Seed Swap & Chat # 52

KL - Another site for you - Jasminum - half hardy shrub -
germination 20-30days @ 70-75degrees - well drained soil. Barely cover.
Seed germination database @ http://www.backyardgardener.com/tm1.html

Toofew - try starting celery 125 days to harvest.

Happy Birthday Angie :) Lots of winter babies in this thread.

Ella thanks for the suggestion on the dahlia forum. I feel really dumb not
thinking of it myself. and AND the lisianthus you sent is sprouting !
Can't tell you how excited I am about these, it certainly made my day.
I've never had very much luck with growing from seed before. It must be
cause its Your gift !

Thanks,
Cris

Thanks guys! Looks like I can handle the jasminium after all, as just about everything in here is 70-75°... it's when they need 50 that I'm in trouble! I guess my book didn't have it because it's listed as a shrub instead of a perennial!

Yep Neal, that's one from me :) I have some with the orange like that, and some without. Like the orange best though, the contrast is so striking and they flower like crazy!

Good news for those of you that got my Pelargonium Tornado Orchid... I have one up (out of two)! Still waiting on the Salmon Pinto... but now I've got hope!

Thanks for the Jasmine information, I needed that too. You saved me from looking up that one at least.

LeBug, I think I posted about my cinderella milkweed earlier or maybe last year. She was 3 or 4 years old. Always had to go and kill the aphids off her and those milkweed bugs. But she always came back. I gave away a ton of seeds. Didn't have any left the spring she didn't come back. That was 2 years ago now. I got a couple of milkweed seeds from the swap this year and last and am planting them, so hope to have some milkweed plants again this summer!

If it was last year Toofew I was out of it and not responsible for remembering what I read lol Last year was just a blur for me :)

I just happen to be growing Cinderella this year I’ll send you a couple Toofew if I have luck with them I’ll let you know I put you down for them on 'the list' :)

I'm just now getting it together and don't have to pay any inheritance taxes WaHoooooo just found that out today :) It's finally over gang! I think, I'm almost afraid to even say it as much as I've been thru this past year! The fat lady (my lawyer) is singing as she is making out my bill for the last of it lol She isn't really fat she is as thin as I am :)

Yeah, Lebug. I am so glad it is finally over and done with. Have a glass of wine with me!

Hey girl I just happen to have a bottle in the fridge! Let me open it up and we will toast to a brand new year I wasn't much in the mood at New Years LOL

This post may be "Lost in Translation", but my mom used to tell me you could catch more flies with honey, instead of vinegar.... RE: fungus gnats

All of this talk of Jasmine sent me downstairs to make some Jasmine and Green Tea tea (available at Walmart, Twinings brand). The bf gave me a Jasmine plant that I have nearly killed several times, - cold, lack of water, overcompensating by overwatering, etc. I love Jasmine, but it is a challenge to keep it alive in cold climates.

The world gave me a few presents today while I was out with the dog. Someone ditched venetian blinds, so I have more plant labels! I've been cutting them up while reading here. I also saw a big tv, I walked passed it, almost left it there, noticed it was a Sony trinitron, then went for the luggage cart. (I have always liked Sony trinitron monitors and tvs ) I tried it outside with a vcr to be sure it worked before figuring out how to get it inside. Walmart must be having a sale on big screen tv's. I guess I am old fashioned, I use what I have until it breaks, then replace it, preferably on sale. Now I have three televisions which I hardly ever watch, but two are Sony trinitrons!

I'm happy about your find but tell me what is a Sony trinitron I have no clue lol I have old tv's but my room mate bought a big screen tv about a month ago I see nothing in it except it raises the electric bill I can heat my living room with it almost lol I had no desire for one I was happy with what I had and he doesn't even watch it much I do he's on the computer all the time lol

Gardenquilts, great on finding the TV! We have one of those new big Tv's. Hubby NEEDED it to watch his sports. After watching it for a year or so, I guess I can see the difference the HD difference ... no big deal to me.

