In previous posts I talked about the Job’s Tears seeds I grow in my garden for using in my jewelry. They grew wonderfully and made many seeds, and now it’s time to harvest them.
You can check out my other blog posts or click the Job’s Tear link above to see the details of how I planted them between my driveway and my neighbors, in an unlikely strip of earth where they grew steadily, needing only a few weeding and watering sessions (they’re very drought tolerant!)
Now the weather’s cooling down, the sun’s coming up later and we’ve come full circle: the seeds are turning brown and then black and then a beautiful, variegated grey. They can be picked as soon as they’re black (or close to it), but will turn that beautiful grey color as they dry. They have a natural, shiny, hard coating, and grow with a hole right through the middle. Originally grown as a grain crop in the middle east, (used as food, beads, in rosaries and African shaker gourds) I think we’ve found a new candidate for the world’s most perfect plant!
The plants will keep producing seeds, and I’ll keep on picking them, until frost threatens. Then I’ll go ahead and pull up the whole plants and hang them upside down in the garage so they have a little extra warm-time to ripen some seeds during. I like to use these seeds in my Glamorous, Colorful, Natural Jewelry, but you can do whatever you want with them! Already, I think I’ve got enough seeds to keep me beading through the winter, so maybe I’ll have enough that I can offer some for sale as beads or seed so you could all try growing your own next spring? That would be fun!
Tamz says
YAY! I will e-mail a link to this post to Sujin!
niftyknits says
how kind of mother nature to grow them with a hole!
Tamz says
"and I saw Jenny's seeds in her blog. I couldn't write comment. because I don't have any blog address, maybe.
So, please give her my kind regards. Wow, How pretty seeds!! ^^ "
-Sujin
Jenny says
Aw, that's so sweet! Thanks Sujin (and Tammy!)
(and thanks, Nifty, for reading! I think these seeds are just the coolest!!) 😀
Jonathan Smith says
Have you discovered any ways to naturally dye these natural beads? 🙂 I understand that the outer aspect has a shiny coating, but I’m wondering if a dye would be able to be absorbed through the hole in the seed. Any experience trying this?
PS – Thanks for the seeds. They grew very well and have produced many seeds. I had a nearly 100% germination rate.
Jenny Hoople says
Oh, great about the germination rate, Jonathan 🙂 I’ve not tried dyeing them but I’ve heard of people doing it. Good luck!
Jonathan Smith says
I forgot to mention that I soaked my seeds in water for at least 12 hours prior to planting.