I'm SO glad to be back too!
Happy to say
my taxes are done
and now I can play!
Tonya, yes I have my seeds under lights and I'm using bottom heat until they germinate - then take them off the heat.
oh, except the violas I germinated in the coffee can (thanks whoever told us that!) and the begonias I set just outside the light area (semi dark)....I think Star mentioned that. Hard for me to remember who says what - I'm just happy to remember the "what" and it's working! ^_^
Gardening: Cottage Garden Seed Swap & Chat #29
Hi Neal - sorry to hear the flu caught up with you. It's a bugger this year. For the second year in a row I've not got the flu shot, and not got the flu (knocking wood madly...), I just keep drinking LeBug's apple cider concoction :-) Hope you're back on your feet soon.
Lala - I have a night blooming jasmine sprout!! What a wonderful thing to wake up to. Hee hee!
today I found a bud on my madagascar jasmine I am so happy since when I moved to got so hot in the truck that is melted and I had to cut it to the grown now 16 months later it has 15 foot vines all twined up and it is now healthy again
I also started some blue poppies man they are a lot of work 5 weeks outside so they freeze and thaw again and again then inside at 65 F and then lots of prayers and maybe I will get a few once established they do fine but to start a royal pain in the b+++++
mona
Yay Chelle! The jasmine was traded seed and could just never figure out where to put it so I passed it on in the swap. I really don't even know how old it was so I'm tickled it's coming up for you. I hope it grows into an aromatic beauty!
You must let us know how your blue poppies do Mona. I tried some last year but I'm afraid I shortcutted on too many steps and didn't have any luck with them.
Last night I had germination fiasco #2 when I knocked over a tray with rudbeckia seeds. The seeds are so tiny that I doubt scooping up the dirt and putting it back on the mat is gonna get me anywhere but I'll give it a shot anyway. It's very troublesome to lose ANYthing, but why do I have to be so clumsy with the high dollar store bought stuff? ARGH!
Mona - congrats on the blue poppies! I think those are the first I've heard of anyone having luck with them outside of Alaska.
I was down in the basement today surveying the tasks to do after our little flood, and realized the seeds I'd started down there are already sprouting - yeesh! So, I had to wake up enough to remember where and how I was tracking those things and get those logged in. As for the basement - well, the water came up NEXT to the drain, so I think I've got some work to do down there to get that fixed. I'm hoping it doesn't require hiring guys with jackhammers, that would really put a kink in my undies. I'd prefer it was just me with a hammer and chisel and fast drying cement.
And I did get 4 kinds of Aquilegia WS outside on the north side of the house (with labels!) so we'll see how they do. If they come up it will be the perfect spot - our neighbors will have something to look at besides that lovely english ivy and a few hostas, and I'll have more seeds to gather!
Boy was I behind. I thought when we first jumped to this htread I had clicke d the watch thread button, either i forgot or it didn't work.
I need some advice. Ok Four years ago I planetd some foxgloves and got plants. These guys have never blooemd the first bloom yet.
I noticed them today when I was workign outside. The leaves of some are dead and some look to be abotu half dead especialyl afetr last night 28F and frost again. brrrrrrrrr.
So I wondering, should I cut them back or just let go or trash em. I have onyl kept them this logn cuz I kepe hopign to see a bloom. But I think I have finalyl given up on them.
I had foxgloves I did from seed last year and got blooms right B4 the end of summer-I have mine in 100% sun....
dont touch them foxglove is a byannual and the one that look half dead are not and will bloom this summer when the seeds are dry just sprinkle them under the bottom leaves of the mother plants they will then start growing and will bloom next year after a couple of years they will just show up at different spots in the garden my sister had the same problem not realizing that they are by annuals you may also if you have any seeds left sprinkle them this spring so they will get nice and big by fall they always look messed up in the spring it only takes 2 to 3 weeks of nice weather and they will pick right up
Foxgloves like bright shady areas here in the hot south. Where do you have them planted?
They a very cold hardy, so that shouldn't be a problem in zone 8.
im in zone 5 and grow all kinds of them
when I started them I planted half the package and then the other half the next year and I have had blooms ever since every summer
I'll be darned. I thought foxgloves were shade lovers. I wonder if the ones I started last year will bloom or not.
Star could you tell us again who are generous pepper seed benefactor was? I'd like to drop him a thank you and ask him a couple of questions about what he sent.
Star that is so weird - you haven't seen a bloom after they've been growing 4 years!? Maybe they are just duds lol : ) I don't have luck with foxgloves either. I was going to try a different type in hopes the ones I have are just duds too. I got the mother plants at wallyworld so who knows.
