2014 Seed Starting, continuing from 2013

Great idea, Blomma. Thanks!

I use clear plastic cups, and make drainage holes with a soldering iron. I have perhaps more cat help than I want, and they seem to turn over less easily.

This message was edited Mar 9, 2015 10:56 AM

I suspect that algae grows more on clear cups because of the light it lets in. It's never caused any problems, so I don't worry about it.

Has anyone any Angelica seeds to share with me or tell me of a great place to order ??
I don't need allot . ty

Morning... Count of those sprouted now up to 92.... Got a bit of snow and more comming this weekend.

Pam...going to the Super Bowl? Cheer for my team on Sunday!! LOL. Got to try on this a couple of years ago...Hope it's a good omen. Yup, it's a real Superbowl ring, nice huh?!!!!

Pam I will try that with some asclepias if they don't show up for me during winter sow.

Blomma - I planted the tomatoes approx. 12 weeks before my avg last frost date (April 12). I thought it might be too early, but on a different thread I met others in my area who have had success starting them indoors at this time. I hope this will help me in the long run by allowing them to develop and produce without the stress of our brutally hot summer temps. That usually starts in May. Now that they are germinating, I hope to plant them out at 8 weeks and protect them those last few weeks when the threat of frost still lingers..

What exactly is "too low" and would require protection? 40s? Would the milk jug trick above be adequate?

Foam cups would probably help the plant to maintain soil temp during fluctuations.. I bet it would come in handy when setting them out to harden off so early, maybe even use them afterwards as a collar inside the milk jugs if frost happened? Hmm my gears are grinding, lol

This message was edited Mar 9, 2015 11:00 AM

I've been using a covered plant stand to harden off my tomatoes early, then plant them under hoops covered with a frost blanket. That has gotten me 2-3 extra weeks early. I've even brought out buckets of hot water to warm the soil before planting.

Yeah I wouldn't think the metal would do squat for protection either!

Pam just look at those happy babies!! :D

I use those plant stands as well. I have two, I use them to harden off pretty much everything. I learned the hard way to secure them or they blow over.

Oh yeah, me too! The first time was a disaster! But now I have it against a wall. I drive metal stakes down into the soil and tie the two back legs to the stakes, under the cover. That does it.

Last couple of years I had a great system for ventilation. It faced south with lots of interference from mature trees, but sometimes it got to be really, really hot and fried the babies. I left the cover unzipped and used clothespins to attach frost blanket to let air in and diffuse the direct sun. This year I'm moving it to another, less visible area, facing east this time but still with some big trees, and I'll have to figure it out all over again.

This message was edited Mar 9, 2015 10:58 AM

Great! Do you find it overheats? My problem of course is that I'm not there during the week to open and close it.

Mine are on the north side of the house, I bungeed them to the edge of the porch and the fence to prevent them from blowing over. They get sun there, but not enough that they were in danger of overheating till probably May.

I could not use them last year, my pibble pup was still in the chewing phase. This year, she's leaving them alone, thankfully. It's colder this year and she's more focused on getting back inside, too.

This message was edited Mar 9, 2015 11:00 AM

Count now is 118 of 154, Put my Cephalarias on the front porch and hoping they germ for me!!!! Not much going on here except more snow. Got 2" overnight and more this afternoon. The mountains have been getting dumped on, one resort got 2ft overnight and expecting more...Yeah snow!!!!

Gotta try and find some Centranthus ruber Alba, will try locally first then mail order if I have to... Anyone seen any? Looked at T&M, also Select Seed. It's gotta be available somewhere.
Been working on plans for where to put what this year and decied I need some for a new section..lol..

Ok off to play with the dirt...lol. Kathy

Chiltern's postage is really quite reasonable.

