OK-thanks!!
Join Us! Seed Swap Seed Starting & Conversation #6
gem--what is your last frost date there? And when will you put out your Magellan Zinnias?
I don't have a fan, so I'm blowing on my snaps every time I go by. If anybody saw me they'd have me committed for sure. think it'll help?
you can take your hand and run oer them lightly too :)
I've winter sowed columbines with great success for the past couple of years, although I lost a lot of the new seedlings last summer to wacky weather.
Lea
Question: Is your Black Pearl from seed you bought or traded for? I got 10 seeds in a pack from Park's and have five that have germinated. Two are waiting to be pricked out and three have been transplanted. Oh yeah there are two that got transplanted but they were real crooked and haven't straightened up so I am not counting them yet. I was hoping for 10 plants but that is a little unrealistic isn't it.
I had another question for someone but lost my train of thought and looked back through the posts and nothing rang a bell. Maybe I'll think of it later.
LOL Grampapa, you have to sing to them too.
Illoquin wrote:
"Seandor, Spring comes earlier in the midwest -- Tab's last frost is probably around Apri l12-15. Mine is April 22, for Z5"
Well, I feel ripped-off! What's the point of having warmer winters if it takes longer for spring to arrive? Like I can grow anything in January, anyway???? I would rather it got much colder in the winter, but I had a longer growing season . . . sigh.
Boy, when I grow up, I want to live in zone 8 and have a growing seaon 10 months long. :-)
Me Too Seandor!!! I want to be able to grow all of those pretty tropicals that people like 'those people' tease us with!
LOL I'm not letting a little thing like zone stop me. Pshaw! Did you see my DG article on the banana trees that grew up into my basement rafters last year? This year they are lying on their sides with their roots bagged... of course, they went pretty much completely dormant that way (they stayed green when potted up and watered sparingly a few times).
The only thing that saves me from complete insanity is my decision that only the relatively small bed in front of the deck will be used for anything that has to be lifted in fall!
critter-I hope to be that brave some day-I am still too new to try the tropicals that have to be lifted thing-it scares me-I had Dahlias this last year & I didn't even get them out in time-they were froze in the pot in a solid brick of soil-I lifted the whole thing out when I grabbed the stalk (it was actually kinda funny!!).
I did learn A LOT of lessons this last year and I guess that is all I can ask for is to learn and become better....I think this year will be a much better year for my babies-last year I planted sedlings w/ just the coty whatevers on them instead of true leaves and then wondered where in the world they went (lost about 70 of the 100 I had), learned about pinching and debudding and trimming and watering and mulch and compost and all kinds of stuff (mainly due to the wonderful peeps here @ DG), so I am confident that I won't kill anything off this year!! (crossing fingers)
I am happy I am in Z5 (would rahter be 6 though) because my mom is in 8 and can't grow some of the stuff I love because her winters don't get cold enough...
Today when I get home along w/ some sowing I am going to get my seedlings out from my little GH and give them some air movement and hopefully they will get big & strong just like all of yours!!
You go, girl! I know you can do it!
BTW, I'm still killing babies off by accident. Sometimes this simply happens.......
I got so sad when so many of my seedlings met their demise I ahve resolved to be better this year-I would like it the other way around w/ a 70% success rate at least. I do have a few seeds that I got this year that need more warmth than I can offer w/o a heat mat or lamps, so I guess I will put them in the fridge for next year when hopefully Santa will leave these items under the tree for me;)
'Pshaw!'? LOL I'll have to read your article and try some tropicals this year! I did order some cannas, callas, and caladiums at the co-ops so that's a start. Can't imagine having a banana tree! That's awesome and handy for the morning cereal bowl. Or not? Do you get bananas?
tabasco, I just checked and one site said our last frost date is May 5, and I may try and push it and put a few Zinnias out around May 1.
Yesterday I noticed a couple more wintersown jugs germinating, some Lauren's Grape poppy and another poppy that the seed was given to me with no id, but I know its not P.somniferum.
Inside I have a 4th canna seedling, out of 6 seeds, and a calla lily germinating! The couple of snapdragons I put in the little zipper greenhouse thing a couple of days ago look great, so I think today I'll put all the snaps out there.
My snapdragons haven't sprouted and it's been a week. They aren't on the heat mat, though. I bought a packet of Chantilly snaps from Renee's because I saw a photo of them on someone's blog and they looked gorgeous (your sunset colors). The pack doesn't say how long they take for germination, though. Here's the Renee's seed link (scroll half way down the page) http://www.reneesgarden.com/seeds/seeds-hm/flowersR.htm
Gem, your last frost date seems later than ours?! How can that be? Charts I've seen for Cincinnati have said April 17, but maybe it's variable depending on source. I know many folks don't plant out until Mother's Day or later, even.
