Question
I have two trumpet vines along a stucco wall.  One of the vines has a long seed pod (looks like a string bean)hanging from a cluster of flowers.  Can I use the seeds inside to propagate new trumpet vines?  We live in Las Vegas and I love the trumpet vines for their ease of care and beauty.

Thank you for your help.

Answer
Hi Judy,
Thanx for your question. Yes, you can use the seeds from the trumpet vine to start new plants.  It is much easier to dig one of the suckers up growing around the main plant or take a piece of the vine and scrape it a bit to expose the underlying skin.  Put the wound in contact with the ground and place a rock on top to keep it anchored.  It will root in a couple of months.  Then you can cut it from the mother plant, dig it up and put it where you like.

Seeds require 60-90 days of cold treatment.  So, you have to take the seeds and put them in a damp paper towel and seal inside a plastic baggie and leave in the fridge for 60-90 days.  Then you can plant them in pots and keep them warm (70-75F) and they'll germinate in a couple of weeks.  I would not start them until January as it is rather late in the season and even in Las Vegas they should not be outside as seedlings for the winter.  In the spring after the last frost, you can set the seedlings out in the shade protected from the elements for about ten days to harden off and get used to the outdoors.  Then you can plant in direct sun.  I hope this helps.
Tom