Lea, great its over for you!

Off to work, wish I could call in today ... but you know its the weekend, short staff, work ethic and all that.

White..white..white..evrywhere I look. Have a little over 4" out there.

Was a rough oen yesterday havign to go out evry several hours and clear that wet heavy snow off the gh roof. Gloves got soakign wet and was about a half horu for my hands thawed out again.

Finally it quit snowing , but more for us on sunday a coming. Haven't has snow like this in 30 years down here. Not that I been down her e that long, but that the record.

And yep lost power for awhile. One minute it was there I am on puter and next nothing. Just as I was gettign ready to make a fresh pot of coffee. Out of instant. Now that really sent me into panic mode. No coffeee agggggggggggg . Had to call a friend and ask how to do it the old timey way on a gas stove.

Thank The Lord that it didn't stay off more than several hours. Suppose d to maybe hit mid 30's by 4 o clock today. Temps gonna be heck all week. Need to see if I cna get friend to come over and hang some mor e light bul;bs in the gh. Have 4 goign in their now non stop and the small heater. It cool in there but thinsg are at surving so far. Nto sur e how much mor e they gona be able to take though.

got water lines in hous e dripping again. Praying line s under trailer dont split or crack from this mess.

Wa s gonan out late last night and do one mor e gh roof clean, but just couldnt wrap my body to the ide a of beign cold and wet again. Looke dotu window this morning and see between light s an heate r it slowly melting snow on roof. Gonan have to get up on triale roof this yer and smear that grey roof sealer again. Not sur e what effect this snow having on it.

I did finally get a pic of my little mimulus baby. the bloomis open. Trie d to take a pic of it by itself in oen of the flats udner the light so ya coudl see it. Got only 5 little plants out of all i starte d but happy to have one at least.

The flower almost bigger than the seedling. LOL I wodner if they keep reblooming all season.

Sorry I haven't been keeping up. Mind on other things.

Happy Birthday Angie. Hope it was a good one.

Congratulations, Lea. Glad it's over. Hope the outcome was what you hoped for. I assume you get to keep the house?

I am somewhat behind on indoor planting and wintersowing, but still have lots of babies - lots of different rudbeckias - afraid my own mayas seem to be the only duds of the bunch - dwarf delphiniums and one sprout of black & white, a few different balloon flowers, agastache orange & apricot sprite, a few different digitalis, dianthus ideal magical mix, tricyrtis puberula and latifolia, belamcanda chinesis, dwarf lupine beginning to sprout, campanula, even icelandic poppy, which I was unsuccessful with before, and a few others - a few milkweeds, a few daylilies, a few gentians. So far love planting in smaller cells - less moss growing and can fit so much more. Just hope I won't have a lot of extra transplanting to larger cells to do before spring.

Ella, that flower is hysterical! I hope you're keeping warm. We're enjoying our little 4 inches of snow here. Everything is so clean and bright looking!

I posted over in bulb....but does anyone know which end is up for Globemaster alliums? I have green sprouts poking out one end and need to get them in pots. The other end is smooth but appears to come to a point.

Oh you have a gas stove I keep forgetting that seems like you mentioned that before, guess instant coffee and hot water is really more handy :) I was getting ready to send you a link to a French Press to make coffee in. I have a gas stove but they are coming out with electronic ignitions now and that’s what I have so it doesn’t work without electricity! I might add I hate it because I can’t soak my seeds on the pilot light anymore either doesn’t have one!

Ella, Aw! Look at your baby isn’t it purdy! I want flowers with all this snow!

We are getting snow Sunday too, Monday and Tues. It’s supposed to add up to 8” AGAIN! None of this has melted away that we got in the last week. Tony has a four wheeler thank goodness! I’m gonna have to make a trip to Wal Mart about Tues. for bird food thanks to the Starlings and squirrels lol

Yep Sharon I still have my house now I’m worrying about how to keep it lol Need to find a job :( Having a room mate helps but not enough for those house taxes and ins. Doesn’t sound like you are behind to me there is still plenty of time to get things going don’t forget you are in z6 and some of those might be a little tall before you can get them outside we might have another late spring this year with all of this snow we are having.

