Question
QUESTION: Dear Melissa, I live in the rather damp and cold north of England.
I have some Crocosmia Lucifer plants that have finished flowering and are spreading their seeds over the paving stone which they lean out over. I have been picking up the seeds that they are wasting, so I wondered if I put the seeds straight back in the soil now, will they produce new crocosmias in the future?

ANSWER: Dear Geraldine, I think that sounds like a good idea.  While generally the Crocosmia plants are grown from bulbs, they will also produce seeds.  It will obviously take longer for them to bloom from the seeds but they should produce.  When they do bloom, there is a possibility that you could have different kinds of Crocosmia from these new plants.  However, if you have a lot of the plants, they are probably only cross-breeding with themselves and you should get the same plants as a result.  It may take them two years to bloom from seed.  Good luck, Melissa

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Dear Melissa, Thanks very much for your reply. Will it be okay to just put the seeds back into the cold autumn soil? Best wishes, Geraldine

Answer
Dear Geraldine, It would probably be best to put the seeds out in the springtime since you live in a colder region.  In some areas, the Crocosmia bulbs are dug up each year, but if you don't do that, you could probably leave some of the seeds in the soil.  Probably the seeds will remain dormant until spring.  The danger would be if the seeds started sprouting before winter and didn't have time to harden off before the cold.  The small seedlings might not make it through the winter.  So if some seeds fall to the ground I wouldn't worry too much, but I would probably put most of them out in the spring.  They probably won't bloom the first year since they will be busy developing the bulb, but they might if they have a good growing season.  Hope this information helps.  Good luck, Melissa