Hi Everyone - Sally, I am much in the same boat as you are in deciding when to begin things. I have been extra busy since Christmas and this weeks calender is almost full. Wow. Who would have thought that I would have so much going on in the middle of winter.
Yes Chris. We are having a wedding this coming week. No, I haven't mentioned it yet. I haven't been too much involved except where the check book is needed. ha-ha Yes, I was impressed with the looks of Sam's offerings. Now, if it just tastes good. ha-ha
I went with the bride-to-be a while back to order flowers. The color theme of the wedding is going to be a light blue. I think that we picked out some very pretty things for everyone. I guess that I will begin getting nervous later in the week. I hope that the weather will cooperate.
Getting married and having a family is the only thing that I have ever heard my son say was his goal. Well, he has it now. We will also be welcoming a baby to this union in May. So.....I can finally say I am grandma after many years of people asking if I was already. ha-ha Sometimes I felt like punching somebody. ha-ha
I will get a picture of myself taken to share here. We are having cameras at each of the tables for guests to take pics. I will get them all developed after the wedding. It is going to be fun, I am sure.
I hope that all of you will have a good Sunday. Stay warm all.
Ruby
Spring seed starting (indoors)
Ruby, I know about the grandkid question. Drives my nuts! My daughter is not ready for childern and I don't think they really want any. She is a nurse at a childern's hospital so she has a lot of kids she takes care of.
And I am not a baby type of person, I guess that is why I only had one. A lot of people don't understand that.
Seed starting : I starting looking through some old notes I took, I started some seeds mid February like Butterfly bush, pentas,Wave patunia. Things that grow fast like tomatoes I didn't start till later in March. Impatients I started later March but will start sooner like end of Feb.
This is why it is important to keep notes, my gardening resolution for 07 is to keep better notes!
Now I can't plant out till last week of May (Last frost date) but your dates might be different so I'd say if you can plant out mid May I'd start my seeds any time now, depending on what you are starting.
Chris
In my limited experience, the annuals flowers seemd to take longer than I thought to get to bloom size, except marigolds were quick growing. Vege seeds I think you can readily find recommendation on how soon to start. Squash/cuke type things get so big so soon, I wait on those. Moonflowers started to vine out and I didn't know what to do with them ,I guess put little sticks in but then that could be a pain to handle. I think I direct sowed thm last year and did very well, earliest bloom start ever for me. Notes are really good . The limited notes I have are in a little book in the nightstand.
I am not a teenager type person, but Ill be stuck with doing it 3 x now, better start studying....
One year I used the wall o' water to plant squash & cuke's. I planted the seeds earlier in the garden and removed the wall o' water when the weather was warmer, then mulched with shreaded leaves. I had the best cukes that year.
This year I'm going to try a small eggplant never did those before. Might start those seeds early.
Chris - If you happen to have extra Penta seeds, I would love to have some. I passed two houses last year that were growing them and each time I passed by I would fuss at myself for not planting any. Actually, I don't think that I ever saw them anywhere to buy. So.....let me know. If you don't have enough, no problem. I will find them somewhere.
Ruby
Ruby, Walmart always has pentas at some point in the garden shop if Chris doesn't have any extra seeds. If you don't see them in with the garden plants, check in the houseplants.
Chris, I had wondered how those walls of water worked. I'd like to be able to plant my tomatoes earlier. I usually can't safely plant them until June. Made the mistake of planting in late April my first year gardening here. Boy, did I find out fast I was in a different zone.
I never heard of pentas before. Do you grow them like annuals? According to the PF, they are tropical perennials.
Yes, here you grow them as annuals.
Do they take long from seed?
My notes on the penta seeds are from 1998, I started them Feb 14th on Feb 24 I noted 3 seeds germinated then on 3-26 I have a note- heat- so I must have put them on the heat mat. Then no more notes, I don't recall if I had good luck after that, I grew them because it said they attract butterflies, but I didn't find that was true, at least for the butterflys I have in my yard. Park still carries the seed if you want to try some. Sometimes I'll just buy a plant, they are pretty.
Hart, the wall o" waters are great. I have had mine for quite a long time, what you do is plant your baby tomato plant, turn a 5 gal. bucket over the plant, slip the wall o' water over the bucket and start filling the water cells. once they are filled lift the bucket, and the wall o' water forms a teepee around the plant. I insert a stake into the ground so I can tie up the plant when it grows. When it warms up you remove the wall o' water and store for next year. They gave me a month jump start.
Chris
Hmmm, wonder why I couldn't do the same thing with a circle of water filled 2 liter soda bottles?
I often cut the tops off those bottles and upend them over seeds I've planted directly in the garden. Gives them their own little greenhouse and keeps the bugs away from the seedings.