Kathy and Celene, This is great! Both of you are here! Here is some of the seeds I was given.
Cupid's Dart dated 2010
Scabiosa house hybrids dated 2010
Shasta daisy Alaska dated 2010
Pyrethrum daisy dated 2010
Gaillardia goblin dated 2010
Oriental Poppy mix dated 2010
Iberia sempervirens dated 2009
Milkweed butterfly flower dated 2009
Pinks Dianthus dated 2013 listed as a annual
Cosmos sensation dated 2013
Polemonium caeruleum blue dated 2012
Centra urea cyanus double mixed dated 2013
Cleome color fountain mix dated 2012
Malvasylvestris zabrina dated 2012
Festuca Glauca blue fescue dated 2013
Gypsophila baby's breath dated 2013
Zinnia giant cactus mix dated 2012
Zinnia lilliput dated 2013
Maravilla mezcla four o'clock mix dated 2009
Sunflower autumn beauty dated 2010 they are pretty they have a orange band in the center and gold on petal ends.
My iPad is going to die. I will be back on my home PC in a minute.
Karen

OK I'm back! I told you there was a box. Here we go again.

Achilla millefolium Yarrow summer pastels dated 2009
Columbine Mckanna's mixed colors dated 2010
Columbine Harlequin mix dated 2010
Dianthus Sweet William tall double mixed dated 2010
Nemophilia maculata Five spot dated 2010
Cosmos Bright Lights mix dated 2010
Wild flower seeds midwest mix not dated they are from Butler County Master Gardeners OSU extension
Sunflower Mommoth dated 2010
Sunflower Magic Roundabout dated 2010 red centered
Tithonia Rotundifolia Torch dated 2011
Sweet Pea Burpee's galaxy mix dated 2009
Marigold french dwarf double mixed dated 2012
Marigold sparky mixed colors dated 2013
Cottage garden wildflower mix dated 2010 says it's a mix of perennial and annual
Marigold Jaguar dated 2010 they are cute
Marigold sunset giants mix dated 2010
Marigold crackerjack mixed colors dated 2013
Morning Glory Blue Star dated 2010
Portulaca double mix dated 2012
Favorite Garden of Perennials there is no date

These next 2 are Burgess Seed's I have never heard of either of them
Solanum Melanocerasum Garden Huckelberry they are not dated says lot A whatever that means
Husk Tomato Ground Cherry again no date this one doesn't have a lot letter lol
Sorry I'm not a fan of Burgess Seed anything.

The rest of these are open seed packets.
Songbird garden mixture there is no date there is a lot of seeds in the package
Low Maintenance Mix there is no date there is a lot of seed left in the package
Anethum graveolens Dill fernleaf there is a corner full dated 2010
Parsley Italian there is a package in a package here and they are dated 2010 there is a lot of seeds
Sunflower Jude very pale yellow almost white dated 2011 there are about 15 - 20 seeds

I think that is all of them. Several of them have multiple packs. They were found in her basement that was not heated.
I better get a few things done around here and come back in a little bit.
Karen

This message was edited Mar 9, 2015 10:59 AM

Wow, you got some great ones...you'll have a whole new garden... So what info are you looking for? What to start in or direct sow? I have started many of those you've listed......Some are under lights now. And storing them cool is great. Let me know...or head on over to the germination thread... Kathy

Duh....LOL, sorry I was lost for a moment..am on germination thread. Guess I should put my head back on straight..



This message was edited Feb 1, 2014 10:32 AM

Blooma, A friend of mine's mom passed away and they found these cleaning out her house. She gave me them last week. I feel like a little kid at Christmas! It has brought cheer to my winter dull-drums. lol
Thanks for the info on the Melanocerasum Garden Huckelberry. I might have to try to grow some of it.
Sounds like deer might leave that one alone. They have moved into my yard this winter. I'm praying they move out by spring. We have a big evergreen at the back of our yard and they have been bedding down under it this winter. We have been here since 1999. This is the first year they have ever done this. I'm scared they will feast on my daylily's and hosta's and what ever else they come across.

