heat mats and lighting

Jimtomczak, yea I got 11 seedlings in one cell too , I guess I need to get my little snippers out. I tried fish emulsion on my berrie bushes I didn't really see a benefit from it , what I did see was cats scratching all around my bushes and I am sure it was the smell that atracted them to the bushes. Melissa I hope you have fun growing your seedlings and keep us updated , Pirl I really appreciate all the help you give us here. have you ever grown any kind of sedum from seeds I see the plants for sell but have only seen the seeds in a couble of catologs so I wonder if they are hard to grow. Tammy

I've never tried sedum from seed. I had quite a few sedums and a friend sent 10 more as a gift.

I want to groww red dragons blood sedum , any hints or tips on growing sedum I guess i will start with plants instead of weeds .do you have anything planted along with your sedum as companion plants? any ideas what would go along with the red sedum?

I use sedum 'Dragon's Blood' in between pieces of slate, in a path, in one garden. I'm sure I rip out more each year than is sold locally! It grows so wild here.

Other sedums go nicely with hosta, heuchera and the larger ones are good at hiding spent stems of other plants.

Does your red sedum spread very fast that sounds real pretty on your path I'd like to plant it on a hill at the side of my property. I have onother question for you I have mulch down in an area but no flowers can I plant flower mostly plants right in the mulch or should I remove the mulch?

Yes, it grows very fast. It covers too much of the slate and (being older) I'm too afraid of slipping on the slate/sedum with the morning dew on it.

No problem. Just push the mulch aside, dig the hole and put in the plant, water well and replace the mulch.

Sedum are one of the easy and prolific perinials that I have . Belle

I agree.

To any one going to use T5HO lighting for the first time. Those skinny little bulbs are HOT. I had them 12" above a mahonia I'm rooting. (and they have some really tough thick leaves) talking about a sunburn. They had too much leaf on them to root quickly anyway, I had to cut all of the 5 inch leaves and keep less than 1/2 inch of each. I should have done it a couple of months ago but did not know i'd have to do it to a burn victim. 29" above the table top seems to be ok. You don't need a heating mat turned on higher than 73 degrees while your lights are on. Even at that hight. I'm glad it was caught early enough that they didn't bake my seeds. At 29" it keeps the cells a nice 78 degrees & No leggy seedlings. pirl thanks for the dilution solution 1/4 tsp per gal. Tammy I saw a coral "cactus" looks like a sedum ta me. It is at Lowes. I've never seen a living plant look so much like coral in my life. I think if you want sedum take a look at this it's well worth a look.JIMT.

hi all, I have another question, i got a really good deal on a box of shop light bulbs but they are all cool bulbs 35 watts i think, will they work for growing seedlings ? and to update you , my husband , my son and I all started building my grow stand this weekend [ ok I mostly supervise } I also had my first casultiy with my seedlings . My vincas were doing so good but i watered them along with the rest of my seedlings, the same amount, but i think I over watered them . the leaves turned a much lighter green then they just wilted and well you know the rest. so I am thinking not all seedlings take the same amount of water. Pirl do you have any ideas on what idid wrong, could I have over watered? Jimt I am going to Lowes tomorrow to check out the flowers if they have any in yet it maybe to early here.

It does sound bad. Try propping the tray to the side and see if more water comes out. It works that way with pots.

While you're at Lowe's buy a few warm lights. You need one cool and one warm light for each fixture. Give yourself the advantage of the right lights and you'll do fine.

Only water from the bottom! I could repeat that 100 times but people always want to see wet soil and they water from the top. It is not a good idea - a very bad one in fact. After 5 or 10 minutes lift the plants and empty the water - do not try to use it again, please.

HI, How is the weather everyone? even down here in Mobile Al. some sleet mixed with snow managed to show up. Nasty stuff. I was riding with a mom and her little girl. She asked her mom "what kind of rain is this?" We don't get much of this. The temps have been much lower this winter. I hope every one up above is fairing OK. Tammy I Hope your plants make it.JIMT.

