Q: I have a hummingbird vine that produced long pods last year. Can I start another vine from these? And if so, how? There are still some brown, dried out pods on it from last year.
Hardiness Zone: 6
Betty from Hudson Valley area NY
A: Betty,
Yes, you can certainly start new vines from last year's seeds. If the dried pods failed to drop off the vines last year and have spent the winter outdoors, then Mother Nature has already winterized them for you. You can sow them directly in the ground from the date of your last frost through early summer. Alternatively, they can also be started indoors 6 to 8 weeks before you expect to plant them in the garden. Plant the seeds in full sun to a depth of 1/2" and spaced 1" apart. They will tolerate almost any type of soil and can be transplanted easily. The seeds should germinate in 5-15 days. When they are old enough to handle, thin them to 6"-8" apart. Once established, mature plants usually reseed easily.
Ellen
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I used to have a vine like this. Take the pods and seeds and keep them in a small paper sack in a cool place. When warmer weather gets here and you're ready to plant, take some seeds and scratch their hard outer coating with an emery board or something abrasive like that. Let soak in some water overnight, and the seed will open up a bit and can then be planted. Hope this works for you.
What is a hummingbird vine? Are you talking about a trumpet vine? Trumpet vines have orange tubular flowers... but sometimes the flowers can be yellow.. . I think yellow is unusual though...
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