Kathy, The only thing I was unsure about was the age on the 2009 seeds. I'm not sure what I want to start now and what I want to direct sow. The Marigolds and Zinnia I will probably sow in the spring. I'm not sure I even want to deal the mixture's. I have so many garden beds now it's hard to keep up with them. Every year I seem to add another 1 or 2 beds. If I don't stop my son will have no place left to play. Yes, I have plans for his swing set when he out grows it. He's only 8. Does that make me a bad mother? lol. I want to grow vines all over it someday.
I probably will not mess with the Zebrina seeds either. I have a different type of that already. I regret ever planting it. It seems to get rust in my garden and it makes me nervous that my daylily's will end up with rust. That would be awful. I don't use any chemicals in my garden. I would have to pitch the daylily's and that would be heartbreaking to me.
The only one of the annuals I have never grown is the Nemophilia maculata. I'm excited about trying that one. It looks pretty.
I grow sunflowers every year. I'm not sure I have ever planted them. The birds always take care of that for me. It will be fun to put them where I want them for once.
Sorry I have went on and on. I'll stop rambling and end this.
Karen

WOW! That is some list! It sounds like you already have a good idea of what you're doing in the garden, what fun to have so many new goodies to play with.

I've been through the seed robin, and picked out a few more things to try. Right now I'm soaking Agastache Golden Jubilee, Asclepias incarnata Rosa and Alcea Creme de Cassis. Once I put them in the Deno packages, the first 2 will get the cold treatment, the Alcea will be at room temp. Digitalis Pam's Choice is cluster sown on vermiculite layered over Starting Mix and under the dome.

That's all for now...

Something is happening to my Camanula Blue Clips seedlings. They seemed to be coming up nicely in a bed of vermiculite layered over seed starting mix. I moved them into individual cells after a few days, not easily done as the root was miniscule and the seedling threadlike and nearly translucent. I mixed vermiculite into the top layer to make it easier for them, and used a magnifying glass, and still a couple disappeared while I was doing it. The same happened with C White Clips and C pyramidalis, which are now both slowly developing and looking sturdier.

But the Blue Clips are disappearing. Today there are only 2 left out of 6. I can't find any trace of the lost ones, even with the magnifying glass. The 2 left are now about 1/2" tall, still very ethereal, and still had their seeds stuck on their heads, which I managed to tease off without breaking or uprooting them. The cotyledons immediately separated into 2 leaves, and I hope they'll be all right now.

But what went wrong? I have another batch germinating (I hope) and would like to prevent this from happening again. Has anyone grown these babies from seed?

Gremlins!! LOL. Not sure Pam what's happening. I have a few of my poppies that are disappearing so am glad that I seeded alot..so I'll still have some plants. ( some turned to a gooey mess), but they are in open air now and am hoping that helps...

Karen, most of those can be started outdoors insitu. But am thinking the Polemonium should be started in. I can't think I've ever had one reseed outdoors for me. Still is a great gift of seeds tho! You'll have to remember to take your friend a big bouquet this summer..
So what are some of the goodies in your garden now? And I wouldn't worry about your son, he will grow out of the swingset soon. If not get him a laptop....lol... When my gkids got their electronics they stopped going out in the fresh air. LOL, unless grandma made them go out. And then they still complained they wanted to be inside on their games and such. (ages 11-16).. LOL.

Not much to report this morning, may try to do some repotting of those that are a bit bigger. ie Alceas and some of the Centaureas could be moved up to individual pots. OK, will chat at you all later, everyone have a good day...Think I might actually watch the game today if I remember....Kathy

Pix: Centaurea machrocephala and Veronica spicata Sight Seeing Blue, got lots of seedlings of the yellow C. m.

This message was edited Mar 9, 2015 11:01 AM

Usually if you get them small enough it's okay- and it's only the C Blue Clips disappearing, the C White Clips are starting to put out their true leaves, and they were started a week later than the Blue. Weird. The next batch should start popping up soon, I hope they do better.

Pretty Centaureas, you two.

Has anyone tried Stachys macrantha from seed? I did the soak and freeze a few days ago, now the Deno baggy is on the warm windowsill. I think they take a long time..

