2015 Seed Starting, Part 6

Hey folks. What a thread! =D Glad I found it.

What a great tip about the tomato seedlings, Kathy. I've never read that before about clipping the bottom leaves, but it makes sense. =)

Have any of you had luck starting Shooting Stars (Dodecatheon Meadia) from seed? I just got my package and it's telling me to refrigerate for six weeks to simulate winter. I'm trying to decide if I want to work that hard, or whether I'm just going to direct sow them in their spot and let them decide whether they want to sprout or not. =)

I have never tried D. media, but I looked it up- Dr. Deno, the Guru of seed starting, says some useful things. In his climate (Pennsylvania), 98% sprout in April, if sowed the prior September. I don't know if Fresno gets cold enough for long enough to make this happen though. He also says that the first year D. media only makes two leaves, so you will need to protect them the first year.
The seed contains inhibitors that keep it from germinating. These are gradually destroyed by the winter cold or refrigeration (You need to put them in a baggie or something in MOIST conditions, either his technique of moistened paper towels in a baggie, or in moistened seed starting mix. Just putting the seed packet in the fridge is not good enough. This particular species actually germinates while cold, so the paper towel is good because you can see if they have sprouted. Just keep it in your crisper and look at it once in a while (have the kids help you check for sprouts). This species does not need light to sprout and he tried adding a growth hormone and it did not help either.
It is not too late to sprout them this year. The paper towel thing is super easy.

Thank you so much, Pistil! How helpful. When you say that I need to protect them the first year, what do you mean exactly?

After I do the moist cold thing in the fridge and they start to sprout, can I put them straight into the ground where I want them to live? I have a spot where I'm pretty sure they'll be happy.

I guess this is the "protect" part. If you had dozens of sprouts you might try just putting them in the ground, but Fresno has a pretty harsh climate. D. meadia (I am assuming they are the same, Deno lists this as media) is native to the eastern half of the US, so likely it wants some summer water. As I said, I have never grown these, but I would probably pot them up and coddle them the first year, as it sounds like they don't grow much the first year. However, some plants that do not make much top growth the first year are busy growing a deep taproot, if this one does it might like being in the ground.
If you got a lot of seed, and 97% of them sprout, you could try it both ways. If in the ground, maybe put some sticks or a little fence or something, so they don't get stepped on.
I think DG has a wildflower forum, you might ask there. Or the Shady Gardens forum, "Weerobin" frequents Shady Gardens, he seems to have tried just about every native wildflower and knows a lot.

This is a bit humorous for me. I have them coming up every year. As soon as the hot weather hits, they disappear. I have never planted or started them from seed. The year before last, I thought I would move some to where I wanted them. They did not like it I suppose or maybe they do not have enough roots to take hold, and of course the weather got warmer...bye, bye!

So this year, as usual, I have some coming up by my gate. They have not bloomed yet, but I think I will leave them alone. I will just weed around them.

If I had seeds, I would just put them in the ground in late fall or during winter, since we actually did not have any winter. Now it is starting to get cold, but this is the first year for us without snow in the almost 30 years that I have lived here. We usually get a late snow as well, so maybe we will get some this weekend. So I would put the seeds in the ground tomorrow.

As far as seedlings in Fresno....I would just leave them in pots and take the advice of Pistil. They seem to like it in the shade or just morning sun. Here morning sun gets hot soon, so I don't know what to expect with mine. I just like to view their blooms. I guess I won't try "landscaping" with them...hahaha

LOL Evelyn! I hope they like the spot I've chosen for them. They have been my favorite plant since childhood, when I would find them in the meadow near a cabin in the Sierras. When I was getting married, I wished I could have them in my bouquet!
I hope that I can get some to take here. They are like a taste of childhood every time I see one. =)

I decided to start half of the seeds in the fridge, and the other half in the ground. Then half of the fridge seeds I'm going to put in pots to protect, and the other half right in the ground from the fridge. I'll let you know which (if any) I have luck with!

