Oh WOW! It’s truly how I felt when I checked on my sea-bean sowing a day or two ago. They were sprouting! In about a week’s time the seeds I nicked before soaking have swelled and sprouted and given me JOY! How can I not be happy when new life emerges from a dried out seed, a seed found in a pod among sea drift? I still have no idea if the pod is from a local tree or if it rode the Gulf Stream on it’s path from Caribbean to East Coast. Cape May juts out a bit from the coast so I am hoping this could be a tropical plant. Whatever it might be, it’s quick sprouting has filled me with plans to search out more sea beans for my ocean sprout collection!
“Sea beans come our way from the Caribbean, South America, Central America and the southernmost Florida Keys thanks largely to the Gulf Stream, the north-flowing river within the Atlantic off the East Coast. The beans turn up as far north as Cape Cod, though they become increasingly rare north of Cape Hatteras. Southeastern Florida beaches, on the other hand, are a collector’s paradise, given the proximity to the sources.”
~ Naturalist’s Notebook: Knowing Beans About the Beach
One technique I will continue to use is nicking the shell of very hard seeds before planting. Only the seeds I nicked sprouted. The others are still laying beneath the surface of the soil.
MINDING MY P'S WITH Q 
Oh, I so hope it came from Carriabean water.
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I do too! 😊
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I have always liked the idea of “mystery boxes” but sea beans would be even more exciting. I look forward to following this story. Can’t wait to find out what type of plant they are!
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I always enjoy reading your gardening posts (ok, I live vicariously through you 😉). Just a thought – you could end up with an “Audrey” (Little Shop of Horrors) — I kid. 😆 BTW, what was the final outcome of your two caterpillars?
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The one that seemed healthiest and was last to begin to create a chrysalis suddenly died mid-way. The one that seemed to have no chance is still in its chrysalis near a cold window. We keep our house cool so I am hoping it will stay this way until Spring. Because so many weeks have gone by since the chrysalis formed I think it just might be safe. About once a week I dampen it a bit. I think that might have been some good advice from you. I’ll update in the Spring when I put it outdoors or if it emerges before that time. Thanks for asking Janie!
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I’m happy to know at least one of them survived, you gave it your best. They would have otherwise perished since they were outdoors when the cold hit. I look forward to your next report.
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Thanks Janie!
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