Hey everyone, I remember us talking about light setups and I wanted to show what I've got goin on right now. : ) This is my make shift light rack. I used the shelf part of a zip up greenhouse and some shoplights. I've recently had an accumulation of germinated stuff so I need to add more lights. I did add some across the top after I took this picture. I decided it was just too cold in the garage this early. plan to move it out to the garage eventually, once the temps aren't dropping in the 30's and colder, like they are now. This is in my downstairs which we don't keep warmer than 60 F except on weekends. I think seedlings do better with cooler temps. when growing under lights anyway.
Meridith! Way to go. Lookign good there.
I have had them in mornign and evening sun when I first started growign them cuz of the hot sun down here, then I even tried total sun, for a bit but the leaves would all wilt, so had them back with just sun mornign and evening.
Not even a hint of a bloom. Evey year I keep thinking maybe this wil be the year, but nope, they just grow pretty leave s and sit there.
I think it a battle of the wills with this plant. And Fox glove are so beautiful too. Wil have to remmebr that trick abotu putting some seed under the mom, maybe that will help if I don't compost thes eguys and I am not a composter if I can help it.
Happy Valentines Day y'all! The last few Valentines Days have made me so thankful not to work as a floral designer anymore- it was the most dreaded, chaotic, and tiresome day of the year for me for 25 years or so. I don't care if I get a card or candy, I'm just happy not to be feeling half dead, LOL.
Star, that's odd about your foxgloves. I'd at least give em one more chance to bloom. Do you know if they're D.purpurea, they typical biennial form? There are perennial forms and I wonder if that's what you've got (although they usually start blooming the 2nd year from seed also).
I've transplanted my Vincas, and am soooo proud of them! I'm having better luck with them now than when I worked in a greenhouse, I believe due to watching their moisture level very closely. Keeping them on the dry side, and they're right in front of the little fan I have going, so they dry quickly even when I water. They're getting their 2nd set of true leaves. If all goes well, they will be the late summer salvation for my pink bed; its in intense sun and very dry, so typically the pink bed is the brown crispy bed by late July , LOL.
Someone asked about Lion's Tail earlier and I forgot to mention that I just got mine started and they've germinated this morning. Last year was my first year with them and I got em started late, so it was August before they started blooming. They reached 6' tall and were very striking, so I've started earlier this year in hopes of a longer show.
Happy Valentines Day! ^_^
Gemini, I understand your relief. I worked as a floral designer for a few years and Valentine's was awful! Never ending vases of the same boring dozens of red roses. Now, just the chemical smell of florist roses makes me ill because it brings back the memories. I hate Red Roses!!!
That's crazy about your foxglove Star. Maybe when they do bloom, they'll put on a big impressive show since the plant has had so much time to develop an nice big crown. ???
Happy Valentines Day!
HaPPy VAlentiNeS DaY!!!!!!!!!!!
I have no idea what kindthey are, been to many years and tag has long since gone. I hope your right. If they don't do somethis this year, they goign bye bye this fall.
Happy Valentine's Day everyone! : )
Gemini thank you so much for mentioning the lion's tail. It was me who asked, because I have no idea about them, since you are starting yours now - I'd better too. : ) Do you have any suggestions as to what looks good planted with them?
Star here are my sad little foxgloves, they were Camelot series. I bought them at wallyworld blooming and they reseeded themselves didn't bloom the 2nd year and bloomed last year. They were only about 12" tall and the flowers were sparse. Pretty sad in person. I am trying some Grandiflora alba this year, keeping my fingers crossed they will be more robust.
Nice Spigelia though, Meredith! :)
It's still winter here 6" of the white fluffy from yesterday
Tubby
Thanks Danita! I love the spigelia, it took 3 years from planting a quart size plant to look like that. It was lsow but worth the wait. Now I just need more. : )
Meredith, the form of Lion's tail is a really nice contrast with other plants. Last year a blue Morning Glory grew up the stem of one of mine, it was unintentional, but was stunning! Mine were in the butterfly garden mixed with all kinds of annuals, and really stood out among them.
My foxgloves thrive in a part shady to mostly shady spot. They are in sandy soil in a peatier area. They bloom 2nd year for me and will stay mostly green throughout the winter unless it gets really cold. It will come back in the spring though with new sprouts from the roots and they should bloom for you. I also don't fertilize them at all. They seem to like my poor soil.
Meredith- did you get your Indian Pinks locally? I've taken an interest in this plant last summer and have been looking online for it. I was looking if I could grow it from seed. But if you say it is a slow grower, maybe I should look for a plant. I think I have the right conditions for it here. If I read about it right, it is a native plant around these areas isn't it?
Thanks gemini! I was trying to find ideas on the web but there isn't a lot about them out there. Do they tend to have a high germination rate? I am trying to put things with low germination rates in single pots rather than the cell packs. I'm trying to prevent ending up with 6 packs with only one plant growing in one cell! With all these seeds from the piggy swap - I need that extra space. ; )
My Gypsy Rose.
I have seed of the Indian Pink. It is a rare and endangere d plant and I spent years cultivating it. After I see what come s up can try and send ya some plants. They really fussy abotu transplanting. I have had soem peope that have had succes relocatign them from here to places and some that haven't, but then didn't know if they had the right coniditons or not.
