2015 Seed Starting, Part 5

This message was edited Mar 4, 2015 8:31 PM

AAaahh! (light bulb momentO)

So WS is letting Mother Nature do the work. . . instead of indoor seed starting, transplanting etc.

Makes sense for perrenials and not annuals. .
**making mental note for NEXT winter**

This message was edited Mar 4, 2015 8:48 PM

With me it is how many Jugs or bottles I can hide , to kep from showing on , or decorating the lawn ,,
I am not real good at wintersowing , with the exception of only a few ,,
Poppies and Daylily , germinate great for this ,,

There is an entire forum for wintersowing! Oodles of threads to peruse on a cold winters night...
ps I agree with Blomma, that this seems to make sense only for perennials that need a cold/wet period before sprouting. However last winter I had some things sprout a bit that don't require it.For those it was mainly that I had time in the winter to do it, whereas in spring there is endless weeding etc.

You are right. There is always too much to do in spring!

Other seeds will sprout with stratification even if they don't need it, unless they require warm temp. to sprout.

Yeah, I finally got started. On the 24th I started a tray of 32 21/2" pots and on the 26th my first sprout. Yesterday I finished my second tray and today maybe will get a 3rd done. Suppose to get to almost 70* today, but alsa it won't last....snow by Fri or Sat., as soon as the storm moves out back east..

So far I've seeded 96 pots and now have 25 that have sprouted.. Yeah!!! I'll do another tray today.. I have Asclepias, Penstemon, Digitalis (foxglove), Alceas (hollyhock), Tomatoes, and some Salvias that have germinated. Many are different varieties within a cultivar. No pix yet but soon...... It's nice to see those little green things popping up......I'm ready for being outdoors but much winter is yet to come. Today some snow after many days in the 50*-60*and even some 70*s.. Only 3 more months til planting time...ok, maybe 4..

Many of the plants that I dug from the garden and potted up are showing good growth also..am hoping to get those outside in my greenhouse soon, after I do some repairs... as I'll need the room for my seedlings inside.

So what's everyone else up to now?

I have a few seedlings
peach leaved Campanula (2 types )
Hardy Hibiscus ,
Parsley
ice plant ,
Petunia
Snapdragon (braun - banquetti )
Snapdragon(black prince )
A few odds and ends for Butterflies ,,
Most others , many that is , are sown outside ,

Evelyn...forgot to mention earlier when talking about Salvias....remind me come time to start shipping plants I have Salvias to share........ Start your list young lady!!!! LOL.....(I owe you goodies).

And the same message to you other gals....make your list of wants and let me know what you might like, I'm happy to share if and when I can !!!!! (Just send me a d-msail and ask about what your interested in, remember I have Iris to share also Those who don't have plants to share can send postage and a Starbuck's gift card if you like.....lol Val did (thanks)).LOL. I just wanted to mention, this year I'll have plenty of the Dianthus X Loveliness to share. I've started as much seed as I could.... (Also Dianthus grationopolitanous (Bath's or Ceddar Pinks), and D. deltoies (Zing), )

D Loveliness has become one of my favorites, thanks, Kathy! I have white and pink. Also D Zing is a great color, last year my 2 year plants made a nice mat.

Right now all I'm growing is Amaryllis, and I cheated, bought them for $5 each at Whole Foods right around Christmas. One is outrageous, it already had one bloom stalk of 2 flowers, then put up 2 more... I've never seen this happen before!

Kathy ~ Thank you for your offer of plants. Since we are trying to get this place ready to sell, I will not be doing any new planting for a while. I have a few pots of plants that need homes, so other than that, and of course, the new bulb garden, I will not be doing planting. Maybe transplanting, weeding and stuff like that throughout the year, if it does not sell in spring. We will see...

Ok Evelyn....fingers are crossed for you!!!

