Heather (Calluna vulgaris), packet of 100 seeds, organic
$3.95
Family: Heath (Ericaceae)
Hardy to Zones 4 to 9
Woody perennial subshrub native to the British Isles, brightly flowering to 2 feet tall. A very classy herbal landscape plant, easy to maintain, fire and browse resistant, drought tolerant once established, and long-lived. Traditional usage: urinary tract infection and gravel. Source of arbutin. Yellow dye plant. Heather prefers full sun and acidic soils. Give peat moss. Surface sow seed in fall, midwinter or early spring, press in hard and keep cool and moist until germination, then work up seedlings in pots. Good container plant, excellent in raised beds, works well for sculpturing the landscape around paths to doorways and gates–low and spreading, trimmable, flowers long-lasting and showy.
100 seeds per packet, Certified Organically Grown
In stock
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Heather (verified owner) –
Ok, thank you so much! Do you have a preference of the percentage of shade? I see shade cloth/tents come in several different densities. The tent itself would need to be in the sun though, correct?
Do you mind giving a little clarification on what you meant about oscillating temps? Thank you so much, I’m really hoping this will be the year with success!
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Richo Cech –
Hello Heather, There’s a whole lot of info on shadehouse in “Growing Plant Medicine Vol 1” which is recommended. Yes, you can erect a frame in the full sun and drape it with 40% shadecloth for most applications. Oscillating temperatures occur in nature–night to day, sun to moon, winter to summer–nothing is constant–the temps go up and down like a wave pattern. This is useful in swelling and contracting seeds and spurs germination in many cases where constant temps, which are foreign to the seed, fail. richo
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Heather (verified owner) –
I have attempted to grow these seeds a few times now without any luck. No fault of yours, my pots often get forgotten or tipped over, etc.
when browsing the internet, it says heather can often take 6 months to germinate, if at all; and also that it can sprout better after mimicking fire conditions. Your packets say they sprout after a few weeks. Do you have any thoughts or tips on this? I need some expert pointers by now I think, lol
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Richo Cech –
Hello Heather, Thanks for staying in touch and you are right this is a tricky one. I pay attention to scientific papers referencing seed germination, take it with a grain of salt and ignore the rest. Most of all I rely on my own experiments and records, which is where the recommendations on my website come from. Anyhow the plant needs an acidic substrate so you can use peat or a peaty mix. Sprinkle on surface and keep moist and shaded. There is just no subsitute for the shadehouse in this application–I’ve never had luck in the greenhouse or indoor setup. Oscillating temps rock, richo
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tutekltd –
Hello Richo, I have no question- but I find it relaxing to read your responses here 🙂 -Michael in Brooklyn
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Richo Cech –
hi michael, nice of you to write. when we’re all on the same side, then we can truly relax. richo
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Jennifer Pal –
Labrador Tea (Ledum groenlandicum and Ledum palustre), also called Hudson’s Bay or Indian tea, shrubs of the heath family (Ericaceae). This one is for a mosquito repellant, is it the same what you are selling? Hudson bay tea or Indian Tea or Labradore tea
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Richo Cech –
hi jennifer, thanks for writing. i have played around with labrador tea before, so i know what you’re talking about. but it isn’t this. heather likes a similar environment, though. richo
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Question
navync –
Would I be able to direct sow these seeds?
Thank you
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Richo Cech –
hello navync, thanks for writing! This is one of the smallest ever seeds and would get lost out there in the big world if direct seeded. One of the ways you can determine if direct-seeding will work well is if the plant is an easy self-seeder, which heather isn’t. You’ll have better luck emptying the packet onto the surface of soil in a gallon pot and keeping outdoors through the winter. When the seedlings emerge in the spring, you will then know what they are. richo
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Question
Becki Morrison –
I need 50 packets for a memorial, what do they look like? Thanks for your help!
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Richo Cech –
Hi Becki,
Seeds are a fitting memorial. I think that’s fine, we have them, we can send them to you, shipping would be free.
Richo
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Admin Richo Cech –
Hi Ken, Fall and winter-flowering, our heather blooms red and purple. Shipping is $2.90 unless you purchase $10.00 worth of packets at which point shipping is free. Richo
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