I find the snow so beautiful but not the ice/sleet/slush.

Here's a local vineyard:

I love the picture pirl, what a beautiful sky, I think it is so pretty when you get a fresh snow and no tracks are in it yet the sunshine or moon hits it just right and it looks like a million diamonds shining. the ice is pretty on the trees till it starts breaking the limbs and makes your trees look awlful . the weather has pretty much stopped every one here in the part of indiana I live in. Pirl you are so wise I will only water from the bottom but how often should I use miracle grow on them I know to use a weeker solution now thanks to you but do I use it every time I water? also I was wondering I am going to try some sedum plants can you plant other flowers with them or will they choke them out if you can do you have any suggestions as to what would be a good companion plant for them? Jimt has the cooler temps effected your plants you have planted outside?

Thanks, Tammy. I'd like to be brave enough to go out and take more photos but it's so cold out there and so warm in here. It's so hard to see the downed limbs of trees. It's not the pretty part of winter.

Use half strength MG and water with it (ONLY after they have true leaves) every time you water, which should be infrequent while they're small and more as they grow larger but drenching new plants is NOT a good idea. You do NOT want them wet - damp is fine.

Which sedums are you trying, Tammy? Size at maturity?

The following applies to large sedums of about 8" and taller:

When you have established sedums, just say a year old, allow about 8 to 12" around each of them and then you can plant a wide variety of either annuals (best bet) or perennials around the sedums. As the sedums grow you'll want the extra space so that's why I'd recommend the annuals. If you planted perennials that close to the sedum you'd only have to move them - doubling the work. We gardeners try to avoid double the work - LOL.

Here's disaster - I love this sedum, green and white at the center near the bottom in this photo, but the ajuga is SO aggressive that it would have devoured the sedum if I left it there so I just ripped out the ajuga. Sorry for the fuzzy photo.

At the top of the photo is the 'Angelina' sedum. That grows very fast and even dropped pieces will root. Here they've rooted in between bricks.

Pirl the sedum I am planning on planting is creeping red sedum it is called fulda glow the catolog says they grow to 3 to 4 " are sedums very fragrant? I love the ones in your picture . they look very nice in between the bricks . the ajuga in the picture is it the blue flowered plant? I have never seen it before . I am thinking of getting a rose bush i seen quite afew in the catologs but my friend told me that the hardware stores like lowes will have them in early spring I dont know any thing about roses do you know if they are harder to grow ? I know the weather is very cold and down right dangerous to walk outside I dont blaim you at all for staying indoors were it is warm. perhaps when spring gets here and your flowers start blooming you can take a few pictures I would love to see your flowers, and garden .Tammy

The blue flower is ajuga.

To my nose sedums aren't fragrant but I hope if anyone reading this knows of a fragrant one they will post the name and a photo of it.

I kill more roses than anyone I know so ask an expert, not me! Sorry. You can generally find Mr. Lincoln, a long time favorite with a wonderful scent, at any of the big box stores. You could not go wrong with that one.

We still have snow but it was warm outside today!

I have my tomatoe seedlings growing, with the 2nd leaf coming out. I have added a condesendt light to go with the flourescent. All the plants have turned toward the condesentt light. I am leaving the light on for l2 hrs. a day, & the plants are almost touching the bulbs. Soon I will beable to transplant.

That's your choice - to transplant or wait for them to get a bit larger.

You can always turn the tray in the opposite direction if they lean too much.

Behillman, did most of your tomatoe seeds come up? thats wonderful that they are doing so well let us know how they do once you transplant them. Pirl I think I will get the MrLincoln My garden book says they are pretty hardy. I hope your weather keeps getting warmer . I bought some plant starting mix it was a cheapest that mennards had but I am not to sure about it . It looks like there is a lot of wood in it and not very much soil if any and when I plant seeds and watered it didn't seem to hold any moisture i am a little leary of useing it now. I wonder if I should mix it with soil or a good potting mix .

