Can anyone guess what is in this capsule? If you guessed seeds you would be correct. These are the teeny tiny seeds of Angelonia Serena (purple) that I ordered from Park Seed last month. This is a pelleted seed and can be fragile so the company packages it in a low moisture capsule for shipping purposes. First time I’ve seen this type of packaging for seeds. They included detailed instructions on how to remove the seeds from it. You use the capsule once it is opened as a shaker to disperse the seeds evenly on the surface of your growing medium and leave it uncovered. I grew transplants of these in my new garden this past summer and was instantly in love with this no maintenance annual. Of course these have to be started indoors 6-8 weeks before my last frost which is around April 15th. So looks like I will be going outside my comfort zone once more and doing some indoor sowing this season. Along with these I have Cosmos Bipinnatus ‘Psyche White’ which also recommends starting indoors from March to May. I also ordered Thymus Serpyllum (Mother of Thyme) which can be started outdoors in a raised protected bed in early spring. I might try starting in containers in the garden until they reach a mature size and can be transplanted elsewhere in the fall. However after doing some research I’m considering just sowing the seeds directly into the Arbor garden around the stepping stones. Looks like I’ll be busy soon…
Last night I received the Your Blog is Fabulous award from one of my favorite garden bloggers Deb at Aunt Debbi’s Garden. Thanks Deb! The rules state you should list 5 things you are addicted to and pass the award along to 5 blogs you are addicted to:
First off the 5 things I”m addicted to are:
- Gardening – duh! Who didn’t see that one coming? lol
- Reading – I love suspense novels and garden magazines
- Chocolate – anything and the more the better 🙂
- Blotanical – becoming part of this network of wonderful gardeners has been a joy for me.
- Watching garden shows on TV, even though the are few & far between now.
Second part states to pass it along to 5 blogs that I’m addicted to. Since there are so many wonderful blogs out there and alot of you don’t accept awards I’m going to share this with all of you! You all have Fabulous Blogs! Feel free to play along if you like. 🙂 Thanks again Deb!
Perennial Garden Lover 
Posted by Janet on February 7, 2009 at 8:46 am
Racquel… interesting method of shipping. Will look forward to seeing your Angelonia pictures this summer! Congrats on the award.
Janet
I found it unusual too Janet. And I promise to share lots of photos of it this summer. Thanks!
Posted by Dave on February 7, 2009 at 8:54 am
I haven’t seen that method of shipping yet. It looks like a good way to keep the seeds safe. In my experience you can never have enough Thyme. 😉
It does seem like an effective method Dave. lol I plan on having lots of Thyme this summer. 😉
Posted by tina on February 7, 2009 at 9:17 am
Congrats on your award! And that seed pellet is really cool. I have never seen them before.
Thank you Tina. I’ve never seen anything like it either.
Posted by VP on February 7, 2009 at 9:56 am
I see Debbi had very good taste – congratulations!
Thanks for the compliment VP! 🙂
Posted by Monica on February 7, 2009 at 10:23 am
LOL, from your title I thought there was an award for the person who guessed the capsule contents correctly–which I never would have, so that’s just as well. And I’m curious HOW one opens the capsule without damaging the seeds–does it pull apart or do you have to puncture it somehow?
That is too funny Monica! 😉 It pulls apart like a cold capsule would and then you just shake the seed out into the soil.
Posted by Kathleen on February 7, 2009 at 10:50 am
Interesting & clever packaging idea Racquel. I’ve never gotten any seeds that way either but it sure would work and protect them. Congrats on your award too. I’m addicted to a lot of the same things. (and particularly sad about not having very many garden shows anymore) I wonder how we can change that?
I thought so too Kathleen. These companies are getting mighty clever. Thanks! I wish there was a way to get them to air more gardening shows, there was a time when there were tons on the air.
Posted by easygardener on February 7, 2009 at 10:58 am
Congratulations on your award. I’ve not seen that sort of packaging either but it’s a clever idea.
I love white Cosmos in the garden but I’ve reached my limit on seed buying – probably a good thing too!
Thanks EG! It is a pretty clever way of packaging these fragile seeds. This is a new double version that I just had to try, but same here with the the limit. 😉
Posted by Carla on February 7, 2009 at 12:59 pm
How cool is this? So smart! I’m doing seeds inside this year, last year was my ‘first’ sowing seeds in the ground:)
Please post follow-ups:)
{I first read your Cosmos Bipinnatus ‘Psyche White’ as PSYCHO White-hee hee}
It was pretty smart, and this will be my first attempt in years of sowing indoors. Wish me luck! I promise to post lots of followups. Stay tuned I have an update tomorrow. That is too funny about the PSYCHO, lol. 😉
Posted by Cameron (Defining Your Home Garden) on February 7, 2009 at 3:14 pm
The mystery of pelletized seeds revealed! I couldn’t imagine the packaging, so thanks for the photo.
I cut off stems of my angelonia lavender mist in the fall and put them in an envelope. I haven’t yet try to clean off the seeds, Maybe if I just shake the envelope, they’ll fall off! 🙂 Yeah, right!
Cameron
This is the first time I’ve seen pelletized seeds packaged this way. Something new I guess. You are quite welcome Cameron. I actually salvaged some seed from mine too this past fall minus the stems. Wish I knew what to tell you about removing the stems. Good luck!