How embarrassing it would be if you doted on a stupid weed thinking it's the plant that you cherished and wanted badly? You tend to the seedling, look at it with loving eyes, love it with a smile, caress it with a gentle finger, water it gently taking care not to disturb the baby's roots, move it to its new home oh-so carefully, and see to it that it gets the right nourishment...
...but what if Nature played a joke on you?
This Muscari comosum (Tassel Hyacinth) seedling - or that's what I think it is was the only one that germinated among five that I sowed! It looked like a tiny clump of grass - I read online about its description and from what I read, even the adult leaves are grass-like.
I let it grow awhile and as posted in my previous post, I gently scooped it to its new home and two days later, fed it with a light fertilizer. Now it seems all healthy and fresh! That's good, but today, while watering, I noticed that it looks like a grass!
See?
So, is this a stupid grass? But how can it be? I sowed it in coco peat where there could be no room for weeds... Again, is it possible that some bird of darned squirrels dropped something in the cell? That's a remote possibility but still it IS a possibility.
I am ready to wait four years for it to bloom (if it is a Grape Hyacinth). From what I see now, it is growing like a grass instead of a bulb that grows like a clump from a central node (if my assumption is correct). Though it's only a seedling, I assume that it'd start forming a teeny bulb, but there's no sign of it.
Now, do I let this grow? Is this just a grass or is the baby grape hyacinth that I've been longing for? Or Am I Being Fooled Here?
32 comments:
I have not had grape hyacinth - but I understand about hyacinth is that its a bulb plant - do they have any similarities?
Because Im staying in a warm humid region, cold temperate plants may not survive in my place - does that apply also in your region?
Sorry to say but I really suspect that you are having grass growing in your pot.
I know how you feel! I myself didn't know initially whether it was a weed or a tomato sapling that was coming up. That was when I didn't know squat about anything.
I don't know about your particular seedling,but it really does look like grass!
I have had this happen too! Last year I purchased a discounted small pot of Belladonna, and nurtured the little green sprig. Turns out it was a common viola.
As for your muscari/grass I would not despair. I googled the image and the tassle muscari does have quite a grass like habit. Here are a few pictures. I would continue to care for it and see what happens...http://www.west-crete.com/flowers/muscari_comosum.htm
Oh no, I am not sure this is a hyacinth. Then again I have only ever grown hyacinth from forced bulbs and never got it to flower. Not sure what type of hyacinth it was though, and this may matter. Fingers crossed but it doesn't look promising. Then again other things have germinated properly for you so think of those if you need a smile :)
Dear Chandramouli, I am afraid that whilst I have grown Muscari it has never been from seed and so I am not really qualified to comment. Judging from your pictures your seedling does, alas, look rather like grass.
Unfortunately, I am unable to comment or post for the next ten days or so. But, I shall return!
Oh I'm sure I don't know, I am quite curious though. Personally I wouldn't give up yet.
Chandramouli,
If the plant starts to spread out, then I would be certain it is in fact grass. A bulbing plant would be slow to spread.
I've been fooled by plants before that turned out to be weeds. I get a good laugh about it too. Not sure if this is the muscari or not but give it time. If it is grass, have a good laugh!
Mouli,
That doesn't look like our Muscari. But, what do you have to lose by waiting a couple of weeks to see? :-)
James: I too suspect it's a grass, but reading few articles online that say that the plant grows like a grass, I plan to keep it. Let it mock me if it turns out to be a grass, but I am afraid of losing it if it is my dear Muscari.
Bhagawad: Welcome to Plantville. Glad you share the feeling. If it's grass, I'll know it by the end of this month because my theory is grasses grow faster don't they!
Rebecca: Thank you for the link. After seeing the photos, I am encouraged to keep my seedling.
Prue: Thank you for the encouraging words. I did need it, but thanks to Rebecca that I plan to keep this baby.
Edith Hope: Grass, does it look like, but I am hoping against hope that it turns out otherwise.
Wherever you're headed to, have fun and keep safe.
Darla: Thank you, Darla. I am keeping it after reading all your comments. Thank you so much for the encouragement that I definitely needed.
Randy: I'll lookout for that habit, Randy. Thank you for the tip and will keep posted.
Tina: Sure, Tina. Your words are comforting and yes, I will give it some time and as Randy said, I'll see if it spreads and don't weedy grasses flower faster to spread fast? Palms enjoined with hope...