I put my Hellebores that were coming up out in the rain the last time and every since the jug has been frozen to the sidewalk lol I’ve been concerned about the sunshine the last three days, none today!, but guess they will be alright the ones I have growing are in the sun right now with the leaves off of the trees, well really they are buried in the snow lol

Sorry Chele have no idea about Globemaster a good friend sent me a couple of bulbs about four years ago and lost them when we had the ice storm last year :( I’ve never grown them from seed before.


This message was edited Feb 13, 2010 12:47 PM

Ella - love your mimulus baby! Hope you are doing well!

Should I be misting my begonia bag ever? Or wait until they sprout?

Hi all - sorry about being MIA - you'd think being snowed in w/48" of snow in Maryland, where this is never supposed to happen that I'd catch up on everything - not :( We only had one day without power so far - we had enough firewood for that day - and neighbors close by who did not lose power shared their homes with others who did.

Jnette - here are some great links from the experience of dg gardeners who have germinated rose seeds; and I'll dmail this post to you jsut in case you don't see this -

-- http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/392644/
-- http://www.wintersown.org/wseo1/Roses.html
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LeBug - Tom Clothier says 5-12 days @71*F with light for germinating pentas. Don't know whether the refrigerator temps would help or hinder those seeds. Does anyone know if this one needs an early start?

Starlight - I'm identifying with where you said, "If I dont' see sun soon I gonan have mold and fungus a mongungus growign all on me with all this damp rain that been her e lately." We've got sun sometimes, but since Friday afternoon, 2/5/10, nothing has moved here besides snow shovels, front loaders and a snowplow that plowed into our car. 48" snow in one week just doesn't happen in Maryland. So, right now, I too can feel a "mongungus growign all on me", too.

tcs - regarding wintersowing your MG Blue Star - I really want to know how that one turns out. I know that MGs belonging to Ipomoea purpurea wintersow well as far north as you are, but haven't heard about any wintersowing success with MGs belonging to Ipomoea tricolor, like Blue Star very far north.

Chris - I like that backyardgardener site, too. Another good one is: http://www.onrockgarden.com/ - There are many different primrose species, and different types of germination, depending upon which one.

HerbSpirit & PerennialLyme - thank you for that info on tax ID and wholesale supplies - not sure if I'll ever go that route, but the info is nice for the back burner
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MDREAMS01 - How are your Baptisia australis doing by now? If you haven't germinated them yet, and if I were to try, then I would wait until June to sow them warm around 70*F so I could put them outdoors as soon as the backs of their germinating seeds showed.

When you check out the germinating methods for various species of Baptisia from http://www.onrockgarden.com/ , you'll see that some are known to wintersow best and others, including B. australis, are known to germinate best warm around 70*F.

Evidently, according to http://www.onrockgarden.com/ , Baptisia australis is particularly susceptible to damp off fungus, and whisking germinating seedlings outdoors is the most surefire way for me not to get that fungus.

Also, regarding how easily these seeds are thought to rot, I thought the following post from Ella was particularly comprehensive about soaking seeds so they don't mold - http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=5960679 . She covers both the hydrogen peroxide and bleach methods.

Maybe chamomile tea and cinnamon would work fine - just offering a suggestion since this one has shown more tendency to rot than others.
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tcs - I'm not sure that what works for wild blue indigo would work equally well for all the various species of Baptisia (see http://www.onrockgarden.com/ ). This is why experiments are so great - I'd love to know how yours turns out.

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Neal - congrats from this piggy, too about those geranium seedlings. You've inspired me to get back to working on my own wintersowing - have been trying to catch up with y'all on this thread for a couple of hours, but I think I'll have to come back tomorrow night and see how far I get...

