We just bought a house and moved in in July.
We were able to do a little end-of-the-year plantings, but not much.
This year, I am going a little nuts..this is my select seeds order
Four O'Clock 'Custard and Cream' Seeds
Hollyhock 'Nigra' Seeds
Hollyhock - Fig 'Happy Lights' Seeds
Mignonette
Nasturtium 'Variegated Queen' Seeds
Night Phlox 'Midnight Candy' Seeds
Petunia - Balcony Seeds
Poppy- Lauren's Grape
Red Cypress Vine Seeds
Sunflower - Mexican Seeds
Tobacco 'Bella' Seeds
Tobacco - Jasmine Seeds
Tobacco - Woodland Seeds
I love this place..losts of things I wouldn't find locally!
I am also getting a couple of datura's as well from them.
So..does anyone have any expereince growing any of these from seeds?
I know the poppies will have to go in the ground asap..
Just put in my select seeds order..
Hi Artemiss, Welcome to the CG Forum!
Nice list you've got there...I've always wanted those Balcony Petunias, but never got around to getting them. They are the ones that are supposed to be fragrant, is that right? Mmm, petunias smell like summer!
I think I grew everything on our list from seed last year -- maybe not the exact varieties, but the plants...except not the Cypress vine.
I don't have any pointers, exactly, but I can tell you what NOT to do LOL!
Hopefully some other folks will jump in, too, because there are many ways to get good results.
I started my petunias on Feb 15 last year and they were already blooming and in 6" pots by set out, so I would advice not to start them that early, or make sure you have a lot of lights.
Four O' Clocks can be started inside under lights a month before set out, or they can also be started 1 week before your last frost in the ground, direct sown
Sunflowers do best direct sown anytime from one week before your last frost to about May 25th or so. These are tricky because mice, and squirrels like to eat the seeds and can sniff them out (maybe they just run into them and don't actually sniff them, but they can decimate a planting!) A lot of people use cheap little dixie cups to germinate them, and then put them in the ground, but it isn't to get a jump on the season, it's to keep the durn rodents away. 1 seed per cup.
Whoops, I just realized you said Mexican Sunflowers -- Tithonia -- and those need heat. They love heat. The ground needs to be warm, and I think some people have trouble with them because of that. I wintersowed mine and they were fine, but I might have had heavy losses without knowing it. (I had lots of jugs, too many to count seeds and keep records) Just don't put them in the ground until the soil is warm.
----> If you're not familiar with wintersowing, our own Critterologist aka Jill N. has an artilce today on it: http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/585/
Hollyhocks may as well be started in late June-July -- directly sown in the garden -- because they like to germinate in the heat and then grow when it's cooler -- cooler nights, I mean, and they don't bloom the first year, anyhow.
Nasturtiums can be started, direct sown, in the ground a full month before your last frost. They can take a lot of cold.
I only grew the Woodland Tobacco and I wintersowed it. I got maybe 500 seeds, and 500 germinated (little seeds). I just clump transplanted them and they grew so fast they choked each other out and I had to go in and pull them to make room for the biggest....those babies get big!
The final thing is the poppy You'll want to toss them out, but be sure it's on bare ground and not mulch or leaves or garden debris. I can tell you how I do it, and why I do it that way, and you can decide for yourself if it's for you. I like my poppies spread out because when thy start blooming, there isn't much else going on here and I don't like them bunched up and clumped together, I like them spread out. So I go out before a snowfall in Feb, and it's usually a windy day, and I sprinkle them around so the wind carries the seed more or less where I want them to grow. And then the snow comes (they don't really need the snow, that's an old wives' tale, but it gives them a jump on the season to be sown so early, and I feel like they are more protected from the rodents. ) They are extremely cold tolerant.
I have some seed here (snick) -- was there anything that you wanted to buy but just didn't for one reason or another? I might be able to get together a Cottage Gardenpack and send it if you're interested and if you can give me some guidance on what you'd like.
Suzy
This message was edited Feb 2, 2008 5:15 AM
Suzy,
You are a font of information.
She sure is. : ) And always willing to help.
Wow!
That was an awesome welcome, thanks! :)
A bit about what I am planning:
I am doing a big bed along the back of the house..it is going to be the woodland tobacco in the back/center, the jasmine tobacco and some cosmos along the back/sides,
two "islands" of the four o'clocks flanked by cornflowers -or bachelor buttons as my gramma called them :) I am putting zinnias in the front center -- and I haven't decided what kind/color of those I want. The variegated nasturtiums are going to be planted along the front as a messy border to spill out over the edge.
