Plant Count - March 10, 2015

FLOWERS 

1. Alyssum, Gold Dust  0
2. Black-Eyed Susan  45
3. Chinese Forget-Me-Nots  0
4. Coleus  25
5. Coreopsis, Early Sunrise  0
6. Coreopsis, Full Moon  0
7. Delphiniums  28
8. Dusty Miller  - seeds not viable
9. Echinacaea  22 
10. Foxglove  0
11. Geraniums  19
12. Grecian Rose  0
13. Gypsophilia  13
14. Hibiscus, Disco Belle   0
15. Hibiscus, White  9
16. Impatiens, Dark Pink  27
17. Impatiens, Flavours  0
18. Lavender  18 
19. Lobelia, Crystal Palace  >100
20. Lupines  12
21. Pansies  59
22. Petunia, Mixed Colors  >70
23. Petunia, Wave  3
24. Petunia, Flavours  1
25. Potentilla, Cinquefoil   >50
26. Salvia, Scarlet  10
27. Salvia, Blue Bedder  28
28. Snapdragons, Mixed  64
29. Snapdragons, Tetra Ruffled  13
30. Sweet William  32
31. Trumpet Vine  0
32. Verbena  29
33. Vinca  >80
34. Viola  20

HERBS

1. Chamomile  8
2. Oregano, Common  42
3. Oregano, Zaatar  23
4. Oregano, Greek  51
5. Parsley, Triple Curled Moss  40
6. Rosemary  16
7. Thyme, Common  0

VEGETABLES 

1. Artichokes, Green Globe  0
2. Asparagus  29
3. Celery  3
4. Leeks  44
5. Onions, Ailsa Craig  50
6. Onions, Copra  150
7. Onions, Red Amposta  90
8. Onions, Red Bull  40
9. Onoions, Red Wethersfield  45
10. Onions, Ringmaster  45
11. Onions, Rossi Di Milano  80
12. Onions, Sweet Spanish Yellow  50
13. Onions, Tokyo Long Bunching  50
14. Onions, Tropeana Lunga  60
15. Onions, Walla Walla  40
16. Potatoes, Gold  9
17. Potatoes, Red  9
18. Shallots  70
19. Sweet Potato Slips  4

Seeds Planted Today 

Alyssum, (Gold Dust, Aurinia saxatilis compacta): Seed swap, 2008. Sowed approximately 30 seeds in 4"x8" container 1/4" deep. Expected germination time, 5-6 days. Days to maturity, N/A. Characteristics: perennial, low growing, yellow flowers, best grown in mass as groundcover, aka Basket of Gold, Madwort.
See: http://akirchner.hubpages.com/hub/The-Easiest-To-Grow-Perennial-In-the-World-Basket-of-Gold

Chinese Forget-Me-Nots (Firmament, Nomeolvides china firmament, Cynoglossum): Burpee, 2015. Sowed approximately 25 seeds each in two 3" containers 1/8" deep. Expected germination time: 7-14 days. Days to maturity, 45-50. Characteristics: annual, graceful, loose sprays of blue flowers on stiff, upright stems, blooms all summer, suitable for borders, full sun/part shade, 16" tall.
See: http://www.floretflowers.com/2014/01/flower-focus-chinese-forget-me-nots/

Thyme (Common): Ferry Morse, 2012. Sowed approximately 20 seeds in 3" container 1/4" deep. Expected germination time, 8-20 days. Days to maturity, 70. Characteristics: perennial, 8"-12" tall, use fresh or dried, attracts bees, thin to 8" apart in garden.
See: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Ferry-Morse-Common-Thyme-Seed-2028/100349860?N=5yc1vZc8qlZ5ry

Artichoke (Green Globe, Cynara scolymus): Dollarseed, 2013. Sowed three to four seeds each in five 3" pots. Expected germination time, 8-12 days. Days to maturity, 78 or 150-180. Characteristics: annual, practice vernalizaiton (two weeks of cool weather to simulate winter's chill), marginally hardy in zone 6, mulch through winter, full sun, harvest before bracts open, frequently feed and water, bristly leaves bring interest to flower garden, violet flower blooms in mid-fall.
See: http://www.gardening.cornell.edu/homegardening/scenec09b.html

Can't Forget Lettuce 

A salad spinner helps dry the freshly picked and washed lettuce leaves. 