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wish us luck maneuvering our wrecked car past these snow-clogged, narrow, steep and winding 18th century roads tomorrow - bird seed's getting awful low

karen

karen -- good to see you. I figured you were buried under snow...

I'll make note to let you know if they turn out.

Terese

Thanks Karen lol I just turned the heat mat up to 75 just the other day I may have fried them but I have more that I can start and just do them under the lights then. I don’t have those in the fridge it’s the electric blues I may have turned them around when I mentioned them :) The only thing I have left on the heat mat are the Pentas, rex begonias and Lantana I’ll just turn the heat down for now I don’t have any room left under the table top lights for now I’ll move them under lights tomorrow give them a few more days then plant more seeds if they don’t come up I just planted them the 4th.seems like so long ago waiting on them to germinate Ha! I’m sure glad you chimed in there for me thanks! I’ve just discovered Pentas and really like them!

Someone on here said I should go ahead and start the Pentas then I read an old thread that Suzy wrote about starting Pentas now, these are so short it wouldn’t hurt I guess don’t have to worry about head room with them.

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/804677/

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/809495/

You sent me some daylily seeds so I WS those the other day and I planted two jugs of your Dame’s Rocket :) I’m doing some more WS tomorrow going thru seeds now.

I can’t believe you got 48” of snow even in a week that’s a lot of snow I though we were getting a lot in a week with just 11 last week and 8 is what they are predicting in three days starting tomorrow night. Hardly any of it has melted from last week! My Celica is in the garage and that’s where it’s staying lol I drove the truck to town the other day and picked my son up he hates the truck I told him he could get a license and buy his own vehicle lol Sure hope your car didn’t get hurt too much!

Did you read where my Hellebores came up that you sent me the seeds to in the last swap ;) I had three good ones in there the rest were out of the dirt so I covered them a little I hope they make it I looked in there yesterday and one is reaching out where I covered them. Couldn’t believe it took them so long to come up lol

Anyone have tips for starting crocosmia and agapanthus? I am getting around to the tricky ones.

Cheles.... Nope you don't mist em any more till they come out. If you did it right, you shoudl have very fien droplets of water on inside top of your baggy.

Haven't seen Mekos around much have we? I have Stevia sprouts! Very excited about those!

Also some lemongrass, which should be a nice culinary addition to the herb garden.. though I guess it will stay in a pot. Has anyone ever grown lemongrass? I wonder if it would prefer being in the ground and then dug in the fall. Slowwwwlly getting caught up on the sowing around here, but a lot of things are going to have to do without the heat mat or I'll never get caught up. Trying to do up some more wintersowing containers today I think.

48" Karen... that's amazing! I lived in Delaware (pretty close to Elkton, MD) for the first 22 years of my life, and we never got much snow. Now my parents had 25" in that one storm. Weird weather this year for sure! What part of MD are you in?

I forgot.


HAPPY VALENTINES DAY EVERYBODY! HUGS TO YA ALL!

Good morning everyone.

GQ, crocosmia are easy and don't need stratification. I think best to soak seeds for a day if you want them to come up quicker, but not necessary. I plant maybe 1/4 inch deep and start on a heat mat.

I don't want to bore you guys, but I am amazed. A couple of days ago I put an ad on craigslist for April for the apartment I decided to redo kitchen and bath of. This is the apartment that no one would even come to see for 2+ months. I already showed it - with kitchen and bath completely torn apart - to 2 different people, and both of them want to give me a deposit. Now my problem is that I don't want to disappoint either of them. I guess it's a much better problem to have than no renter. I guess renovations is a magic word.

klstuart-

I grow lemograss. Even if I dig it up it will often not overwinter very well. Plus it's not the easiest plant to dig up!
What I do is plant a new one in the spring, then a I harvest it, I harvest with a bit of roots, cut off the roots before cooking and replant those in a pot. Those baby ones survive the winter, then I have them as starters for the next spring. Lemon grass needs true full sun to be at it's best. It's a beautiful hedge type plant if you grow it like that, even in zone 6.

I should add- they grow bigger in the ground.

