rain here, will be putting up my indoor Easter decor
Hanging in there... Part 7
OK! I need to clarify that the "whole tray" is only a section (cut apart)
from a larger cell sheet.
In the (small) "whole tray, there are only 10-12 cells total in 2 rows.
Perhaps I have collected seed from not the best Tomato speccimens?
I keep saving the seeds all summer long--every time I eat a tomato.
Shouild grow one of each Heirloom (3) from the original seeds I had
to start with. Might refresh my supply......
Gita
Chris, I went thru all my seeds, bought and saved and made a list on the computer. I too do not need to buy any seeds!
Gita, laughing, it's still a ''whole'' bunch that never sprouted.
Ah, you may have saved seed from a not quite ripe tomato! That's one thing I haven't done yet, save tomato or pepper seed. I keep thinking I'll have time when I'm older, LOL! I get older every year and still haven't found time.
I have come to the conclusion that my Columbine seed was too old, even tho I did hold some back, and will just sprinkle it on the ground later today. I have it coming up everywhere outside, so I do have plenty to look forward to!
Next month we'll carry in the monster seed starting shelves and I will officially start spring! I can not wait to smell tomatoes!
Had to take a picture just now to show you what I am talking about....
Here are the 2 trays. On the left--are Tomato seedlings I sowed for ME!
Almost ready to transplant???
On the right is the empty tray--the one seedling you see on the right is Cilantro.
It does seem that I may have forgotten to put seeds in there....
So I did again--as I told you above.... Gita
Here is another tray--going Gung-Ho....
Middle row--basil--2 trays
On the right--Zinnias and Dill
Left back--Angelonias ans, the smaller ones, Candy Tuft....
Left front--the 2 empty trays--are "Pretty Purple Pepper"--and "Lantana'
Not up yet!
Overall--I am pleased with all the seedlings...
I know some are sooner--and some are later....Patience is the name of the game!
OMG!!!! I just realized I have forgotten to seed the Daturas for my Boss-Man (Donn).
And--they are slow to germinate!!!! Mamma Mia!!!!
Gita
edited to add that MAYBE???? the ones NOT sprouting need dark to germinate.
I did not have time to look all that info up....
This message was edited Mar 24, 2011 10:53 AM
Hey Chris, Just wanted to stop by and let you know I'm thinking about you, as always. Hope the weather hasn't continued its wintry trend, but I fear it has. We're having dreary, cold and cloudy days down here in VA too. Somehow it just seems much worse when we're ready for Spring (AND the calendar says it's here)!!!
Hope you can stay inside, all warm and cozy, and enjoy looking outside from a nice resting spot right now. Take care, don't push yourself, and I hope you can feel the love and hugs coming your way today!! xo xo
Gita, if you're saving seeds one tomato at a time, I'm guessing that you aren't fermenting the seeds... fermenting can improve germination (breaks down some sort of germination inhibitor in the seed coat) as well as help to prevent disease.
I finally got my tomatoes sowed last night -- a little late, but they'll come up quickly on the seedling heat mat. I just have to remember to check on them frequently, as they will get leggy really quickly once they germinate unless I move them to a "cool" shelf!
Thanks for the encouragement on the petunias, Chris. I think you're right, even if they're not blooming by planting time they'll catch up pretty quickly outside in the warm sunshine!
Jill--
I have never fermented my Tomato seeds! Just seems unnecessary!
They still come up......Too much work too.....I DO have the directions on HOW.....
I do wash them in a fine sieve to get as much of the Gel stuff off of the seeds--
and then dry them on a plate. Then scrape the seeds loose and bag them up.
This has worked for me every year. I really think I just forgot to seed those cells.
Got carried away making all the labels.......listening to my favorite music---
drinking some wine---etc...
One funny thing happened last Spring with my Tomatoes....
I KNOW I took the seeds out of my envelope of my saved "Sun Golds"....