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/740552/
mygypsyrose - I bought mine from gardensoftheblueridge.com in 2006. Yup they are a native, probably more so for you than I. I haven't seen them local, but I think the NEWFS usually has them. The problem with NEWFS is they are an hour drive from me and they don't put all the plants out at once. So there is no guarantee you will be able to buy everything they have to offer on a given day. I managed to save a few seeds from them this year and I wintersowed them. I am hoping I will have success, I will let you know if they germinate. If you really want one I would find somewhere to order at least one plant so you can enjoy at least one.
Oh and it is nice to hear your foxgloves do well for you, my soil is also sandy. I thought that might be the reason they didn't grow very big here. Not enough fertility possibley. I do add composted cow manure before planting stuff, but I heard sandy soil leaches nutrients very fast, so I thought perhaps foxgloves just might not be an option for me here. Keeping my hopes up that the variety I have is just not the most vigorious if not nursery grown and trying different ones though! So we'll see how the new type work out. Oh and I did get some D. lutea from last years swap, those should bloom this year. They are supposed to be native to my area so perhaps they will do better for me. : )
Meredith, looks like nearly all of those I sowed germinated, and really fast too (2nd day after sowing). Did your seed come from me? Those I saved are doing best. I also sowed some I'm hoping are the other species, L.nepetifolia, and they're a day behind and the germination rate is not quite so high (but still pretty good).
Perhaps the Indian pinks can be propagated by cuttings? If they can be pinched, that would be a good experiment.
Ooops I cross posted with star - I went to the plantfile page for the spigelia and I see that lasyssfarm has them listed as available. I had a wonderful experience ordering from them last year, so if I was going to get one I'd probably try one from them.
Gemini - I think I have the nepetifolia - I got them from tuink. Yes the INdian PInk can be propagated by cuttings.... now if I could just get one cutting to grow I could do it that way. I have no luck with cuttings - a local nursery ahs an upcoming propagation class I was thinking on attending.
I have never been able to get them to propagate by cuttign and I have tried many ways over the years.
There a place that sells them and th epric eis not to bad. They advertise in the Classifie dsection all the time for woodland plants. Just can't think of the name of thier company and they in the Dg company places.
Meredith, I forgot to mention on the Lion's Tail, they need to be right up next to the lights. They tend to stretch really fast!
The sun is shining and I just ventured outside for a while to find my first sprouts in a WS container! English Wallflowers were first again this year. Seems last year others were quick to follow.
Wow I can't imagine having winter sown sprouts already! Mine will be at least a month I bet.
Star-- Thank you. I might take you up on that if you have some success :-). I live in the Pinelands Reserve in NJ. I have a 10 to 15 foot border of my yard that is all oak and pine with probably 8" of leaf mold on top of my sandy acidic soil. It's dappled shade there. That's where I was wanting to grow it. In the back, my yard if more heavily forested where I didn't clear it out. I've found wild azaleas, indian pipes, a pink lady slipper, and tons of blueberries and huckleberries. So, do you think I have the right conditions with what I just described to you? Thank you for your offer, I'll go read all of your link now.
Meredith- Thanks for all the good info. I'll check that out :-)
Andrea
Oh, Meredith, If you want some foxglove seeds, I have some from mine. Actually, I'll probably have a ton of babies in the springtime if anyone wants any. They will be in there 2nd year. I threw a bunch of stalks off my porch last winter when I was done shaking them in a bag and had a bunch of babies grow up all over the place where I threw them. Didn't have the heart to rip them out last year, so they are all still there. :-P
mygypsy, I'd love to take you up on your offer for some foxglove if you have extra babies this spring. I have some sprouted seeds, but would love to have some that will bloom this year! Please keep me in mind. I'd be glad to trade something of pay the postage.
Tonya
Thought I'd show y'all a pic of some of my new WS babies since some of y'all are the grandparents! They are mostly hollyhocks, container and basket sweet peas, soy beans, purple and white hyacinth beans, MG Scarlett O'Hara, pincushion flowers, borage and poppies. I have a bunch more that have germinated but are still quite small.
congrats great looking babies
No problem Tonya. They are a mix of white, pink and lavender. :-)
Has everyone gotten their worm poop in? I'm just checking because I had an issue with my P.O. guy a couple of weeks ago when he forced a package marked fragile into my mailbox because he didn't want to bring it to my door or write a slip. He broke a frame that my parents made for my daughter for her birthday. Snapping the wood on one side while he shoved it in there. I had to pry it out. The mailer was ripped and the wrapping paper inside was busted because it was broken. I talked to the Post Master about it and he took photo copyies of it and was not too happy. Gave me his card if I had any more problems. Now I'm not sure if I'm going to get any more packages. I don't know if he'll send them back out of spite.