Okay, Ima Liar. I looked at some photos of veronica (speedwell!) in PF and realized that I do indeed have this growing. I'm blushing - embarrassed to realize that veronica is speedwell ... Anyhoo, I'm going to expand my small clump of it this year with my new seedlings. heh
Stoke's Seed Swa-Op Babies!
On the veronica, do you know how long it takes for the seeds to come up. I've been checking my pot every day, and they have been planted about a week and a half, nothing yet. Take into consideration, that it is quite a bit warmer here, but is it too soon to keep staring at them? lol Maybe they are like a watched pot, that never boils. : )
This message was edited Mar 29, 2008 11:02 PM
I think I've got several varieties of veronica in my winter sowing containers (need to check my lists, LOL). One variety that I've had good luck winter sowing and really like is Veronica longifolia. It makes a nice "shoes & socks" plant in my oriental lily bed, and I'm hoping it seeds itself around there now that I've quit using Preen in that bed.
I only managed to get a few pots of Veronica teucrim (Hungarian speedwell) from a winter sowing 2 years back, but I planted it around my variegated Weigelia, and it's turning into a nice little patch. I like its tiny leaves and tidy habit. I think I must have been out of town when it bloomed last year, though, as I don't remember the flowers -- maybe I blinked & missed them? I had a few seeds left, so I sprinkled them in a container. If I can catch seeds forming on my older plants this year, I'll definitely collect them so I have a better chance of expanding my patch.
Since I've been winter sowing this one, I really can't answer the question about germination time.
Thanks Critter, I just thought maybe someone might remember how long they take. I guess I will just have to be patient. : )
~Lucy
Lucy I'll check my notes tomorrow and see if I wrote it down how long it took last year, either I didn't keep much on notes from what I planted in the spring last year or I have some notes I haven't found yet :) If I don't come back on and let ou know by the afternoon remind me please :)
Full day tomorrow, nite all 8^)
Ok, Lea. Thanks. Nite, Nite, Sweet Dreams. : )
I would just be happy with Veronica that stands up and doesn't flop! I don't care how tall it gets, what color it is, just that it doesn't flop to the ground.
Suzy
Suzy, does yours go to the ground? The ones in my front yard don't I just hope they come back it has flooded all winter!
"Shoes & Socks plant" -- LOL, I like that term. I'll bet that Ver. looks pretty groovy next to a varieg. wiegela -- if I had room next to mine, I might give that a go, but don't think I could even squeeze one in.
My Veronica is growing in a very sunny part of my garden and it stands up pretty well, though I suppose that a few branches do flop, Suzy. The thing that I like least about it is its feet, so I will definitely be putting in a low grower next to it this year to camouflage the ugly bitz.
I cannot recall how long mine took to germinate, sorry.
I have two different varieties of veronica in a client's yard (I know, I get to play in multiple yards!!) and they both had parts that flopped but would curve back up (not all of the spikes flopped) so I never bothered with any kind of staking or anything, just knew they would do that and gave them the room. I have to go by her yard this week for the first "check of spring" to make sure her bulbs, etc. are doing OK, and clean up a bit, I'll see how her veronica's doing and check for any volunteers. I do deadhead her yard, but not everything as I want some volunteers to bulk up some areas.
Veronica longifolia does sprawl around, but then the flower spikes curve upright as dryad said... it's not a "specimen" plant IMO, but it makes a great filler!
Veronica is new to me. I bought one plant 2 years ago and it died (sigh), so I'm really looking forward to these.
I love my Veronica getianoides in the fron yard they do great as far as standing up I just think my sun is weird in the back yard I can't wait to use that calculator back there this year to see just what kind of sun I have, I wouldn't think I have full sun in the fron yard it just gets afternoon sun but I have some full sun plants that do better there than in the back yard with sun all day, go figure? lol
That's a shame grampapa I hope those grow for you!
Lucy I haven't forgotten you I'll check on those this afternoon :)
Lucy can't find my notes on the veronica but here is some directions from T&M and I don't remember covering the seed I'm sure I just planted them on top of the soil it says it can take 30 days I WS mine in the spring so there's no telling how long it took I am keeping better notes this year, that's a promise I mad to myself BUT I have already messed up down stairs LOL
Veronica getianoides
Sow late winter to mid spring in a good seed compost just covering seed with a thin layer of compost or vermiculite. Germination takes 21-30 days at 20-25C (70-75F). Sealing in a polythene bag after sowing is helpful. Place in the dark until the first seedlings appear and aim to keep the compost moist but not saturated. Lower the temperature a little after germination.
They have another veronica on there and it says almost the same thing about germination :) So just hold on it will take a little longer :)
Thanks, Lea. : ) I guess I better quit staring at them, for awhile. : )
~Lucy
Your welcome Lucy :) You know my skullcap isn't doing very well either I think I'm going to lose the last batch of seeds the green mold is taking over on them, the only seed tray I have this year with the green mold on and it doesn't seem to be too wet :( They were the lateriflora, oh well.
