From Stonehenge (SPF forums) : I have viable ph seeds but they are very hard to grow. You need lots of sunshine and very little water. This is hard to maintain indoors and outdoors it depends on your climate. It grows well in desert areas.
(2)http://www.shaman-australis.com.au/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=002146#000000
From wolvenkind (Corroboree forums): I only have one syrian rue plant that is one year old. You have to let the surface always dry, give them water from beneath, just a bit now and then. Only seedlings need some more water. Rotten parts you have to cut of, if your plant seems totally wasted, don't throw it away, there can be new sprouts after some weeks/months. When it's totally wasted, just make the earth as wet as possible and play the waiting game.
Here you can see a plant that was totally wasted and i cut if of, made the earth ultra wet and after a few weeks it came back.
Reply from apothecary (Corroboree forums): wolvenkind, I water from above, bottom watering annoys me. I can see how it's useful in some situations with very fragile plants, but nature doesn't do it that way...why should I?
In my opinion, Rue is a very hardy plant, people just treat it to nicely. I let my soil (not just the surface) dry out completely, then wait even longer before watering. You can water more when they are seedlings to simulate the rainy season but after that they need abuse instead of love.
Reply from Stonehenge (Corroboree forums): They seem to really need sun. They will not thrive in the shade but want full sun.
Reply from apothecary (Corroboree forums): Stonehenge, I disagree...after germination mine spent about 2 weeks in a low sun area without issue.
And it can't be an issue with sunlight itself, because mine are currently thriving under fluorescents
Reply from planthelper (Corroboree forums): dear apo!
i believe you are too over enthusiastic about your rue plants. i have seen big ones dieing because of wet surface. watering from underneath is what i would recomand aswell, your theory about nature waters aswell from above, cannot be used in this case. rue plants damp of very easily unless you grow them where they grow wild in australia...
i never heard of anybody growing succsessfully rue in sydney, and you will be unfortunately no exception, specialy because you don't seem to understand this plant.
there is one simple way of growing rue, throw the seeds at highly drained freshly exposed soil as you find it at road building sites and than wait.
but i think, this would be illegal...
rue hates rich soil, so never fert her, unless minute and save amounts.
never water her from the top, as she is used to search for water.
if rue looks like shriveled up and dead, she is still alive underground, waiting for water, but if you water her without giving her a seasonaly break from water, she will die aswell.
and i forgot to mention that low light could be dangerous, but is not if the area is well air circulated. but on generall terms low light eans more damping off, so i am with stoney.
Reply from Torsten (Corroboree forums): rue plants can die back from humidity especially if this is coupled with precipitation. So, avoiding overhead watering would be a wise move especially when humidity is high. Also, fungal problems on the foliage are more likely during the cooler months especially autumn.
Apoth, desert plants get most of their water from the bottom and sometimes from dew at night. It may only rain every few weeks or months in arid regions so most plants have adapted by sucking water from deep down. This might be rainwater or it might be groundwater.
Any dew that settles on the plants at night would only be there for a few hours and would be dried up almost without fail by morning. if you only watered your plants if you could guarantee bright sunny and dry days then you probably won't have a problem with overhead watering.
personally I wouldn't bottom water because it makes the soil way to soggy. For plants like this I would water from above, but without getting the elaves wet. ie, run the water down the side of the pot.
Reply from planthelper (Corroboree forums): i know what you refering to tort, but bottom watering would still be my favorite, just lets do it fast. "one quick dip" will avoid that the whole pottingmix gets too wet.
(3) http://www.shaman-australis.com.au/cgi-bin/ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=000677
From Spaced (Corroboree forums):
I found some journal articles on cultivation of desert species which mention Peganum harmala. One was on germination. Germination was best at higher temperatures ie 35C + and worked better when there was a low variation in temperature during the day. So probably the middle of summer, with nice warm summer evenings.
Be careful with bottom heat. It can be an illusion if you don't know the temperature of the actual soil. Also starting them off too early in the year could be upsetting for the young specimens when they are eventually cast out into the cold night air.
The other article I came accross was on mycorrhizal associations in desert plants. Apparantly syrian rue forms an ectomycorrhizal association which may explain slow growth rates.
Peganum harmala L.;
Caltrop family (Zygophyllaceae)
A bright green, succulent, perennial herb, becoming woody with age, growing 1 to 2 feet tall. The leaves are 2 inches long and finely divided. The flowers are white, five-petaled, followed by a two- to four-cavitied capsule about 3/8 inch in diameter. Native to the deserts of southern Asia and Africa. Also found wild in some parts of Texas.
Cultivation and Propagation: Syrian rue may be grown outdoors in the South and West. It does well in dry sandy soils, but will benefit from somewhat richer soils. Will stand considerable drought. Viable seeds are rare but are the best means of propagation. These should be sown in flats of half sand, half soil, in April and May. Water sparingly, letting the surface dry. The seedlings are very susceptible to overwatering. They should be grown as pot plants the first year, and brought indoors in the winter. In the following spring they may be planted outdoors. In cold-winter areas the roots should be lifted and stored in damp sawdust in a cool place until early spring. Be sure to plant out before new growth starts.
Harvesting: The seeds should be gathered as the capsules ripen and should be dried in the sun. The roots may be harvested in autumn, in the same manner as kava roots, after the tops die from frost. These should be split and dried in the sun. The stems and foliage are inactive.
(5) http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/cgi-bin/arr_html?Peganum+harmala&CAN=COMIND
It is often found in saline soils
Perennial growing to 0.6m by 0.5m . It is hardy to zone 8. The seeds ripen in September. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs).
The plant prefers light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils and can grow in saline soil. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires dry or moist soil.
Prefers a light well-drained but moisture retentive soil and an open position in full sun. Prefers a dry soil and succeeds in poor soils.
