Maybe it's the flourescent lights that make them bloom earlier? I had a turbinata at work and it only had 2 leaves and was making a flower bud! I have to go look up setosa, is that the orange one? I bought one called 'Sunspots' that's yellow and orange................as if I need another MG.
Steven
seed growing
Wow, Steve. I've never had a bloom on mine early on like that. I have a few now that are shortly gonna be getting too friendly with each other. But I think all the wire coat hangers have been recycled.
Steven - lovely lovely lovely! Or maybe I should say handsome, handsome, handsome; you did refer to your morning glory as "he", didn't you? LOL. Seriously though, very nice.
I believe a number of my MG's have flower buds starting; they're not very big yet, but it seems that they are indeed there.
Ann - someone in the MG forum, can't remember who, suggested using a finer gauge of wire (instead of coat hangers) to make MG supports. I imagine it's something you could buy at a hardware store.
Joanne
Thank-you for the nice comments :) I noticed earlier, that somehow the stem got broken on my MG......about half way up the plant :( it's almost broken all the way through...........but attached enough so it's still alive and he is loaded with buds so thats good. Since the flower's blue it's a boy but for pinks, reds, ect it would have to be a girl :)
Steven
Too bad you didn't live closer - I would send you a pink one for company for your boy! LOL.
Joanne
the weather was nice enough to get out to the greenhouse on the weekend, so neice and I started some seeds. 27 flats so far. mostly veggies, some flowers
the rest of the quicker to germinate flowers will be started this weekend......
ah, spring!
You're so lucky to have a greenhouse! My flats (I've got about 8 of seedlings, 6 with bulbs and tubers) are mostly indoors, but I've started hardening off some things and that means the old in-and-out routine...
I'll be in your neighbourhood tomorrow! Our family cottage is on the Big Rideau and I'm digging a new bed. The photo shows my former vegetable garden, which I had to take out a few years ago. This year I'm opening it up again (YAY!). I'm also planting a few things, fertilizing some established plantings and generally getting the place set up for the season. Busy day. My dog will love being free of city shackles for the day. So will I.
Wow all!
I'm so glad all of you are having good results with your seeds. I seem to have thwarted off my damp off with powdered cinnamon! WOOHOO!
Steven - I like the way you think, blue for a boy and pinks, reds for a girl. Nice picture of your baby boy. You must be a proud father!
Erynne - you said mg - your pharmacy days. Please tell more. I have a medical background and did a stint working as a pharmacy tech for 6 months. I really missed working in the doctor's office so went back to my true calling until I couldn't physically work anymore. Please share your pharmacy days background. I am very interested!
Happy Gardening to all! Let the sun shine in!!!!!!!!!
Hugs Elaine
Andy - will you be at your cottage the whole weekend? I have to go downtown on Friday and was hoping to drop seeds off to you.
Should have read more. Elaine - so glad you survived and triumphed over the damping off. Must remember - cinnamon.
Just came in from Rona where I picked up some Jalapena seeds. Mine must be too old as NONE of them germinated. I don't like to buy the pepper plants because I've had very bad luck with getting mislabelled plants.
Ann, I'll probably be coming back Friday afternoon but I'm not sure. I'm planning to do the digging and yard work on Thursday and build the fence on Friday because it's supposed to rain. If I get finished I might come back. I just don't know.
If it's convenient for you, you could leave the seeds in my mailbox; but I have some seedlings set aside for you if you want them... maybe next week? Sorry to be so vague.
I know what you mean about mislabelling! I grow most things I really want from seed for that reason. And, of course, to get things you never find in nurseries or garden centres.
mislabelling, that's happened to me twice with seeds from a LARGE company.
I purchased cherry tomato seeds last year, only to find that most of them grew to be 'ground cherry' or tomatillo plants...... (the papery husked fruit)
Then, a different variety cherry tomato seed (from the same company) this year, and it appears that they are tomatillos......... again.
