First Time wintersowing?

I just checked on that dpind site... if i got the box of 12 [no tax] with s/h, it comes to $3 per pen.

I'd think s/h to Europe would be a coupla dollars on top of that.

so i guess you'd have to decide what a good amount [price-wise] a pen is

Angie -- where were you going to look for pens? and what's the cost per?

It was not just a couple of dollars more to Europe. When I wanted to order on that dpind site s/h costs were
$ 79,85 for Belgium. That would make them cost almost $ 10 per pen.

Joanna~ I can pick them up and ship them to you, if you like. I have a friend who lives overseas and I send her craft packages on a regular basis. I personally know about the frustarations of being able to get supplies so easily here in the US while they're practically non- existent overseas, as I used to live in Asia.

This message was edited Dec 9, 2008 8:52 AM

garden6, thank you for your kind offer, I really appreciate it. If Angie cannot send me the pencils I will be very happy to accept your offer.

No problem...I just wanted to offer you a back up plan...

I have placed an order for 5 pens, because I didn't want to order a bunch and then have no one want or need them. I am sending two to Jim and will send two to you, Jonna, keeping one for myself. I will check your list and let you know what I would like to receive from your plant list.

Did anyone check out the site I linked to? I have ordered mine from Marking Pen Depot for $2.20 each. The shipping for the five I ordered was 7.95, but even so, I figured that's as cheap as making a run to Michael's or Hobby Lobby and paying $3 or more each. It worked out about the same. I have not tried these pens and don't know about the quality but if I remember the site, they were Sharpie fine point paint markers. I'll revisit the site once I post this and confirm that.

Angie

Yep; they are Sharpie extra fine paint pens.

BTW, quantity orders of 48 or more reduce the price to $1.98, so it may be that if we were to do a bulk order, we could get a real bargain if more are interested. I don't know what shipping to Europe would be.

Edited to say I have not tried these pens.

This message was edited Dec 9, 2008 1:10 PM

This message was edited Dec 9, 2008 1:11 PM

If you happen to like them and want to do a bulk order I would be interested. Thanks BEV

Angie -- and saving yourself the aggravation of going out shopping [ oh i see your location... it's not like you are out in the freezing rain like i'd have... but it's still the holiday nuttiness - when i loath going out shopping] but that sounds like a decent deal.

Theresa, The ones I have from dpind are not finepoint and I love finepoint pens best. BEV

Thank you Angie. And if more people are interested to make a bulk order I would like more (8).

Bev -- if those are anything like the one i have... the decocolor one... it is not find point either.... which i too would rather have... but all the fine pts in the house are Sharpie -- and i have yet to find them 'permanent'.

I know. That is why I want to see what Hem thinks of the ones she is getting. BEV

tcs: yes, but I hate shopping, so Christmas time is not when I want to do any extra shopping!

Hemo~ the last box I sent to my friend in Germany cost less than $8.00,and a business envelope full of various holiday craft stickies of foam cost less than $1.50. Hope that helps to give you an idea.

Have to agree... the Sharpies didn't work too well for me either... except when I used them additionally on the bottom of my containers.

Garden6: For my own clarification, I know regular Sharpies don't work, as I've had miserable results with those. But these are Sharpie paint pens, so are you saying that they're no good either? I understood everyone was endorsing paint pens as being permanent solutions to the marking problem. Guess I'll find out soon enough, but I don't want to send anyone something that might not be what they or I want. Please elaborate.

Hemo~Thanks... perhaps it was the silver color Sharpie paint pen that was my undoing, as I bought the only color they had, as the other brand paint pens were out of stock. I thought it would be a good substitute, but the color faded and became illegible except where I wrote the seed names on the bottom of each container. If you want to make a comparison perhaps any other color might perform better on the sides. From my experience, you can expect that the results will be fine with the Sharpie paint pen writings on the bottom. I hope that helps....

ok I'm a bit lost now on the pens. To re-cap:
1 We should get Sharpie Paint Pens as they work the best (not to be confused with regular Sharpie markers)
2 Our European friends are being sent some in exchange for seeds so they are good now.

Is that right? Thanks.

Dahlia~ I'm sorry.... I wasn't trying to confuse the issue .... but should have clarified that a Sharpie silver paint pen would not be a good choice except when used on the bottom of the container.

