My inlaws have a gorgeous
Poinciana tree in their courtyard (NOTE: picture is NOT their tree). This year we noticed huge cigar looking pods hanging from it. December 26th, 2010 we took home these.
We tried a variety of methods of breaking in to these to get the seeds out of the pods.
Breaking them with our feet - no luck.
Metal hinged nutcracker - no not like in the ballet - no luck.
Neal got out a multi-tool pocket knife and tried with what looked like a very pointy can opener blade.
I got a small hammer and a flathead screwdriver.
Neal got six seeds done and I got 40 done!
and look who decided to give my method a try after I finished with the hammer and screwdriver :)
Neal did the research on how to plant them and so we used sand paper to make sure the water would get at them while they soak overnight. As we do things so differently, mine are in a ziplock bag with warm water and I only am trying 5 of them. Neal's are in a plastic coffee can and he is doing them all at one time!
We bought two large bags of potting soil at Sam's today and 250 16 oz plastic drinking cups. Tomorrow we plant!
It took us a long time to do these and all I could say is I'm glad we don't have to eat these to survive!
LOL, yes, it would be a pain having to carry around a hammer, a screw driver and some sandpaper if looking to survive on seeds. ;) How long will it take them to germinate and push up some shoots? I could see myself in 6 months finally looking at the dirt and saying, well maybe it didn't work!
ReplyDeleteHope they thrive!
What magnificent pods. The photo you linked to is gorgeous. I can see why you went to all the trouble to get those seeds!
ReplyDeleteTheresa dh said 4 days or so. Thursday was 4 days nothing. Sunday 7 days nothing. It has been very cold here so perhaps they are still not aware that they are to be sprouting? I'll give mine until later in the week and then I'm going to get out 5 more seeds and try the boiling them first choice.
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