2014 Seed Starting, part 2

Yep Kathy, April 1 is my target date. Have alot of tomatoes, herbs, peppers, garlics, and starting asparagus from seed this year as well. Also doing a three sisters bed, just waiting one more week to plant my corn. If I can get a spot worked soon enough, I'll also plant a bean teepee. Wanted to do a bean tunnel but now I know there isn't enough room. Okay luck guys, off to go play in the dirt!

I would guess all seaweed is good, maybe some brands are better like everything else. I read that post about 'Maxicrop ages ago, didn't find it right away and forgot about it. Then I was reading the Christopher Lloyd book about seed starting and it was mentioned again. At the same time my Campanulas were looking puny, so I looked again and found it.

I have a lot of transplanting to do, and another bunch of stuff to get started. Tomorrow ... ;-)

A few peppers , A salvia , A ziinia are all I have as seedlings indoors for now .
Miracle grow I will be using again shortly . always have .
Radishes , Beets . outside are next , then Tomatoes . Garlic, Onions and Leeks outside are showing signs of life outside .
My outside Wintersow list is kind of long ,. there are several
Some from trades have not sprouted this time , but I will keep trying , When I do small trades , I get several from inventory's that can take longer ..
Lowe's carries Burpee seeds here I might go have a look shortly ..

Lol pam, I would have thought seaweed is seaweed....

So why are you all planting garlic this spring...usually is planted in the fall. You'll still have to wait til next spring to pick and use...right?

Becky, just to let you know Walmart has crowns of Asparagus. Didn't look at the price but can't be that $$$$ and so much faster. Even with the crowns you have to wait til next season to harvest, if seed started will it be 2 years? Hope I can find some of mine this years. Planted a bunch 2 years ago and lost track of them in the overgrown mess out there. LOL. Grasses took back that area....hmmm maybe need to put that on my to do list...

update: Giving the Iris seeds Icecubes at Breakfast and Dinner time :) since 3/6

Planted my Cukes, Sugarsnap and Early "something" grey sugar peas? the flat ones lol, Yellow squash and zucchini. Seems like a week ago I did this, theyre 6" tall at least! Ill post a pic.Going to get potted on this weekend! Everything else has been potted on and just waiting to go outside. I did start some brussel sprouts, first time for me! We'll see how they do :) I LOVE going out to the veg garden and filling my freezer/pantry with the food Iv grown, my squirts like helping pick them. Iv got about 40 daylily seedlings, a few other flowers, and the rest is veggie and herbs.

Ok now that im looking at these pics, the 2nd is from last night. Going to get one from today. BIG DIFF!!!

I potted up some of my seedlings that needed it...another crop of assorted plectranthus, cuphea, tithonia, passiflora, Goji berry, and Vigna caracalla.

And...I started some safflower seed indoors, on a heating mat, and it germinated well! First time ever. I did use a very well-draining mix, and I had seedlings popping up in five days.

My Garlic has been out since last fall , some is wild, I let it grow all the time and snip fall and spring for garlic greens

Salvia and peppers ,

Ok I JUST took these. Theyve not had any Miracle Grow, just dirt and water. Growing like weeds. The dirt is from my yard, my peppers and tomatoes last summer were taller than me (im 5'7'').I knew my dirt was good here, I just didnt realize how good. Im a happy camper seeing this. Yeah! First pic from above is from 2 days ago, I looked back to see the date. This makes me very happy for things to come this summer :D!

Those are some of my daylilies in the pics in the front, another First time for growing!

Heres my growing setup, always room for improvement, but its working for me so far. Picked up another light for the bottom shelf or maybe ill hang it from the ceiling over the bar. We will see :) Also picked up some Fungicide today, so Ill save the peroxide for the boys.

I enjoy seeing everyones pics, LOVING seeing everyones pics!!! So much excellent info here! So glad Im here!!!

Lots of great growing going on around here! I do loooove success, lol!

