Pods: Nature’s Seed Protectors

Pods

A pod is a pouch-like form on a plant which encloses the seeds. Sometimes it becomes dry and splits when ripe. They protect the nascent seeds from pests, and in some cases, the pod actively provides nutrients to the seeds to help them develop.

an assortment of pods from Australia

Food, Spices and Medicine

Most of us are aware of common seed pods we may encounter at the grocery store - like bean pods.

Plant Specialists can easily grow these for you in your sunny garden !

Cacao pods - from where we make chocolate !!!!!!

vanilla bean pods !

Sesame seed pod

star anise - yum!

Tamarind

Cardamom

poppy pods !

Just Plain Odd

But there are others out there than are really wild looking if not downright scary !

Devils claw

bat pod

scary Snapdragon pods !

Gardening for pods ? - we at Plant Specialists have the know!

For the prettiest garden ever - Call Plant Specialists TODAY !

Don't delay – the sooner the better !

GREENING NEW YORK FOR OVER 52 YEARS !

Article written by our Staff Horticulturist, Peter B Morris, BSc, MSc, MBA

All photographs used with permission from @SUTTERSTOCK

Peter Morris

Peter was born and raised on a beautiful green island in the midst of a tropical rainforest. He was introduced into the world of plants at the age of six when his grandmother, an avid Spanish gardener herself, asked him to help her grow seeds for her pepper garden. He was hooked! By the time he was a teen, he had his own rose and orchid collection numbering in the hundreds. Botany was in his blood, and that is what he set out to study.

His passion brought him to NY in the late seventies to further his education. His tenacity allowed him to work full time at Plant Specialists while he completed a MS in Plant Biology. As a manager at the time he felt unsatisfied with his knowledge of business and business processes. Peter felt compelled to learn, so he then pursued and completed an MBA in Quality Management within a few short years.

Peter’s other passion is teaching. His natural ability is quickly consumed by our staff in all subjects in Botany, Horticulture, and Landscaping. He created an immense reference library of more than 3,500 plants providing an invaluable resource for our staff.

Peter’s breadth of knowledge and wisdom allows him to effectively diagnose the needs of plants. Sometimes just by walking into a garden he can create a prescription that fixes even the hardest issue. He is our Staff Botanist, Diagnostician, and all around Mentor. Recently, he has put his immense knowledge and skills into developing a new department that focuses on Plant Healthcare. As he puts it, “Magic through Science”. The PHC staff that surround him have avidly consumed his teachings. Substantially developing their own plant wisdom, many have taken on difficult plant health issues with spectacular results.

Plant Healthcare has been an instant success with customers! The proper treatment of insects and diseases including Organic methods has made pest control a necessity for every plant. Correcting hormonal imbalances caused by planting in containers or refurbishing soils leached of nutrients by irrigation systems are big challenges PHC has become quite comfortable addressing. The scientific approach to the complex demands of keeping plants healthy in our harsh city environment has made many a customer say WOW!

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