This message was edited Dec 9, 2008 1:43 PM

s'ok garden6. I will get black.

Thanks! :0)

I've not used the Sharpie paint pens, only the Decocolor, which worked well. As long as it PAINT, not marker inside, I imagine the results would be good.

Karen

O sorry kqcrna I mentioned Sharpie because I can get them locally. I haven't seen Decocolor pens here but I will look for those too.

I imagaine most brands will be the same. As long as they contain paint and not whatever liquid (?) is in a regular marker. Really, I have paint pen labels a couple years old which are as clear as the day they were written. In some cases, the plastic labels have broken after a few years, but the writing is still legible.

Karen

I bought a little label maker with moisture resistant label tape. It sticks on the little plastic label spikes great. The ink is sandwiched between layers of the tape, so it will not fade or was off. Works dandy so far. the link is a Canadian site, but they probably have a US side to Brother.

http://www.brother.ca/en/products/pdf/brochures/PT1010.pdf

Jim, it's a bit late, but I would like to give a reaction on your post of December 9.
I needed some time to take a pause.... and to find the right words in English......
I do agree with you that some members are blessed more than others. I think that if you help the less blessed people, it will allways return into something good. That can be because they send you something very surprising, but it also can be you make someone really happy and you have a new friend. And, in spite of I am not in the financial condition to send everyone who asks seeds, send them for free, I will allways try to find a solution. So I traded seeds for plant markers, minerals (my 2nd hobby), or just for the promise I will get seeds in return next year.
Sometimes I feel a little bit not so blessed,in this case because of the paint pens.
But short time after that, people are offering to help me with that. I like that.

I had about 45 trades with people in the US, 43 without any or a little problem that was solved soon. I had 2 trades I did not receive anything. Both I sent 2 emails to ask if they sent me the seeds. No reaction at all. What to do? If I post a bad feedback and they are in hospital or in problems I will damage these persons. On the other hand, if they are bad traders, other Dg members have the right to know this.

I have not forgotten that this is a WS thread

This is the provisional list I am going to winter sow. I'm a newbie, so if there is something on the list that can not be wintersown in my zone (6b), please let me know. From some I only have a few seeds.