Time to complain to seed company......
anyone want a tomatillo plant?
What seed company was that? I would have thought the chances would be better with seeds, but maybe not. how many Cherry tomatoes are you trying to grow? I probably have a few (very few because they don't put much in a packet any more and I had them last year) seeds left. I grow Sweet Million and a tiny grape-shaped yellow one (can't remember the name off hand.) Anyway, if you're interested D-mail me your address and I'll send what I have left.
Ann
Hi Digging_Dirt!
I'm doing pretty good with tomatoes, peppers and eggplant. I've transplanted them once and hope to get them in the garden the middle of next month.
The flower seeds are slower, if at all. I'm sowing all the old packets to see if anything is still good. I'm checking mine everytime I walk by and also have a neglected DH and cats :))
I had to restart the cabbage and brussels sprouts. They might have been too close to the lights, they dried up. The datura and spotted touch me not are up, but nothing else.
This is the covered lighted plant shelving DH built for me!! Keeps the cats out!
Sally
I just love that plant shelving!!! hehehe....gotta show it to hubby......
I love it too. All supplies bought at Menards. Very little waste on the boards. Cost $170.00 for everything. Then we decided each shelf needed two lights instead of one. That works better. By then, the lights were on sale. (I haven't added them into the total cost yet.)
It's 6' tall, 53 1/2'' wide and 19 1/2'' deep. The chains let me get close to the sprouts, or lift it to accomodate tall plants.
Since I have cats, I also cooled a chicken in there :))
mmmmmmmmmmmmm that chicken lookes yummy.
The shalves covered with plastic would make a good coldframe as will,i my try that.
Laughing. It was delicious! The recipe is on one of the cast iron threads by Gymgirl. It was brined chicken :o~
I just took this a few minutes ago.
yep, definitely gotta get me one of those.....having 6 cats in the house, seed starting is difficult to say the least.
I learned the hard way. There's no training a husband to just shut a door behind him when you have plants hidden away. This is the first one he built. I've outgrown it and fallen back on it. The side folds down.
Sally, What a handy hubby you have. That's a great solution. I wouldn't change a thing about my hubby because he's great, and if he was handy too, he'd be perfect, and we'd probably end up divorcing because that's just too hard to live up to! LOL
I've got the un-handy version in my unfinished basement (a seed-starting set-up not husband!). Some knocked together shelves in the corner, not pretty but they are enclosed on three sides. Then I velcroed on some screen-door type screening to keep out - not cats, but mice! (joys of country living) I guess you could say it's the redneck version of your cabinet which is so lovely you can take pics of it and even display it in your living quarters!
Not having cats myself I was curious why the cats interfere with seed starting. Do they eat the leaves or dig in the soil?
Sandy
ooohhhh I've got lettuces up in the greenhouse this morning, just planted them Sunday.
Cats just walk around on evertything, at least mine do...and the tender new shoots can't handle it, especially my big, fat, lazy, housecats. The soil is cool so it's a perfect spot for a nap.
ps....if you have mice you should get a cat, I have never seen a mouse in my 15 years here, and I'm in the country. The lady next door caught 35 of them this past winter, told her she needs a cat too.
This message was edited Apr 26, 2007 10:16 AM
Billy - great grow op you've got there!
Regarding cats; mine is only interested in grasses or grassey foilage; I only have 6 of the 8 ornamental purple millet plants I started remaining because I neglected to remember this. LOL.
Joanne
Oh I am so envious of all of you - but happy for you too! Sounds like things are-a-growin'.
I have several seeds planted, ran out of room. Wonder if DH will sleep on the floor for a month so I can use his side of the bed to get more seeds started. I think it is a reasonable request don't ya think! Either that or trade houses with someone who doesn't mind living in 1 1/2 storey house. I know, I'll trade with someone with a huge greenhouse all ready for me to bring in my stuff. I think I'll ask for a young fella to fetch me what I need and do my digging and moving things around too. One can dream can't they?