I planted them--and they grew-----and then I put them in my bed----
and they grew and grew--and I, already noticed something different.....Hmmmmmm.....
What ended up growing was a small, red Cherry Tomato--NOT the "Sun Gold"
I had planted......Oh, They were good and tasty and productive.....
Is it possible that the "Sun Gold Cherry" is a Hybrid????? I thought it was an heirloom???
Worked for me the second year I had them! Still got "Sun Golds" from the saved seed.
Trying again this year.....We will see......Gita
Here are the Sun Golds amid some Cherokee Purples on a diner plate....
They are SOOOOOO sweet!!!---Like candy!
I'm pretty sure Sun Gold is a hybrid, although somebody might have a dehybridized seed line...
My friend Irene lost 100's of tomato seedlings one year to verticulum wilt, which she is pretty sure originated with some seedlings from unfermented seed, so I'm always careful to ferment my seeds.
I had a row of petunias that "didn't sprout" last year... yep, you guessed it, found the unopened seed packet and realized I simply hadn't managed to get that variety into the seed tray! Have you poked around yet looking for the seeds in the potting mix? That's what I tend to do when I get impatient... LOL
Oh, and peppers (like your 'Pretty Purple Pepper') don't need dark to germinate, but they'll pop up faster if you put them in a warm spot.
Thanks Jill---
My light set-up s pretty warm. Not only from the lights just above--but also fro the
Heat register just underneath the shelf unit.
Actually--I often think it is too warm--as my seedling trays dry out so quickly.
I will be patient with the PP Peppers. They came up OK last year....
I cannot really "poke around" in the mix--as it has a high Pearlie and Vermiculite content.
GEEZ! I could not tell a seed from a bit of Vermiculite or anything else in there...
Just have to wait!
As you can tell--I do not do a whole lot of seeds....but--as a habit--I always put 2 seeds
in each cell--just in case....More to share at the Plant Swap....or give away at work.
Just biding my time here..........Gita
Gita, very nice start on the plants!
Interesting about the Sun Cherry. I ordered the red for the Grandkids to sit in the yard and snack on to their hearts content this summer. I do believe they are hybrids.
YUM YUM YUM!
I thought maybe I saw a columbine sprout trying to pop up and decided it was a vermiculite chunk, LOL!
I am not going to get in a hurry and sow anything yet, no matter how good all of your's sound!! If I do, I'll be sorry. June is a long way away!
Daylilydiva, that is THE most beautiful picture, sigh....
I like the red grape tomatoes to grow in pots by the gazebo for the kids. They can easily see which ones are ripe and they love picking them right off the vine and eating them. LOL
Chris hope you are having a great day.
billyp- I have been there on vermiculite chunks. Esp after a week or so when some of them get algae on them LOL
I was potting up some daturas yesterday and saw that a mini crop of SOMETHING had sprouted in my bucket of soil. They could be weeds, or anything, I had to put a few survivors in a little cell pot and let them tell me what they are.
Thanks Sally - it's a rose called "Westerland" from the Lewis Ginter Botanic Garden in Richmond. Such a beautiful color - it really glows. ;-)
Holly, great idea to grow the grape tomatoes where the little ones can enjoy them! My problem here is that the "little ones" who enjoyed MY grape/cherry tomatoes were dastardly chipmunks. One afternoon I watched one greedy little rodent go back and forth for hours, taking one tomato at a time until the plant was bare. GRRRR!
Sallyg - too funny about the vermiculite chunks with algae - I've also been there, done that! LOL!
Chris, hope you're feeling well today, and that your weather is improving. The drums are beating down here, with talk of snow, and even accumulation over the weekend. Bleagh. It won't last at this time of year, but still, such a headache when we're all chomping at the bit to get moving on spring projects! Sending you some pink tulips among some sunny yellow ones today... Stay warm and have a good weekend! Hugs, Barb
Holly, when the kids found the drying tomatoes I was growing, and ate them as fast as they could chew, first I cracked up, and them resolved they would always have tomatoes to eat! LOL!