Fairy, do you still have a video recorder? With a bit of luck it has a heat vent on which you can put the seeds that need warmth. If you've got an older model fridge, it may have a heat vent too that you can use!
Tobasco, you don't want those banana's! The trees die when they have fruited..... You didn't cover your snap-seeds did you? They need light to germinate, which with me always takes about 2-3 weeks.
Still getting 6 species sprouting each day. It's a miracle how it's never 5 or 7, always 6! Including my first Hemerocallis, which for me is quite an achievement. And aquilegia, even though I thought they needed to be stratified....
Weather forecast for the weekend is extremely bad again, so no building of my tomato-greenhouses (again!). But you bet I'll be sowing and pricking out like crazy!
This message was edited Mar 13, 2008 12:33 PM
good morning,
Gemini, you have some nice happenings over there! I have the Laurens Grape poppy too but haven't gotten it sown yet. It looks really pretty in pictures I've seen of it. I can't wait to see it in person, any of the poppies really...my first year to try poppies.
I did direct sow some columbines (weez's McKana pink, and maroon & yellow); and speaking of tropicals, I planted job's tears a few days ago. I forgot to scarify the seed though, I hope they germinate now.
Lebug, I'm trying to figure out where to plant the orlaya grandiflora from you. We do have Queen Anne's Lace in this one spot I'm thinking of planting it...I wonder if they can grow side by side?
Lebug or anyone with orlaya, I'd love to hear how you have it planted. Plantfiles says seed don't store well, I should have planted them by now but haven't. It seems like a dry, sunny spot would be best?
also, my viola seedlings seem to be alot together; do they need to be separated/thinned or can they be planted in groups?
Tuink-I will have to start feeling around on things to see what kicks o heat-thanks!!
good morning, Wind! I never managed to get my Orlaya to germinate but will try again this year. Hopefully I'll manage better because they look so nich in the pictures.....
I prick my viola's out and plant them five together. I can always split them up later, if they become too crowded but usually I don't have to.
I've got some of Weez viola's too! I was thinking about direct sowing them. I'm I correct in thinking they need darkness to germinate, so covering them with soil is the right thing to do?
Hi Cordele,
Direct sowing never worked for me when viola's were concerned.....
This site says 7-14 days germination time for snaps:
http://www.chestnut-sw.com/seeds/flowseed/snapdrag.htm
Looks like a useful site; I found it by googling "germination time for snapdragons". I've had them take longer, but seems since I've been using H2O2 solution I get faster germination. All the snaps I've sown this year have germinated in less than a week, but I do notice several more keep showing up every day.
What's the deal with violas need for darkness to germinate? Is this all violas, including Pansies? I'm curious how nature deals with this, perhaps fallen leaves provide the darkness. I don't recall doing anything special to the Pansies and Johnny jump ups I started last fall.
Yep, they all need darkness to germinate. Temperatures shouldn't be too hight either.
Pansies will sprout easier than violets. In nature the seeds stay dormant in winter and germinate when temperatures start to rise. This plant originally grows in woods where it doesn't get too much light nor high temperatures.
Fairy, check your cable box or satellite receiver, too-that was the only thing I could get to that actually threw off any heat.
C-Dawg,
The Violas C-Dawg has are the Johnny jump ups, and it's a little late to start those in GA because they like to grow in cool temperatures. Can you only sown half, direct sow and throw a few leaves over them? They don't really want to be covered.
Save the rest of the seeds to direct sow in Aug -- then they will self sow and you'll have them blooming next March.
Suzy
Gem Sage - We cross posted, but normally I put vermiculite on top of the seeds which allows a little light in and keeps a little light out, but yes, you guessed right on the viola seed germinating under the leaves.
Why it would be try for Delphinium, I cannot say, though, because it makes no sense. Once again, though, I put vermiculite on top of the seed and it worked fine.
Suzy
You caught me just in time Suzy. I can wait until Aug to sow them. Thanks!
Oh, and this is kind of a late comment, but thanks everyone for explaining about the chamomile tea. :)
Welcome back Star! My, you guys have been busy!! Critter, I'm so hoping we get an update on the tropicals, your article *almost* got me there this year, but I have to be better prepared :) (room in the basement, Nora has to agree to the whole idea - that's a LONG shot...."nature in the basement???")
Dawg - I've got three different kinds of violas from Weez's Wine Box that I planted, and they sprouted. Some are doing well, others are taking their time. I had them in a tray with other seeds, and just covered their side with cardboard (underneath the dome) to block the light. They came up - no problem. I moved them from the basement to my office today (warmer) and they seem to like it, so I'm leaving them there for a bit before I put them in plastic cups.