I feel like I've missed alot not checking in for a week! Happy Valentine day everyone!

We have a fairly warm day today so I'm going to start some wintersow flats today. Finally feels like it's close enough to start in my zone. Yeah!

This message was edited Feb 14, 2010 11:09 AM

Cool Sharon you are going to get someone! I sure could use another person here but it will take a while can't see putting an ad in to find someone just don't trust it I lucked out with Tony so I'm afraid of what the other person would be like lol

I'm looking at a big old stack of seed trays so guess I'd better get my lights to going today can't wait any longer need to get all of those a. geraniums and Lisanthus transplanted this week for sure! I bet they all fill up a shelf by themselves :) Found another pack of annual geraniums from last year think I'll plant those too.

***BTW seems like you can plant annual geranium seedlings pretty deep can't you I have a few that was reaching for the light so they are too tall.

Ella didn't think little droplets of water were good for the baggie so I have been changing mine out! Big mistake huh? I'll never understand this lol I have my electric blues in the fridge and I change that baggie out a couple times a day they got too wet at one point before I started changing them out.

Oh, Comfrey I have tons of. Anyone want any roots? I'll have to dig up and downsize in April.
As far as seeds, depending upon what type of plants you have, the seeds may be sterile.
Horizon herbs did a big write-up on "true" comfrey vs "russian" comfrey.

"What's the difference between this plant and true comfrey (Symphytum officinalis)? The Bocking 14 cultivar of Russian Comfrey (Symphytum x uplandicum) is a sterile hybrid that will not self-seed and is extremely robust and vigorous. The true comfrey (Symphytum officinalis) is a bit less vigorous of a grower, has more elongated leaves and (I think) prettier flowers, and does indeed make seed. Although both types of comfrey (Russian and True) are useful for making medicine and making compost, in an ideal world one would use the bocking cultivar for producing large amounts of biomass for permaculture gardens, composting, and animal feed, and one would use the true comfrey (Symphytum officinalis) for medicinal purposes. Again, both types (and other species as well) are used interchangeably in agriculture and in medicine. "

Here is the Comfrey seeds that I have I never could grow them from seed and when I sent for these I saw an ad in the classifieds for comfrey so I just sent for some they are from 08' T&M I think the ones I got from Kathyann I think are the same as these I got them mostly just to see what they were and I like them I'll use them along with my yarrow cuttings for the compost I need all the help there I can get I never have enough by the middle of spring I'm always running out lol

http://www.tmseeds.com/product/Comfrey_seeds/Perennial_Seeds

Some of my Lupine seeds have sprouted. I am so excited. I WS some, and wrapped some in a damp paper towel in a baggie, and the baggie ones are sprouting.

Just popping in to let Klstuart know Mekos is currently offline due to changing internet providers she's hoping to be back online soon but didn't give us a date. Seray got a letter from her last week and updated us on her in the New Bees chat thread.

Hi everyone, just checkdin in been busy with the WSin. I have 140 gal jugs done and have 20 or so more before I run out. We got 4" of snow and it was a real treat for the eyes but it was very wet snow and only lasted a day.

Herbspirit, is the comfrey that you have that true comfrey? I saw that article and ordered seeds but didn't get one plant from them and I would really like to have some.

Wanted to ask if anyone has ever used the big plastic oil containers for WSing. I was able to get some from the stores next door and they are almost 5 gal size but with just one pouring spout on one end I would have to make holes in the top if I use them. They are used for clear frying oil but I don't think that would be a problem with a good washing.

Lea, it doesn't hurt to try to find another roommate. You can always say no if you don't think it'll work. On the other hand, some people who seem great turn out to be real creeps. I certainly understand your trepidation at the prospect. Luckily, I also found a good temp roommate for while the apartment's not being rented. Knock on wood, but at least after 2 weeks he still seems good.

I never did understand this comfrey thing. When I got my community garden plot several years ago, comfrey had taken over and it took me several years to get all the roots dug out. It was like a plague that wouldn't go away - sprouting everywhere. I'm now happily comfrey-free.

