeds and time of year. If money is tight it is worth a try, those heat mats are expensive.
Sharon, I think Lynne got it just right. Datura seedlings grow pretty fast & could easily get tall & spindly here in the PNW if started too early. I think 5-6 weeks before plant-out date is early enough.
Which daturas do you have seeds for? Only single-flowered dats set seed for me...have never had a double/triple set seed, even when I tried to do the pollinating. Lilac la Fleur volunteers readily for me...sets LOTS of seeds. I brought seeds for triple purple back from Carrie's garden a few weeks ago...have enough to share some if you wish (Lilac la Fleur, too).
I will start a few under fluorescent lights in the spring. My sister loves to grow a potted one for her deck. A few of the triple purple might set off her pink brugs, also grown in pots.
Patrick
Brug Moderator
USDA Zone 8b
Heat Zone 3
Sunset Zone 5
SeaTac, WA...one cool place
Lynne and Patrick, Thank you for the information, I will wait until early spring to start them.
Patrick, I have seeds for triple purple, double purple, double and triple yellow and a few of Lilac Le Fleur-----thanks to Jarie and Lenette (SJN)! I am quite anxious to try these as I have grown and enjoyed the single white daturas for the last 2 years----they even came back around my yard. I have only seen pictures of these fancy varieties---I can't wait!!
Thanks to all for the useful info. My seeds have arrived and I think I will splurge for a seedling heating mat [within reason ;0)]
Patrick, if I am successful with these Dat seeds, Maybe I can take you up on an offer for the Lilac ... Datura. Want to see how I do first.
Hate to be a seedling Slayer!
Los Angeles County, CA
Hardy Zone:9B
Heat Zone:8/9
Has anyone ever tried filing through a spot of the seed coat (away from the eye) before soaking? I remember trying this method on D. stramonium 2 years ago. But I sowed some (innoxia, I think) last year without filing & they germinated just fine. Does know if this is more effective or not?
Just to let everyone know, the datura seeds that I planted directly in the ground about 3 months ago are germinating and growing pretty nicely. I'd say at least 50% have germinated, already been transplanted and some are starting to bloom...believe it or not. There were some temps into the 40's while these were in the ground but never freezing.
One soft pink/purple single already has bloomed and set a seedpod...go figure that one. The plant is only about 12 inches tall and has had 3 blooms. Not the most beautiful dat but remarkable in it's development.
Good luck with your datura seed planting and enjoy the beauty this summer.
Jarie
Mission, TX
Rio Grande Valley
Zone 9
This message has been edited by jas4141 on Mar 18, 2008 5:34 PM
Hi Jarie: Planted some of the seeds you and some other kind people sent me. I sowed them in small jiffy pots in a seedling tray and set the tray on a heat mat. Got about 50% germination. Had to remove the dome and then the fungus gnats took over!!! So I began setting the tray out in the sun during the day and then inside on the mat at nite. The other day, I was a little late coming home from work and the darn Raccoons messed up the seedling tray. I planted all the seedlings in the prepared flower bed and am now waiting to see what survived. Will be planting the rest of the seeds this weekend (outdoors) because our weather has been very warm (hi 70s-80s). Do you think I'm doing the right thing? Anything special to do for them outdoors? Sorry that I won't know whose seeds are blooming,since they got all mixed up (and I had everything so nicely labeled!!), but I thank all of you and curses to the raccoons!!! Forgive the long post.
Los Angeles County, CA
Hardy Zone:9B
Heat Zone:8/9
Sorry to hear the raccoons did a number on your datura seedlings, Gloria. I don't do anything special but plant them, keep them watered for awhile, give a tiny bit of fertilizer and then leave them alone. Datura don't need the feeding and watering that Brugs do. They are pretty hardy.
My tiny double yellow one (volunteer) that I transplanted a couple of months ago is still only about 12-15 inches tall but has had about 7 blooms already in 2 separate stages. The purple one has had fewer blooms but seems to be growing taller. One from Jim that has begun to bloom seems to open very early in the morning and by the time I get out there to check it out, it's closed.
Forgive the long post.