Pam...I've started the S Mcrantha before but can't find my records of germination times or what year started... Deno say dark, but I can't remember. Sorry..lol. Let me know if they don't make it..I could divide one this spring and share. Was the seed from me? All I know is I have several plants in my garden (5 or 6 atleast) and put 3 in my daughter's garden so they gotta be easy.. LOL. Just don't remember giving them special treatment. So put it on the list for an early trade..they bloom in June.

Not much happening today, only 1 more pot sprouted, getting ready for 5 days of snow so off to the grocery store. Is it April yet? Later all....Kathy

Pfg, Thank You! Yes, I am having fun.
Sounds like you are having fun as well. I love Agastache of any kind. I have Blue Fortune and Black Addler. I love them and so do the bee's and hummingbird's.
Sorry, I'm no help at all with Campanula of any kind. They seem to die at a rapid pace in my garden. Hope the 2 that are left hang in there for you.

Kathy, Thanks! I was going to get a few things started I will make the Polemonium one of them. Would the Deno method work with them?
Oh my, it might take a little while to list the plants in my gardens. I'll try to list them.
I have several spring bulbs.
Narcissus- Tete Tete and, Mount Hood and, Cheerfulness and, Geranium and, Ice King and some plain old yellow one's
Muscari- armeniacum just the common type
Crocus- I have a purple and a white. I have had them so long I don't remember the names of them.
Dutch Iris- They are a mix.
Juno Iris- small and cute

Siberian iris- Caesar's Brother's
Tall Bearded Iris- Best Bet , and Jurassic Park , and Immortality , and Cloud Ballet , and Hemstitched , and Harmonium , and Clarence , and Yaquina Blue, and a peach noid , and a old purple one that reblooms at very strange times. It has had blooms on it at Christmas time here before.
Pallidia Iris- Argentea Variegata
Louisiana Iris- Black Gamecock

Paeonia- Bowl Of Beauty , and Sarah Bernhardt , and a hot pink noid
Sisyrinchium angustiolium -Lucerne Blue Eyed Grass
Dianthus- Neon Star,and Fire Witch , and Raspberry Surprise and a red noid
Ceratostigma plumbaginides
Chrysogonum virginianum Pierre
Nepta fassenil Dropmore Blues ,and Walkers Low
Carex Morrowill Ice Dance
Platycodon grandiflorus Sentimental Blue , and Astra Semi Double lavender
Echiumamoenum Red Feathers Does not like my garden very much.
Veronica Spicata Sunny Border Blue , and Red Fox and Blue Candles and Darwin's Blue
Veronica Longifolia Fascination
Crocosmia Emily McKenzie and Lucifer They come back every year yet have not increased in my garden in 4 years.
Sedum spectabile Autumn Joy , and Purple Emperor , and Brilliant
Sedum reflexum Angelina
Leucanthemum Crazy Daisy , and Becky , and Alaska ,and small early blooming noid
Anemone Japanese anemone pink very pretty in the fall
Artemisia schidtiana Silver Mound
Aster kalimerisincisa Blue Star
Astilbe Bridal Veil and 2 different colors of pink noids
Monarda didyma Jacob Kline , and a Mini pink noid
Rudbeckia fulgida Goldstrum
Dicentra Luxuriant
Ajuga reptans Black Scallop, and Burgundy Glow
Asclepias tuberosa and incarnata
Chrysanthemum noids of many colors
Columbine Nora Barlow , and Purple and pale pink hybrids
Echinacea purpurea Magnus
Echinacea tennesseenis
Echinacea pallidia
Echinacea paradoxa
Heuchera Palace Purple and the green leafed with red flowers
Baptisia australlis
Niponicum Pictum Applecourt , and Ghost
Liatris spicata , and Ligulistylis and Aspera
Echinops bannaticus silvery blue noid
Festuca glauca Elijah Blue
Rose of Sharon the pink one
Rose bush's Peace hybris Tea and a Sunny Knock Out ( it has yet to knock me out) it's 1 year old
Hosta many noids some big some small
Agastache Blue Fortune and Black Adder love them both
Lavendula Munstead
lillium several Asiatic hybrids the bunnies strip them down to stems every year and some how they still come back.
Liriope
Physostegia virginiana Miss manners and pink noid
Allium had to long, forget which one's I have.
Penstemon barbatus Red Riding Hood , and Pink Riding Hood
Penstemon Calicos Calico Beardtongue love it pic 1
Amsonia tabernaemontana
Helianthus maximilliani
Hemerocallis hybrids over 200 different cultivars
Iberis sempervirens
Lamium maculata Purple Dragon
Malvaceaa Malva Mystical Merlin
Oenothera speciosa Rosea If I'd only known about this plant's spreadin, it would have never been planted.
Perovskia atriplicifolia Longin
Rudbeckia was called cut leaf when I bought it I think it's Laciata I think Pic 2 is it
Salvia officinalis Tricolor
Salvia Plumosa and May Night and Snow Hill and Blue Hill
Scabiosa Butterfly Blue
Sidacea malviflora Purple noid
Tradescantia Sweet kate
Vinca minor

