Wednesday 17 August 2011

seed collecting 2011

Seed collecting has proved a fascinating new craze and my box of collected seed is bulging!

Each seed is distinctly different and fascinating to look at closely.

Seed of the cowslip (primula veris) looks round and black as it is shaken from the dried seed pods, but magnified it looks more like gravel as you can see. Cowslips have simple flowers that long-tongued bumble bees especially can enjoy. We will sow the seed in drills on the allotment and then transplant the seedlings to their new home in places where the ground is more moist.

We've collected the majority of the seeds, but indulgent friends have also contributed.

Here's my list (in no sort of order) so far.....



 Common name
Latin name
Habitat
Notes
Bluebell
Hyacinthoides non-scripta
Woodland
For broadcasting in woodland
Yellow scabious

Garden
For sowing in drills

Aquilega
Hedgerow/garden
Broadcast along hedgerow
Weld
Reseda lutiola

Broadcast along hedgerow
Foxglove
Gigitalis purpurea
Woodland/hedgerow
Broadcast in woodland and along hedgerow
Red Campion
Silene dioica
Woodland/hedgerow
Broadcast in woodland and along hedgerow
Sown in trays and planted out as plugs
White Campion
Silene alba
Woodland/hedgerow
For sowing in drills
Bladder Campion
Silene vulgaris
Woodland/hedgerow
For sowing in drills
Welsh poppies
Mecenopsis cambrica
Garden
For garden
Welsh poppies (orange)
Mecenopsis cambrica
Garden
For garden
Opium poppies
Papaver somniferum
Garden
For sowing in drills
Californian poppies
Eschscholzia californica
Garden

For sowing in drills

Camassia (white)
Meadow/garden
For sowing in drills
Ox eye daisies
Leucanthemum vulgarae
meadow
For adding to meadow mix
Pot marigold ‘Art shades mixed’
Calendula
Garden
For broadcast in garden and in orchard

Phacelia
Garden
Broadcast in orchard
Cowslip
Primula veris
Meadow/garden
For sowing in drills
Greater knapweed
Centaurea scabiosa
Meadow edge
For sowing in drills

Astrantia
garden
For sowing in drills

Stipa gigantea
garden
Tray sown
For sowing in drills
Bee orchid
Ophrys apifera
Meadow/hedgerow
Broadcast in grass along hedge
Yellow (Hay) Rattle
Rhinanthus minor
Meadow/grassland
Broadcast in grass along hedge
Honeysuckle
Lonicera pericyclemenum
Woodland
Tray sown
Parsnip

Vegetable garden

Field beans

Vegetable garden


As I've said before, the ecological assessment of the site disappointingly noted that there was nothing of particular interest.

Our aim is to increase the overall biodiversity by first of all increasing the range of plants in site. None of the above occur on the site at the moment. If we can raise many of them to maturity, and continue to add insect friendly plants, in years to come we should have increased the floral diversity considerably.

Left - ox-eye daisy (leucanthemum vulgarae) is a beautiful 'pioneer' species of grassland occurring early in a  meadow's life. Its simple flowers are typical of the kind that invertebrates find most useful. This year was an exceptional one for ox-eye daisies and they flowered in profusion from May to late July. This seed will be added to a meadow mix and will hopefully be broadcast in the autumn.

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