AT A GLANCE
How do I harvest and use thistle seed?
Thistle seeds are small inclosing fruits that arise from the inferior ovary and ensure the propagation of the thistle plant. You can harvest the seeds as soon as the petals transform into hairs or bristles and sow in spring.
What do thistle seeds look like?
The thistles, which belong to the daisy family form involute fruits (achenes). In this special form of nuts, which emerge from the lower ovaries, the pericarp and seed coat are very close together. For wide dispersal of seed and the propagation of thistles the sepals, which have been transformed into a fringe of hair (pappus), take care of this.
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Can I collect thistle seeds myself?
As soon the petals the thistles convert to hair or bristles, you can use the harvest seeds:
- Cut off the faded inflorescence.
- Carefully remove the seed pods.
- If you can't pull out the individual seeds, let them dry for a few days.
- To do this, place the thistles in a bowl lined with paper towels and cover with newspaper.
- fruits of the thistles pack in paper bags, label and up to sowing store in a cool, dry place.
How are thistle seeds sown?
Many thistles are two years old and should therefore resown in the bed every year, grown indoors or propagated by self-seeding become.
- Since many thistles germinate both cold and warm, the plants do not make any special demands on the germination temperature.
- Sow the spiky beauties directly outdoors between March and April.
- Alternatively, you can grow them indoors from February and transplant them into the garden after the ice saints.
- Only cover thistle seeds very thinly with soil, because they germinate in the light.
How long does it take for thistle seeds to germinate?
How fast the seeds germinate depending on the type as well as the ambient temperature. Often show up already after a few days the first cotyledons. However, this can also take up to three weeks.
Can you buy thistle seeds?
You can get thistle seeds from any well-stocked garden store. In particular, the seeds of popular noble thistles and ecologically valuable representatives of this large plant genus such as
- globe thistle,
- man stray,
- milk thistle,
- card thistle,
- silver thistle,
- safflower,
- ivory thistle,
belong to the standard range.
Tip
Thistles are ecologically very valuable
The attractive flowers of the thistle are an important food source for bees and butterflies. If you do not cut back the seeds, many birds will be happy, especially the goldfinch (Goldfinch) about the nutritious seeds, which are extremely tasty winter food for the animals represent.