Sallyg, LOL! At least they turned green! Ah yes, they might be something and we cannot kill them till we know what we have.
Barb, glow it did. It was just perfect!
Oh my, I'm swooning over the beauty of the blooms! That really lifted my spirits!
We had two maybe three snowflakes yesterday. I'm convinced we are finally going to have a dry Spring and I am going to be hauling water to a lot of Astilbes!
There has been little sunshine again this year and I hope it's not going to stay this way. The clouds are nice when it's 90*+, but not now, when we need cheering up!
It's just getting light and I hear the robins and cardinals, Oh, how lovely that sound is!
Chris, prayers for you to keep feeling good! You speak so freely now it's easy to forget you are tired and don't always feel the best.
Quite chilly here yesterday--, even so, it is much brighter than in December and you 'feel' more springlike despite the temps.
''It's just getting light and I hear the robins and cardinals, Oh, how lovely that sound is!
Chris, prayers for you to keep feeling good! You speak so freely now it's easy to forget you are tired and don't always feel the best.''
Same from me.
Thinking of you this morning, Chris, and hoping the new chemo isn't clobbering you with its side effects. We're all in your corner!
Morning Chris, I agree with all of the above, in spades! I hope the lengthening of the days is helping your spirits too.
We're all definitely in your corner!
Sending you a photo of the apple tree down by the pond, in full spring finery. This photo is from last year, but it's just beginning to bloom again this week, even though they are calling for up to 5 INCHES of snow overnight! (I'm choosing to believe THAT's not going to happen) :-)
Hi, everyone! I got hit hard with the Neulasta injection, on Wednesday. if you don't know about Neulasta, it is to help renew your redBlood cell count that the chemo can weaken. It can cause bone pain, I had the body aches like a really bad flu. I was scheduled for a Echo-Cardiogram on Friday and was going to drive myself. So I did not want to take the pain meds that made it dangerous to drive. So I just took Ibuprofen to take the edge off. By Friday I knew that I had to reschedule, when I called, they had me set up at the wrong hospital, which was father away. The test is scheduled for this Wednesday, and if I can't drive my friend can take me. After I called to reschedule I took my loopy pain pill. Today is the first day I didn't take one so things are getting better. Having trouble getting to sleep, a side effect from the chemo, and digestive problems that are starting to work out.
I got some lite cleaning done today and have a simple Minestrone soup in the crock pot.
Checked on my seeds in the basement and the are doing fine, hoping to start Tomatoes and peppers tomorrow. It is very cold but the sun has been out, which sure makes me feel better.
I really appricate everyone adding to this thread and all your well wishes, I always know where to come when I need a hug or laugh, you are all true friends.
I noticed that my lilac bush out side the kitchen window is getting some small green tips so spring is not far away. As the day pass I should be feeling better and if it warms up I my be able to get some yard work done. Keep your fingers crossed.
Hugs everyone.
Lady--Hang in there!!!! All this too shall pass.....
Spring is coming--and we all can send you a lot of flowers---via the magic of
our computers......
Just know--you are never alone! We are all here to support you.
Better than this "guy" in the picture!!!
Many big hugs to you! Gita
Hi Chris--Rumor has it that warmer weather is coming. Good to hear from you, wishes for good results on that test, though it sounds like one of the easier ones.
Hugs to you Chris. Hope you will be feeling better soon. Fighting Cancer isn't for the weak of heart.
Oh Chris, I'm so sorry to hear you've had a rough few days. I hope you're definitely on the mend now, and feeling up to doing a little gardening, if only indoors. That's good for the soul too! Tonight, I'm sending you a picture I took a few years ago during the National Race for the Cure, so you can see how many supporters there are out there. My pink arrow shows the lines of people just going past the STARTING line, as we were about 15 minutes into the race... Usually about 50,000 people turn out, up to 8-10 thousand of us wearing our pink "Sorority that No One Wants to Join" T-shirts! Hang in there, and take good care of yourself.
