Coffee Time 2007

I finally put some wintersowing out. 20 containers. Some of Yankeecat's, Al's & Anita's seeds.
Thanks again!

Don't contaminate my seeds with those infidels!


Just got home from work - thought I'd look around for Debbie, she must be on vacation.

sure thing Dave!
Wow Al, just got home??? That was a late night.
Does anyone think Hillary has a shot?

'That name again is Mr. Plow!'

Dave, good on you! did you post a list over on WS? I'm still stuck on my first 9 containers. I can't decide what else to start because I'm not sure how much room I'm going to have. I'm starting a new herb garden and it's going to be in the middle of a cottage garden, but how much of the cottage garden gets started this year depends on $$$. I need to have a meeting with my landscaper and get an estimate on the rose garden build and see what's left (it'll probably be a negative amount LOL)

Gram, You don't sound lazy to me!
No list posted, I guess that's like me & pics. I think I am the lazy gardener.

Dave, you're not even going to give hints? you don't have to list every single seed and variety, I'm just curious what you're growing in general. I love the look of your garden.

My goodness... I decided to give winter sowing a try, so I "just" planted out 180 containers... I'm thinking of about 150 more!!! I assumed everyone who was sowing seed was doing it in quantities much larger than mine!

I'm sorry, I've been lurking. It seems there is a tight community here!!!

BTW, I planted 3 colors of daylily (pink, purple, and lavender), some of my own hosta seeds, and rose campion, for starters...

I never do anything on a small scale. I wish I could change!

way to go. Did you know that we also have a wintersowing forum? It's a great source of info and is in full production now. http://davesgarden.com/forums/f/coldsow/all/ . I'm not sure how many in this forum are wintersowers, but I have to admit that I love it too.

Jax - tight knit community -- with Al? He totally unravels everything! Join in - you are very welcome.

You're jealous that she's cutting in to your lurking. I haven't done any wintersowing. April 1st I start plants going.

Jax - you are amazing!

Jax, just hafta ask - wherever do you have room for 300 plus plants -- you got major acreage??
just plain nosey ~ Blooms

I have seeds waiting for wintersowing. Guess I better get started. Have to find the seeds first. I think they're under the mountains of piles right here on my desk. If it was cold in here, they'd probably germinate by spring. Goodness knows the pile of mess will still be here. Once I find them, I'll post what I sowed.

Harper

Jax, can you take pics of your 330 containers?? I need inspiration! I did my first 9 and now I'm stuck. can't decide what else to do. gee, daylilies, hosta & rose campion...I love it!

Jax, tight group, but very open! Join in. (Where will you plant all your new plants? There may well end up being thousands of them. How long did it take you? And most of all, Good for you!)

Gram, you looking for inspiration from Jax or proof? ;)

I planted 3 types of daylily, zebrina Malva, foxglove, holly hocks, morning glory, alyssum, baby's breath, allium, shasta daisies, red poppies and maybe more stuff I don't remember. I don't keep a list. I'm not the most organized gardner.

Anita, I dropped in on that forum, got a head full of ideas, and jumped right off!!! Too many techniques! I've got it in my head what I'm doing, and I'll take stock of what worked/what failed and share my story with that board this summer.

Blooms, is 2.5 acres major?

No pirl, I'm O/C, but thank you. Wait! Maybe you meant incredibly O/C!!! True!!!

Grampapa, I will take a picture this afternoon (Wed.). We got a dusting of snow, but it will be gone by then.

Dave, it took me 2 hours to do 150 pots. 10 minutes to do a row of hostas, and I've scattered lots more seed into the garden. I'm reserving my next 150+ for sometime in Feb.; it's getting back to being January, temperature-wise.

Al, I want to party with you!!!

-Melissa

You are right - there are alot of individual techniques on that forum. Some of them think way too much too. That I understand as I did the same thing the first time I w/s seeds. Once I did, I realized how simple it was. I also realized that the packet of seed cost me only $1 - $3, so why go nuts?

We don't have milk jugs. What else could I use?