Another deep red Lupine sprouted, and I planted it in a cell under the dome. The two that showed last week haven't come up yet after being planted. These seeds overall have been developing much more slowly than the pink The Chatelaine. Maybe the seed coat is harder, I didn't nick them and maybe the soaking and freezing wasn't enough to soften them up. So this morning I started soaking them again in Hand Hot Water and Maxicrop to give them a boost.

While I was at it, I decided to do the same with the 1st batch of Stachys macrantha seeds. They've been soaked once and frozen twice a few weeks apart. I think a couple may be beginning to crack, but the paper towel is starting to smell less fresh. If they're going to do anything it should be soon- it's already been a couple of months. Maybe soaking will help them along. Worth a try...

I still intend to purchase some maxicrop, I would have already if I had stumbled upon it while shopping.

Kathy I should have specified, my garlic isn't from seed, it is still in ground from last year, along with some mint, rosemary and walking onions. I plan to divide it all this or next week so I can plant them in and then sow more seed in my new raised bed! I also saw the asparagus crowns at Wally world, and had them in my hand, then put them back since I remembered I already ordered some seed from baker creek. They are the Mary (or is it martha, lol) Washington variety and I eventually want a huge patch, so I will sow every last seed this year, then replant them in a very rich new bed next year. I think it's 2-3 years from seed but I'm in no rush.. Lots of land to prepare in the meantime. Sounds like we have the same problem, having lots of wild land that tries to reclaim its independence every chance it gets.

Nice job Badcat, I can't wait til harvest either, and I don't been have it planted yet! Patience right? Lol

Also I had some more strawberry spinach sprout for me this morning along with my first peperone de cuneo :)

I leave garlic in the ground year round, too. I have a patch, but also use them to help repel pests, and those are spread around. Last year I had a bunch lining the squash bed, and some between marigolds with tomatoes. Sometimes in the spring I'll move a few clumps, or pull up any that are in the way of the new plantings. The tops are great in salads or for a garnish, much more mild than mature cloves.

Lazy day, never got to the transplanting. This week for sure...

Pam, I've heard of people using homemade garlic oil sprays to keep away the buggies, but I may try your trick of lining beds with it. We have a creek nearby that is being choked out by wild garlic. I may pull some of it up just for this purpose. Also I bought a box of elephant garlic at the grocery and was wondering if I could plant it in the garden now. Anyone try this before?

And I still haven't transplanted my tomatoes either, I am seriously way behind and am hoping they aren't tangled and ruined. But as you say, I'm sure I'll get to it this week! Lol

I have some Sea Magic that is a powder that you mix into a bottle and then that is used diluted as well. It is seaweed powder. I think I got it at Burpee's some time ago on sale. Would it be similar to MaxiCrop? I have not used that brand, or if I have, it was a long time ago.

It's probably at least similar, if not the same. Maxicrop is 1-0-4, and the seaweed is from the Norwegian coast-- Ascophyllum nodosum. I have no idea what the differences would be between brands, I took that info from the package just now.

Ok, becky, got it..lol. Sometimes you just have to draw pictures..lol.

Suppose to be 70* here today and then snow tomorrow... Maybe should go outside today and begin cutting things back and hauling last years tops to the mulch pile.. It will take me weeks to get this task done..but will have to work from the path as the last snow is still meting.. Maybe throw some seed while I'm out there..but it should be nice o get out of the house and get some fresh air....Yeah!!!

I've been walking around the garden , a few times , doing and thinking the same , cutting stems of flowers from last year ,
I am looking forward to the extra ten degrees we usually gain about now . !
As soon as I can gain some go fuel and energy I will try a few more seeds . It doesn't take that much energy to do , but it does , if that makes any sense , ?
Nice to walk around without zero wind in the face ,, really really nice !
Looking to see where to plant a few Borage seeds , , cute tasty Herb and it is a Big Plant ..!

I guess today was a piddle around the garden type day nationwide..

