If you want to multiply castor beans, sowing them is the right choice! This propagation method has proven to be particularly effective because of its speed: a seed has become a small plant within 2 weeks. But how does sowing work?
How does castor bean sowing work?
For castor bean sowing, the highly poisonous seeds are soaked in water for 24 hours, then sown 0.5-1 cm deep in sowing soil and kept moist. Germination occurs within 1-2 weeks at room temperature. They are planted outdoors after the Ice Saints.
Caution: Highly toxic seeds
Attention: The seeds are highly poisonous! You should never leave them unattended if you have pets or children! They can eat the seeds and become poisoned. Even one seed can be fatal to a child. You should also wear gloves as a precaution.
If you have misplaced the seeds or can't distinguish them from other seeds - this is what they look like:
- 1 to 2 cm tall
- oval to egg-shaped
- smooth shell
- black-brown to brown
- marbled
- reminiscent of oversized watermelon seeds
Harvest and store the seeds in autumn
In autumn it is time to harvest the seeds, provided you already have a castor bean plant. The seeds are located in the eye-catching capsule fruits. When ripe, the fruits open and you can remove the seeds. They are best stored in a lockable container until sowing. They can germinate well for around 3 years.
Sowing at home in spring
You can sow castor bean seeds as early as January. If you start sowing early, you will get really large plants in the summer. Usually castor bean is sown from March to May. The seeds should be in the ground by July at the latest.
This is how the sowing to cultivation works:
- Soak seeds in water for 24 hours
- Prepare pots with sowing soil (€6.00 on Amazon)
- Sow seeds 0.5 to 1 cm deep
- Keep soil moist
- germination within 1 to 2 weeks at room temperature
Out into the open air: After the Ice Saints
From mid/end of May (after the Ice Saints) the young plants from the miracle tree can be planted outside into the open field. Alternatively, they can first be placed in approximately 15 cm large pots. From now on, regular watering and fertilization is crucial for he althy growth.
Tip
It only takes 2 weeks from sowing to planting outdoors because the castor bean grows so quickly!