Hugs to all
Elaine
Hi Sandy,
The first year I had the cats as kittens, they ate every tomato plant that was just up. Then I resowed and when they came up, hid them in a room with a door. DH left the door open when he came in, and they ate them again.
So, He built a frame around the lights I ordered from Park Seed, pictured after the tall one :))
Sally
Thanks for the info on cats, you guys and I know I should get one, but hubby isn't that fond of cats and I'm allergic, but I'd love to have a mouser. My DH parents had an outside cat, if you can believe it. Poor thing had half an ear from scrappin' with who-knows-what in the bush, but kept the mouse population to a minimum. I don't think I would have the gumption to have an outside cat.... no it would be sleeping on my bed within a week probably.
Elaine, I like your thinking re the 'young fella for digging and moving things around.' Those that know me are thinking, well why don't you get your two young teenage lads to help? Then those that have or have had teenage lads understand that their social life comes first! LOL
Sandy
Hi Elaine :) I am a proud MG father :) My boy will soon have lots of siblings........I've got around 100 seeds soaking! What was I thinking?
Anyone have ideas of what to do with moring glories when you only have one available fence and a couple trelises to put them on?
HELP!
Steven
I let em grow up the TV antennae, the trees at the back fenceline, the garage is wood, they climb up it pretty good.....put a few in the lilac bushes, used the old rose branches...but moonflowers are gonna be there this year....
Yes Steven, I know how to help you......bring all that you can't fit to my house.......
sorry, I couldn't help myself, lol
Threegardeners - I'm trying Moonflowers for the first time this year. Am excited to be planting them. Oh when will it ever be planting time? Gonna throw out a question to all the Canadians here. I'm in Zone 5a. When does everyone feel safe enough to plant their seeds in their gardens?
Will check back to see what everyone says.
SW- Can you make some rectangular freestanding trellises? There are some that look really easy to make or do you have the room? Even stretching some chain-link and using a staple gun on a rectangular wooden frame that you can put together would work. Or even an old window frame. I by the way am the queen of frugal. I use two wicker headboards and let my MGs wrap around them. Are you crafty at all?
BFN
Hugs Elaine
Elaine,
It all depends on WHICH seeds. I would put out lettuce and early frost tolerant seeds now if I had the garden prepared. But beans, and tender things, I'll wait until at least the middle of May. I tend to start flowers ahead inside and I'll put the plants outside soon, but watch them pretty carefully at first.
Ann
OMG! Those "Spiral thingies" are totally cool! NEVER seen them before..... AND thanks for reminding me to plant my MG seeds! DOH!
Elaine, I was just re-reading the thread and realized you asked me about my pharmacy days....sorry I missed that! I worked as a Certified Pharm. Tech at a pediatric institution for 10 yrs, mainly in Haematology/Oncology. I ended my career there in Sept 2005 to work with DH at the company we now co-own (sometimes I wonder about the wisdom in this move or lack of, lol). One day, I may get back into it.
As for starting seeds outside, I've been referring to this book to help me with that:
http://davesgarden.com/gbw/c/315/
Get this book! It is incredibly helpful!
I've already sown a few things over the past few days that a couple of light frosts wouldn't hurt.
Steven, I read somewhere that someone used an extra ladder that they had for MGs. Also, when I was at a Stratford play last year, they had MGs climbing up what looked like fishing line tied up to the top of a pole. I really had to pull back the foliage to figure out how they did that because that fishing line is practically invisible and it was in a teepee fashion.
