Speaking of getting hands into the dirt. I've been going through my seeds trying to figure out which ones need to be started now. I'm rather new to starting flowers from seeds. I don't want to bring the seeds out in March and find that it's already too late for some of them.
I built a small cold frame in the fall because I knew some have to overwinter outside. I planted the Himalayan Poppy seeds on Dec. 21st. I read something somewhere about planting them on the winter solstice. I'm sure I'll need more than a little luck with those seeds. I also planted some gentian and delphiniums seeds and put them in the cold frame. I just found some more delphiniums that I got from a neighbour so I'll have to get them in soon.
I'm wondering about the primula seeds. I've found some information that says to put vermiculite and then cloth over top of the seeds and put the pot out where the elements can get at it. Other information says to put them in a cold frame. Has anyone had success growing them? I'd love some advice. I'm also wondering about the hollyhock seeds. Should they have been planted in the fall?
Sandy
Seeds that need to be started now.
ohhhh, I hope not. I have a whole wack of them I was hoping to plant this Spring!
Sandy, do you have Stokes' catalogue? It has terrific information about when/how to start seeds. They suggest March 1 for perennial Hollyhock. Even when I'm not using their seeds, I use the catalogue for reference. The same information is available on line: www.stokeseeds.com
This message was edited Jan 11, 2005 10:34 AM
...and so far as starting perennials, I've already got violas and pansies started and if I was growing delphiniums this year, they'd be in as well. With the cost of seeds these days I usually start only a few more than I want, depending on probable germination rate. Except for really tiny ones I soak them overnight. Then for ones the size of violas, I plant in 3x5 flats, following directions for temperature (65-70) and light (they germinate best in dark). For larger seeds--like basil or tomato--I pre-sprout on damp paper towels. I put the towel in a plastic bag and check twice daily, allowing oxygen in as well as seeing what's happening. Then I plant them either in little flats or 4- or 6-paks--I've just got 2 sprouted Tumbler and 2 sprouted Sungold in a 4-pak; those will be my I-Can't-Wait-Any-Longer tomatoes. Geraniums (pelargoniums) are large enough to do this way, and I've a white one up already.
It sounds time consuming but in the end, saves me time and space. I'm really terrible about throwing away extras! I have to start nearly all my veggies inside also. I even start my potatoes and onions inside! It's hugely successful.
I find growing from seed enormously rewarding--I think you're in for lots of fun.
Rosemary
Thanks Rosemary. I don't have a Stokes' catalogue. I'll check the website. Some of the seeds I got in trades or I collected myself so of course I have no information on them.
Thanks for the information Rosemary. I'll definitely by needing the tomato growing info. A friend of mine always grows Sungold tomatoes so I ordered some from T & M. How long are tomato seeds viable? I noticed that they're F1 hybrids and there are only 15 seeds. I'm only going to start a couple of them.
I also got some heritage Russian tomato seeds from someone on GardenWeb. I got Oxheart 'Bychok', Caspian Pink and Azoychka. I thought it would be fun to try something different. I got 10 of each. Do you want me to send any with the kale seeds?
I was kicking myself for not getting some of the Legend tomato seeds after I put in my order to T & M. My friend gave me a couple of plants that she started last year. They're supposed to be pretty blight resistant. I got ripe tomatoes earlier than I ever have before and they were very nice tasty ones. The plants didn't have huge numbers of tomatoes but I would say they were definitely worth growing. The last two years I haven't had trouble with blight because the weather was so good but usually it's a real problem here. I think I'll try to get a Tumbler plant this year. I've heard several people say they're great.
Sandy
I ordered my veggie seeds for the season, but none have arrived yet. I ordered Tumbler tomato, Oregon Giant Sugar Pea and Miracle Corn from Nichols Garden Nursery in Oregon. and, I ordered organic seeds from Sunshine Farm seeds in Kelowna, that included, Valentine Sucrine Cross Sweet Green Leaf Letuce, Garden Sunrise Yellow/Organe Pepper, Romanesco Zucchini, Campbell Tomato, Spacemaster Cucumber and Chives.