Oh Pam, I'll have new colors of the Dianthus X Loveliness this year...lavender and some reds which are gorgeous. Do you have 2 different plants or one that is a bitone? I sowed 15 pots of seeds with many, many seeds per pot......... So I'll have plenty to share for those who might like to try them. (18" X 18", all season and very fragrant, pix 2 is about 2 or 3 yr old plant, never had them reseed in the garden...darn!). I forgot to collect seed from the Dianthus deltoides Arctic Fire that you had sent, but will do so this year...I know I'll want more...lol.

As of today...of the 135 pots sown I have 38 that have germinated...lots of Tomatos, Hibiscus, Penstemon, Asclepias, Alcea, Monarda, Crazy Daisy, Foxglove, and Hesperis (from Pam's garden, other colors than what I have now).

I got 5 1/2" of snow yesterday, today back into the 40-50s and then more snow on Wed.

Kathy ~ Thank you so much for sharing your pictures of your abso-LUTELY LOVELY dianthus. Really nice!

I agree, Loveliness indeed Kathy! Thanks.

Evelyn, once you have moved let us know when you'll be receiving plant gifts. I've been waiting to share with you.

I keep trying to tell her not to fret..lol, we'll fill her garden in no time....

Good advice. :)

You two are too good to me!!! :-) THANKS!!!

I dunno If I believe her Kathy, is there such a thing as being too good to Evelyn?

Nope, sure isn't..lol.

Meeeeee tooooo... I'll have lots of divisions, some big, some small, whenever you're ready! My garden is full of goodies from others, plenty to share.

Kathy, my D Loveliness are separate plants. The seeds you sent me were mostly white, but a couple of lovely soft pinks crept in and I loved them too.

Also, I started with 3 Arctic Fire seedlings 3 or 4 years ago or so. By this fall I had a nice big mat in my long bed, and divided it to use in a couple more places along the edge. I'm hoping Zing does as well, this will be the 3rd season.

Do you have double pink platy seedlings yet? I think Donna said she did. I know this year the seeds were mature when I took them, I really, really hope they do well!

They germinated like champs.

I haven't started them yet, but are on the next round probably. Along with a bazillion other things. I've been starting a tray every few days and as of today germination is now 56 of 125 pots. I'm even trying to germinate my Crambe cordifolia seeds. Not that I need them since I have a plant and a few divisions come spring but wanted to see if I could in fact grow them from seed.

Stopped at H.D. today for another bale of peat. Darn!!!!! They put out the new Peony roots....darn, darn, darn.......lol. I got 3 bags, 4 per bag at $3.75 each ($14.98).... Lots of eyes too... Maybe I'll surround/outline my new, yet to be built, deck/patio with them. I'll pot them up Thurs. or Fri. when it warms up again, tomorrow is a quick bit of snow and then back into the 50s and 60s.

I was surprised when my Dianthus deltoides Artic Fire was still blooming this last fall. Is that normal? My Dianthus deltoides Zing is a June/e. July only. What's up, did I win the grand prize?

kathy just a quick note re my "homework" I just finished going thrtu Select Seeds catalog. . for the THIRD time!! LOL more on that in a day or two

I took my Granny out to do her errands and capped it off by taking her to Waffle House for something she copuld eat, without any teeth (scrambloed eggs and toast she could dunk). The maintenance crew had fixed the auto-closing door (it stayed o9pen or was VERY slow to close): now it closes FAST, barely giving one time to hot-foot it in!! You gueszsed it: it closed quivkly and caught me by surprise., . hitting me in the back RIGHT where I've had surgery. In agony, I relented aND took a pain med: I'm inna fog, so will absent myself for awhile)day or sao) until I can think (Aand do stuff) clearly

THRN I'll let kathy know about my "homework" re Select Seeds. . .

Ahh Bet, so sorry to read about this...ouch. Thoughts and prayers go out to you for quick healing.

Warrior, you are incredible! I have perhaps 30 plants in pots. Wow!

Dear Bet, I am so sorry for your troubles, and am so glad that you prudently took your meds.

I hope the fog is a pleasant buzz.

BetNC, ooops. I find that gentle stretching helps with back pain, and I do mean gentle......usually laying down on the bed. I also learned how to do self massage and use pressure points (hands or feet) to work on stubborn pains (google for info)........ (have had ruptured discs so I learned...)