Diane, I have been thinking about your soda bottle circle. However, heat rises so you would have to think of a way to trap the heat in at night and sunless days. The wall o' waters form a cone over the plant when they are not filled to the top, (pictures don't show you that) I don't fill mine all the way up I leave about 2 inches empty. They are not totals closed on top so that leaves enough room for excess heat to excape during the day.
Chris
Ah, thanks for that info, Chris. Yes, I've never seen a picture of them where the top was closed over.
I know there are no stupid questions, but...is a thread in the vegetable gardening forum with discussion of different seed starting systems.
Sally, I just popped over there to see what was going on. I have tried some of those systems, I found the APS system from Gardeners supply were to high to fit under my light system. And the "peat" pellits dried out to fast. So I went back to my flats with the 6 pack cells.
I use mini blind slats as plant lables, you can write on them with pencil.
OOOOHHH--another mini blind slat user! I thought it was my own clever idea, but actuall it's possible I read it once, and buried itin my brain. I have replaced a few blinds and have cut up a bunch into labels! Pencil lasts a long time. I stashed a pile by the garden(in my 'mailbox' ) and some by my outside pot area and some downstairs by my plant corner. Since kids, life etc, need more help remembering what I've planted haha
I also use/reuse the cells . Cheap. Or other assorted pots hanging around.
The mini blinds are great, I had some wooded lables one time and they soaked up the water and you could not read them. I also put the date that I sowed the seed on the back of the lable its a quick reference.
My 2nd Parks order came yesterday, and added to my journal. http://davesgarden.com/journal/edit/index.php
ladygardener1
I just checked out your seed starting list. It sounds beautiful. Then I looked at your list of perennials. You must have some awesome garden!!!!! Course, I knew that from your columbine pictures.
Park's is a really nice catalog, very tempted, but I feel committed to Pinetree and their small, inexpensive packs and 2.95 shipping; for the time I can devote to the garden, it works for me. Gotta send the order IN to get something tho!!
I forgot that we took my shoplight away for another use in the house this year, so I only have a 24 inch fixture. If I disperse the plants under it now, I could do one tray. Otherwise I will be trying a wintersow or cold frame start, or some of each.
Thanks Sally for looking at my journal. My gardens have their good times and their bad, just like people LOL I try to have something blooming all the time from spring into fall. It's a lot to keep up with but I am out side every chance I get to do a little bit of something.
I need to take a look at Pinetree again. But Parks had a few seeds that I really wanted, like the Ornamental Millet "Jester" I love Millet in my containers to give them height, I've been using the "Purple Majesty" but buying the plants. This year I want to try growing it myself, and Jester will give me different colors to work with.
I know what you mean about the run away shoplights, my husband took at least 2 of mine for the garage, I told him either bring them back or go buy new.
Think Spring!
I ordered my seeds from Park, This is what is coming Seastar Mix Astor, Bellflower Pearl Mix, Celosia rainbow Sherbet, Centaurea, Bunnytails, Pansy Sentiments Collection, Pansy Bolero Mix.
Holly- pansies for spring of fall? I'm going to try agin to grow my own fall pansies, because they are a rare thing for me to get blooms in the off season.
This is my Pinetree order.
959 STRAWBERRY FIELDS GOMPHRENA
20 ROYAL BURGUNDY green beans(51 days)
66301 ONLY THE LONELY NICOTIANA
760 SWISS GIANTS FORMULA MIX pansy
W264 ROSSA DI CHIOGGIA RADICCHIO (70 days)
W352 ROSE ORACH- mountain spinach, this is new to me
257 MR BIG green peas, the kids might still pick and eat off the vine
W316 AFINA CUTTING CELERY another experiment
W288 ZUCCHETTA RAMPICANTE TROMBONCINO-long vining summer squash
682 TORCH TITHONIA
93 ORANGE FANTASIA swiss chard- must remember more compost and fert on this, usually eaten alive by flea beetles
Also got a couple from ValuSeeds, but forgot what!! cheap thrill at 99 cents shipping, Oh an aster mix, a .09 $ pack of salad greens, maybe two $.49 packs...Oh, Flambe petunia, it looked really pretty, anda cosmos that claimed more compact and earlier flowers, white with pink centers.
Now where am I going to fit all these???? Hmmm, those native asters ma y have to go. iris need thinning.....
Please save all those thinnings for the roundup!!! Your selection sounds wonderful!
Sally, You will love Only The Lonely Nicotiana, watch out for the size of the lower leaves, they get really big, any small plant next to them don't have a chance, they get tall, smell great in the evening, I have some next to the foundation of the house on the south side, they winter over in this spot.
I have also grown Tithonia, in 1998, started the seeds March 29, had germination on April 1 with heat mat. Loved the bright zinnia-like flower, and the stems are soft and fuzzy.