Built a new fenced-in compost heap today, added all the contents of my kind of crappy old bin, and some rotten hay. Took forever. Then I added a ton of rabbit pellets to my square foot beds so all they are waiting for now is their composted horse manure and peat moss.. The flower beds also got a sprinkling of rabbit poop.

I am still too chicken to direct seed anything into my flower beds, too many chances for something bad to happen. I need to get over that one, I know.

I'm with you on that one... It's too wild out there, lol.

I start almost everything inside. At my old place I'd direct sow Nasturtiums and California Poppies, but here the weeds take over, the only thing that works reliably outside is sowing in containers. I do get some volunteers from annuals, but not always where I want them, and often not enough. I even start most veggies and herbs inside, much safer.

OK, finally got to the chores. I set up the last two trays, only using one so far, but that will change soon. Pic 1 is how the window looks now.

All the Nicotiana babies are on the bottom. The Leonotis nepaetifolia was huge, and the N tabacum Red Russian and N glutinosum Peach Screamer were pretty big too, with roots all tangled up. I don't think the Leonotis would have minded if I separated them all, very vigorous grower to say the least, but I don't have room for all of them so I planted them HOS- Hunk Of Seedlings, in 2.5" pots (6). The others are in cells. I'll thin them once I'm sure they're stabilized. N langsdorfii x Alata is small, like the regular N lang, and so is the N mutabilis. I'm keeping a dozen of each.

And the rest keep growing. I gave the big Asclepias a haircut, it was too tall, too close to the lights.

I was planning to start the next batch of annuals today, but suddenly have other chores to deal with. This weekend for sure...

Went out and worked in the garden all afternoon on Monday. From the path's edge as it was too wet to go any deeper. Was going to throw some seed and never got tio it.. Thankgoodness, yesterday was 35-40 mph breezes and snow... But alas it's almost melted off now. Not much in the way of greening up yet but did find a few more JJs blooming. So atleast I had those little smiling faces to cheer me up ad remind me that spring will be here soon. Hope they did a good job of reseeding themselves about and filling new areas where they hadn't creeped before.. Am hoping the yellow and orange ones give a great show this year as they were newly added last season....

'Bout time to begin the next batch of seedlings, maybe some of those annuals and a few veggies. Also need to pot up some packaged thngs I got from Wally World and H.D. the other day.Peonies, phlox ( the deep orange one), a couple of Eryngium planum, and got another Rhubarb for the backyard. Ok need to get something accomplished today so will be back later...Kathy

I actually have some old fashioned Rhubarb seeds for trying a little later , Not entirely sure of how to grow them , if they do well , I will probably try a newer type ..

Today 30 and snow , did bunches of sorts , lol . yesterday , it was 64 degrees and sunny .
Zinnia are potted up now , Had a few sitting outside yesterday .
These are peppers getting their true leaves now , Salvia about ready to separate .
A few poppies came up outside , We will see in a week or so or a few days if any survive ,,
Green pot is a few Peach tree cuttings yesterday .
No where near you all with seedlings and such and the weather is so unpredictable , Keeps trying to keep one (On ones toes") Like " "Ballet dance" to keep up.
Moving along it is though ...
WWK ; I missed something , What are JJ's ?

JJ's are Johnny Jump-ups, those fresh-faced little beauties that pop up everywhere to cheer us up at the end of winter. They really cover the ground at our place, and I let them go and go, only pulling up the ones that get in the way. Just love'm

Pam..do you get a mix of colors? I have several variations (Most of my pix are on the other 'puter, sorry Juhur, I can send some seeds if you like....) I collect seed from as many plants as I can and just throw them around in other areas that need a patch........great ground cover!! LOL..

Juhur...go to your home page and on the right side there is a story on Violas today..check out the pix and the more photos...It takes you to another sight filled with pix of these babies!!!