Don't mix it with garden soil! You'll regret it. Big pieces of wood isn't good so, in the future try to pick them out and discard them.

Use a bin and first dampen (not drench) the soil, then put the soil in plastic starter trays or cell packs - make sure you sterilize them first! After that is when you plant the seeds.

Mr. Lincoln is beautiful and smells terrific. So does Peace, which is yellow/reddish edges.

Hi Tammy,Pirl, I've been out of it for a while. Clumsy me. ( I forget i'm not 30 but 57) Cracked a rib. Meds had me laughing at the posts I attempted. Today I'll pot up all of my seedlings. Knowing I can do it right this time. Tammy, I hope your plants are comming along as well as you want them to, Lawd knows you spent enough love and time on them.Did your men folk complete the plant shelves. I made 50 paper pots that was my limit after the rib thing. The rest will be coconut, Peat, & plastic from last year. That should take care of the first group. Pirl I never asked you so the point is moot now.BUT. After using the 10/1 bleach solution on every single item I use to seed, & with no thought about undoing the streilizing, I have been using my rain barrel water for every watering need from germination and still am now.Can you tell me what negative effect it could have? Is there any sign of distress the plants may show that a beginner would consider normal or just not notice but later on prove fatal to the growing plants? Y'all answer when able. JIMT.

Are you going to tell us what you were doing when you cracked a rib or are we left to wonder about it?

I don't use rainwater but know of one person who does and she strains it but I don't know if she does more than that. I will ask her and report back here when I get the answer.

After you sterilize your trays and equipment you can let them air dry or rinse and let them air dry. When we haven't rinsed them not a thing went wrong.

Pirl, I was carrying a lg. lexan pan of chicken or whatever, way too fast. Hit a column at full tilt. I felt some muffled pain and said $#@%^ ouch. That was about it. But at my age They never take a chance. So It was a cracked rib. Doc said OK to return to work(limited blah,blah) but it was a big OUCH. Ace bandages still on. But all over now . I am potting up everything tonight (started this afternoon) and starting 144 more if I don't poop out. I fear I may. Bought a Black Rose, Baby toes, candalabra kalanchoe,Tammy got me on a succulent cacti binge ($4.00) Pirl thanks for asking,Yours Truly JIMT.

Jimtom - sorry to hear of the accident and now wonder if I should ask who put that stupid column in your way.

Anyhow, my friend mamasita, here on DG, said it's fine to use the rain water as it is. Just don't let it wait for any long amount of time before using it.

I'd suggest you could use snow but you might have to come up here for that!

Thanks, Wish I could.JIMT. And as to who put that column there. I don't know. It has been in the same place for at least 25 years. Thanks JIMT.

JimT did I understand you right that you went back to work ? I am not judging your Dr. , but I would bet he has never had a busted up rib !! I know how painful that is, it hurt for me to take a breath and it took a while to heal up. You make sure your carefull when working, that sneaky column may just have it out for you! I am very interested on how your cacti do I have never grown any , did you buy them as plants or are you starting them from seed ? Do the come in seed form? My husband and I worked on the shelf today we went and got the rest of my light bulbs so I hope it gets finished by this next weeekend. Pirl do you grow vegetable beans of any kind ? if so I wonder I like navy beans , and butter beans are they the same thing as lima beans only fixed different , and can they be started indoors also?

Funny about that column, JimT, but not about the ouch!

Tammy - we've never started any beans indoors. We did grow Lima beans directly in the garden in the past but they were a lot of shelling work for Jack. He sorted as he shelled and the bowl of tiny ones was always empty - I wonder why. Maybe because I ate them as fast as he shelled them.

