Syrian Rue - the mystery of its successful cultivation.

[sobriquet]

The relatively poor success some people have with Peganum harmala or Syrian rue is almost certainly due to incorrect pH of the soil. In a book I've been reading it says the following:

Syrian rue grows easily from seed sown in Spring, taking about two weeks to germinate. The plant self sows freely.

Soil should be fairly rich, sandy, and well drained. Full sun is required. The plants die back to the crowns every winter, and should be mulched where temperatures dip below 10 F. An alkaline pH between 7.3 and 8 is preferable.

Now that alkaline pH is probably what brings people undone because few plants thrive in alkaline conditions. And since many general mixes are by default acid (containing peat) then it's not surprising that this plant fails.

So if you are cultivating this plant then the addition of a few handfuls of garden lime to your potting mix may increase your chances. I've had many seeds germinate only to mysteriously die soon after.

I'm planning to plant some with an alkaline soil and see how it goes. Maybe others can try the same and report back?

Peace.

Edited November 18, 2006 by sobriquet

[transDiMenTional]

Definately worth a try! Ive had no probs germinating them either, they just die soon after. :S

cheers for that tho ey, i will give it a try asap

[planthelper]

good find, i think you are on the right track.

i gave up on growing them, but now i will cretainly try again one time, as "using lime is hardly a crime".

anyway i reply to this as at times one posts realy good info and gets hardly any feedback, and thats kinda dissapointing...

[woof woof woof]

very interesting - now all i have to do is to find out where the soil on this island is alkaline! same story here - they come up and die off. i've had 2 who stayed alive for 2 years - in poor condition though..

thx!

beegee's ahhhh ahhh ahhhh ahhhh staying allive staying alive! ;)

[mescalito]

I'll throw some sed into a, plot that's white with lime from an old unused area that was obviously the back of a fireplace.

Was thinkng the same with nicotiana too.

Thanks.

[t st tantra]

s rue grows wild in s aust , where soils are usually alkaline.

so worth a try.

t s t .

[mescalito]

Just what I thought

I s'pose things like datura,potato,nicotiana thrive in alkaline soils?

Edited November 19, 2006 by mescalito

[plastid]

I agree, I had two pots of 6 month old harmala plants.

The first I planted out in spring into ground which is yellow sand, cement rubble (alkaline) with pine chip mulch. These grow upright and seem healthy although the leaves are still a bit sparse. The twin pot I left in a greenhouse; the stems grew but the leaves did not and the plants laid against the soil and rotted to death.

[Tinkal]

Nice! I have about 7 pots with P. harmalas here in Greece. They are 2,5 years old. The only problem I had was with the flowers. They need to be planted on the ground for this.

[Entheogenic garden]

Thank you so much, I think this is worth bringing back to life!

[mystical oyster]

Nice thread. Thanks, and thanks for reviving it! Someone mentioned daturas like alkaline, i will add some lime to mine today. Does anyone have a few viable S. Rue seeds they could part with? Not the place to post it, but if i get no hits all good ill be putting a wanted list up in the coming weeks. Thanks

[Entheogenic garden]

Guys, trying halopriming your syrian rue seeds!

http://www.herbalistics.com.au/plantblog/osmotic-seed-priming-for-increased-seed-germination/