does anyone know when or where i should plant my dollar tree? and i've had the seeds a while, are they still good? im worried that if i plant them, they won't grow. thanks!
"Dollar Tree" is the common or generic name that has been attached to the plant, do you have the scientific name or a picture? - this would help to identify exactly what you have and therefore the care.
It's a thin stemmed plant with round seed pockets. I have no pictures as a friend gave me the seeds. Hope this helped clear things up :)
Money Plant Lunaria annua Biennial * to 24-36 in. in height; zone 4a Likes Sun to Partial Shade Requires consistently moist soil; do not let dry out between waterings Self-sows freely; deadhead if you do not want volunteer seedlings next season (if properly cleaned, seed can be successfully stored) From seed; direct sow outdoors in fall, or direct sow after last frost in spring This being said, it depends how old your seeds are and if they were properly prepared as to whether they are still viable. All you can do is to maybe try sowing some seeds this fall and then some again in the spring From Wikipedia, "A biennial plant is a flowering plant that takes two years to complete its biological lifecycle. In the first year the plant grows leaves, stems, and roots (vegetative structures), then it enters a period of dormancy over the colder months. Usually the stem remains very short and the leaves are low to the ground, forming a rosette. Many biennials require a cold treatment, or vernalization, before they will flower. During the next spring or summer, the stem of the biennial plant elongates greatly, or "bolts". The plant then flowers, producing fruits and seeds before it finally dies."
my seeds were not prepared, as far as i know. but i will try planting them! is now a good time, or should i wait until september? and quoting the wikipedia artical you quoted, "the plant then flowers, producing fruits and seeds" is the fruit edible? (p.s, you've been such a great help, thanks! :))
No this "fruit" is not edible; is this sense the definition is as below. And the definition provided was for biennial - sorry for the confusion "Fruit: The ripened ovary or ovaries of a seed-bearing plant, together with accessory parts, containing the seeds and occurring in a wide variety of forms" This just means that the Money Plant will live for 2 years; the 1st year will be spent growing and then in the second year it will grow some more before flowering, producing seeds and then it will die. The plant would naturally disperse the seeds to start the cycle again in the spring. As for sowing, you could wait until September when the plant would naturally be dropping the seeds.
A typical way to test if old seeds are still ok is to put them all in a shallow pan with water; those that float are no longer good and could be thrown away. As for the right time for planting, I agree with the advice above. Just time it with the season when they naturally propagate seeds.
