the pods have grown and are still the gorgeous brilliant purple. they haven't browned up yet...how long does it take for the pods to ripen??

the temp is going to get pretty close to freezing this weekend is that going to ruin them??

joclyn, I cut long stems of seed pods (with some foliage) and put them in a tall, clear vase of water. They will continue to ripen and make a gorgeous "bouquet."

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Rosie z7a

thanks, ladies!!

tammy, that's not a bad idea! would some kind of heavy cloth (like a blanket or comforter) do? and what about other color plastic?

i'm asking because i'm thinking of doing what rosie says for some and then covering the rest that are still on the plant...just to see which works out better!

i'd googled earlier and saw some articles about using the vine and/or pods in flower arrangements...nothing was mentioned about doing that to continue ripening the pods, tho. rosie, what kind of sunlight level do you put the vase with the cuttings in?

lynne, thanks!! i'll let you know if i need some...hopefully it won't actually freeze and/or whatever i take inside will ripen properly and i won't need any of your seeds.

since you're familiar with them and are in basically the same zone as me, do the flowers always appear in september?

i bought the plants in late june and put them in the ground...got flowers in september. i'm wondering if i start them early enough inside and get them out in the ground earlier, will the flowers start sooner? how long does it take for the seeds to sprout? i know they need to be scarified first...do you soak them too?

also, just how long DOES it take for the pods to ripen?? i was surprised at how quickly the pods formed in the first place (the flowers were only there for a few days) and thought they'd ripen just as quickly. some of the pods have been growing for over a month - even the first group that formed haven't started to change color yet.

i'm not complaining about it - they're absolutely gorgeous!!! i just thought the pods would ripen within a month - that seems to be the norm for most plants...

joclyn, I don't put them in sunlight at all. They usually sit on my computer desk in the window sill of a north facing window. Lots of light but no direct sun. Our approximate last frost date is April 15th so I start seeds around the middle of March and they are ready to set out plenty early. They don't have to be scarified or soaked but they do require a cold spell so store them in the fridge.


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Rosie z7a

Lynne, I don't know that it's written in stone to refrigerate the seeds...I do it because my Mama told me to and her word was law around here for years. Although they are fast growing vines and will quickly cover the area where they are planted, they are considered a mid-to-late summer bloomer. Mine usually start the first week in September and bloom until mid October. I like to sow a few seeds at the base of a couple of Rose of Sharon and let them climb to their hearts content. They start blooming just about the time the ROS are finishing up so it looks kinda cool.

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Rosie z7a

Hi, any kind of plastic is ok. Just make sure it is tented so it doesn't touch the vines themselves or it won't work.

About blankets and such probably not quite as good because air can get through. But I would definitely say worth a try if you don't have the plastic.

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you that you are able to save some of your pods so that they can rippen.

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