Aconitum septentrionale ivorine
Actaea pachypodium
Actaea simplex atropurpurea
Agastache foeniculum licoriche mint
Ajania pacifica
Anaphalis margaritacea New Snow
Androsace lactea
Anemone baldensis
Anemone hupehensis
Anemone rivularis
Anemone sylvestris
Anisacanthus quadrifidus wrightii
Anthyllis vulneraria var. coccinea red
Antirrhinum majus black prince
Aquilegia . . . . . . . yellow
Aquilegia flabellata white
Aquilegia Magpie
Arisaema consanguineum
Arum italicum
Asclepias tuberosa
Asclepias tuberosa hello yellow
Astrantia major claret
Astrantia ruby cloud
Baptisia australis
Buddleja davidii rose of lila?
Campanula alliariifolia white
Campanula latifolia Macrantha
Campanula thyrsoides
Capparis spinoza
Caryopteris incana
Catananche caerulea amor white
Cenolopium denudatum
Centaurea midget mixed colors
Centranthus ruber Albus
Cichorium intybus
Cimicifuga racemosa black cohosh
Clematis integrifolia
Clematis stans
Cleome hassleriana sparkler white
Codonopsis clematidea blue
Commelina communis
Conoclinium coelestinum
Coreopsis tinctoria
Cortusa matthioli (pekinesis)
Cypripedium ..........
Darmera Peltata
Delosperma floribundum stardust
Delphinium elatum blue bird
Draba sakurai
Dracocephalum grandiflorum
Draecena draco
Echinacea paradoxa
Echinacea Sunrise (gepatenteerd)
Edraianthus graminifolius
Erysimum 'bowles mauve' (steenraket)
Erysimum cheiri
Eschscholzia californica 'Buttermilk'
Eucomis bicolor
Galtonia candicans
Gaura lindheimeri the bride
Gentiana lutea yellow
Geranium pratense striatum Splish Splash
Geranium pyranaicum
Gilia capitata
Gillenia trifoliata
Globularia repens
Hedysarum boreale
Helianthus annuus 'moulin rouge'
Helianthus annuus Teddy bear
Helianthus italian white
Helleborus argutifolius
Hemerocallis Bonanza
Hemerocallis Jason Mark
Hesperis lutea
Heuchera x brizoides pluie de feu
Hibiscus coccineus
Hibiscus moscheutos Disco Belle
Hibiscus moscheutos Disco Belle (wit/rose)
Hibiscus syriacus
Hieracium intybaceum
Iberis umbellata
Ipomopsis rubra
Iris setosa
Kniphofia lola
Lathyrus odoratus apricot sprite
Lathyrus vernus
Leucanthemum x superbum Crazy Daisy
Liatris cylindracea
Ligularia przewalskii
Ligularia vorobievii
Lilium regale
Limnanthes douglasii
Linaria enchantment
Linaria purpurea 'Canon J.Went'
Linum grandiflorum 'rubrum'
Lobelia cardinalis
Lobelia Siphilitica
Lupinus arboreus
Lupinus texensis
Lupinus texensis Alamo Fire
Lychnis arkwrightii vesuvius
Lychnis Chalcedonica (brandende liefde)
Lychnis coronaria alba
Lysimachia atropurpurea
Malva moschata alba
Meconopsis betonicifolia
Millium effusum aureum
Mimulus cardinalis
Mimulus ringens
Monarda .....wit
Narcissus bulbocodium
Nemophila maculata
Nepeta cataria
Nepeta subsellis cool cat
Nepeta subsellis sweet dreams
Nicandra physalodes
Oenothera kunthiana
Oenothera minima
Opuntia humifusa (cactus)
Orlaya grandiflora
Panicum miliaceum Violaceum
Papaver orientale coral reef
Papaver somniferum danish flag
Patrinia gibbosa
Penstemon azureus
Penstemon hirsutus 'Pygmaeus'
Penstemon palmeri
Penstemon strictus
Penstemon whippleanus - chocolate drop
Persicaria amplexicaule red baron
Persicaria bistorta
Petalostemum purpureum
Phlomis russeliana
Phyteuma orbiculare
Phytolacca americana
Polemonium pauciflorum
Polygonum orientale
Potentilla Helen Jane
Primula elatior
Primula McWatt's cream
Ratibida columnifera
Ratibida 'red midget'
Reseda alba
Reynoutria sachalinensis
Rudbeckia (serotina?)
Rudbeckia hirta
Rudbeckia hirta Indian summer
Rudbeckia subtomentosa 'Henry Eilers'
Salvia guaranitica Black and blue
Salvia nemorosa Lubeca
Salvia splendens Yvonne's giant
Salvia viridis
Salvia viscosa
Sanguisorba obtusa
Santolina chamaecyparissus
Scuttelaria resinosa
Silene caroliniana ssp wherryii A
Silene keiskei alba
Silene orientalis
Silene pusilla
Sisyrinchium striatum
Sphaeralcea incana
Stachys grandiflora
Strobilanthes atropurpureus
Strobilanthes attenuatus
Thalictrum aquilegifolium album
Thalictrum chelidonii
Thalictrum flavum (poelruit)
Thermopsis caroliniana
Tithonia rotundifolia
Tolpis barbata
Townsendia rothrockii
Trachelium caeruleum
Trifolium pratense
Trollius asiaticus
Tulbaghia violacea
Verbena stricta
Veronicastrum virginicum roseum
Viola papilionacea
Zauschneria arizonica
Zephyranthes citrina

You are going to be BUSY! Woohoo! I am so new to gardening, I don't even recognize more than about 10% of that. Ha.

Are you going to be keeping a spreadsheet of it all?

Jonna: I am sending you two of the 5 paint pens I have ordered. I will look at your list asap and get back to you by D-mail, promise. And if you're not in a position to send any seeds now, you can send when you harvest them next year. I'm sure I'll have more than enough to occupy my time between now and whenever you get around to it ^_^

Dahlia: You are correct in your assumption that it is the Sharpie PAINT pen, not the permanent marker, that I have ordered and am sharing with Jonna and Jim. And I am making the assumption that any brand PAINT pen will work fine. In fact, I have just purchased a green one from Hobby Lobby for $2.99 and it's a Tree House brand, but it's definitely paint! I've just sown my first 7 jugs of seeds and used it on the jugs and the markers.

