Right then, the wattle started popping up everywhere again. You know how it is, suddenly it’s all yellow fuzz, bright against the grey skies we sometimes get. Always cheers me up, that blast of colour.
So, I saw it all blooming down the park and along the creek walk. Got me thinking. I’ve always liked wattle, proper Aussie icon and all that. Decided I’d have a crack at growing some myself this year. Not from a nursery plant, no, that’s too easy. Wanted to try it from scratch, you know, seeds.
Getting Started – The Seed Hunt
First job was getting the seeds. Had to wait a bit, actually. Waited till after the main flowering rush, when the flowers turned into those longish pods. Went for a walk specifically looking for dried-up pods still hanging on the branches. Found a decent bunch on a couple of trees that looked like they’d finished their show.
- Walked along the usual track.
- Kept eyes peeled for the brown, dry seed pods.
- Collected a handful from a few different bushes. Some were thin, some fat.
- Brought them home in my pocket, probably looked a bit odd stuffing twigs in there.
The Tricky Bit – Getting Them Ready
Now, I remembered reading somewhere, or maybe someone told me ages ago, that wattle seeds are tough little buggers. They need a bit of a shock to get them going. Something about mimicking a bushfire, I think. Seemed a bit dramatic for my back garden pots.
So, here’s what I did:
I got the seeds out of the pods first. Little black things, hard as rocks. Then I boiled the kettle. Poured the boiling water over the seeds in an old mug. Just covered them. Left them to soak overnight. Heard a few little ‘pings’ which was meant to be the seed coat cracking, or something. Bit of a faff, honestly, messing around with hot water and tiny seeds.
Planting and Waiting
Next day, fished the seeds out. They looked a bit swollen, maybe? Hard to tell. Got some small pots, filled them with basic potting mix I had lying around. Nothing special. Poked one or two seeds into each pot, not too deep. Watered them in gently.
Then I put the pots out in a spot that gets morning sun. And waited. And waited.
Checked them every day or so. Kept the soil moist, not soaking wet. Nothing happened for ages. Honestly, I thought, “Well, that was a waste of time.” Classic me, trying these things.
The Result… Sort Of
After maybe three weeks? Four? Saw a tiny green speck in one pot. Then another in a different pot! Felt like a proper genius for a minute. They grew very, very slowly. Little spindly things with ferny-looking leaves, not the typical wattle leaves yet.
Lost a couple along the way, probably overwatered or underwatered, who knows. Gardening’s always a bit hit-and-miss for me. Got two that seem to be hanging on. Still tiny, mind you. Wouldn’t call it a roaring success.
But yeah, that was my wattle experiment this season. Started with seeing the blooms, ended up with a couple of tiny seedlings that might, maybe, one day, look like a proper wattle. It was something to do, kept me busy for a bit. And I learned you definitely need patience. Loads of it.