Lol, Select Seeds, I want a dozen of each!!!! And yes, I have many from them.


Donna...I now have 106 pots germinated of 125 that were seeded. Many have already been moved to open air trays. Most have multiple seeds too, so I'll begin potting things on in a few weeks. Then the fun begins trying to find room for allllll the trays. Those that can take cooler temps for growing on will get potted up and grown for a few weeks, put on the floor where it's cooler (but still under lights) and then a week or so later outside under plastic. I'll cover them with a sheet of remay for warmth. Ie., things such as Dianthus, Alcea, Aquilegia, and anything that can take the cooler temps of early spring. (Usually those things that normally bloom early in the season can take the cooler growing temps). And I still need to get those plants that I potted up from divisions out there too. (approx 350 plants so far.) Need to fix my plastic but the breezes have been prohibiting me from doing so. The plastic I put up on the back of the garage (horse stall), got done differently this year and I'm not sure if I like it...it lets the breezes in...gotta fix that pronto, before any plants go in. See 12/12/14, 640pm, there a white board there where I divided the plastic which is overlapping by 3 ft-ish. Need to figure out a way to more securely close these two pieces, so cold air can't get in.

I've been debating with myself about selling extras this year and think I'll try...............if not here comes a new cutting garden..lol. And I'm still not done seeding things yet, I'm up to 125 and usually end up with about 225-250 pots that all need potting on since there are multiple seeds per pot. Need anything?! Yikes!!! LOL!

I'll list things I'm growing if wanted...but don't want to bore everyone if not interested..lol. Later gaters...Kathy

BetNC, I hope the fog is lifting and you're feeling better by now. Many of us have back issues (mine is muscle spasms, mostly under control just now). Somehow we all seem to manage, though... Can't keep a good gardener down!

Kathy, I'd love to see a list. Also, has anything been particularly tricky to germinate? Has anything failed to come up? I know your basic setup- room temp, lights- and that you usually keep things on the dry side, at least at first.

Last year you did some heat/cold/heat experiments for stratification on a couple of stubborn types. Did that work? Are you doing it this year?

Just wondering...

Pam ~ When you mentioned back issues...I immediately went to the idea of (garden) magazine back issues. LOL!!!

Ha! Mine is scoliosis: (c-shaped, dorsal or thoracic spine that elevates my left scapula. Happily, the mess is in the upper back, and it's not s-shaped. I am actually lucky in that I was in such pain by the age of 18 that I went to an orthopedic surgeon, who gave me the rules of posture and training - the positions to sit and sleep in, and told me to "go get abs like bricks". I can only drive cars with lumbar support, but other than that not to bad. I obeyed. Lots of weight training, lots of stretching, and the world's most gorgeous massage therapist, a Greek God of a stunning creature for massage every two weeks. It's true, a thing of beauty is a joy forever!

Evelyn, that's a true gardener! Back issues indeed!

And dear Bet, I hope that you are on the mend.

Kathy, all the plants I potted up are maturing nicely, and I want to start another, but I only have about 30 pots. Time for more. I need a bigger setup next year!

This message was edited Feb 8, 2015 5:29 PM

OMG Kathy, you are off and running BIG TIME!
You go girl!!! :o)

Ok Pam, you asked! LOL.

Cheirianthus; Crazy Daisy; Hesperis matronalis (thanks Pam, both the light and mixed colors; Tomatoes (9 different varieties); Isotoma (Laurentia); Penstemon (3 varieties); Salvia Indigo Spires; Asclepias (6 varieties); Digitalis (10 varieties); Monarda citriodora; Lunaria; Centaurea phygria; Lupine (4 varieties); Alcea (17 varieties Some are dbl pots); Lavatera 'Silveer Cups'(this is an annual and should have started later, oops); Hibiscus (13 varieties); Dianthus (X Loveliness (pink, white, white with a green ringed center, white with pink center, purple and lavender, and all the red seeds I had (various shades) (pix above of some of the various colors), deltoides, Cheddar pinks, barbatos (3 colors) ); Salvia Hot Lips; Monarda lambada; Crambe cordifolia; Papaver ( mix of Salmon, red, and white; Brilliant Red, and a mix of seeds from my garden that has 2 colors); Geum or Potentilla (not sure which, check pix 1); Ceratotheca triloba Alba; Anthemis (2 varieties); Antirrhinum (snaps) (3 colors so far); Verbascum (chaixii, phoenicium white and mixed colors); Delphinium grandiflora (12-18" all season); Cerinthe; Salvia turkestanika pink;; Oenothara (2 varieties);