I love it when people experiment like this. Then someone in a few years with the same question can look here and find out what worked, and what did not.

I think this is the first year I have started perrenials from seed, or maybe even any purely-ornamentals, but I see hints of green. I'm not at my germination station at the mo', so I don't remember which ones I started and which are still waiting in line for their turns at the hotboxes. I am very happily not-single, but this time of year.....I long to have all the space in the house for mounting every 1020 I can find, for all the seeds I want! As you can tell, I have neither a cellar nor a greenhouse. Ahh, daydreams...

Wifeygirl, I'll be watching your experiment progress!

13Turtles ~ Yes, l know what you mean. I am hoping for a greenhouse when we move to Oregon. That will be my only source of organic tomatoes. If it is insulated enough, maybe some dwarf citrus and a dwarf avocado tree. It might be too expensive to have a warm greenhouse through the winter.

Springfield is inland, right? How cold are your winters? Do you get snow?

My SO saw how longingly I looked at the only sunny window, right in fornt of her desk, and let me put 1020 trays there for a short period of time.

But then I found the light was only strong enough there briefly each day, but the heat was excessive when the sun came straight in. And the cold drafts at night weren't doing them much good.

So now, if they don't fit on my Light Shelf, I don;t start them.

But I have ambitions to make a low hoop-and-plastic cold frame. Like this one, but much neater:

Such discipline RC.

Yes, Evelyn, Springfield is about an hour inland. We occasionally get a dusting of snow, though not every winter. Last year was like a jolt from Boston, with heavy snow and below 0* temps. That was way out of character.

I can grow tomatoes and even eggplants and peppers here.

How hot does it get in the summer?

Usually, there is about a week in the 90s, the only week of the year I don't wear wool socks. Usually in August, occasionally in July. Last year went to the other extreme in summer, going over 100 and sometimes being hotter than Tucson, which had its hottest summer on record. But again, that was really far from normal.

I went from Tucson to Boston to here and think I've discovered Paradise.

90's to 100;s...nah, I don't know. It might be the coast for me. We are still looking.

Just one week though! Usually 80s. But the coast is delightful.

Rick, that's a great idea, I never thought of something like that with vinyl coated wire fencing, for instance! Thanks for sharing!

You all have really given me the seed planting bug! I went whole hog WS'ing my first year this winter, and never thought I'd be growing so much inside (alot are bare roots, rhizomes, etc) but have started a good number of things in the house, as spring is so late here in Mass. and I just have been itching to get started!

Carrying seedlings in/out of my house for their hardening off is for the birds!

I was thinking of things to have/make to avoid this PIB, so was considering: a cold frame, a mini-greenhouse, milk jugs, WHATEVER!!

That small hoop-and-plastic cold frame of Rick's looks interesting. . .

Can one use cold frames when the nights aren't QUITE warm enough for your tender seedelings to stay out at night??

I've been seeding like mad for about a two months now. I've had some success with scabiosa stellata, various bee balms, chocolate flower, nasturtiums, tomatoes, peppers, watermelon, cucumbers, mina lobata, sunflowers, zinnias, the list goes on and on. Most of these I germinated on a heat mat but more and more are going outside with bird net covers. Hoping this is the year I get the Liatris for WWK to germinate. I did manage to get some centaurea phyrygia started from her, that's one I've unsuccessfully tried before. It's going to be a great year for flowers, I already have some papaver somniferum blooming and the flower garden looks great, even with all the weeds!

Beautiful Dee, both photos. I haven't had luck with Papaver yet, but your picture will help keep me trying.

Try fall sowing it. I did a lot of sowing last fall and it is really paying off.