Along the sunny side of the house I am planting the bella tobacco and hollyhocks in the back and the poppies in the front..I need something in the front behind the poppies though, as those wont be in bloom all season..any suggestions?
Cleome came to mind, but it is tall as well..maybe the mingonette?(or maybe that should go in with the zinnias, since it isn't much to look at? so many options!!)
the mexican sunflowers are going to be a living hedge along a small stretch of fence that is visible to the road..and I thought I might put some tall marigolds in front of them..but dunno yet.
The petunias are going into containers to hang by the entrances..you are right, they DO smell like summer!-and thanks for the heads up on starting them too early..I tend to get really eager myself, lol
(I could prolly spare a few seeds too, if you would like to try them, btw.)
I am having trouble finding an old-fashioned blue and white mix of bachelors buttons like my gramma used to grow..they are either all blue, dark purple, or mixed pink/blue/purple/white, and since that bed is all things she taught me how to grow as a child, so I'd really like find those.
I haven't picked up any marigold seeds yet, and was hoping to get some of those on a trade, since I know they make tons of seeds once started...and I love them in all sizes!
Other areas are still open to construction, since this is the first house "all mine" to plant, it's been soo much fun, and I welcome any input and advice!
Bachelor buttons are like poppies -- they poop out in the hot weather (Add Calendula and Clarkia/Godetia, Pansies and Agrostemma to that list, too.) To get blue & white bachelor's butons, you can buy blue, and buy white and mix them -- otherwise you can plant the mix and just yank out the ones that are the wrong color as soon as they bloom.
Cosmos, even in your area should have enough time for you have 2 seasons - early and late.
The Rudbeckia Gloriosa daisies, Zinnias, Celosia, Tiothonia and amaranth/amaranthus are all hot season... I'm sure there are a million more, I just can't think of any. That's because ZINNIAS will fill every hole and every void in the garden! See if you can pick up a pack of the med sized bushy ones: Magellan or -- Oh wait, I know of a dentists office where I can go get some seeds... LOL! (I already asked permission and they said yes, but there were more seeds to be had....I'll toddle over there tomorrow with a pair of clippers. :)) )
I'm not really a very good designer, but dmail your address to me and I'll get some seeds to you next week....all colors, just use the ones you want. That's the great thing about annuals -- your red bed this year can be blue and gold next year! Whatever you feel like.
I have some cool Coral Nymph Salvia I think you'd like, oh and some other junk....I'll just put it in an envie and you can play around with it. Maybe instead of having 3 heights: short, med & tall, you can go short, sort of med, a little taller, and tall. LOL! Might be easier to do in the long run. Last year mine was too flat, but you already have that problem licked with the Hollyhocks, Nicotiana and Tithonia.
Suzy
Here is a link to what it looks like to have Nasturtiums interrupted with other things instead of a complete and solid border. This border could use some variegation, couldn't it?
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/fp.php?pid=4386128
The trouble with Nasturtiums as a border is they get really big by the end of the summer, and even the dwarf ones can get sort of long. They kill the grass by growing over it and smothering it. I had them coming out a good three feet into the grass in some places, and not the great line and curve and turf edge are history. On the other hand they are sooo cool!
S.
Hmm, I never realized it was the heat that pooped out the bachelors buttons..I had planned to sow them, the cosmos and the jasmine tobacco in waves a few weeks apart for that reason...hmm..
Well the back bed is likely to be raised a bit, and I had planned to plant the the trailing nastutuims in a good ways and rather sparsely..with something small and short-lived in between for the beginning. We have doggies though, and I would like to keep a good solid border of something non poisonous for that reason..
Beatifull garden btw..what are the pink things in between the nasturtiums in the foreground?
And sending a pm now!
Holy Toledo! Ha ha. Sorry. :)) I forgot, you are going to be closer to a Michigan climate than Columbus/Cinty.....The bachelor's buttons might be okay all summmer....maybe one of the Michigan or PA or New York people will know...
The pink things are actually mini red snapdragons...they are a true red, it's the Nasturtiums that are a red-orange. One of my most favorite plants and I am looking at a pack of seeds right now with your name on it .
Suzy
Hi artemiss! Don't give up on the Bach. Buttons! They're a mainstay of my garden - I'd never be without them!
Select Seeds is my #1 favorite seed source! Too bad you didn't post your list before you purchased them - I could have given you alot of them free!
I've been growing the old-fashioned climbing petunias for a few years and like them. I think next year I'll get the balcony ones because they have pink in their mix.
I love tobacco - they smell so heavenly - I'll never be without those either! Night Phlox are nice, also.
