What Have You Winter Sown So Far? (Page 3)

I brought all mine inside and thankfully many have germinated at least a little. Guess our weather is just too cold for winter sowing. Oh. That sounded odd. Well, too cold and lasts too far into the spring to germinate many types of seeds in time. But I have started transplanting some from gallon jugs into 6 paks. I still cannot plant outside partially due to landscapers and partially due to temp. I am starting to panic when I see all I have in the garage and not knowing when they will come to get their work done. I can't put in the raised beds until they get their equipment out.

Oberon46, Here may be the answer to your problem on what to do with them. It solved my problem for 156 daylily seedlings until I can plant them.

Below is a product I purchased from Family Dollar Store for $30. Have 4 shelves and a plastic zip cover. Ebay have similar for $54 with 5 shelves and free ship.

Yup. Have one just like it. But it won't help if the temp is too cold. And tonight we are supposed to have a hard freeze. All my containers are inside now.

blooma, how do you plant your daylily seeds? I planted some but none have come up. I may of killed them when I covered them with boiling water and let them set until the water had cooled completely. Maybe I am being impatient, but it seems like I should be seeing something by now. I also planted 3 roots that were sent to me in a trade that aren't coming up. I scratched back the top of the soil and didn't see anything. I hate to dig them up to check them in case they are setting roots, but yes, I guess I am impatient. lol

Speediebean, you gave me the push that I needed to get all that crap off my deck!! Tomorrow they go right into the ground with the survival of the fittest.

Salvia Patens Blue Angel
Verbascum Southern Charm
Lots of California Poppies
Marigolds
Helenium
Dianthus
Delphinium Magic Fountain Lilac and Blue
Agastache Bolero
Agastache Tango
Blushing Susie Vines
Japanese Morning Glory Vines


Lots more and they gotta go!

I finally pitched the last of my non-producing jugs (minus soil of course) yesterday. I am transplanting those that have grown into individual pots. I won't have my gardens available until middle of June. Maybe by then they will be of a size to plant out. Weather continues to be cold and yukky. It is 1pm and 47F. A slight breeze doesn't improve it. I was transplanting in the garage with the door open. Had to move everyone outside for some sun regardless of temp. My fingers and hands became a little numb for handling the little seedlings. So now I am in the house drinking coffee. I put my lilies in the cold frame out back. And will put more in the upright greenhouse and pray it stays above 35 at night.

Crit, Here is how. Although they can be sown like iris seeds. I never sow directly in soil. I prefer the Deno method explained below.

Photo #1
Sprouted daylily seedling in a kitchen towel just prior to planting.

BEGIN BY SOAKING SEEDS OVER NIGHT IN HAND HOT WATER. This will plump up and soften the seedcoat.

I use a damp kitchen paper towel, cut in half and moistened. Squeeze out the excess water. Fold it in half. Place the seeds in a corner and fold one end over the seeds. Place this package in a small ziplock bag and zip it, leaving a small opening to blow air into the bag to fill like a balloon. Once filled, zip it closed. Place in fridge crisper for 3 weeks to stratify the seeds. After 2 weeks, check to see if any have begun to sprout, which sometimes they do. After 3 weeks, move to room temp to germinate.

Sprouting time depends on variety. At this point, check the seeds several times during the week, starting after the 3rd day. As soon as seeds have formed a radical (tiny roots forming) with a tweezer grasp the seed casing of those and transfer to seed flat or pot. Make a hole with a pencil and guide the root into the hole. Plant so the seed is 1/4" below the surface, 1" or more, apart. Be sure to place roots downwards in the hole. If the roots have grown into the paper towel, just tear around the roots and plant it. Do not try to remove the roots from the paper. The paper will eventually rot.

Photo #2
Seedlings transplanted to a 6-pack

Until the sprouted seeds have broken through the soil, they do not need light. However, once they do, grow them in a sunny window, under light, or place the flat outside in a protected area if weather is warm.

Photo #3
All are now growing under plant lights until it is safe to plant them outdoors.

When the seedlings are large enough to handle, pot them in a 3" pot. I use the 3" foam cups made for coffee. A screwdriver will easily punch drainage holes. The cups are cheap to buy at Walmart, or if used, save them from work. Plant outside when all danger of frost is past in your zone.

The earlier Daylilies and Irises are sown, the longer the growing time, which will produce earlier flowers.

Photo #4
Transplanted to my coldframe. Photo taken November 14, 2011. Here they will stay until next season.