I was disappointed yesterday when I tried to buy a seed tray with 72 ph pellets/dome for only $10.50 from an ebay seller in Texas. Unfortunatley he wrote back to say "I am unable to send any organic material accross international borders, sorry!" Phhfftt! Oh well, I'll try and see if I can find something similar here, but I think I'll be paying a lot more. I want to be ready to go when the seeds come.
This message was edited Jan 11, 2005 7:22 AM
That's disappointing! And he's not even right. He should really have put that in his item description, or better yet, not listed it as being available to Canada.
What kind of seeds were they, Donna?
They weren't seeds, Shannon. It was just one of those Greenhouse kits with 72 slots in a seed tray containing jiffy pellets and a dome. The organic matter that he must be referring to, is the peat pellets???? I agree though, he shouldn't have had listed that he shipped "worldwide".
Hmmm.....weird. I hope you'll be able to find a reasonable equivalent somewhere else.
Donna, I really don't think that e-bay purchase would have been much of a deal after exchange and shipping--I seem to remember seeing such things for much less at places like WalMart or Zellers. Has anyone else in B.C. noticed them? But I get gardening things in the fall and they're often on sale.
I've never had much success with peat pellets. They either haven't expanded properly, dry out too quickly, or fall apart. Has anyone else used them? I don't like the peat pots either--I use soil blocks (got a soil block maker from Lee Valley) or plastic cells. You can buy the flats of plastic cells with the clear "greenhouse" dome quite inexpensively, and seed starting mix or even potting mix is quite cheap. More mess and fuss, though, if you have limited space.
I'm trying the Romanesco zucchini this season also--looks really interesting.
Rosemary
Thanks NightOwl for the heirloom seed offer...I grown just a couple of Brandywine each year but those big varieties take up so much room for so little produce, that I can't afford them much more greenhouse space. I love the Brandywine--they are low producers and quite misshapen, but oh so tasty. And I can collect the seeds and know they'll be true. The Russian varieties sound so interesting...any idea what each is like, size wise? Are they indeterminate?
I've successfully germinated 10-yr old tomato seeds! I keep my seeds cool, dry and dark, so that helps. I think it's Richter's, or maybe West Coast, that has a chart of how long seeds are viable but except for leeks and parsnips, I can triple that estimation, or more. Lettuce is meant to be good only for 2 years, but mine don't wimp out for 6-8.
Rosemary
Okay Rosemary, I won't send any tomato seeds. I don't know too much about what the tomatoes will be like. I'm glad to hear that tomato seeds will last a long time. I'll have to make sure I keep them cool.
Donna, I think I've seen kits like that at Canadian Tire for around $10. I think you'd pay less getting it in Canada, what with the exchange and shipping costs. I agree with Rosemary, the peat pots don't always work out too well. They don't always break apart the way they should. Let me know how you make out with growing the Tumbler Tomatoes from seed.
Thanks for the tip, Sandy. I'll check the local Can. Tire here. The price was good because it included the peat pellets as well as the seed tray and dome. I checked them separately on the Web and they priced out to more than double. But now that you and Rosemary have pointed out the flaws of Peat Pellets, maybe I'll just go with the trays and soil mix instead.
ditto chilko's experience with the jiffy pellets. worst germination and worst plants i have ever grown. use plug trays now from the aforementioned lee valley
Just found a new (to me) tomato site-- www.tomatogrowers.com
I found Sandy's Azoychka Tomato on it--it's yellow. Dave's has the Caspian Pink listed, but when I looked for the Oxheart Bychok, all that came up were hits for Round Goby. That's a FISH. Don't wanna grow fish.
LOL Thanks Rosemary, I'll check it out. I'm actually off to work for the afternoon.
whatchagotaginfish???
Sliiiimy. I like my love apples firm and clean.
And unlike the sweet octopus, which is quite dry. (Truly! And scared)
Wow, Rosemary - that's quite a photo! Is that you? When & where....we want details! :-)
Shannon
Hokey smokes, what are those things stinkin' out just under the top....what you say...ribs! My God, I haven't seen anything like that when I look in the mirror for y- e- a- r- s !! Matter a fact, I don't think they are still under there, must have disolved by now...:D
Don't feel badly, it's been a long time since I saw those ribs too! It was a photo shoot about 30 years ago, off Victoria, and the photographer (would you believe, the National Enquirer) wanted me to wear a bikini. I had a fluffer....my friend in his dry suit went down and found the octopus. I quickly dropped down, weight belt hidden behind, and grabbed the poor thing. Nearly got hypothermia.