Lettuce is a staple in our household.  I often use spinach, arugula, endive and kale as the secondary "greens" in our salads, but my preference is still a crisp romaine or ruffled loose leaf lettuce. It is always a delight to go out to the garden and pick an assortment of leaves in varying textures, colors and tastes.  This year I will direct sow seeds in the early spring and fall.  In addition, I prepare seedlings indoors to transplant into the hoophouse in early April:

Lettuce (Buttercrunch):  Livingston Seeds, 2014. Planted one 6-pack. Days to maturity, 50-60. Characteristics: sun, thin 4"-9", All-American Award winner, loose heads of thick, crisp leaves.  Resistant to heat.

Lettuce (Prizehead):  Livingston Seeds, 2014. Planted one 6-pack. Days to maturity, 45-50. Characteristics: partial shade/sun, thin 4", bronze-red outer leaves over frilled lime-green inner leaves.  Early maturity.

Lettuce (Simpson Elite):  Burpee, 2013 .Planted one 6-pack. Days to maturity, 48. Characteristis: thin 8", heat resistant, full sun, light green frilled and crumpled leaves, crisp, delicate flavor.

Lettuce (Baby Romaine):  Livingston Seeds, 2014. Planted one 6-pack. Days to maturity, 55-60. Characteristics: sun/partial shade, thin 12", 8" tall, caesar salad favorite, crisp, sweet flavor, upright growth, harvest outer leaves to prolong production.

Lettuce (Little Gem): Seed Swap, 2015. Planted one 6-pack. Days to maturity, 50.  Characteristics: very small, green, romaine-type, supposedly one of the very best-tasting lettuces, heat tolerant.
See: http://www.rareseeds.com/little-gem-lettuce/

Lettuce (Red Romaine):  Livingston Seeds, 2014. Planted one 6-pack. Days to maturity, 45-55. Characteristics: sun, thin 4", 8"-12" tall, oblong, burgundy leaves, crunchy midribs, colorful gourmet variety, color may vary from deep green to deep red, innermost leaves lighter green and most tender, color deepens in cooler weather.

Postscript #1 - There was germination in the following containers: potentilla (sown March  4,  6 days) and petunias flavours (sown March 2, 8 days).  

Postscript #2 - I am declaring the six year old Dusty Miller seeds not viable.  

Shuffling Seedlings

I am a stickler for keeping things tidy and in order.  I find it very satisfying to organize seedlings according to height and size and to cluster similar types of plants. Consequently, it's a continual shuffling of containers between the kitchen table and the shelving unit in front of the slider.

Onions, oregano and flowers on the kitchen table

Looking down the line - Sweet William, vinca, and geraniums

Lupines Flexing their Muscles

Granted, all the seeds that germinated today were early, but the lupines were particularly impressive. They were expected to germinate in 25-30 days, but appeared in only 3 days!  And I didn't even pre-soak the seeds!!  I hope these lupines flourish much like those sown by Alice Rumphius, the main character in the children's book, "Miss Rumphius." Filling her pockets daily with lupine seeds, Miss Rumphius scattered the seeds wherever she went to make the world a more beautiful place.  A big thank you to my daughter-in-law for introducing this book to our sweet grandsons. 

Postscript #1-  Today I thinned lobelia and transplanted verbena and white hibiscus. 

Postscript #2 - Seeds that germinated today include black-eyed susan (sowed February 28, 7 days), echinacaea (sowed February 28, 7 days), chamomile (sowed February 28, 7 days) and lupines (sowed March 4, 3 days).  

Postscript #3 - I have a suspicion that the dusty miller seeds sowed on February 11 are not viable. The expected germination time was 21 days and it's already been 24 days.  I'm nearly ready to re-use its seed starting mix and container. 

