This is how the sowing succeeds

Do not harvest the seeds too late and use them as soon as possible

The diptame blooms between May and June, depending on the region. Its seeds ripen in late summer / early autumn. If you use them for the sowing do not buy, but want to harvest yourself, you should be quick! As soon as the star-shaped capsule fruits are ripe, they open and eject their seeds. They are spread by the wind.

Collect the seeds as soon as the capsule fruits dry up and slowly open. They are best used fresh for sowing. The longer the seeds are stored, the more they lose their ability to germinate and the germination time lasts longer. So sow them right away in autumn!

Attention: cold germs!

Sowing is a little more complicated than with other crops:

• Seeds are cold germs
• first need a 4-week period in which they are exposed to warm temperatures
• then they need a cold period of at least 2 weeks (0 to 4 ° C)
• to implement this, it is best to decide for no-till sowing in the field
• for preculture: stratify in the refrigerator or on the balcony

Sow the seeds after stratification

Now the seeds can be sown. They are light germs that should be covered either very flat or not at all with earth or sand. Keep the substrate moist. Now you have to wait about 6 months for the seeds to germinate (optimal germination temperature: 8 to 12 ° C). Patience and regular control of the moisture in the seeds are required!

No-till or preculture?

In general, no-till is preferable. But let's be honest: You don't know whether the sowing will be successful. For better control, it is better to prefer it in pots. But that also has disadvantages. Among other things, the diptame tolerates the later plants to another Location bad... you decide!