Here's what I've sown so far:

Delphinium `Magic Fountains'
Delphinium `Summer Skies'
Salvia `Blue Bedder'
Pyrethrum Robinson's Mixed
Lavandula angustifolia
Lavandula (received from a DG who simply labeled it as English lavender)
Belamcanda (Blackberry Lily)

I have lots more to sow, but was able to get home a little early today and get those in the containers. It's threatening rain any minute now, too. Come on, rain!

I also sowed some sweet peas along one of my fence lines today! Here's a photo of what my minimal effort today yielded:

Yes Lissa I will be busy, but I hope to succeed. A year ago I was as new as you are now. Because I lost my income and we were really hit by the financial crisis I had to search for alternative things. Buying one plant here costs me at least
$ 7. And since I need about a 1000 plants to fill my garden, I went looking for solutions.
I keep my plant records in Lotus, very old fashioned but it works very well for me. I do not know if I can post my experiences, but I will try to do that. The list I sent in was copied from Lotus, but I really do not know if it works with several colums.

BTW, should I use deeper cardboard boxes to protect the mini-greenhouses? Anyone?

Angie, everything in my list is still available. It might be just one trade left. All seeds are harvested this year.

I got a bunch of the DecoColor pens from a co-op this past year. Perhaps they had some leftover? I can look back to see who did the coop if you'd like. It was "granny... ?? something". Her first name was Tommy & it all went very smoothly. JLMK

BTW I'll be a first time WSer this year too. Glad I ran across this thread.

edited to add: I have some leftover pens, though they are in colors, I could mail a few out probably after the first of the year.

This message was edited Dec 9, 2008 5:17 PM

Jonna, I totally identify with the necessity part of growing plants from seed and trading with others. We just bought this property that is 1 acre. Most of it is hardscaped with beds and grass areas, and luckily an irrigation system. But, it had been neglected for most of 10 years. The grasses were mostly kept up but the beds were completely filled with weeds and volunteer tree seedlings that need to be dug out! UCK. SOOoooo I am starting with nothing! Luckily I have received seeds for SASE from a few generous DGers who have donated to my lonely gardens. (including the generosity of tcs1366- thanks again Terese!)

If I do this right I will have a good shot at filling up at least a few areas this year, and then I can build from there.

We had snow today, just a light dusting, but it is still cold and the skies are quite gray and dark. We could end up with just a bit more, and I do hope we will. We really need the moisture.

Hem, I am thinking of setting my jugs into larger boxes so that I can move them if I need to. I am planning to keep them on the north side of the house where it will be really cold until I want them to start sprouting, then I will move them to a warmer location in the spring. That is, if I can find boxes like I have in my mind. My DH brought home a cool box last night with our groceries from Sam's Club. It will fit 8 of my juice containers in it and has open areas that will make it easy to move. I hope I can find more of these.

That looks good. Maybe I'll get some taller boxes. DH just cut up a bunch and disposed of them yesterday. He's going to love it when I say I need boxes now ;-)

From experience, I have found the DecoColor Paint pens to work fantastically. http://www.dickblick.com/zz213/37/ This is one place you can get them that will also offer bulk. You can get them at Michael's or any other craft store as well.

as for Garden Markers - this is a permanent marker that I have used on plastic garden markers. The writing has not faded after being out all year long and it has been over 3 years. http://www.dpind.com/GARDEN_MARKER_PEN_p/garden%20marker%20pen%203.htm

This morning it is 61 degrees with light rain and some wind. We are predicted to have heavy rain and thunderstorms throughout the day and into the night. Tomorrow temps will head downward again, but this is the sort of thing we deal with in the South. Jan. and Feb. are usually our coldest months and sometimes that's not even a sure thing, although Jan. usually will bring one or two nights of single-digit temps, maybe (if we're lucky) some snow!

What's the weather like in your area? Anyone?

currently 18° got a few inches of snow yesterday/last night [ended before 9pm as we got the drive shoveled last nigh]
yesterday was light rain all day mid-30's ... so what snow we had was pretty much soup/mud, but now frozen again.
Brrrrrrrrrrrrr.