George I should have babies of comfrey this year if I do I'll send you a couple I put you down on the list :) From what I hear they spread by under ground runners, is that right Herbsprit? I put mine where it won't hurt them to roam I knew they could be invasive from reading but forgot if it was from seed or runners I know I can't grow it from seed I've tried too many times! Oh I just read Herbsprit's post again and sounds like this one may reseed and it's probably the one you want George. I didn't take any seeds from it last year wanting it to reseed if it did put out seeds it was it's first year to bloom. I'll have to look back to where I ordered it and see which kind it was...it didn't say what kind I dmailed her and asked.

When he has to move out Sharon send him my way! :)

Yeah Lynn you have lupine babies wonderful!

George- I have the common russian culitvar, not the kind Horizon has (comfrey). They just started seliing that seed a few years ago.

Le Bug- Most people have the russian cultivar but call it S. officinale anyway. They do look a little different.

Sharon- once you find ause for comfrey you'll never want to be without it!
1) makes the very best compost tea for your garden, if you don't use it for anything else, use it for this.
2) best wound healer for cuts. etc. Just make a poultice and put it on. Literally heals 3 to 5 times as fast.
3) great burn remedy. works well with Calendula for burns. Particulary for those of us in the north that don't have aloe.
4) best bone mender- ever! I broken my ankle a couple years ago. I was in a cast for only 3 weeks due to this plant. 3 weeks for adult is rare (6 weeks is common).
5) Makes wonderful skin oil/cream. It helps with rashes, wounds, bones, burns, anything to do with skin.
6) Fantastic for bees/butterfiles.
In can be invasive, but you dig it up and move it.

Lea, I'd send him your way, except I think he's headed to a family house in Maine after this.

Patricia, there are lots of comfrey lovers in the community garden, and comfrey in common areas, so thankfully I can try it without it invading my own garden. Thanks for the info. And you can grow aloe indoors in a pot. I do, and it's pretty much maintenance-free.

How tall is yours Herbsprit mine were only about 2' this summer but it was the first year for them I have them planted about 8' from the daylilies but I'm planning on moving those one of these years anyway, it may be sooner now lol

I used to grow aloe in the house before I moved to this dungeon where I live now :( NO LIGHT!

My comfrey is huge. It's at least 5 ft tall and 4ft around. I started with 6 bare roots and they have been in place for 5 years so they need to get divided this year. If I looked I'd bet I have at least 20 roots where there used to be one for each plant. 20x 6= 120 roots. So I have tons to share:) I cut the stalks back through out the season if they flop over and they come back and flower again. Then I use the stalks for compost tea.

I do have an aloe, it's at work as my house is too dark. But I run into people that are allergic to aloe, so comfrey and calendula are good substitues in this case.

Herbspirit, I've been looking into the comfrey for the last hour or so now on the web ... since finding all the posts on this thread about it. It seems like it does ok in partial shade, if so, I would love a couple root cuttings. I would love to sink a pot into the ground to keep it from spreading by roots. Did I read the posts correctly ... you have the type where the seeds are sterile, so all I would have to worry about is the roots? I just don't want to fight with another aggressive plant like mint.
I'm mostly interested in it for the compost tea use.
I'd pay for postage of course.

Congrats Lynn on the Lupines. They are the cutest little plants!

Lol The South Is not ready for snow been with out power since Friday nigh t just hope my pour seedling remenber I love them!! Had to go to my daughter's and then come home so moved my poor babies into dining room to get light from window just hoping all survive !!
Just will have to wait and see!!
Blue spiral thank goodness I hadn't even tried yet but hopefully have power so can play and need to do some serious wintersown.
The way the weather playing with uis just have to plant and hope for the best. What is the old saying Can't mess with mother nature cause sure can't here Land is soaked and power is liminted but lord know's I am thnkful to have power back on..
Carolyn

Snowing here now.

ants