As this was my first year to attempt growing from seed. . . . . AND to do so indoors. . . . AND to grow tomato plants. . . its Time for me to start showing off!! LOL

Pic #1 my growing seedlings (tomato and marigold)
Pic #2 a close-up my 1020 tray of marigold seedlings
Pic #3 my tomato mini-plants being hardened off
Pic #4 my Tomato Jungle (on my back patio) with my singlet French marigolds in the ground
Pic #5 my powderpuff marigolds in my front garden

I over-sowed / grew, so had no undesignated room for and gave away half my powderpuff marigolds and 2/3 my tomatoes. (I had figured/counted on only 50% germination/survival rate. . . then almost ALL of them lived!! Oh, well. . . my neighbors love me!!)

Wow Bet, great job! It's much better than getting 50% germination when you're expecting 100, lol.

I second that; WOW! What a great "bumper crop" and for a first timer, too! Some of my indoor seedlings did better than others, but no light set up; I used my "under cabinet" lights in the kitchen. My tomatos are going in the ground today and hoping for bumper crop! Cant wait to see your tomatoes produce Bet....You should be mighty proud of your efforts. Great winter "therapy", too, isnt it!?

SLIGHTLY OFF TOPIC -- Question for all you tomato pros

My tomatos have not done well in the past couple years for different reasons; but this year I planted from seed and 6 just went in the ground; my WS sprouts are just coming up, so plan to add those to the garden when ready.

Question: I planted composted manure in the dirt below/around the tomatoe. What else do I use to feed them now that they are in the ground. I'm guessing Miracle Grow is not the right option??

Thanks in advance for your suggestions!
Val

@Val alot of the fine folks (experienced tomato growers) at a site dedicated to tomatoes use Texas Tomato Food. It's a concentrate to be diluted and is available @ Walmart: order online (or in the stgore) and it will be shipped, free of charge, to your local Walmart - for you to pick up. (You must ppay when ordering, so no more money from you afterr that.)

No signs of a beginner in those photos. They look great.

Also Val, when you transplant Tomatoes, you can sink the stem below the soil surface.The stems will grow more roots giving a bigger/better root mass (of course it's probably too late now). Food for thought next time. I always use a transplant fertilizer whenever I transplant, Miracle grow has a pretty good one called 'Quick Start'.

Mipii,
I got the "plant stem further down" below the surface, so I did that! :o)
Funny, I have some Quick Start on hand, as I bought some as it was recommended for using when transplanting seeds, so I bought it for my wintersown seedlings, so put some of that on my tomatoes too, per your suggestion.

BetNC - I'll look for that, Bet, next time I'm in Walmart, or will look up on line -- THANK YOU!

@Val Texas Tomato Food isn't normally stocked (so I was told)

Thanks for sharing all the good info on tomatoes. I'm an experienced extensive "landscape" gardener and I've been trying for years to get my daughters into vegetable gardening so I wouldn't have to do it. It's year three and we're getting the hang of it but could still use all the help we can get, LOL. My daughter (degree in chemistry) performed a "dirt" test using various additives ie, chicken poo, pond sludge, and cow manure. Hands down the dried pond sludge won. So clean your ponds and dry the sludge for your veges.

Cool Dee, was the chicken poo and cow manure well composted?

It was the bagged kind, at least it's cheap. We don't have our own chickens anymore and all the cattle ranches around here are now wineries. I put in more French green beans today. The first batch is up and looking really healthy. We're finally getting a little heat so the veges are coming up quick. I think I'll put out some more zinnias tomorrow. I know you are supposed to seed them every few weeks if you want them bloom over a longer period but who has time to keep track of such things.

Quite a few plants are now in the ground. I put 5 Heuchera Firefly seedlings in the ground for a client, along with 4 Salvia Red Jewel. I put in, for myself, cynoglossum, Pam's double platycodons (3 of them, to go with some blue platys I bought), 3 salvia Rose Queen, 2 polemonium, 5 salvia verticillata in white.

I have a number of seedlings that will be ready to go out in a week or two. Some salvia Victoria and reference. I'm now seeding my third generation. Salvia hominum germinated almost overnight,, so for once I am not starting it too early.

I'm thrilled to see that the borage I seeded last year is coming back. It's great when you can just move around last year's seedlings and not have to start from scratch.

