Always Something To Do

What I love about seed starting is that there is always something to fuss over and tinker with. And what is even better is that there is no urgency with any of these tasks.  There is always some flexibility as to when they need to be done, give or take a few days and sometimes a few weeks. The tasks can be squeezed in here or there, dedicating 15 minutes or up to a couple of hours depending on whatever else is on the day's agend. Today I woke up at 6:00 am eager to fit in two hours of transplanting seedlings and sowing more flower seeds.

Today's projects:

• Transplanted geraniums from 4-packs to their own 3" pots. I will give them a day's reprieve from growlights to adjust to the transplant. 

• Transplanted Sweet Williams to twenty-five 2" pots; will not put under lights today to allow recovery from the transplant.  The remaining Sweet William seedlings (7) have been potted in two 3" pots to grow on as extras. 

• It was also time to give the rosemary seedlings more "leg room", splitting up the seedlings into their own cells. 

• Eight seedlings from the pansy container sown on February 3 were ready to be transplanted into two 4-packs.  I thought I would l leave the remaining seedlings in the 4"x8" container for a few more weeks but instead transplanted them into a 6-pack.  Similarly, I won't put the pansies back under growlights until tomorrow.

• I have had difficulty in past years germinating lavender seeds.  This year I ran an experiment to see which of three methods (traditional, pre-chilling, pressing seeds into mix) would yield the greatest number of seedlings. As of this date, the most effective was the traditional planting of seeds sown 1/4" deep.  I transplanted those eight seedlings from container #1 and one seedling from container #2 into a 3" pot, leaving the remaining seedlings to grow on.  The winner will be declared in a few weeks. 

• The delphiniums looks a bit ill with blotchy leaves that are slightly yellowing.  I hesitate to transplant them in this condition but decided a bit of "tough love" was in order.  I moved the six largest seedlings to their own 3" pots and the remaining seedlings will carry on in the original container for a few more weeks. 

The following seeds were sowed today:

Coleus (Rainbow Mix): Livingston Seeds, 2014.  Planted seeds 1/4" deep in one 4"x8" container. Expected germination time, 7-14 days.  Characteristics: annual, shade, 12-18" tall, blooms in summer. Used as a backdrop or centerpiece in pots or in a mass.  Shades of kelly green, royal burgundy and lemon yellow.  For bushier growth, pinch center stem when plants are 4" to 6" tall.
See: http://www.outsidepride.com/seed/flower-seed/coleus/coleus-rainbow-mix.html

Impatiens (Flavours Hybrid Mix): Burpee, 2015. Sowed seeds in 4"x8" container shallowly. Expected germination date: 18-28 days. Days to maturity, 55-60.  Characteristics: annual, large 2" flowers, white, red, pink, lavender, 8" tall. Space 10" apart.
See: http://www.almanac.com/plant/impatiens

Lupines (Russell's Prize Mix, Lupinus polyphyllus): Livingston Seeds, 2014. Expected germination time, 25-30 days. I did not soak the seeds overnight as recommended on the packet. Planted seeds 1/4" deep in one 4"x8" container. Characteristics: Perennial, sun, 2' to 4' tall, tall stalks bearing large flowers in shades of pink, yellow, rose, red and blue, use as cut flowers or in garden bed, low maintenance, mulch summer and winter.
See: http://www.burpee.com/perennials/lupine/lupine-russell-hybrid-mixed-colors-prod000077.html

Potentilla (Trailing Cinquefoil, tonguei): Harvested, 2014. The seeds were originally received through a seed swap, 2009.  Planted seeds 1/8" deep in one 4"x8" container. Not 100% sure of variety, but most resembles a tonguei by Internet search.  One of my favorite perennial flowers. Over the past five years there has been a decline in the number of plants in the perennial bed.  I hope to add dozen or so more plants to the garden. Characteristics:  perennial, full sun, hybrid, low clump-forming for edging or massing as ground cover. trailing stems, 4-6" tall, small, single apricot-yellow buttercup flowers, bright-red eye, blooms all summer, pinch back spent blooms.
See: http://www.perennials.com/plants/potentilla-tonguei.html

Postscript #1 - Salvia, Scarlett has germinated (seeds sowed February 25, 7 days).
Postscript #2 - I am stratifying Bouncing Bet/Saponaria officinalis seeds for one week in the refrigerator. They will be ready to sow on or after March 11.

Wintersowing Flowers

Here's a photo of our 12x60 foot flower bed that runs parallel to the driveway.  All of the plants were grown from seed.  The perennials, in particular, were started in 2009 using a method called wintersowing.  I grew hundreds of seedlings that year and it was a great way to inexpensively get a large garden up and running.  It literally cost pennies to throw seeds into recycled containers prepped with drainage and venting holes, moistened potting soil and a hinged opening.  An online seed swap club provided me with free flower seeds as a wintersowing "newbie."  I had never grown flowers before and, needless to say, the learning curve was steep.  But over the past five years, I have rearranged the plants in the bed to better balance height and color, replaced the ones I didn't particularly like and added new plants in the bare spots. The photos below show the setup on our back deck in January and the results in April:

Bring on the snow and freezing weather!  It doesn't bother them a bit!