Now I do only sane things, like gardening.
I just clicked on that photo.........WOW!!!! Great picture Rosemary!
Wonder what story the Enquirer came up with to accompany that photo....lol
What is a fluffer? 30 years ago! My Lordy, in the photo with your dog, you only look 30.
i found by accident that if you rub an octopus on what i imagine is the forehead between the eyes he/she/it relaxes completely and becomes very cuddly
haven't tried it with one of the pacific giant octopus though
Are you playing with your food again Lynn?
LOL, Pam!
A propos of nothing, we had some fairly vigorous thunder last night! Then it rained, on top of the ice & snow. Today it's going up to +10, then by Saturday night it'll be -18 again.
Thunder in January is a first for me....at first I thought the flash of light was from a passing snowplow.
Shannon
I was wondering. The earlier forecast showed it heading right your way but two hours later (when I next peeked) they showed the Gulf Stream with a pronounced dip. That dip shows the rain system being pushed out to the ocean......you are very lucky (to a certain extent, some of the highways look pretty nasty in the East).
Thunder/lightning in January! :S
I saw that too, Shannon. Very unusal to have a lightening and thunder type rain storm in January, all right. But it looks like you lucky people in Onatio are being influenced by a Tropical front and your temps are going to be Spring-like. Enjoy!
They have downgraded our cold here a bit. Temp this morning is -10, but with gusting winds making it feel like -15. The good news is that we will be back to our normal 0 celsius by as early as Sunday and +4 by early next week. Praise God! But of course, that could change the next time I watch too. I am gonna be optomistic.
Lynn, Pam, Joelle, Echoes and Ginny...what can we say? It just have to get better for ya!!!! Hang in there...
This message was edited Jan 13, 2005 7:55 AM
turns out that we have had thunder and lightning in every month of the year (although not the same year) just like we have had frost and snow in every month of the year (such an inclusive democratic city in which i live!!)
Jagonjune--where were you that you were rubbing octopii foreheads? Sounds pretty kinky, to me.
I think the N.E. had some idea they wanted to show how ferocious and dangerous our B.C. octopii were--largest in the world--as fearful as the Great White Shark from "Jaws". All hype of course--they're really very shy creatures. Never did see the story--wasn't willing to buy the rag every week to check. They did send me some pictures, though.
Pretty cold here too, but checking back on my weather records from last year, it's not unusual.
You guys are great, it's good just to sit back, read and laugh. Thanks
well i was in martinique at club med many years ago and while snorkeling saw a small octopus
i told one of the GO's about it and was told 'there are no octopus' here
so i went back out and checked and sure enough it looked like an octopus to me
when i went back in and said i was pretty sure it was an octopus; he said with a disdainful but very cute accent 'there are NO octopus here'
i figured the only way he would believe me was to bring the critter to him
when i tried to pick it up and bring it back, the critter wasn't cooperative, sticking him/herself to anything around
i thought it might be frightened so just began petting it and discovered that a slow rub between the eyes seemed to be very soothing. at least it let go, curled up and went for a short trip without objection to the GO who said 'that is an octopus, where did it come from?'
end of story - no kinks - sorry
You go girl! And better you than me too. I am way too chicken to ever pick up one of those type critters. Yikes!
Lovely story Jagojune, thank you for sharing it so well.
They are fascinating creatures of the deep! When in Crete, Greece, many yrs ago...I sat down beside a fisherman, whose feet were dangling in the ocean, whilst banging and slapping the octopus against the wall. He was tenderizing it....if you love Calamari...squid or octopus, cooked properly is delicious! I'm guilty!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I had a feeling Lynn that your experience with the Octopus wasn't just prior to making a meal of him/her. What a neat way of making contact with such an unusual animal.....always nice to make a doubter (GO) eat his words too. ;)
Elaine I'm still waiting to eat a properly cooked one....so far my experience eating it brings to mind the word *rubber*.
Someone should start a thread about trips they've taken to much warmer climes.