There are some violas that I'm thinking I need to move back to the basement (where it's cooler) rather than my office, which gets morning sun. They seem to be a bit wilty (pic attached). I have to get a fan in there anyway.
I'm going to try putting out some aquilegia today on the north side of the house - so the neighbors have some thing to look at other than the nasty foundation of our house. I'm just hoping they survive the birdies and other things. If not, then I'll be a'startin' them inside.
I'm going to have to start most everything else for the CG inside, as I know we have a resident bunny and at least two cats. I'm thinking if I put out real plants they'll have a better chance of surviving or being ignored. I'm also dreaming up different ways to make bunny cages, but that's another thread :) And I will let other who are braver try Sweet Peas this year!
Wind and Tunik, you can just pitch those Orlaya outside just before a spring rain and they will shoot up and they should look nice with the queen anne's lace :) I grow mine out front in a flower bed right by the house because I just love the lacy flowers on them I'm pitching some seeds out in the back this year this is the only flower that I really have luck pitching the seeds so it should be safe for you guys lol
Gosh you all are a bunch of chatty people today I thought I would have a lot to get caught up on because I was planting and doing jugs yesterday but I need to get caught up from this morning LOL Suzy you better start another thread for us before you leave cause with all of these babies coming up I know we are going to be chating like crazy LOL We have to have the piggy up there so no one else can do it LOL
tabasco, you'll see in my article that I haven't had any fruit (yet) from those bananas... Wanting them to fruit is what led me to the semi-dormant-potted-up plan last winter, thinking that I could push the "pause" button rather than the "stop" button on their fruiting cycle (which generally requires something like 15 months of growing season).
If they fruit, then die, no problem... they produce pups each year!
Dryad, I do the same thing, setting out plants rather than direct sowing... otherwise, it's more likely that the slugs or the bunnies will mow down every one! Try a couple of winter sowing containers for those columbines, to give them a little protection.
:-)
dryad, isn't it too early to be setting out those columbine? Or do you mean you will be direct sowing seed outside now? Thanks.
Interesting about the bananas. I'll have to study up on them.
I'm going to do both - direct sow some seed where I'd like the plants to grow, and WS some others as back-ups ;-> And the calendar may say it's early, but there are odd things going on and my gut's telling me that the weather is going to be a lot like last year - ups and downs. If some make it from direct sowing, then I'll be that much further ahead!
slugs - ack!! I keep forgetting about those monstrous nasty Hollywood creations....
Just don't look for those seeds to come up this year they may but I pitched some out a year ago last winter and the seeds there didn't come up until the middle of summer last year, not all seeds will do this I'm sure but just telling you my experience with pitching columbine seeds :)
LOL - I won't need to worry about anyone mistakenly pulling them for weeds if they do come up - no one ever goes over there! I'll have to remind myself to keep an eye on them!
Suzy just stopped by and gave me some little nemesia babies that I'll be potting up very soon. I was sitting out on my new front deck enjoying the wonderful spring weather, and Suzy reminded me that my plants would probably enjoy it as well, so I've got three flats of plastic cups out there, soaking it all up :) Being the nervous mom that I am, I check them every 10 minutes or so to make sure I'm not inadvertently making a sacrifice to the sun gods......
That's one thing I don't have to worry about here either if I had someone else to pull weeds for me I would but it's not likely that will happen LOL I'm glad I forgot about my little columbine seedlings coming up that would have drove me nuts waiting that long for them to sprout LOL I'm surprised the voles didn't eat the seeds they live where I pitched them at and it always stays dry there too so they came up with very little watering if I had watched over those babies and messed with them the whole time they probably wouldn't even have come up!
What color nemesia did Suzy give you? I don't even try to give my babies sun this time of year because they will only want more then we will have a cold spell and they will be stuck in the house again then they would be mad at me for not letting them go out to play again LOL in a few weeks when my violets get a little bigger I will start taking them out, it's nice out today, I'm going to try and find the time to put some covers on some of my little greenhouses out the back door to start getting ready to harden some of the plants off and put my snaps in when I get them started not quite ready to start those yet though, I'm gonna wait a little while yet, they will grow fast once it starts warming up.
I HAVE NEW BABIES!!! I have some clematis, and the 3 var of cones I planted!! YEAh!!!
I have new babies - gazillions of snapdragons!
tomorrow I have to start potting up geraniums, and petunias - oodles of petunias - and then I have to start my nemesia and gazillion of other things!
Too bad some of you don't live closer . . . I am having a pajama party in May and people are coming to help plant the terrace. Helpers get to choose from the left overs :-)
Sounds like fun Seandor-I'm two hours away, but I'm oh so busy in May!!!