I used some of my plastic pots that perennials came in. When I ran out, I bought 4 packs of those plastic "Solo" party cups in dark green. They were on sale after the holidays, I guess the color was considered Christmas-y. Each pack has 50 cups. I poked holes in the bottom w/ a knife, and scooped each 1/2 full with soil (I bought a big bag of reg. potting soil that was on sale), and planted the seeds. My solution for covering them was to slip a plastic lunch bag ($1 for a generic box of 150) over the top of each cup, and pop a rubber band around it. I put these out on a South-facing slope, with leaves banked up around them. I've done 100 like this, and the other 100 are on hold until Feb. (I have all the ingredients- seeds, cups, soil, lunch bags, bag of rubber bands)- I am just worried that I started the first batch too soon (Jan 4.) Don't worry: Jax (the cat) supervised the entire operation.

Thanks, Jax. I was concerned about all the milk jugs I'd have needed. Do you poke a little hole in the top of the plastic covering each party cup? How does it get rain if it's covered by another plastic bag?

Arlene - what about water containers, plastic ice cream container, cool whip, aluminum Roasting pans with the lids....?

I actually have a ton of the party cups to use. I was just wondering if I punch a tiny hole in the plastic but then cover the cup with a plastic bag - how will they get the rain?

Arlene - my limited experience has found that at least 4" of soil will help maintain moisture. Are these cups big enough?

By the way - I got the job!!!! The office manager is just typing up the contract. I'm so excited!

CONGRATULATIONS!!! Way to go Anita. I knew you could do it.

Hugs and love,
Harper

Thanks Harper - the bad part will be giving notice - my current employers are going to be so angry. I'm not looking forward to it and have no idea how I'm going to phrase it. I wouldn't be surprised if there is hand slamming desks or something to that effect. I am having major angst over that part of the job change. Otherwise, I'm so excited to be starting something new!

Congratulations Anita! Just smile sweetly and say, "I have some good news, for me!" Or go the route of the typed resignation, signed, sealed and left for the current boss to open.

Anita, best you get out of there. I offer you my hugs and some courage for that uncomfortable moment. I'm glad you're leaving. Sounds like that bad temper of your boss's is getting what it deserves.

Harper

Yea Anita! Sounds like you will be relieved to leave your old job. Maybe they will fire you when you tell them and you can have a vacation - you probably need one. Some states make the employer pay you until the notice time is over even if they don't let you work. Well, that is how it is in California anyway.

Jax4ever - cats rule! (Dogs are OK too, Sarah and Kobi especially.)

2.5 acres is an estate campared to my 50' x 100' lot.

Congratulations Anita!! If it's hand slamming, then don't deserve to have you anyways and your lucky to be getting out of there!

Congratulations Neter. You must have got the offer you wanted then. The last time I changed jobs 6 years ago my boss didn't understand why I did it and called it a lateral move, but it worked out well and I don't regret it.

Thanks everyone - I'm very excited. The old bosses really can't complain too much - I do plan on giving them a 3 week notice. It's funny, no one gets notice when they get fired!!!!

youw fiad - how's that.lol


OMG - I didn't hear about this
http://www.theonion.com/content/news/northeast_stunned_by_freak_january

Funny Al - it does chill your bones when you are not used to it though!

We don't have any snow yet but some little fellow wouldn't mind snow one bit. Can't get much slipping and sliding in the hallway.

Wow! Somebody up here actually got snow? I almost forgot what snow looked like. Thanks for that article Al!

Edited to add: Cute little fella pirl.

This message was edited Jan 24, 2007 5:05 PM

He's my grandson, Charlie, and we're all just waiting for the snow.

Anita.....You go, girl!! I'm so happy for you. 3 weeks you can do with your eyes shut.

pirl, that little dolly deserves all the snow he wants. you can also wintersow in plastic baggies. I'm going to try a few, just to see how it works...here's a link that shows how

http://www.wintersown.org/wseo1/Winter_Sowing_in_a_Baggie.html

Jax, sounds like you had a regular production line going there. yep, 2.5 acres sound pretty palatial to me,too. you DO need lots and lots of plants. keep up that sowing! you sound like you have a lot of energy, too. hope you'll be sticking around here for a while :0)

Dave, you're sowing a lot of the same things I am! (is that good or bad?)

Thanks, gram, I saved it. Do most people use it for just perennials?

Arlene there's a ton of info on that site. if you go to the database page (here's the link for it) it will list things you can sow in your zone. there are annuals listed, too. if you have any questions, come on over to the wintersowing forum and you'll have an answer pretty quick. this is my first year, so I'm probably not the best reference. Anita & Dave have been doing this a while, I think.

http://www.wintersown.org/wseo1/DataBase.html

Thanks, I'll get involved tomorrow.........tomorrow is another day!