How to Germinate Black Eyed Susan Vines
Clock vine and black-eyed Susan vine are two common names for Thunbergia alata, a species of vine cultivated for its showy flowers. The slender, scrambling stems reach an ultimate height of 8 feet and produce masses of heart-shaped leaves and striking yellow flowers with a deep, brownish-black center. Most gardeners grow black-eyed Susan vine from seeds, but the plants require a lengthy growing season to mature and flower, so it is best to germinate the seeds indoors six to eight weeks before the last frost. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- 3-inch starter pots
- Loam
- Perlite
- Nursery tray
- Spray bottle
- Greenhouse heat mat
Instructions
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1
Fill 3-inch starter pots with a soil mixture made-up of four parts loam and one part perlite. Pack the soil into the bottom of each pot to remove trapped air.
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2
Plant one black-eyed Susan vine seed in each pot. Cover the seed with a one-eighth-inch-thick layer of soil. Pat the soil firm atop the seed.
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3
Place the starter pots on a nursery tray to make moving and handling them easier. Water each pot with a spray bottle after they are placed on the nursery tray. Wet the top half inch of soil in each pot.
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4
Place the nursery tray atop a greenhouse heat mat near a large, south-facing window with bright light. Set the temperature on the mat to 78 degrees. Apply bottom-heat for 12 hours each day. Switch off the greenhouse heat mat at night.
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5
Mist the soil in each pot with the spray bottle whenever the surface dries out. Maintain moisture in the top half inch of soil at all times as the black-eyed Susan vine seeds germinate.
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6
Watch for the first signs of germination in 10 to 14 days. Remove the greenhouse heat mat once the seeds germinate, but keep the starter pots near a source of bright light as they grow.
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7
Transplant the 3-inch starter pots into a permanent bed providing full sun and adequate drainage once all danger of frost has passed and outdoor temperatures stay above 55 degrees at night.
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