'Plant an acorn & wait for an oak' or 'Get it now'??

Yeah Kaspian. But you folks have those flying moose to worry about: http://www.snopes.com/photos/animals/poormoose.asp

Looks like you'll need to cut & paste that. It's worth it.

GramPapa:
I'm a GP too, so I know where you're coming from when you want instant results. But I still get a kick out of seeing big plants rise from tiny seeds, so in our retirement home we put in a south facing room that gets sun (before the trees leaf out) with a tile floor where I can play in the mud (as the wife puts it) and put flats under grow lights. I do find that I am trying more annual seeds and buying more slow-growing perennial plants from on-line dealers. (Our local nurseries don't seem to carry a wide range of perennials.)

Dave - I went to snopes and tried "flying moose" but didn't find it.

Don - we plant a lot of annual seeds, too. I think most of us enjoy watching a seed sprout, grow and flourish. It's when we want either perennials or trees that I'm willing to spring for more than a twig. Time gets shorter every day and I want to see results ASAP.

Hi, Don. first have to explain that I'm more of a GM (I'm the Gram half of grampapa LOL)

We also have a south facing sun room in our retirement home (great minds thing alike!). I am also wintersowing both annuals an perennials this year and hoping for some success there. Same problem here with the local nurseries...just not enough variety. I find myself wanting very specific cultivars. I'd rather buy locally, because you can usually get larger plants than you can online. and I'm also sowing seeds for houseplants just to keep myself amused over the winter. I got up this morning to find that the mixed ornamental cactus seed I planted on 1/26 has already sprouted. It's a mix I got from Park's. can't wait to see what they finally develop into.

I saw the flying moose. Poor guy. I felt so sad!

poor moose. minding his own business doing what moose do.

gram, is this the seed you sowed? http://www.parkseed.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/StoreCatalogDisplay?storeId=10101&catalogId=10101&langId=-1&mainPage=prod2working&ItemId=0350&PrevMainPage=textsearchresults&scChannel=Text%20Search&SearchText=cactus&OfferCode=T1H

Gram, they look so cute. Good winter pastime.
What local nurseries do you favor?
Jackie

Anita, yep, that's it. I got such a kick out of them, I went back today and ordered this hardy cactus mix

http://www.parkseed.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/StoreCatalogDisplay?storeId=10101&catalogId=10101&langId=-1&mainPage=prod2working&ItemId=0349&PrevMainPage=textsearchresults&scChannel=Text%20Search&SearchText=cactus&OfferCode=T1H

Jackie, I love Menne's on Nia. Falls Blvd. I go by it on the way home anyway. They have everything, orchids, pond plants, really good variety of perennials. I used to love Majeski's, but it's too far away now. How about you?

Hi Gram... speaking of Parks, have you ever used their Bio-dome? I have been tempted to buy one... it's looks so easy... and since seeds are not my strongest thing... and I have daturas seeds that I really want to plant and not loose the poor things I am thinking of getting one...


hey did you hear that Phil - the grounhog thing in PA did not see his shadow??? does that means that spring is coming in just 6 weeks???

Neither did Staten Island Chuck or Malverne Mel! Six weeks? I won't even be done with my catalogs.

winter will be over when it's over (sigh)

Kass, I've never used the biodome, but it looks like it would work as good as anything. I think light and temperature are the most important things. you have to keep the seeds warm to get them to germinate. and you need good light to get strong seedlings.

Pirl, you better read fast! lol... it will be here soon!!!!! I can feel it!!!! in my imagination! because for the first time I see snow this year.... I actually used my snow blower today - I was the only one... the snow was very wet and it was ice already, so I cleaned the entire driveway... now my roses are all covered with snow... oh well.... my merrygro roses are doind well... I water them today and the minis are also good... only one mini seems dead... Renny ... I took out of the sun room and now is next to the brugs... I hope it makes it! or I will have to get a replacement....

well, Gram, the one thing I like about that bio dome is that it seems to be a clean way to plant seeds... I will start some seeds next week...

I have tons of plants to repot.. so my reward for studying 20 hrs will be to repot all my plants... I went to my school library today to study for the NCLEX with some friends - over 6 hours... so my reward was to take a nap, and now check DG for a few minutes and in a few minutes I am going back to the National Board of Registration of Nursing to continue the review and do at least another 100 questions....

oh what a funny life I have!!!!!!!!!!!

Kass, you keep those seed warm & moist and they should sprout for you...good luck! it's such fun :o) Study on , girl!!

Has anyone ever grown Linaria? It is toadflax or dwarf snapdragons, but in multitudes of colors. Anyways, I was sowing some seeds to put outside, had just got done when company showed up. I got a bit side-tracked so the seeds didn't get put outside. 2 days later the poor little souls are still sitting there and now they have sprouted!!! So I can't put them out now and i have a ton of the little guys growing. I was given a bag of seeds so if these don't survive then i can replant. Actually I have enough seeds to plant 5 acreas worth! Anyways, this is what they will look like once they bloom.
http://davesgarden.com/pf/showimage/114912/

Pix, wow, the colors on those are gorgeous! you could probably keep those going until spring if you wanted to fuss a little with 'em inside.