I've been trying Mignonette for about 3 or 4 years now, and haven't been able to get them to germinate. But I keep trying, because I really want them!
I sure hope I can get the bach. buttons to work out somehow..I remember them being one of the very first things I grew as a child.
Yeah, I am infatuated with the tobacco's..if ya couldn't tell, , lol! It's kinda funny, my great grand parents were tobacco farmers who went bust in the depression..and here I am, growing the pretty ones today!
Hmm. is there something special I need to do to the mingonette? I expect to have a lot of failures at first..I haven't done more than container gardening since childhood, so this is a new world for me...
I have no idea about the mignonette - I don't know what I'm doing wrong.
hi artemis :) I love the seeds from Select and have ordered many times from them
I have tried once, Night Phlox 'Midnight Candy' Seeds to no avail ~ maybe you will have better luck than I did
and I grew the balcony petunia, which I really liked alot. the balcony petunia did not self sow as they said it might, but they bloomed all summer and were really nice. They were the first petunias I ever grew from seed before so I was thrilled :)
not the greatest photo, but these are the balcony p. grown from seed from Select Seeds
Here's my Climbing ones. Also, not a good shot of the color, but shows the plant.
Both of those pets are darling!
Were they as fragrant as the catalog claims?
Yes to mine!
Hi artemiss-I live baout 15 mins from you if that!! I live 1 mile from Alexis. I got the old fashioned bachelor buttons mix you are talking about from Wal mart this last year-it showed I think more colors on it, but I only got blue & white. I put them on the E side of my house so they got afternoon shade.
We also just bought our house this last year in March!! This is my 1st year with a garden & have been trading seeds on here like crazy!! Just got done with my 1st swap-SMOOCHES TO SUZY!! and am taking a crack @ the whole seed thing for the 1st time-going to try WS some & starting some inside!!
It sounds like we have a lot in common-too bad you already placed your order-there are like 3 things I wanted from there, but didn't want to pay for shipping for like 3 things!! Oh well, I am glad you found DG-the people here are terrific and couldn't be more helpful!! Maybe we can go to some nurseries I found this last year this spring!!
Stacey-happy to be your neighbor!!
Here is one of the beds I did this last year-well it's not quite finished-have some more things to put in it now!!
How cool is that? :)
I am actually almost in Maumee, but I know the area you are talking about..not far at all! We just moved here from Missouri in July, so I am still getting my bearings, but I am pretty good with yahoo maps now!
I will have to look at walmart for their bachelor's button's mix..and like someone mentioned, just pull the colors I don't like if they show up.
Suzy is da bomb! She is sending me some stuff too...I feel like a little kid at Christmas, hee-hee! I am putting a plant order in with them a bit later..but that might be harder to coordinate than seeds...let me know.
And I would LOVE to go to some nurseries this spring!
When we moved her we moved from Fresno, CA, so I know what you mean about getting your bearings-I just thought it was neat that you just moved to the area, just bought a house and are putting in new beds-just like me!!!
I will have to Dmail you some extra seed I have if you want it to add to your gardens!! I was so excited a couple of weeks ago-I was on my way home from a meeting (taking a different route) and found that they are building a garden center right soen the road from me. I can't wait to go to the nurseries this spring. I only know of the ones by my house, so if you know of any you want to add to it, just let me know!!
I am worried-I planted a TON of irises this fall (most of them reblooming) and they were sitting in a puddle for the last 2 days with the rain and I am really praying that they don't rot!!
The most helpful place that I have found for seed sowing instructions is:
http://tomclothier.hort.net/index.html
Stacey
Wow, yours was a much bigger move than ours! This is just a slightly flatter flavor of the midwest to me..but I bet the whole climate here has been a shock for you!
Part the fun so far has been discovering what was already here.
When we were diggiing up the front bed to put in some bushes, the DBF exclaimed "@#^$&# little onions everywhere! Who puts onions in the front yard??"
I look..these little "onions" are dormant spring bulbs!! I went through the mulch pile and pulled them all out..I had something like 2 gallon pots FULL. I figured out what they were this fall when the front bed started getting random patches of "grass" where we found the "onions"..grape hyacinths..apparently they are prolific, and we missed ALOT!
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/692/
So dug up the rest, and planted them with a box of daffodils along the front beds!
I could be wrong, but I am thinking irises like the wet, so you might be okay..and boy this wet has been something else! We have a small pond in our backyard where there used to be grass..wanna go ice skating anyone? :)) I am actually glad for the freeze..the dogs were tracking in so much mud from playing in it, the goobers.