I have a couple of pots with the dreaded green mold, also. If you don't water them enough, you kill them, and if you water too much, you kill them. Can't win. lol : )
My Veronica Sunny Boy Blue has germinated!!!!! I didn't think they would! These were winter sown.
Gee, it's going to be very cold tonight . . .I hope they make it.
They will be fine Seandor, my veronica outside I have planted in the ground is coming up too, these type of plants that come out real early in the spring that I have in jugs I don't worry about germinating so early :)
Is that Sunny Border Blue? Gram said hers germinated, too. It is wonderful and it stant erect. As Wrightie said, though, the bottom is ugly. About the bottom 9" or so.
I have a whole open window with comments about all the morning chatter, but I have to close a bunch of stuff before I can find it. I stopped in the middle because Iwas boring myself, so I probably need to edit it shorter. LOL!
LOL, Suzy!
Here's a new pic of my gawgeous geraniums. Whose idea was it to buy these, anyway? I love 'em and they haven't even "done anything" yet. =) I finally managed to transplant most of my seedlings into cowpots yesterday ... I seem to like to get them good and rootbound before I get off my rumpus and re-pot. I've always been like that.
This message was edited Mar 30, 2008 4:43 PM
Gee, Everything looks so good! The geraniums will be the perfect size for putting iona basket or container, won't they. Good job! I love mine, too! :)) But I believe it was Bluespiral's idea.
Suzy
Suzy, please note your dahlias behind the geraniums. They will be gorgeous, too. I think that those are the coral ones, not sure.
Hmm, if the Sunny Border Blue needs something to hide its base, maybe I'll try planting Veronica longifolia around it...
ROTFL!!! Keeping it in the family?
I was thinking yellow and ferny -- like Bidens or Marigold Lemon Gem...or maybe something moundy and off to the side like Melampodium. I have so many choices, it will be like having my private Garden Center right here.
LOL, Suzy. I think, thanks to you, I could probably start my own nursery now. lol : ) Only the Lord knows, how I'm gonna be able to get all these plants in the ground. But, I'm working on it. : )
~Lucy
Yup, Lucy, just use all that space between those orange trees! If you added up all that space, you probably would have 10 acres to plant!
Suzy
Yep, and I would probably have a broke arm from DH twisting it, asking what was I thinking when I decided to do that. lol
I am in the process now, of convincing him that the more flower beds we have, the less grass he would have to mow, here at the house. I think it's working. lol : )
Lucy, LOL on the garden center. I've told a couple of friends that they could do their plant shopping here ;0)
Here is Viola 'Penny Purple Picotee'
and Zinnia 'Uproar Rose'. It's a fuzzy pic. I forget to change my computer glasses for my bifocals, so fuzzy things look they're in focus (isn't it fun to get old?)
and everything that is w/s that has germinated
Cheddar pinks
Cupid's dart
Delphinium 'Pacific Astolat'
Dianthus 'Ballad Blend' (I think I bought a pack of this on my own)
Italian alkanet 'Blue Angel'
Salvia viridis
Veronica 'Sightseeing Mix'
there are only a few things left. I will probably direct sow the sunflowers.
edit for sp
This message was edited Mar 31, 2008 8:53 AM
nice gram...you reminded me...I keep forgetting to plant the Italian alkanet!
I'll have to look and see if my delphinum has germinated too. I transplanted a few clumps of my violas yesterday, I just split the clumps into larger pots. Yours appear spaced out a little nicer than mine.
On the Melampodium.. I have a generous packet of that from the swap :-) Has anybody tried winter sowing or direct sowing with it (I guess I'm "spring sowing" by now, but still using my WS containers), or do I need to make room under the lights for that one? Thanks!
I got some D. 'Ballad Blend' from Stokes in Suzy's swap... will have to check to see if it's up yet!
LOL, grampapa. I'll just go through my drawer of old glasses, and find just the right pair to view your pictures. No Problem. LOL : )
~Lucy
You know when it comes time to plant and I have all of these plants hardened off that I grow and in little pots like a nursery it is like going to a nursery and picking out your plants only you don't have to pay for them I love it! And f course I like my selection a lot better than the nurseries around here! For soeone that has a smaller yard and doesn't have the room for a bunch of plants I don't see how they choose which plants to grow it's so hard LOL
Good morning folks! Thought I'd show you what a few of my petunias are looking like this morning :)
Wow, dryad, those look very nice, and healthy, too. : )
Fantastic! Now I think I have to repot mine to bigger containers - yours seem to be in what . . . yogurt containers. Mine are healthy, but they are in 2 inch paper pots.
Robin your petunias are looking good and I see a little bloom there :) Mine aren't quite that big yet I just transplanted 70 from Tunik's purple LOL They will be gone in no time too LOL That's not all I have I have some lilac and about 5 pink too. What is the plant on the right top? Looks like a daisy?
Seandor, yours should be fine that's about the size I have mine in they don't take as much room up and they will still get big :) I've got mine in two inch 6 packs I'm not transplanting them to anything bigger.