This message was edited Mar 13, 2014 9:55 AM

I let the standard Viola grow some here , everybody usually weed killers the little things,
A shame as Butterflies use them also , Host plants some of them .
Every once in a while I will see a tricolor or an all white ,
Sometime I will try a pot of the newer hybrids , as for now keeping up with what I have , is about all I can do .
Easy enough , But I fatigue a few times of year .. Blooms to see are a good motivator , always have been . I might get to set my zinnia outside tomorrow , the weather playing , 64 yesterday , 24 , today , 60's again tomorrow .. ^_^
I hope to have a lot of them and the Salvia ,, Bee city ..^_^
Kathy , As for now , keeping up with growing what I have , I thank you for the offer !!!^_^
Once my ideal flowers and Vegetables are in the ground . I will try organize ,! (an everlasting with me ) lol
I like Pansy also , I have seen them blooming , years like this when you would think they would be frozen solid in February . It was twelve degree a few years ago , I walked past a large decorator pot of them Blooming away,, they were !

I do have several different ones, and yes, they make a wonderful ground cover. This spring I'll try to get pics of the variations. Funny, the first spring I came to the property, it was cold and barren, an empty slate. I bought JJ seeds, the ones in the pic above, and scattered them around. I also bought some Forget-me-not seeds and some McKanna Aquilegia plants.

Over the next few weeks, as everything already here got growing, I had to laugh. Not only those, but all the regular stuff for this part of the world, are all over the place. Who knows how many generations have been planting here, each one putting in the favorites of their day? And who knows how much the birds have helped along the way! Now I look for ways to add to the variety, especially plants that survive with little help, and new types of self-seeders, so maybe some of my faves will be around for the next generation to wonder about :-).

I have a Japanese Maple seed sprouting . Only took two years of stratifying ,
Good , oh ,my . 2 years !!! ^_^ Wow , If I had been concerned about success or in a hurry , I would believe that was a Wait !!!
I know , here comes the they don't seed true , but it will still be interesting , and I have learned something ,, lol

Good for you! How did you stratify it? Outside, letting nature do it? Or inside? What patience!!!

That is some germination patience!!

Wow you guys are so far ahead ahead of me. I have to knuckle down and getting some planting done this next week. But it's good encouragement for you so thank you for what you all post.

LOL, ya Marty, hop t it....... You still have 2 months before most things can be planted out so that's enough time to get many thing going..... and actually too early for most annuals yet.

Juhur, which of the Japanese Maples are you growing? My favorite is Acer ginella.... it happens to be the only one that has fragrant blossoms in the spring!!!!.. Yummmmmmm! I thought Maples were easy to sprout, tho have never tried...(I just remember sedlings popping up for various maples that I've seen, maybe some sprout more readily than other varieties within the Acer family. Yes tell us more..

WWK' I have three types , A red that gets to about 15 feet , you see them often , a lot of people have them . Common native Acer (Maples ) are easy to grow in fact I weed thousands every year out of my flowers ,Japanese Maples aren't easy to sprout from seed for Amateurs (me) lol
The one sprouting 6 to 8 feet , fern like Palmate foliage ..
Another that only gets 4 ft tall .
Something I like to try seeds are from a hybridizer , I have never had any sprout for me , I was told in a rather expensive textbook years ago , 2 0r3 (common) to 12 yrs is average or not uncommon .
Makes the reason for cuttings real clear , doesn't it ?,-lol
It is not looking real good so far (the sprout )
Only hey !!! as before )lol I Got One )LOL^_^
More Peppers

Ju, you're going to have peppers coming out of your ears, lol! I've given up on those, and beefsteak tomatoes, and other hot weather lovers. We just have too many tall trees around, so no really full all-day sun, and in our climate without that what you get is eeewwww!

I pulled out the annual salvias, petunias, snapdragons and a few other slow growers, but didn't get to do anything yet. Something came up suddenly that took over the afternoon. Luckily it happened before I made the big mess of starting mix, etc on the kitchen table, lol!

Oh your talking about the fancy types...lol. Ah, good luck with germinating them, fingers are crossed for you! Where do you get most of the seed from... when your out and about or order them from other sources...?