Hi all, I have a dilemma. Last year I started to harden off my plants too early, end of April and lost a few. This year I don't want to make the same mistake. When should I start to harden of plants this year. I was hoping to in the next week, but I'd perfer to only harden them off for 1 week, although some sites say for several weeks. I'm in Guelph zone 5b. I have Amaranthus, Daturas, Petunias, Impatiens, Ivy Geraniums, Red Sheild Hibiscus, Nastursums, Morning Glory plants, not vines, Black Eyed Susan Vines, Dichondra, German Ivy, Tomatoes, Hot Peppers, Hollyhocks....I'd welcolm any advise !
beany - it probably depends how disciplined you are and what sort of set-up you have. If you've got a good sheltered space you could put them out as soon as the daytime temps are mild. Be sure they aren't in sun for the first couple of days and gradually move them into a sunnier spot. BUT, for awhile, you will need to watch your nighttime temps like a hawk and be prepared to bring them all back in at night. If it's difficult to bring them back in or your schedule doesn't allow you to easily get them in, you are better off waiting awhile.
Morning all~~~~~~~~
Erynne - Thanks for the response to my question about your "pharmacy days."
I have the utmost respect for anyone who works in a pharmacy. I was hired at Shoppers Drug Mart Pharmacy in Peterborough because I had a really good phone relationship with all the gang while I was working for various doctors. I was Elaine the Pain - self-named because one of the docs never wrote a script (except narcotics) and we had to call in everyone's script by phone. Did all renewals by phone as well. There sure is more than counting pills as you well know. Thanks for the book info as well!
I gotta line and I gotta pole honey. I got a line and I got a pole ba-a-by. What a great idea for morning glories or any other vine. I remember reading that and you have inspired me to do it this year as I went a little seed crazy this year. It got to the point, after collecting every seed I could from last year's garden, that I expected my picture to be posted in the store saying DO NOT SELL ANY MORE SEEDS TO THIS LADY OR YOU WILL BE TERMINATED IMMEDIATELY!!!!!!
I kept buying seeds, glorious seeds forgetting that this defective body would have to plant all of them and keep those nasty weeds away from them. I could picture how beautiful they would be and how I would nurture each one and gasp when they produced their gorgeous blossoms. Of course, you have to plan where you are going to put them and what should go with them so you BUY MORE SEEDS. I have to struggle to control myself. Ah well, I always say that I could have some other addiction instead of my garden.
I learn so much just reading the posts.
Ann - As I am still fresh-faced when it comes to my garden, your advice to beany was really helpful as well.
I think I am having problems just having to wait to get the seeds in the ground and all the seeds that I have started. Our growing time seems so short that I have zone envy. Gotta find something else to do while I wait. We have a huge list of to-dos but nothing as gratifying as the garden.
BBL
Hugs to all
Elaine
I've planted out my baby asparagus and everbearing strawberry plants to the garden blocks Sunday. There's enough left over to replant if they croak. (she who plants every seed in the package, lol) They seemed to have survived the light frost last night. (must remember to clip off the blooms from the strawberries this evening...)
Potatoes will probably go in the ground this weekend..... (depends on the long range forecast....)
already have peas and onions up!
everything else in the green house is off and growing!
YAY!
Thanks for the reply Viola Ann, what temperature overnight would you say is acceptable to keep the plants out overnight ? I'm thinking that although these plants can't tolerate frost, they may also not tolerate cold. As far as my setup goes I do have the room to move them where it's sheltered, I also have a portable greenhouse that could house some more delicate annuals, since space is limited in there.
Beany - it really depends on the plant. Tomatoes, for instance, don't like to get cold and their growth can be slowed down. Are you talking mostly flowers or veggies too? I can't say that I've ever put a number on the acceptable temp. But if they are plants that will seed themselves outside (like Calendula and Cleome), you can safely leave them out a lot sooner than those for which the seeds will winter kill. Some of that knowledge comes with years of watching what works in the garden and some of it is a gut feeling. Sorry not to be able to offer more specifics.
Are you really a zone 5a in Guelph? I would have thought you were a bit warmer than Ottawa. If you are warmer, you can probably put things out a bit earlier than we can.
Ann
PS Don't use the box stores as a guideline. Sometimes their plants get frosted too. And sometimes I think they want you to buy tender stuff early and come back and buy more after it gets frozen.