Photo #5 Below is the first of my seedlings to bloom summer of 2011 at age18 month. It glowed. A polychrome like its pod parent Highland Pinched Fingers. It will be even better this season.

Here is another seedling that bloomed last week. My cross of HAPPY RETURNS x PURPLE DE ORO

Oberon46,
We are past the hard freezes now. We may still get light frost but the plants have done well in the "greenhouse" contraption.

I copied, saved and printed out your clear instructions, which made me feel that I could do this. Thanks Blomma.

ROSES, You are welcome. Glad to help.

Roses, well, since we finally got that back bed finished yesterday, and I got all that I wanted put on it (and beside it), today is the day I clear off my own deck, and I don't care if it rains or not! As you said, "survival of the fittest", some may still look too small to put out, but I don't care. THEY'VE GOT TO GO!!!!!!!!!! It's like a blow-out sale at a mattress store, "EVERYTHING MUST GO!!!". =D

Thanks so much for the detailed instructions blomma!!!!!! I did soak the seed, but then planted in the ground. Maybe I will dig them up and see if any of them are still good and not rotten, and try to do them your method. I have nothing to lose but a little time, right?

I'm waiting for my DH to finish my flower bed along my deck railing and across my back fence. Then I will be doing my blow out sale and finish up my planting. Still have some things that I have specific places for, but they aren't big enough yet. I put out some celosia and cockscomb and they look sooooo tiny in the garden. Have had to replace some of them and something made lunch out of a few others! I prefer to wait until they are bigger, but I gave it a shot.

We started a new project yesterday that turned into 2 new projects. We (DH) decided he was ready to start on the fish pond for me in the back yard. We (DH) still needs to finish the flowerbed along the deck railing and back fence, rock pathway from front door around to the gate in the privacy fence, raised flowerbed along the road on the south side of the house, and then he went an bought some sod to put down in some low places and places he had spread some of the good dirt that was coming out of the flowerbed. LMBO!!!!! We have tons of sandstone around here, so we just go out to the pastures and dig up big ones as well as the pasture where I keep my horses across the path in the back. We are doing the pond by liner at the base of an old Mimosa tree that he cut down last year. He washed all the dirt out from the roots then took the chainsaw and cut them out. It was quite an ordeal. It is on a slope so we are making a retaining wall of about 18" at one end and the other end is at the tree. I have lots of pictures as we go, but haven't downloaded them yet. Digging out the pond was a major undertaking with all the tree roots he had to chop out with an axe. The old tree was 3 trees grown together so the stump is probably over 2' across. I'll start adding pics after I get them downloaded and edited.

I have started planting out my seedlings. Some things have great root systems, while others are still puny. Weird.

I am also potting up some seedlings for trade. That time of year!

I have a few containers with no sprouts, still, it's just been an up and down season so far with the temps and the rain and sun . . .

Crit, you are welcome. I would dig the seeds up. Oklahoma is pretty hot for daylily seeds to be planted without stratification. I never sow anything directly in the ground. Follow my directions and stick them in the fridge for 3 weeks. They should sprout when brought out into warmer temp.

You and your DH sure have your hands full but what fun when done. I always wanted a pond but never lived where it would be possible.

I spend all day today making a rockgarden then planting my order of Daylilies. Also began planting my iris and daylily seedlings in coldframe. Yesterday I was helping my daughter in her garden. Now I am tired and going to bed.

I would love to see your photos.

Amanda

I have started planting out a few things too. I put cleaned up my herb garden and planted some of my herb seeds out. Some are large and have their 3rd sets of leaves and some are just sprouting.....

Crit, I am really looking forward to seeing the pics of your pond-in-progress!! WOWEEE, what a major undertaking!!!!

I got the entire deck cleared off yesterday, pheewww!!!! Many of my WS containers simply did not germinate at all, so I saved all the soil from them in one container, and when I finally get around to weeding out that driveway-side bed (this week!), I'll spread that soil in there along with some direct-sown seeds, and pray for something good to happen. The rest of the stuff that *did* germinate got put into containers and are in/on the new bed out back or in the front big bed. So darned many of them were just tiny teeny, so I hope they fair well, but they just HAD to get the heck off the deck! Winter Sowing is now officially DONE at my house! =)

Next year, I'll be sowing far fewer!

Got back from vaca to find many of my seedlings growing out if the containers. Opened the jugs and transplanted to garden. We got rain today so I hope it helps with the shock. The plants started drooping as soon as I open the.containers.

Someone mentioned the peony poppies not blooming this year and reseeding themselves??? I wsed several jugs of peony poppies. Germination rate was great. It would be a shame not to get them back next year.

