Transplanting More Flower Seedlings

Grecian Rose

Coleus

Chamomile

Chinese Forget-Me-Nots

Flower seedlings yet to be transplanted: bottom to top, portulaca, alyssum royal carpet,
alyssum carpet of snow, potentilla, snapdragons mixed

Three Cool...One Warm

Vegetables fall into two categories, cool and warm weather crops.  Cool weather crops grow best at temperatures that average fifteen degrees cooler than warm weather crops.  Most can handle a frost and for some vegetables, a frost actually enhances flavor.  Cool weather vegetables need to grow to maturity during cool weather otherwise they will bolt (go to seed) or become bitter in taste.

Here is a list of both cool and warm weather crops.

I try to get my cool weather crops into the ground as early as possible. The hoophouse is ready two to three weeks earlier than the outdoor beds.  Last year I planted in the hoophouse on April 14th; this year I am hoping for the first week of April.  The seeds that will be sown directly into the hoophouse beds will include lettuce, spinach, arugula, beets, and peas. I will also transplant some of the seedlings started indoors, such as arugula, spinach, and lettuce.  Agribon 19 fleece will be used in the evenings and on cloudy days as needed.

Until recently, I would only plant cool weather crops in early spring as soon as the soil became workable. But last year, I planted another round of cool weather crops in the outdoor raised beds in late summer for a fall/winter harvest.  I hope for even better results this year.

Today I sowed indoors under lights three cool weather vegetables:

Arugula (Roquette):  Livingston, Seeds, 2014. Planted one 6-pack, 1/4" deep.  Days to maturity, 40. Characteristics: sun to partial shade, 6" tall, robust, peppery flavor, harvest 6" tall, succession planting every two weeks.

Kale (Blue Vates Scotch Curled): Dollarseed, 2013.  Planted one 6-pack, 1/4" deep.  Days to maturity, N/A. Characteristics: thin to 12" apart, pick early for baby greens.

Kale (Winterbor): Fedco Seeds, 2012.  Planted one 6-pack, 1/4" deep.  Days to maturity, 60. Characteristics:  thin to 12" apart, pick early for baby greens.

I also started one warm weather crop, an early tomato, intended for the hoophouse:

Tomato (Independence Day):  Livingston Seed, 2014. Plant five 3" pots each with two pelletized seeds, 1/4" deep.  Expected germination time, 5-10 days.  Days to maturity, 55.  Characteristics: heirloom, sun, 2-3' spacing, 2 1/2' tall, tomatoes by July 4th, orange-red fruits 2.5" in diameter, sweet flavor.

Postscript #1 - One Grecian Rose germinated (sown February 28, 11 days).

Flowers - Little Bit of This, Little Bit of That

"What a desolate place would be a world without a flower!  It would be a face without a smile, a feast without a welcome.  Are not flowers the stars of the earth, and are not our starts the flowers of the heaven."
-  A.J. Balfour 

I planted more annual and perennial flowers today, all requiring 10 weeks of growth before the spring plant out date of mid May.  I am hoping for a dozen seedlings from each 3" pot. This year I am trying to not overseed each container; I must be more trusting that the seeds are viable.

The seeds sown today were as follows:

Baby's Breath (Covent Garden, Gypsophilia elegans): American Seed, 2015. Planted two 3" pots. Expected germination time, N/A. Characteristics: annual, needs darkness to germinate according to packet, but internet says light is needed, dainty, small, misty white flowers, blooms in summer, 18" tall, use as filler in floral bouquets, can be invasive, pick off seed heads, cut and come again, good for successive plantings.
See: http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/62/#b

Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia Hirta): Livingston Seeds, 2014. Planted two 3" pots. Expected germination time, 10-15 days. Characteristics: perennial, needs light to germinate, bright yellow blooms, good in mass plantings, cut flower.
See: http://homeguides.sfgate.com/germinate-blackeyed-susan-seeds-43284.html

Chamomile (German, Matricaria recutita): Burpee, 2015. Planted one 3" pot.  Expected germination time, N/A. Days to maturity, 56. Characteristics: annual, needs darkness to germinate,-like flowers, used for tea, full sun, 24" tall, aromatic daisy, self-seeds, invasive habit (container planting best), used in tea, potpourri, continually blooming until first frost, member of the Asteraceae family,
See: http://homeguides.sfgate.com/long-german-chamomile-bloom-seed-81857.html

Coreopsis (Early Sunrise, Grandiflora): Seed swap, 2009. Planted two 3" pots.  Expected germination time, N/A.  Characteristics: perennial, needs light to germinate (sprinkled more on top of soil after recognizing my mistake of planting 1/4" deep), also known as Double Butter Daisy and Tickseed, 20" tall, full sun/partial shade, golden, semi-double yellow flowers, prolific, blooms early summer to mid fall, easy to grow, All-American Selections Award winner in 1989.
See: http://www.bluestoneperennials.com/COES.html

Coreopsis (Full Moon): Seed swap, 2009. Planted two 3" pots.  Expected germination time, N/A. Characteristics: perennial, needs light to germinate (sprinkled more on top of soil after recognizing my mistake of planting 1/4" deep), 18"-24" tall, showy hybrid, large, canary yellow flowers, 3" flowers, long blooming, blooms early summer into early fall, easy to grow, cut flowers.
See: http://www.waltersgardens.com/plants/view/?plant=1627

Foxglove (Digitalis Purpurea, Variety, N/A): Seed swap, 2009. Planted two 3" pots.  Expected germination time, N/A.  Characteristics: biennial, needs light to germinate (sprinkled more on top of soil after recognizing my mistake of planting 1/4" deep), bell-shaped flowers, blooms early to mid-summer, good in mass plantings, 2'-5' tall, easily self-seeds.
See: http://homeguides.sfgate.com/plant-foxglove-seeds-72729.html

Grecian Rose (Red Dragon, Geum chiloense): Livingston Seeds, 2014. Planted two 3" pots.  Expected germination time, 10-14 days. Characteristics: perennial, needs darkness to germinate, frilly scarlet-red to orange blooms, flashy, blooms first year, deadhead regularly, 16-20" tall, sun/dappled sun, summer blooms.
See: http://myfolia.com/plants/3427-grecian-rose-geum-geum-chiloense/varieties/103328-red-dragon

Purple Coneflower (Echinacaea purpurea): Harvested, 2014. Planted three 3" pots.  Expected germination time, N/A. Seeds originally purchased from Burpee, 2013. Characteristics: perennial, needs darkness to germinate, member of Asteraceae family, butterfly magnet, easy to grow, flowers are large orange, gold spiky centers with strong rose pink petals, blooms in July and August, drought tolerant, good in mass plantings, full sun/partial shade, 2'-4' tall.
See: http://www.northcreeknurseries.com/plantName/Echinacea-purpurea-

Snapdragons (Tetra Ruffled Supreme Mix, Antirrhinum majus): Livingston Seeds, 2014. Planted two 3" pots with pelletized seeds. Expected germination time, 3-8 days. Characteristics: perennial, needs light to germinate, (sprinkled more on top of soil after recognizing my mistake of planting 1/4" deep), full sun, 24"-30" tall, blooms spring through fall, full spectrum of color, good for cutting gardens, containers or borders.
See: http://homeguides.sfgate.com/germinate-giant-tetra-snapdragon-seeds-44684.html

Postscript #1 - One seedling has germinated in the Salvia Blue Bedder container (sown on February 25, 2 days)
Postscript #2 - A few of the vinca seeds in the twenty-five pot seed tray have germinated (sowed on February 17, 11 days).