I can fell that things are getting better, a bit more desire to do some things around the house.
Gita when I looked that your P. Bear picture it looks like a fist raising it up out of the water, a cup half full. I'm not a water person so I need all the help I can get. LOL
I think this test will be an easy one on Wednesday, and will come out with good results, I think the news of having to change chemo got the heart stirred up a bit, I really was not expecting the negative news so early in the game.
When I was working full time, I never looked like I was fighting cancer except when I was wearing scarfs and hats at work, it amazed many of our patients that I looked so "healthy" some of them expected a cancer patient looking frail and pale. I know that there are cancers that will do that to you, but I wanted to give others hope and encouragement if it ever struck them. You never know what life will throw your way.
Yes, we are getting close to the "Races" this time of year, there are several in our area, I have never attended any, just did not want to go on that emotional roller coaster. Everyone fights this in their own way I guess.
We are headed for a warm up this week if the 40's can be called that. It will be nice to go outside without putting on the winter coat and hat just to go to the garage.
I will be getting my sugar snap peas in really late this year, so I hope we are not in for a hot spell before the first harvest. Peas hate hot. I did spot some red nubs from my rhubarb, I had 3 plants but hubby over harvested to heavy out of one plant and killed it. I don't think I'll ever turn him into a gardener. He always told me how much he hated helping his grandmother in the vegetable garden, hoeing corn and weeding. He is not a vegetable eater either.
Well, off to get a shower and some breakfast and start my day,
Have a good one, Love you all.
We love you too, Chris!
I'm glad you're coming back around to feeling better. My peas aren't in yet either... maybe if we water them with ice cubes when summer comes... LOL
Jim isn't much of a gardener either, but he'll help with things he likes to eat, like tomatoes and apple trees!
*hugs*
Barb, what a beautiful beautiful picture!!
Oh Chris, bone pain, bad!! Dang it all anyway! I will be so happy for you when this ordeal is over!!!
That lilac blooming will be a wonderful thing to look forward to. I hope it smells to high Heaven this year!
HUGE HUGS anf prayers!!
Awww Gita, great photo! A perfect "Hang In There!" I do think we need a big strong bear instead of a cute little kitten sometimes :o)
Barb, what a fantastic bunch of people! That's just amazing!
Chris, I had to smile. I just heard the garbage truck and will be putting on my winter coat and stocking cap just to walk 90' to the road to get the cans, LOL! Yes, it's still that cold here!!
Yes! My rhubarb has broken the surface too! The nice thing is rhubarb will outgrow it's space so there is always a plant to dig and divide. I had 7 plants and realized it was too much. I am down to 4 now and it's most likely still too many, but I'll just have to have more pie!
It's funny. I hated having to weed and pick from the garden as a kid, but now... I couldn't not do it!
Love ya and sending big hugs!
Jill, I'll bet Jim is a huge help :o)
Lady--
I loved your comment about the ice the bear is clinging on to looking like
a big fist sticking up. Just think of that 'fist" as all of us on DG--holding you up!
DON'T let go!!!!!
billy--we are just as frigid here too! It is like the middle of winter---just that the
sun is out and shining--and the Daffs are all blooming....Weird!
Yesterday at work--I was all bundled up in my winter jacket--apron tied on the
outside, gloves on--watering plants in outside garden.
Insane! I tell you! Low 40's--wind blowing....and we were watering?????
It is hard--as I am scheduled to water every day I work. Even if just for a couple of hours--
I still feel I have to water something!!!! There are others out there watering as well......
but they are garden people and dress for being out in garden. I do not! as I will be back
inside 3/4 of the day. Am i supposed to do a "strip show"?????
We may have some snow tomorrow....I will see what all that brings.......
Gita
Gita, I hope those plants are hardy, like pansies. You may come into work tomarrow with a ton of dead plants.