One place that really impressed me last year was the garden center at The Anderson's..even late in the season, they had a fairly impressive selection for that type of store. (At least the one in Maumee did..) I took a wrong turn and stumbled upon it a few weeks after I moved here...so far it has been my favourite place for the somewhat unusual..food and plants.
I have a feeling I will have extras of some stuff as well, so I will do the same!
I got a ton of stuff from the Anderson's by me this last year too. I got some of my iris, tulip & crocus there in the fall as well as some perennials for 75% off!!:) I managed to find like 6 nurseries this last year and have a couple I really like.
You had me ROTFL over the "onions"-that just shows how much our DH pay attention to these things. I have 14 half moon shapes around my front walkway that have tulips & grape hyacinths in them-I had to work around the sprikler heads-I really wanted to totally line it, but unwilling to pay to have the line moved for some tulip bulbs.
Here is a schematic of 1 of the beds I just did this last fall-all I asked for for my Bday this last year was flowers, so I got shipments from Brecks, Spring Hill, Bluestone, MI Bulb, Brent & Becky's, Van Bourgian, & Dutch Bulbs that all had to go in this last fall (some of them are still in the garage...:()
Illoquin:
Thank you thank you thank you!!!!
I got my select seeds stuff AND your package today!
*Squeal* It was like Christmas!!! :))
PS:
I will get those petunia seeds out to you ASAP...it will be about half of my pack from SS.
(wanders off to look up goodies on plantfiles)
~A
Yay, I'm glad you received them!
No, please, I changed my mind. Do NOT send me any petunias -- LOL! I am up to my eyeballs in seeds and unless they can grow in the trees, I am totally out of room, or will be shortly. You harevst those little seeds and join the Fall swap or the Jan swap and get them passed around, ok? Last year about did me in, so this year it might be a memorial swap because I am only so young and can only get so much done in a day. RIP, Suzy!
Suzy
I got my Select order yesterday! I ordered:
Night Phlox,
white Thunbergia,
Asarina vine (creeping gloxinia), and
Stock Sugar & Spice mix.
Three plants (haven't arrived yet):
Chrysanthemum, Hillside Sheffield Pink
Geranium, Mr. Wren
Geranium, Appleblossom Rosebud (Queen Victoria's fave)
Primrose Sue,
I ordered geraniums Appleblossum and Rosebud last year (along with Gardener's Joy) and I think you will be very pleased. They were spectacular last year and are overwintering in low light and reduced water very well. I can see why her majesty loved Rosebud - it is completely unique. Such a great company.
Donna
Oh, now I want those, too! LOL! Stop it! :)
Suzy
Suzy,
Why not? Be wild! And, by the way, Gardeners Joy really likes cool weather, so it blooms first, slows down, and then when the temperatures start to fall, it surges again.
Donna
I'm sure glad you all aren't showing any pictures of them. That would be the last straw. lol : )
Ah, I was thinking about those two geraniums myself..I also like the "crystal Palace gem".
I LOVE the fuschia 'Gartenmeister Bonstedt'..I was able to find it at a local nursery back in Columbia, but I am not sure if anywhere around here carries it...
Doesn't 'Gardener's Joy' remind you of a pansy?
Oh, that Fuschia is to die for! I have seen lots of pictures of those, but none in person and for sale...I suppose I might have to buy it, and I suppose buying the geranium(s) is only fiscally responsible to get the most out of my shipping charges. LOL! DG might only charge $20.00 a year, but it costs me a whole lot more than that to be on here! LOL!
Did you know that when the Hummer scouts see that Fuschia they'll call their buds to set up housekeeping nearby? That style of Fuschia, plus the red Columbines like A. canadense and Red Star. Maybe Red Trumpet Vine/Red Lonicera Red American Honeysuckle -- whichever of those bloom in May. I read that last year.
Suzy
I knwo that the hummers LOVE my Weigela!!
Oh, Suzy, if only you lived closer!! There is a little mom & pop nursery that has the NEATEST fushias that I have never seen B4-my mom and grams LOVE them for mothers day!!! I will have to take some pics this year!!
I hope my Weigelia is still alive. It was just a baby & it got overrun last summer and I didn't notice. I'd better move it to a more nursery-like position this spring.
Yes, I would love to see pics....no, wait, I don't want to LOL!
Blue Glancer,
I'm bad! Found a pic of Gardener's Joy. And this is early in the season!
Donna
You're killin' me!
I'm a very bad influence!
Oh, Donna, that's gorgeous! I may have to place a second order!
Donna, shame on you. You know how weak we are. That is absolutely beautiful. Now, where did I put my checkbook? : )
~Lucy
I chastise myself!
Donna
That DOES remind me of a pansy! :)