Gram when i send your Candy Lily seeds do you want me to send a few seeds? You could just sprinkle some near the lake and hope the geese don't eat them! LOL
Actually the don't grow very tall so they are a nice "filler" for bare spots.

Pixie - thank you for the picture. Somehow I didn't spot them in Park's but will look again.
So many catalogs and so little time!

Pirl don't buy any!! I'll send you some if you'd like?

I don't want to leave you short if the ones you started peter out.

You won't leave me short! The seeds are so small i just sprinkled and 2 later they sprouted. Here they are about 5 - 6 days old.

Then I graciously accept your offer and wonder what can I send you in return? I'll Dmail you.

I've used the Parks Bio-dome a couple of times. They sell the plugs in too big of lots to use them all in one season (for me anyway) and the others get moldy before the next year - so it is a little wasteful. But all-in-all they do work well and the evil Wallingford can't seem to pry the lids off to eat the seedlings. A very good thing. (I am not mean to him - not, not, not. He has his own garden of sprouting wheat all the time because he likes to start dinner with a bite of salad.)

Pixie - that is the most beautiful morning glory that I have ever seen! I hope it grows well for you because I want on the seed list, too.

The flying moose link worked for me when I clicked it.

Pix, I was going to d-mail and ask if you would put some of those in with the candy lily. I'll get that envelope out this week. thanks much.

Gram, I love Menne's! Best overall selection between the greenhouse and nursery.
I heard Majeski's was closing, but don't quote me...they were trying to find a buyer last year.
Lockwood's down in Hamburg is terrific, a bit pricey, but quality plants. My goal this year is to find some new places. I want to check out Plantasia at the Erie County Fairgrounds next month. They usually have a good number of vendors.

I haven't read the replies but based on your op,I'd say, acorns are cheap enough that if you can afford to make a choice, you don't have to, you can do both.

If you do it, thanks. : )

Y Cat, thanks for the tip... I was planning to buy refils already... this way I will just buy one set and try.... I was looking at another magazine - Henry fields and they have a dome that is a mini greenhouse... so I don't have to get a heating mat..

Pixie, did you get your linaria from Parks???

ok, correct me if I am wrong - Parks is good for seeds but not so reliable for potted plants?

Last year I got some seeds at the xtmas Tree shop that came in a jar... they had zinnias, marigolds and cosmos... they had some kind of crystals that shined when they were wet and as long as you kept them wet they were supposed to be ok... well from 2 big jars, I only got very few plants... but the one thing I loved was that all seeds were together... all mixed... so I got a pack of annual bouquet from the ntl home gardening club and I will try this year... today I was looking at my plants and could not transplant my plants yet... I took my oldest nephew clothes shoping... so I could not stop at the brand new Lowes to get a miniature rose.... I need some instant gratification... so instead I got Lindt dark chocolate!

re: cost of plants.....
If that's your hobby go for it, you know how much $ people spend on fishing, cars, golf???!!! etc....
The only thing I find somewhat of a waste is if you're spending a ton on annuals, some are fine but anything that will bring a smile to your face every time it comes up is worth the cost and effort.

You're right! My favorite annual is tomatoes!!!!!!

Kassia, chocolate is an excellent substitute for roses

Jackie, if you find any new places, let me know.

flowerjen, good point! I don't smoke, drink, play golf, fish, climb mountains, scuba dive, travel, collect stamps, have any pets, ski, drive race cars, (lets see, what else is expensive?)...I can spend my money on plants.

pirl, tomatoes pay their own way!

luna_baby, another good point! get the acorn and the oak and see how you make out.

Gram - no pets? What about your geese? They'd probably be heartbroken to know you don't consider them to be your little darlings!

pirl, the geese and I just have kind of an understanding. I pretend I don't see them and they pretend they don't see me. I talk to them occasionally, and then they pretend they don't hear me LOL

Sounds like my ex-husband!

Lol!
Gram, will do.

Oh I agree ... I love tomatoes.... I am planting at least 10 plants this year... and I already got the supports.... I am even going to plant in pots... and next to some of my roses... lol... I want the birds to do the nasty job of eating all the JB for me!!!! do you think it will work???

No, but I wish it were true. I think you have to be in charge of the JB's - nasty as it is.

oh well some bird should have JB as their favorite meal....

I wish birds had a much larger appetite for the JB's. I end up taking off every rose because I get upset seeing destroyed blossoms. When it's the first few days I do hand pick them and squish them but then the relatives come and that's when I give up. Three weeks later I'm back in the garden with the roses in bloom again.

Tomatoes. You CAN have too many tomatoes! My cupboard is full of jars of green pickle relish from waaaaay too many tomatoes! Couldn't stand wasting them and I don't eat green tomato relish - but my neighbors do!

This message was edited Feb 5, 2007 6:26 PM

You're 100% right. We also had too many tomatoes (as usual) and gave to neighbors, relatives, shut-ins, and I froze many bags of them - all chunked up.