Spring seed starting (indoors)

I have Tini Tiny Baby Bunny Tails, moved to the grow table this afternoon, Still waiting on the Pansies.

Coleus seedlings 14 days after sowing they are starting to show some color on the 1st set of leaves.

I also started some poppy and salvia seeds today.

yep, ladyg, you can tell they're coleus now. I had intended to try and get seedling pictures myself, but our camera had an accident. the ten yr old dropped it and the 53 year old (dh) took the blame , so the 13 and 16 yo wouldn't make 10 yo feel like crap...then 53, the engineer, had to just 'try to take it apart just enoguh to unstick the shutter" next thing I know it's in twenty pieces .......
My asters haven't done a thing yet, and gomphrena only one sprout. the rest are coming along.

One delphinium just starting to break the soil. This is one I'm excited about!

I'm trying to do a seed to bloom pictures in plant files. Most folks just add bloom pictures, but I think seeing the whole process is important and I gives me something to strive for.

((((yea)))) for all the baby sprouts out there, everyone keep posting.

I think that is a fantastic idea to add seed to bloom photos to plantfiles!

Pansies are just starting to come up.

Happy-macomb, thank you! Here is a sample of what I am doing, http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/60491/index.html

The seed pictures are hard as the picture is most of the time a bit fuzzy but that is the best my camera can do at times. I have tried micro and auto settings nothing seems to work but getting the right distance away and sometimes that is just to far.

That's wonderful. If you really want to indulge us, you could add how deep you planted, germination time, etc. But I realize I'm asking the moon!

There is a time line in my journal, if you want to see more . Take a look.

Thanks! I will!

Macro should work, Chris. Do you have a zoom on your camera? Try standing a bit further back and zooming in. A tripod really helps for shooting things like this, too. If you don't have a tripod, try setting it up so your can lean your elbows against a table or something to make a makeshift tripod. The fuzziness could just be from camera jiggle when you're pressing the button.

Thanks hart for the advise, no zoom on this old thing, 2.1 maga pixel. It takes good pictures for what I have been using it for so far, I might be shaking a bit and don't realize it.

Good ideas, Hart. I have a problem with being a bit shaky, too. I try to find my shot, take a breath and let it out and then hit the shutter button. This won't work for action shots.

WoooooHoooooo! The Calendula seeds I planted last week are coming up! I didn't even put them on the heat mat. Not much light either. Guess they must really like cool weather because the corner of my old basement is only 60 degrees. Nothing happening in my WS jugs yet.

HollyAnnS, this is a picture of Coral Reef poppies blooming here (near Lexington) last May. I started them from T&M seed during the summer of 2005. They looked more pink than coral, very similar to Princess Louise that I bought as plants from High Country Gardens.

In this picture you can see both Princess Louise and Coral Reef, but I don't remember which is which without going outside and looking at the labels.

Simply gorgeous, Bthyme!

Calendulas do like cool temps, Greenkat. You can plant them directly in the garden in early spring too. Don't forget to save some to plant with your vegetables to help protect against bugs.

Bthyme, those poppies are gorgeous. I just love pink poppies and have never had any luck with them at all. Bought some plants a few years ago that were supposed to be pink and they turned out to be standard orange.

That's a really pretty iris too.

Greenkat, I know Frederick County looks rural when you compare it to Crofton; and I lived in FredCo for 25 years and loved it. But I am now a refugee for two reasons: it got SO CROWDED and I realized that I couldn't afford to stay now that I am retired. I have been down here in Rockbridge County, VA for 2-1/2 years and am in heaven. If you aren't tied to jobs up there, come on down! (Should this be a different topic?)

Hart, I have no idea what that iris is. It came when I ordered something else. It was supposed to be a re-bloomer, so I am wondering if it is Harvest of Memories. Anyone have any idea? It is eye-popping yellow.

Wow! That's even prettier close up. Gorgeous color. I'll bet the folks over in the iris forum could tell you what it is.

Yes, that iris is a beauty!

Bthyme, unfortunately my husband is tied to his job and I know Frederick Co. is growing fast. Places we have looked at usually have new developments down the road.

Bthyme, Beautiful color, Thanks. I'm thinking about White Roses and Coral Roses for on my fence. That's the color I want, more Pink not Orange. It's so hard to decide I'll need 5 Rose plants of each color so if I get them and don't like it I have a lot of bushes to replace. I'm thinking about just buying the White this year and the Coral next year. That give me a whole year to decide and I probably still won't know. I’m still trying to decide on the White ones. Southern grown Colonial White (Sombreuil) or Northern grown White Dawn. ;} Holly

Holly, think about hybrid musk roses for your fence. I am stuck on them. Most of them can be used as large shrubs or short climbers, so they fit fences very nicely. They are exceptionally healthy and many of them bloom a lot.

I've got pictures. My Bunny Tails are growing well. They just look like grass but that is what they are. They have gotten thicker and longer.

Here's the Pansies, I just put them under the light this afternoon. I had good germination just hope I can keep them growing.

Your Pansies look great, HollyAnn.

I think they are a little leggy. I just moved them from the cold dark into the warm light. I guess we will see what they do. I checked them one day and they looked good but I thought I would get a few more to germinate so I left them for another day and a half. When I opened them up again. It was like Whoa were did that growth spurt come from and there were a lot more of them too. I think I can plant them right up to the seed leaf if I want. Is that right?

Holly, Do you have shop lights set up for your seeds? If you do, just have the light just above the seedlings not touching. They seem to be reaching for light.

I have read to plant up to the seed leaf.

Is that true for all types of seeds?

Yes I do have shop lights and they are close to the light, now. It said to germinate put in a cool 60 degrees dark place. So I put them on the floor near a wall in a back bedroom behind a chair. That's about as cool and dark as I could get. I checked them they looked good, I decided to wait one more day and see if I would get more to germinate, which I did but the one's that had were already racing for the light. Maybe they will slow down now that I have them under the lights. When do you start to fertilizeyour seedling?

I don't fertilize until my seedlings start getting a few true leaves. And then I dilute the fertilizer to about 1/3 what they say on the package.

Here is a picture of my Helitrope babies I took today.

Here are my first Delphainum babies. I removed the dome to let the soil dry out a bit.

And more color on the coleus

Here is another 6 pack coleus

Re- planting depth for transplantign seedlings-
from America's Garden Book, my hort 101 book- "Most seedling plants should be set a little deeper than they were when growing in the seed flat. In the case of very spindly plants....set them quite deeply" Do not cover the crown.
My Rodale book didn't specify. I do recall reading the statement about the seed leaves somewhere......
Good job plant parents~~ I will be able to post some pic soon. Got a new camera, twice the camera for the same $$ as the first , three years ago. Technology!

Thank you to all who posted pics. Welcome bthyme. Your pink poppies are very lovely. I have never seen pink ones before. Ladygardener, I love the coleus too.

Good deal on the camera Sally.

Ruby

Sally If you find more on the depth to plant seedlings please post it. Can't wait to see your pictures with the new camera!

Ruby, do join in on the fun! Start with something that will give you quick results. You need a little spirit lift Remember you have to eat an elephant one bite at a time.

the camera rocks! canon, 7 megapixels
here are armeria seedlings planted 2-14, with a mystery guest! any guesses?
hey where's my picture?

This message was edited Mar 3, 2007 7:47 PM