The sun is out shinning brightly, but still to cold for me to be out side for any length of time. I took 2 pictures of my narrow flower bed beside the fence though the dinning room window. The dwarf Iris are blooming like mad.
Each year they send up more blooms, I really enjoy looking out the window at them when I check on the girls, running around out side. You notice that I have a small wire fence to keep Mary Chris and Penny out of the bed. Those two would have my flower beds a mess if I left them in there.
I just love the dwarf iris, I have one it isn't blooming yet. I hope to get more colors in time.
Gita, I am dreaming of sunshine! We haven't even had much of that.
Laughing, I can't imagine standing outside watering. It sounds just terrible cold!
Chris, I love the tiny iris too. I have it in the rock garden. I saw one blue flag blooming yesterday!! I was so excited! I love that little blue flower!
My little iris have iris leaves instead of the grassy leaves. I have blue-violet and it blooms before the red-violet. They won't bloom yet, but I sure look forward to them.
Bily, you probably have Dutch Iris, they bloom later then the Dwarf Iris.
I wanted to get some yellow to go with my blue but the Dwarf didn't show a nice bright yellow like the Dutch, and I wanted them to bloom at the same time.
I am really hungry for early spring colors, by the time the Dutch bloom there are a lot of spring blooms going on.
Ladyg, Here is a display of the reticulated iris at the Phila Show.
Not everyone likes this one but these bluish gray Katherine Hodgkins are my fav.
I always love 'Katherine Hodgkin' in the catalogs, but the first time I saw it in person my thought was that those subtle blue-gray colors would just disappear against the weathered mulch in the garden. Do you have them in your yard, Holly?
We've been enjoying some blue and purple iris reticulata in the front bed... seems like they've been blooming for a couple weeks now; they started soon after the crocus.
Not yet. But I will
Chris, I'll have to look into that. I never really have, just calling them Border Iris. They were given to me by a friend who was digging and dividing her's, and this was many years ago. After she passed. I found she also had the red-violet and they bloom later than the blue-violet.
I am on the Iris forum ''over there'' and I've sure seen some pretty little iris. I'd like to get some of all of them, LOL!
I am also taken with the intermediates/Lilliputs. They have so many to choose from and they don't seem to get the borer. At least not yet. I've only had them a few years now.
Holly, those are beautiful! I can see when I get my beds in better order, I am going to order! Ohhhh, I like Katherine too!
Jill, I can see your thoughts on the colors disappearing, so it's a challange to set them off.
It finally got nice enough to go out yesterday, but I still wore a stocking cap, LOL! My neighbor came over, then we went to her house and from her house to her neighbor's and we all had a nice visit!
Hi, everyone. Wednesday was a good day ! My friend from work picked me up and we had lunch with the boss and the rest of the girls at Red Lobster, then we went to my Echo-Cardiogram and then stopped at Rite-Aid to stock up on my OTC needs. I felt good until that evening and then it was like sliding 4 days back. Muscle/bone pain, which wiped me out, Just felt like c**p again. Getting better but there are times where I am not. Anyways, one day at a time.
Holly, Not sure I like the Katherine Hodgkins, at first glance they looked artificial to me. Like to silky. It really needs a different back ground. Enjoy seeing your flower show pictures. ; )
I had Paul put out my stand mixer before he went to work this morning, I had a Strawberry flavor Angel food cake mix from Amish country, I wanted to mix up. Just and water, so that was easy. Sure smells good baking.
Sun is out now, after snowing this morning. This is what I woke up to yesterday.
That snow sure was an "April Fool's" for today! We didn't get any here that I saw, just rain. It's pretty chilly out. Joyanna and I went out for a few minutes to refill the bird feeders... she didn't want to come back in, but I was cold, and her little fingers were icy!
I'm glad you had a good day, Chris, even if it was followed by a rough evening. We can't always be super careful about hoarding our energy -- every once in a while you just have to do something fun even if you know you're "pushing" a little and will probably crash for a bit after. Hope you're bouncing right back today!