How's that Pam...didn't list all the varieties but will if requested. (be nice Pam.lol)

pix 2 is one of the Dianthus X loveliness colors, pix 3 is Lauentia, 4 is Delphinium grandiflora

I am BLOWN away!

That's some list! I really enjoyed seeing what you are growing!

This message was edited Mar 4, 2015 8:40 PM

Blomma, those are great! I had Lord and Lady Baltimore many years ago and keep wondering whether to do them again. They are both moscheutos. The only quite minor hitch was japanese beetles, but I think I might give it a go again. I was always flabbergasted that something that looked so tropical was fully hardy in the ground in zone 5a.

I LOVE Hibiscus m. Years ago I had Lord Baltimore and moved so I gave it to my sister, never did get any seeds from them. So now will try to replace atleast the plant. Love how big they get. Didn't get any seed yet to replace Baltimore but still hoping to find it in the seed trades one day.

I've started Summer Storm, Lady Baltimore, Super Rose Big and Pretty, one labeled as Dinnerplate pink (not sure if that's a name or if describing the flower size), Peppermint Schnapps, Red Lunar, Party Favor (germinated this morning), Lunar White, Fantasia, Blue River, 2 pots from different plants bought at Wally World last fall ($2 each), no idea of the colors). I believe these are all moscheutos varieties

Aslo am growing H. coccineus Red and White "Texas Star" series, these get really tall, up to 8-10ft but are suppose to be hardy to z5 or 6 (I'm z6a). I planted 6+ of the red 'Texas Star' in the back garden last season and Hope they make it!!!!!!!!! They are the perfect size....lol Tall!!!!!! So there's my 13 or 14 varieties.....still waiting for 6 varieties to germinate.. Thanks to dj9, Evelyn and Poisondartfrog and others that contributed to the seed trades (no names on packets).

Ya, seems to me they were late to appear in the spring, think it was e. June on Baltimore, but they grow fast, . Blomma I don't have any of the Southern Belle series, would you save me some seeds? If I remember that one is a bit shorter but wide, do you like them? And any pest problems? (Deer, rabbits or such?). Did they bloom first or second year?

I'm going to have much more to ask than to share, so please bear with me.
Technically, I believe I'm past the germination stage and into the seedling growth stage. There are a few seeds (Begonias, Calibrachoa, and Pansies) that I'm waiting for, but for the most part very pleased with all the green I have in the two(2) seeding flats I tackled to start with.

Managed 100% germination with the six(6) Nasturtiums I buried; all germinating and growing to the top of the dome within 8 days. Transplanted a couple within the first week to larger peat pots, and they appear to be thriving. I wanted to wait to see how they did before moving the others, but may have waited too long. I noticed the ones left in the seed tray (72 cell flat) started going horizontal along the top because they were too tall for the height the plastic covered offered.
I have since moved all of them, but have noticed the ones that I waited longer with (2-3 days) do not appear near as healthy as the original two are/were. One of the plants has it's original three(3) leaves shriveled up as if it did not get water (the leaves appear dried), yet it is pushing new growth from between the "Y" at the first branch point.
It appears to be a waiting game now to see what keeps.............and what weeps.

I hope that I am understanding you correctly. Are the problems with nasturtium seeds? I grow them every year but I always wait until July and direct seed them. They come up so quickly in the heat, and need a fair amount of heat outside to do well.

I have grown them indoors up windows. You may have to liberate them.