Mother nature at her best!

The last few years I've also enjoyed starting flower seeds indoors under growlights and then moving them into the hoophouse in the spring. The seedlings not needed in the perennial bed are planted in window boxes, large containers and in and amongst my vegetable garden.

Impatiens and lobelia enjoying the warmth of the hoophouse.

Today I organized my seeds and filled pots and trays with seed starting mix.  I did, however, sow one container with flower seeds:

Pansy (Swiss Giant Mix, Viola wittrocklana): Planted approximately 60 pelletized seeds in one 4"x8" container 1/4" deep. This is the second sowing. See February 3rd post for full description.

Postscript #1 - More than twenty-five Sweet William seedlings (Dianthus barbatus) have germinated in only five days.  I am particularly pleased for two reasons: first, I harvested these seeds myself from last year's flowers and also because the earliest expected germination time is usually 14 days.

I'm tickled these seeds were viable!  I hope to expand my Sweet William bed!

And Then There Was Pansy

One little pansy decided to sprout today.  The seed was planted 7 days ago; it is within the expected range as stated on the packet (3-9 days). Again, pelletized seeds appear to germinates faster than its non-pelletized counterparts (generally 14-21 days).

I moved the sweet potatoes off the wood stove mantle where the temperature averaged above 80 degrees. Afraid that the slips would be ready to plant outdoors many weeks ahead of schedule, I moved the jars to a cooler area, on the kitchen table with the germinating seed trays.

Let the Seeding Begin!

I started seeds today knowing perfectly well that I am very early even for these varieties:

Delphiniums (Pacific Giant, Delphinium elatum): Seeds purchased from Livingston Seeds. Planted these seeds 14 weeks before last frost; 10-12 weeks were recommended.  Seeds were chilled in the refrigerator for a week prior to being sown.  Sowed two 4"x8" containers, approximately 50-55 seeds in each one, 1/4 inch deep (darkness required).  As part of an experiment to determine if continued chilling assists in germination, one container was placed in the refrigerator for two weeks while the other was not. Expected germination time: 25-30 days. Characteristics: perennial, full sun, 4-5' tall (back border), blooms in summer, pastel pink, lavender, white and blue spires, staking may be needed, thought to be difficult to sprout. See http://www.mr-fothergills.co.uk/Flower-Seed/Delphinium-Seed/Delphinium-Pacific-Giants-Mixed.html#.VNDdv9X3-iw.

Pansy (Swiss Giant Mix, Viola wittrocklana): Seeds purchased from Livingston Seeds. Planted pelletized seeds 14 weeks before last frost; 10-12 weeks were recommended.  Sowed one 4"x8" container, approximately 80 seeds, 1/4 inch deep (darkness required).  Expected germination time: 3-9 days since pelleted, most generally 14-28 days. Characteristics: annual, full sun, 6-8" tall (front border), blooms in spring, rainbow of colors, fragrant, large blooms, compact plants for use in containers. See http://www.mr-fothergills.co.uk/Flower-Seed/Summer-Flowering/Pansy-Swiss-Giants-Mixed_2.html#.VNDqH9X3-iw.

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis): Seeds purchased from Livingston Seeds. Planted pelletized seeds 14 weeks before last frost; 8 weeks was recommended.  I will likely have to "pot up" before planting out in the garden in mid May. Sowed two 4-packs, approximately 8 seeds each cell, planted 1/4" deep (darkness required). Expected germination time: 5-7 days since pelletized; most generally 14-21 days. Characteristics: tender perennial, evergreen shrub, full sun, plant in containers or in herb garden, fussy to sprout. See http://www.johnnyseeds.com/p-8172-rosemary.aspx.

Lavender (Vera, Lavandula vera ):  Livingston Seeds. Planted seeds 14 weeks before last frost; 6-8 weeks were recommended.  Sowed three 4"x8" containers, approximately 45 seeds each.  The seeds in one container were pressed into the seed mix (surface sown, light required).  The seeds of the second container were covered 1/4" with seed mix as suggested on the packet.  A third container was placed in the refrigerator for a few weeks; a few sources had recommended chilling. Expected germination time: 14-21 days or up to a month. Characteristics: perennial, full sun to partial shade, 18-24" (mid-border), bushy/hardy variety. See http://www.everwilde.com/store/Organic-Vera-Lavender-Herb-Seeds.html?gclid=Cj0KEQiAgMKmBRDMjo_F9OfUubABEiQAp8Ky140ONtaXwjOF7Z5Q4JO-xuLxfkt1K9H14SOMgRCkLpcaAluO8P8HAQ.

TIP OF THE DAY!!  Collect clean water as you sow seeds.  Simply place a basin under the faucet as you rinse your hands, tools, trays, etc. This water may be used to wet potting mix or water seedlings.

Postscript #1 -  Small white roots in both sweet potatoes have emerged.