Although this species comes from dry desert areas, it responds well to cultivation so long as the soil is very well drained. It can tolerate temperatures down to about -20°c if the soil is dry
Propagation
Seed - sow late spring in a greenhouse. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in a sunny part of the greenhouse for their first winter. Be careful not to overwater, especially when the plants are dormant. Plant out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer.
Division in late spring
(6)http://diseyes.lycaeum.org/dmt/harmpmp.txt
harmala can be propagated either from seed or root. Gather the seed as the capsules ripen and dry thoroughly in the sun. Store in a cool place until spring. Then sow the seed in flats of half-sand, half-sail and water sparingly. Be careful not to overwater the seedlings. Or. you can harvest the roots in autumn after the tops die from frost.They will keep through the winter if you pack them in damp sawdust and stare in a cool place. In the early spring plant the roots in the ground or in pots before any new growth starts. Although harmala grows well in dry, sandy. sail and can stand considerable drought, you will find that richer sail and occasional watering will benefit your plants.
(7) http://amazing-nature.com/info/8005.htm
The seeds germinate fairly reliable by scattering them over the surface of the soils and tamping them in. The seedlings should be transplanted carefully. Temperature should be kept warm (a greenhouse is ideal for colder climates)
GROWING TECHNIQUES
The peganum harmala seeds germinate fairly reliably by scattering them thinly over the surface of normal, moist seed mix and tamping them in. Keep in a little bit filtered sun and maintain moisture. Temperature should be kept warm. We let them stay put for awhile, even if crowded, since disturbing young seedlings can be fatal.
Once they seem like they have solid bases at the stem, carefully transplant with attention to the fine root hairs and adhering soil, so as not to unduly break them or bare-root the seedlings. Repot by burying a little deeper then before. Place out of full sun for awhile and water them but don't overdo it. Seeds will continue to spontaneously sprout even years later from the sowing mix.
There seems to be anarrow niche tis species requires to be happy, and we have never quit found it. In the wild, despite mother bushes casting of thousands of viable seeds all summer and fall, relatively few take hold. Those young plants seen in the habitat are in specific microclimates: indentations of livestock hooves in the soil, perhaps offering more moisture and a bit of sun shadow in the print. The seeds opften sprouts magnificently, only to succumb to uncertain cultivation needs. Best to use sandy mix, only water when they are obviously needing, offer a partial filter from direct mid-day sun and make sure they are warm.
In natural habitat it get's pretty cold at night, but it is during a dry season and we are told some people have great succes storing their plants over winters by letting the plants actually dry up in the pots, put them in a dark, cool spot and bring them back to life in spring. We have a few old mother plants who sometimes skip a whole year without any sign of life, only to make green leaves at unpredictable times.
(8) http://212.204.218.231/pages/Peganum%20Harmala.html
Cultivation: Easy. Sow seed in very sandy soil. Provide shade for the first year, then plant out in sunny, dry location. Will tolerate freezing. Space plants 2 feet apart. Grows 3 feet tall.
(9) http://www.herbal-shaman.com/database/pegaharm.htm
Cultivation parameters: This plant may be grown outdoors in milder climates, but it does not tolerate heavy freezing well. Needs full sun and a small amount of water as this plant will not tolerate overwatering but can manage well against drought. Likes a rich, sandy, well-drained soil.
Propagation is by seeds, which as a rule have a very low germination rate. The seeds are usually started indoors and the plant is grown in a container till at least a year old and then transplanted outside. A soil mix of 1/2 sand and 1/2 fertile loam is best for starting seeds. Seedlings are very susceptible to damage by overwatering, make sure the soil surface dries completely between waterings.
Seeds are harvested after the capsules dry and harden. The seeds are then dried in the sun for use.
(10) http://www.shamanic-extracts.com/xcart/catalog/Peganum_harmala-p-16164.html
The peganum harmala seeds germinate fairly reliably by scattering them thinly over the surface of normal, moist seed mix and tamping them in. Keep in a little bit filtered sun and maintain moisture. Temperature should be kept warm. We let them stay put for awhile, even if crowded, since disturbing young seedlings can be fatal.
Once they seem like they have solid bases at the stem, carefully transplant with attention to the fine root hairs and adhering soil, so as not to unduly break them or bare-root the seedlings. Repot by burying a little deeper then before. Place out of full sun for awhile and water them but don't overdo it. Seeds will continue to spontaneously sprout even years later from the sowing mix.
There seems to be anarrow niche tis species requires to be happy, and we have never quit found it. In the wild, despite mother bushes casting of thousands of viable seeds all summer and fall, relatively few take hold. Those young plants seen in the habitat are in specific microclimates: indentations of livestock hooves in the soil, perhaps offering more moisture and a bit of sun shadow in the print. The seeds opften sprouts magnificently, only to succumb to uncertain cultivation needs. Best to use sandy mix, only water when they are obviously needing, offer a partial filter from direct mid-day sun and make sure they are warm.
In natural habitat it get's pretty cold at night, but it is during a dry season and we are told some people have great succes storing their plants over winters by letting the plants actually dry up in the pots, put them in a dark, cool spot and bring them back to life in spring. We have a few old mother plants who sometimes skip a whole year without any sign of life, only to make green leaves at unpredictable times.
(11) http://www.b-and-t-world-seeds.com/32453.htm
Peganum harmala can be propagated fairly easily from seed, sow sparsely in half soil - half sand and water sparingly to avoid damping off (good ventilation helps).
Peganum harmala survives considerable drought and frost - dying back to the roots for the winter. Richer soil, occasional watering and very light applications of nitrogen rich fertiliser will benefit your plants.
Peganum harmala can become an invasive weed once established.
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