I have embraced the weeds, the attractive ones...
Right said Randy. It should hurt to wait a while. Thank you :)
Antigonum Cajan: Of course, yes. As someone said, Weeds are those whose virtues haven't been discovered. It was just a ranting of an impatient gardener :D
I have been plucking what I think to be weeds all spring but wonder if I jumped the gun and pulled some of the seedlings from scattering seeds in the garden! Yikes, I am not sure if that is grass or not but it does not look like the Grape Hyacinth that I grow and it is from bulb. Maybe you should let it grow a bit more before discarding it…
I have pulled up "weeds" only to find out they were wildflowers--so give it enough time to make sure!
hmmm. I am not qualified but I was curious! I do think though, since it looks like just the one, and not 5 million babies have sprouted their ugly heads, what harm would waiting a bit do?
I'm putting my bets on it being a grass. You'll probably figure it out soon, one way or another.
Christine in Alaska
It is a mystery, isn't it? It looks somewhat like Bermuda grass to my eyes. But, I cannot wait to see what it is...
I have to say, it kind of looks like grass, but, not all things start out looking like the beauty in the end. I've always just let things I'm not sure about grow for a bit and then make the call whether or not it is the "real" thing.
Time will tell! Good luck!
I babied a seedling for months that a friend gave me. Then she called me to tell me she learned what she gave me was an invasive weed and to get rid of it before it bloomed (which it was close to).
It does look like grass, but I'd wait awhile.
Oh I hope it is not bermuda/couch grass and turns out to be a lovely grape hyacinth instead!
Keeping my fingers crossed for you, Chandramouli. I hope its a hyacinth too.
Definitely wait and see. And if it turns out that you've been fooled, you could have your revenge by chopping it up and turning it into compost!
I had that happen to me a few years ago. What I thought were little, much wanted milkweeds actually turned out to be the dreaded oleander. :(
Greetings from
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The same information, same
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Good luck in your projects!
aloha,
growing from seed for me is very frustrating, by the time they start to come out, their heads are chopped off from voracious slugs and snails no matter how much effort i try in controling these...my prefered way now is to propogate my plants and veggies, i have to get starts unfortunately.
Hi everyone, I did want to let the grass or Muscari grow and give it a chance as I do with all the weeds - as you all know, but two days ago, I saw that the cup had only a little piece of the grass and the root seems to have gone! Poof! So was there a bulb inside? Did the pesky, danged, words-that-cannot-be-typed squirrels eat it up? They seemed to have played around with my Sugar Melon seedling, but luckily it survived. It killed my Swainsona seedling by toppling the cup over while trying to reach the Muscari.
I'm sure it's squirrel as I've seen two squirrels always playing around. Should spray the garlic around to keep them away. So was it Muscari really? If so, is Muscari edible for squirrels? Hmmmm....
I've never seen squirrels attack grasses that grow on other pots... I guess I'll never know what it was.
Thank you so much for the encouraging words Skeeter, Meadowview Thymes, Jess, Christine, Noelle, Toni, Catherine, Dani, and Noel.
Good luck with your plants, Noel :)
Wish I could help identify what that is...I'm not sure. I have done the same thing and given care to a weed that I thought was a Mexican petunia :/
I guess the only way with most of the seedlings is to let it grow and be patient, Amy. Thank you :)
Sorry Sunita, I missed your comment in between. Nice to see you back again. :)
Gosh, I have no idea. But it does look like the crab grass I madly try to eradicate from my yard. I have stuff sprouting where I planted seeds. I can never weed until I'm sure which ones are the actual flowers. I hope it's what you want.
Chandramouli, I've done this so many times I've lost count:) In fact, right now I'm trying to figure out some seedlings coming up in my butterfly garden--are they weeds or something I planted last year that I've forgotten? My best advice is to let it grow until you know for sure. I do admire your perseverance, though; I wouldn't have the patience to wait 4 years for a grape hyacinth!
OH NO! This is awful. I'm so sorry that you found yourself in this situation. I don't know what to tell you. My instincts are telling me it's a weed. :(
I'm so sorry to hear about the seeds and the hopes on the hyacinth and then how it turned out. I experience the same thing when it comes to germinating seeds. Sometimes nothing comes out of the whole packet of seeds, sometimes all the seeds germinate succcessfully, only to be washed off by one thunderstorm! Here's wishing you better luck next time.
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