Here are my salvia verticillata 'White Rain' seedlings. This is what they looked like in March. It's out of commerce, and the only source of seed I could find was Hazzard's, which provided me with several kinds of seeds with great germination rates.

Donna,
Sounds like you're a busy bee...Spring is such a busy time. I'm planting a bunch of WS seedlings myself. On your recommendation, I bought/planted the Firefly Heucherra seeds, and was disappointed they didnt germinate...til recently! So I have several that will go in the garden when they get a little bigger.

Dome, I saw that "chickity doo doo" advertised and had to laugh, if at nothing else, the name and the packaging!
No pond sludge here, unfortunately!

I should have mentioned that germination takes the 21 to 30 days to germinate, which can feel like forever. I have done it several times and wrote it down, so I wasn't surprised when a couple of weeks went by and I saw nothing.

My favorite germinator is salvia viridis aka hominum. The seeds swell up overnight. Immediate gratification.

I love salvia viridis as well, Blue Monday is my favorite :) I also love Salvia sclarea v. turkestanica, too.

I have allll kinds of nasturtiums sprouting. Milkmaid, Blue Pepe, Phoenix, Variegated Queen, Empress of India, Cherry Rose.

I LOVE Blue Monday. Marble Arch Rose is gorgeous too. I have the seeds for turkestanica. I haven't grown it yet. But right now I'm germinating patens, and several farinaceas and coccineas. They germinate so quickly I can start them this late for bloom in a few weeks, and then through the fall.

The salvias are great, aren't they?

Hi, thought I'ld stop in to see how things are in everyone's gardens. Wow, planting, what's that like? All those new seedlings look great! I'm waiting for planting weather to begin......not looking good til June sometime at this point. Rain and snow for more than 30 days now (except 2 or 3 days and extended forecast shows another 10 days worth of rain still to come.) Tho the sun actually came out this morning (seems like it's been forever since I've seen it). lol. But rain later this afternoon, atleast it's suppose to start warming up into the 60's. Past 2 days we only had low 40's for highs and 30's night temps........ I want nice weather, so sharing is welcomed.....lol. I will say plants are looking pretty good for the most part. (other than loosing hundreds of Iris g. blooms the other day to snow (8" on Mother's Day and 20* temps).

Planted some seed for red and pink double poppies the other day, along with Sugar Snap Peas, annual Osteospurmum (yellow), Alyssum, Dwf SweetPeas, Erysumum, and a few others I can't remember at the moment, I stopped as it started to rain again. (I know I should have written them down, my record keeping has not been up to par this year). And I have soo much to do, planting, weeds and packages to ship out. So those of you waiting for things please bare with me as I wait for my weather to settle, (seems more like e April than late May)

Hi, thought I'ld stop in to see how things are in everyone's gardens. Wow, planting, what's that like? All those new seedlings look great! I'm waiting for planting weather to begin......not looking good til June sometime at this point. Rain and snow for more than 30 days now (except 2 or 3 days and extended forecast shows another 10 days worth of rain still to come.) Tho the sun actually came out this morning (seems like it's been forever since I've seen it). lol. But rain later this afternoon, atleast it's suppose to start warming up into the 60's. Past 2 days we only had low 40's for highs and 30's night temps........ I want nice weather, so sharing is welcomed.....lol. I will say plants are looking pretty good for the most part. (other than loosing hundreds of Iris g. blooms the other day to snow (8" on Mother's Day and 20* temps).

Planted some seed for red and pink double poppies the other day, along with Sugar Snap Peas, annual Osteospurmum (yellow), Alyssum, Dwf SweetPeas, Erysumum, and a few others I can't remember at the moment, I stopped as it started to rain again. (I know I should have written them down, my record keeping has not been up to par this year). And I have soo much to do, planting, weeds and packages to ship out. So those of you waiting for things please bare with me as I wait for my weather to settle, (seems more like e April than late May)