WWK I was looking around a few years ago , typed in Japanese Maple seeds . Did that browsing for some time before I bought a few ,
No particular place comes to mind and the info is in my last notebook , The one with no start button , (I think I need to go back to paper tablets , by the time I get these things on disc , I've fried another one ,, lol Electronics that is ) lol ...
Couple from import , Asia someplace , ?
I guess that explains why fewer local Bonsai are JP's evergreens and such most of them ,,

Pfg
I can start plants , getting them productive to harvest , well , That is another story ,,lol I'm not always real good at the final...
I have Cayenne and a white Pepper , no sprouts yet .. Sometimes , even with everything just right ,, They sprout too late , like July .. lol with a Grrr
Too much light , too little light ,, too hot .. too cold ... eeeek .. and away we go... etc ,,lol

Lol, that's how it goes!

WOW 2 YEARS!! That really is some patience!!

Yeah Marty, whatcha waiting for.. Let's get crackin!! Lol just kidding! I was really behind then saw others in my zone had seedlings already hardening off and that really lit a fire under my butt!

But now I am up to my eyeballs in seedlings, spent the better part of 2 days transplanting tomatoes into red solo cups. Out of 220, I still have 200, kind of hoping some croak soon so I have more room to play.. does that make me a bad plant mommy?? Lol

I sprinkled some siam queen basil into ONE CELL and ended up with 70+ sprouts in that one cell! I teased apart the chia clump and ended up with 45 in jiffy pots , hope to pot them up again in a few weeks once these tomatoes move outside. Lots of peppers needing to be separated also, the ghosts, fish, and peperone di cuneo. All of these will remain indoors a bit longer until we really start to warm up.

The ponderosa lemon I sowed still haven't showed up, wonder if I should put them on some heat? And the strawberry spinach seem to be damping off, gotta figure out what's wrong there..

Isn't it funny... The ones that germinate like mad make us crazy wondering where to put all the little darlings, but the ones that elude us, the ones that scorn our best efforts, still annoy us to distraction, as we try all our newest tricks to coax them into life!!!

Lupines? Platycodons? Campanulas? Piece of cake. Aquilegia Maggie Mae? Not sure yet. Stachys macrantha? Grrrrrr....

Pam.......if they don't make it let me know! I have 10 babies so far of the A. Maggie Mae (still sprouting). And I can send a division of the other..... Just remind me!

Potted up some Peonies yesterday, found some great plants at H.D. and the other day at W.Mart. I got them early so the eyes still look good. Most had atleast 10 eyesor more . (Sarah Bernhardt, Karl Rosenfield and Gay Parasol) Still have a few more to do but is suppose to be a bit on the breezy side today so might have to do tomorrow... Maybe I should get around to seeding some of my annuals today and then back to potting on......

Anyone know anything about Yellow Tripod Yucca? I know nothing other than a desert type Aloe it is .

Sorry Ju, I'm no help there... Someone around here must know something...

I think I have 1 Maggie Mae, but it could be something else that got in there by mistake. Seems very odd that a 6-pack with seeds clustered in all 6 cells would have one lonely little green thread sticking up. It's too soon to tell, but I'm watching with fingers crossed, lol...

Also, I have one mystery plant that may or may not be S macrantha. Do the pics look right? I do re-use the soil from containers that don't sprout, mixed in with new. So it could be. If not, it's a weed.

One more question: The new Red Lupines are sprouting like mad ever since the 2nd round of soaking. I'm up to 9. But this is what I don't know: There are 2 distinctly different seeds in the batch. Some are smaller and very dark brown, the others are bigger and more of a tan color. The bigger ones have been sprouting. Were all the seeds from one plant, or several? Could there have been cross pollination? Or are the smaller seeds immature, but the same plant? I guess the real question is, could the flowers be different?

I have enough now if they're all the same color. But if maybe some are a different color, I want to be sure and get enough of the Red. Hmmmmm...how to tell, without making a huge bed for them and waiting until next year? Gardener's lament, lol.

Finally got most of the early annuals started. Now for the tomatoes...