Rob's plants home garden plants wildlife seed photos plant sale journal topics plantlinks fun guestbook Job's tears seeds for sale

Growing conditions in my new Houston garden aren't conducive to producing Job's tears seeds, so I won't have any to offer in the foreseeable future - sorry!

Job's tears seeds

Job's tears, Coix lacryma-jobi in botanicalese, is a species of tropical grass known and grown for its pearly seeds. The seeds are commonly used in rosaries and other ornamentation, although I have not personally done so. You can read more about the plant and its horticultural aspects on my Coix lacryma-jobi portrait page.

I enjoy growing these plants most years, and usually collect more seeds than I can use in my own seed-starting campaign the following year. From many years of experience offering seed for trade (and sometimes sale), I know that job's tears are among the most sought-after seeds on my trade list – I guess they aren't commonly offered elsewhere. In any case, I found myself explaining my "deal" (explained for other seeds on my about my seeds page) for selling seeds to a good many people who found my website and emailed me to ask about purchasing some. So I'll put it all together on this little page.

What's in a packet?

Since job's tears seeds are large, each packet has just ten seeds. I select the seeds pretty carefully, throwing out any that are likely to be duds (they have an off-color and feel lighter).

What's the cost?

I offer the packets for a dollar apiece. Regardless of number of packets, I charge one additional dollar for packaging and shipping in the U.S., and two dollars for shipping abroad. So if you're in the U.S. and you'd like two packets (20 seeds), the total cost is $3; if you're in Europe, the cost would be $4.

I accept payment by personal check (in the U.S.), cash (which I've found to be quite safe in small amounts), or Paypal (to the email I will use to respond to your order).

How?

Just fill out the tiny little form below and send it off. I'll get back to you to let you know whether I have a sufficient stock to fill your order, and where to send payment. Simple as that!

Germinating Job's tears seed

Starting job's tears is pretty easy, but it helps to know a few tips. When you follow these instructions, nearly all seeds should germinate.

• Scarify the seeds. This means making a breach in the hard seed coat, so that moisture can penetrate and start the germination process. I do this by holding a seed in one hand and using the other to run a square-edged file along part of the body of the seed, carving a shallow notch into it.
• Give them a bit of heat. I germinate job's tears slightly warm (say, at 75-80°F). I germinate them in baggies, but pots with some bottom heat should work well too.
• Give it some time. The seeds will start to send out roots in 7-14 days, depending on temperature, and will send up their leaves a few days after that.
• Harden them off by gradually exposing the seedlings to outside conditions (sun, wind); make sure to bring them back inside whenever cold overnight temperatures are forecast. Plant them out in the garden when temperatures are reliably warm and all danger of frost is past.

Growing conditions in my new Houston garden aren't conducive to producing Job's tears seeds, so I won't have any to offer in the foreseeable future - sorry!

home

garden

plants

wildlife

seed

plant sale

topics

guestbook

journal

plantlinks

Last modified: October 29, 2018
Contact me