Conquering the "In-Basket"

Today I made progress sowing seeds, albeit a small dent in my so-called "in-basket."  I keep two baskets on the seed table: one to hold seed packets already sown and the other for seeds to be sowed within a week or so.

The "in-basket" on the front, left corner is filling up fast.

Today I sowed the following seeds:

Dusty Miller (Senecio cineraria):  Seeds received from an online seed swap, 2009. Sowed seeds densely (not sure of viability) into one 4"x8" container. Did not cover, pressed into soil (needs light to germinate). Expected germination time: 10-21 days. Characteristics: Annual in Zone 6a, full sun, easy to grow, silvery-gray, fern-like foliage, enjoys close spacing, use as border (10-18" tall) and edging plant to contrast with colorful flowers and green leaves, pinch off flower buds to promote leaf growth. Variety, N/A.
See: http://www.gardenersnet.com/flower/dusty.htm

Johnny Jump Up (Viola tricolor): Seeds purchased from Livingston Seeds, 2014. Planted pelletized seeds at Week 13 (before last frost).  Again, I am very early; the packet recommends 8 weeks.  I'll deal with the consequences later, probably having to up-pot them in late-March.  I sowed two 4"x8" containers, approximately 50 seeds per container 1/16" deep (barely cover the pelletized seeds).  Expected germination time: 3-8 days.  Characteristics: perennial, partial shade/sun, 7-10" in height (front border or containers), blooms are deep purple and yellow.
See: http://www.colostate.edu/Dept/CoopExt/4DMG/Flowers/violas.htm

Do you know the difference between violas and pansies?  They are mistakenly used interchangeably. The viola, originally a small wildflower, is the ancestor of the modern pansy. Pansies have been bred (first in the 1800's in England) to be more compact and colorful. Their flowers are usually larger with distinct markings that look like a face.  Another difference is that pansies have four petals that point upward and one that points downward. Violas, on the other hand, have three petals that point upward and two that point downward.  Their flowers are usually white and blue-violet to yellow color.

In our Zone 6a, the pansy is treated as an annual whereas the viola is considered a perennial.  Last year I only grew Johnny Jump Ups; although a perennial, I don't expect them to return having disturbed them in the perennial garden. This year I hope to have plenty of violas and pansies to fill our beds and containers.  They are such a welcome sight after a long winter!

Sweet William (Dianthus barbatus): Seed swap, 2009. Planted seeds harvested in 2014 from our perennial bed. Original seeds were from an exchange made in 2010.  One 4"x8" container, approximately 50 seeds, barely covered. Sowed seeds more heavily than recommended, not sure of viability (self-harvested). Expected germination time: 14-21 days. Characteristics: Short-lived perennial/biennial, 12" (front border), mix of pinks, etc. flowers in spring and in July/August, prefers sun, old-fashioned cottage garden flower, dead head to keep plants blooming, prune severely to encourage return in following years, also called Pinks. Variety, N/A.
See: http://www.perennials.com/plants/dianthus-barbatus-barbarini-f1-mix.html

TIP OF THE DAY!!  Don't be shy! Ask the bakery manager in your grocery store to share their frosting containers which are disposed of when empty.  There come in various sizes and are very versatile to the home gardener.  I am using one now in the kitchen to wet my seed starting mix. They can be used as planting containers, particularly for tomatoes and peppers in the greenhouse, to grow potatoes, as a trash and compost receptacle as you weed, etc.

The bakery crew at Stop 'n Shop saves their buckets for me. 

Postscript #1 - The geranium seeds are in the front of the pack with thirteen germinated, then rosemary with twelve, still only one pansy and no delphiniums.
Postscript #2 -  I accidentally knocked off one sprout on the sweet potatoes.
Postscript #3 - I am disappointed that my soil mix contains fairly large pieces of bark, perlite, etc. The mix works perfectly for transplants but doesn't earn high grades as a seed starting mix, especially for small seeds. I have been picking out the large pieces by hand or sifting the mix before covering the seeds.