That is all I can think of at this time. I'm sure there are more that have been left out. I only keep a spread sheet on my daylily's.
Better get some house work under way.
Have a great day
Karen

Wow, some list! What is in pic 1? Looks soooo familiar... Gorgeous!

I did Polemium from seed a couple of years ago. I soaked the seed for 2 days, starting with HHW (Hand Hot Water, hot from the tap but bearable), then did the Deno method. Germination started in 7 days. The little roots got stuck in the paper towel, I just tore or cut the paper apart and planted the shoots still stuck in it. I know I got some plants into the garden, they bloomed last spring.

S macrantha, don't remember where I got the seed, definitely a trade. Clothier says it can take several months, keep it cold, Swallowtail says 4-5 weeks warm, do not cover, chill if nothing happens. Another site said 15-30 days. So I did the soak and freeze, and it's been in the baggy at room temp for about a week.

The first Alcea sprouted today, 3 days since the soak. So nice when something is that easy! :-)

I've been reading 'Garden Flowers from Seed,' by Christopher Lloyd and Graham Rice. Quite interesting, I've always loved Lloyd's books, and in this one they share and compare methods, and don't always agree. But I got a little shock when I read that Linum Saphyr Blue only gets to 9." That's quite petite! Swallowtail, where I got the seeds, says 12-15."

Kathy, I know you have Linum, is it a different one? How tall does it get? Anyone else?

Pam, pic 1 is Penstemon calycosus (pink one) Red Riding Hood is the red one.
Thanks for the tips on the polemium. I'm going to get them started tonight.
Sounds like a good book your reading. Might have to see if I can download a copy of it.
I had some Linum by my pond a few years ago (before the showy primrose ). Mine grew about 12" tall. I loved it.
Have a Blessed Evening!
Karen

This message was edited Mar 9, 2015 10:57 AM

it is such a shame it is so invasive, as I love the flower and the leaf but I went through pulling and pulling and more pulling and finally took the parent plant out.

Jan

That's funny. I have Mystical Merlin. It got rust last year. I started trying to get rid of it at that point. I have never had rust on my daylilies and hope to keep it that way. It sinks a tap root that is why you have to get them when they are small. Once they are big even Round Up won' kill them here.
Your right if they warned us about them, they would never sell them. I 'm getting kicked off the I-Pad. Be back later.
Karen

None of the Campanulas seem to be making much progress. I ordered transplant mix from Gardener's Supply, specially formulated for self- watering systems and it was here within a couple of days.

This morning I went to work moving all of them. I mixed vermiculite into the top layer, used a little less peroxide in the mix- 2 oz per quart instead of 3- and added a drop of Superthrive. Some of the roots were almost non-existent, only a few were branched at all.

I don't know if there was a contaminant in the Miracle Grow Seed Starting Mix, or if It was just too soggy. Other plants are doing well- Lupines, Asclepias, Salvia, Linum, Platycodons, to name a few. Maybe because the Campanula seeds are so tiny they need something lighter... I just don't know. I also ordered Maxicrop from Amazon, which should arrive in a few days. That should give everything a boost. If they don't grow after all that, I give up...

This message was edited Mar 9, 2015 11:02 AM