I wonder if maybe winter sowing doesn't work so well for us. The weather has to get to a certain warmth for the seeds to germinate. If you never get to that warmth?? I think that I might try a few containers next year of VERY hardy seeds and start them around the end of March. That way they get the cold they may need, but won't sit in the containers for so long drying out. I also pitched a lot of containers that simply never worked. I have poppies coming out my ears and have HOS's them into individual containers. I put far too many seeds in each row since I had so many. Doesn't work too well.

My peony poppies all germinated.

How do you trade seedlings by mail. Seems they are so delicate they would be smooshed.

This message was edited May 7, 2012 6:47 AM

Crit

when you get started on your pond, you will have to join us on the pond forum and show us pictures of your progress.

I don't think any of my seedlings germinated until the temperature was 70 or 80 degrees for a few days. I hope you all don't give up yet. Onw jug popped they all start popping

Oberon, I often wondered what I have laying around that would be good to ship seedlings in. I do have, in my shed, the plastic shipping material that I received some larger than plugs plants in. When I get home (next Monday) I'll try to remember to post a picture of them. There's a little pot like space for the soil, a space for the seedling growth, and then a protective flap that comes down to cover the whole thing. Maybe they can go in strong paper towel or toilet paper spools. I guess anything made tubular with care given securing the little plant from crushing would do.

Roses - go to the plant trading forum. There is a sticky note or two at the top which shows a step by step tutorial on how to prepare and ship plants.

No special equipment required. :)

Oberon46, Walmart sells 6x9" bubble mailers. I buy the pack of 5, then I cut each in half if only a few seeds. Walmart also sell small ziplock bags in the craft department that I use for seeds. I use bubble wrap the seeds then stick them in the bubble mailers. Done this way, any seed would be protected.

Thanks, Amanda. I'm headed there now.

You bet! My first time was very scary. I hope yours goes as well as mine did. ;)

Everything survived, BTW!!!

OK gals, here are some pics of our pond. It is 3'x6'x26''. You will see DH measuring and marking, etc in the pics. All has to be exact, he is anal about making sure things are perfect, but I'm glad he is. The first pics are of the stump that we are making it in front of. It was a mimosa that had 3 trees growing together that we had to cut down last year. Then you will see the pic of "real men do read instructions. The rest are just the progression. Will take me 2 posts to show them to you.

Round 2

Boy. What a job. Your DH is pretty nice to bust his buns working on that job. Looks like it will be a really nice pond with personality. I like the stump. Hope the roots are all dead though. In three weeks the work starts on mine, along with the back yard. I have 'before' pics already taken.

Thanks for posting the pics Crit. You have got to be excited!

Actually, it had little suckers coming up along the sides of the stumps on some roots. We were going to leave them to make a background along the sides to where we start the rock. DH just mentioned a little while ago that he hadn't seen any coming back yet and hoped he hadn't killed them all. We will just have to wait and see.

Holy COW Crit, that is gonna be such a great pond!!! BRAVO to your DH, what wonderful work he's doing!!!! Do you plan to have fishies in it, or will it be a plant-pond? It's going to be sooooo pretty when it's all done... heck, it's **already** really pretty!! =)

P.S. Was that a level I saw sitting on the stump in pic 2, round 2? ;)

I was wondering that also. The only reason I mentioned roots is that if the roots, which will obviously be large, get into the pond sides it could wreck your pond. My husband said I shouldn't put ferns around our pond as their roots get into everything and could move our rocks. I am not so sure about that as our rocks are really big. Bigger than I can move for sure.

Yes, that is a 4' level. He is very anal about everything being JUST RIGHT! ^_^

We are going to use some of the clay we have around here to put in between the rocks to seal it up He cut out a lot of the roots as you can see in the picture.

Patti - watch your language. :P

:D

LOL speedibean! Looks like no one else has been on the computer much lately either. It's been a week since I took time away from my gardening to pop into a few threads. My body needs a rest!

Oh, I am here every day reading what is going on. Just don't have much to say. Things are at a standstill for now. Just waiting for beds and hauling flats in and out of the garage every day to keep them alive. I have planted some of what I have gotten that I thought could handle the weather. Will put the rest out today.

I guess that the "blue poppies" that I've been trying to winter sow over the years will be something that I'll give up on. I also did not have good luck with balloon flowers. Most everything else had varying degrees of germination with good seedlings. Even if only a few were successful, it was still lots less expensive than purchasing the plant.