Chris
I just ordered the Pansies; they should get here in the next couple of days. I wanted to have them for spring, not sure if it's too late to get them started for that. Do you know when I should start them for spring, have I waited too long to start them? I hadn't thought of planting them in the fall, I never spend the money on fall Pansies but if I grow them I could put in as many as I want. Just haven't gotten use to thinking differently. Growing your own does change what and how you plan your garden. Holly
HollyAnn, I got out my Seed to Bloom book, for Pansy it said to " Place seeds in a plastic bag together with moist growing meduim and refrigerate for 2 weeks. The sow and place in a dark location at 65º - 75º F "
Might be a seed to winter sow. Then bring into the house when you have germination in 10 to 21 days.
Someone else that has more experence with pansy seeds might have more to add.
Chris
Thanks Chris, I should have them by this weekend. If I started them this weekend they should be germinated by Feb 24th at the latest. My garage would be perfect for the germination part it’s not heated but not still not freezing. Could/would I bring them into the house and put them under grow lights after that? I’m winter sowing my Red Bud trees. Put them in milk jugs and have them sitting outside along the house wall in the back. Would it be better to just do the same thing with the pansies?
Chris- I ordered the nicotiana partly cuz you wrote about it earlier. I love fragrance! Wow, wintered over?? I have a warm spot that would probably do that. Thanks for the info on both. Tithonia in 3 days? Isn't it exciting when they sprout so fast?!!
BTW, not that I lurked, :-) but Eddie Bauer has a blazer styled cardigan sweater, I just browsed an earlier catalog, kind of steep at maybe $50,some, and only in pink or white. Does come in peteite, and sometimes they do a clearance. I would expect good quality on it too.
HollyAnn -if you re read what Chris wrote, I think it sounds likethey are stratifying then bringing warm to sprout; wasn't sure if you were seeing it htat way. And I recently read that some of the commercial operations leave lights on 24/7 to grow some of the plants faster, never knew that myself. Now I know why my pansy seed failed miserably last summer! I have a good warmish spot far fall pansies, by the driveway, so any halfway nice day all winter you see a bloom or 2 or more. I have too many other things to grow in summer to have pansies then too!
HollyAnn, I just saw that zone5girl posted that she has Pansy germination check out this thread->
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/688879/
You might want to ask her what she did.
Sally, I'll check Eddie Bauer to see if they have online sale. I did fall in love with a cardigan sweater from Appleseed it costs more then $50.00 but I can't stop thinking about it, : )
Chris, Thanks, I posted on the other thread. Asking for more help. Holly
My Thompson & Morgan seed order arrived today! And they sent me 2 bonus seed packs for ordering thru their web site. This is exciting, something that I don't have and can't wait to start.
1 pack of Cambridge Blue, Salvia....love blue
1 pack of Poppy, Coral Reef....Wanted to try poppies but didn't order.
Chris
Those Coral Reef poppies are they a peachy color? I think I saw them in a catalog and they were very pretty. If I'm remembering the right Poppy, although I love all poppies.
I'll try a link for you Holly http://seeds.thompson-morgan.com/us/en/product/6757/1
And here is one of the Salvia http://seeds.thompson-morgan.com/us/en/product/6667/1
I'm going to order my seed starting mix today! Now I'm getting the seed starting itch!
Yep, Those are the ones. I was looking at them they are beautiful. I hope they do well for you.
Hi Chris..........I guess we won't have to worry about the plants and flowers waking up too soon anymore. Looks like plenty of cold and snow for us.
A little taste of a spring gone by in NW Pa.
Here's a photo of Virginia Bluebells growing wild along Conneaut Creek.
Take care,
early_bloomer
Hi EB, well winter is finally here. I went out to feed the birds this afternoon and I was up to my knees in snow. Triped on a branch that was under the snow and fell down, I started laughing like heck!! It's been a long time since I had that much snow close to my face. I got that "it's fells good to be alive" feeling!
Thanks for the picture, I had no idea there were that many wild VBs in this area. Stay warm!
Chris
chris goes from stone kitten to silly goose
we just might get an inch or two tonight- have to see it to believe it.
Sally, It doesn't take much! LOL
Paper said that we have had 19 days in a row that it snowed. I think today was the first with out a flake, of snow, that is. We have plenty of flakes around here I might be one of them.
Sorry, Cabin fever setting in.
Started some seeds today!!! Black Knight Delphinums and Mini Marine Heliotrope, Put the Delphinums in a plastic baggie and back in the frig. for another week. The heliotrope is in the basement doomed and on the heating mat.
Might start sow some others today before I put things away.
quoted--The heliotrope is in the basement doomed and on the heating mat.
not very optimistic on the heliotrope????
ha ha ha suspect a mis-type there!
really got to get on a few of mine, should be getting them going this week
OMGosh! Didn't see that Sally, I meant Domed. Hope that is not an indication of things to come. If so I'll have to bleach my green thumb. ha ha
I posted a picture of the seeds in my journal before I planted then, hope to post pictures of the seedlings too.
Thanks for pointing out my oops. lol