Hi Tammy & Pirl, I did not start the succulents and cactus from seed, got them at Lowes.The germination times for the cactus I wanted are longer than my attention span & the lifeline in my palm, So I just bought them at Lowes. I am on light duty And the meds help bunches. The column now has a red stripe. It spruces the joint up a bit !!! JIMT.

Funny, JimT!

Hey, Just planted up 20 basil (more) 18-Tri-colour chrysanthemums, Gazanias out the kazoo into 3" pots and the rest of the cilantro. I recon I'll be getting the Culantro from a big box store.Tammy how are your plants getting along? Pirl Thanks for all of your informed advice. I read everything you put in this thread, Do you think it is too late to start Mimulus Blotch down here in south al.(re-start).JIMT.

Good luck with all your seedlings, JimT. I've never grown Mimulus - sorry!

JimT , my seedlings are half and half right now half are doing real good and half kicked the bucket . my son needed to move the shelf they were on so he took them off, he remembered to put the bigger seedlings back on the top of the shelf but he put the other by the outside wall Ithink they froze. my husband has gout in his foot so we havent finished the grow stand yet but when we do I will plant all my seeds then . My clematis is doingf real well I am not sure what kind it is I was given a couble of seeds I know they are small and yellow at least that is the one she though she got them offf of , I dont care just glad there growing Pirl you getting some warmth your way?

The clematis is likely tangutica Radar Love. It's supposed to flower in four months from sowing.

No warmth yet. They keep promising warm weather but it hasn't yet arrived and I have a serious case of cabin fever.

hi Tammy your clematis reminded me There is a clematis called Passion flower clematis. a really good photo right here at daves. Take a look tell me what you think. I love it. Am going into the woods behind my home to check on some I marked last year not the clematis lookalike just some Maypops (delicious) and lots of nice coreopsis wild ginger and stuff it is getting about that time In L.A. lower alabama. sorry to hear some of your babies froze.Pirl I'm just going to try the Monkey flowers anywho.I think they do OK under lights inside too. Night all JIMT.

JimT - I have about 100 clematises but never heard of a Passion flower clematis. I have had Passion flower but it is not a clematis. A search of the database here at DG failed to turn up any clematis with the name of Passion flower.

Good luck with the Monkey flowers.

Pirl(every time I ttype Pirl) I think of Janis Joplins last album Pearl. I think if you have 100 plus Clematis this one may allready be in your collection,I looked for an easy reference. It's Clematis Florida "Sieboldii" Whatever, I love the wild passiflora in Al. For some reason I can't get it to come back each year.Just two miles away a guy can't get rid of it and it goes under his driveway after a good spray of round up and keeps on toward his neighbors yards.Go figure?JIMT

I've tried clematis Florida 'Sieboldii' twice and it died both times. I have only one tiny photo for all my time, effort and money. I won't try it again (never say never) but it is gorgeous.

I have to bring any passifloras in for the winter to save them for the following year.

It's truly amazing how climates differ in even just one mile. My friend gets frost at least a week earlier than we do and, as the crow flies, she's barely a half mile away.

Pirl oh how I would love to see your climatice , they are such a beautiful flower , I had no idea there were so many . I have a white one and also The President I would like to have more , do you have a favorite ? for some reason we dont have alot growing around my county. can you recommend one that grows all summer. I was wondering to, I have my white growing next to my brick chimminy my husband bought me a blaze climbing rose bush I am going to plant it there also do you know if the white will be ok growing with the rose or should I move it? I am sooo glad you are on this site I am learning so much.
Jimt Wow in reference to Pearl did that take me back in time. when I was younger I listened to Janis all the time , in fact there was a time when I thought I too needed a Mercedes Benz.

I've had a few Mercedes in my time.

Thanks, Tammy! The clematis and rose should get along beautifully. Many people buy clematises just to adorn their roses. I don't know of any clematis that bloom all summer, sorry.

Here is a link to my favorite clematis, 'Omoshiro':
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1145391/