Final Flower Seedlings Update

All the flower and vegetable seedlings have been planted and now we finally have our house back! In late winter I have lost my basement workshop bench because that was the only place that had fluorescent fixtures above table/bench. Then in spring when plants were moved to sunroom we have lost use of our favorite dining spot and finally, when plants were being hardened off they took over our deck. It was quite an experience! In retrospect, I think that I have over done it a bit this season. I started way too many plants under lights, way too many. Lesson learned and I hope that I will remember next winter. All we have to do now is to keep the weeds out and feed the plants. Watering is not a problem since I have fully automatic irrigation system on all flower and veggie beds as well as all hanging baskets and most containers as well.

Now is the time to enjoy our gardens.

Next update will be Flower and Vegetable Garden Update in about two weeks.

Note: Big Thank You has to go to Marjo for transplanting most the seedlings into pots, baskets and ground. I did the tomatoes and some peppers, that’s all.

 

Most containers and hanging baskets are on or close to south side of our walkway. Front containers have a mix of Black Eyed Susan Vine, Nasturtium and Lobelia.

On porch stairs are planters with Zinnia, Snapdragon Rocket, Lobelia, Petunias, Nasturtium and BESV. Large green container in front has a Jasmine Scented Nicotiana.

Island in front of porch has containers with Red Millet, Snapdragon Rocket, Petunias and later today we will plant Dahlias.

Hanging basket on left has Snapdragon Lampion mix only and right basket has Lobelia, Nasturtium and BESV.

Seedlings update, April 15, 2011

Three weeks to go to plant most seedlings outside and our sunroom looks like a nursery already. I have spotted first flowers on tomatoes already but they are sturdy and healthy. This is a Mountain Magic variety from Johnny’s Seeds and they will grow in containers so no worries here. Eggplants are coming along nicely and so are peppers and basil. They all will be right size when the time comes to see the outdoors. As far as flower seedlings go they are ready but have to stay for a while. It looks like that some will have to be moved to a bigger pot and others into final basket or container. Trailing Snapdragons are doing extremely well and so are Lobelia, Black Eyed Susan Vine, Petunia, Zinnia, Cosmos, Nasturtium and Salpiglossis. Yes, there is a jungle in our sunroom. Only plants still under lights are Peppers, Basil, some Tomatoes and Salpiglossis.

Some pictures are few days old.

Mountain Magic tomatoes.

Black Eyed Susan Vine.

Snapdragon Rocket.

Snapdragon Lampion.

Zinnia.

Growing from Seeds Update, April 1st, 2011

I think that it is appropriate to post and update on my seedlings on April Fools Day. Some of the flowers were started way too early and in few days our sunroom will look like a garden center in May. Next week many of the plants will be transplanted to their final container or basket and other will be transplanted to bigger container where they wait till transferred into a flower bed. I don’t think that I have too many choices. I have to find out which seedlings I can nip and which I can’t touch.  I’ve already nipped Black Eyed Susan Vine trailers and some Snapdragon Lampion (Trailing) but I am not sure about Snapdragon Rocket which is a traditional straight plant. The packet says that it is grown as a cut flower so I am not sure.

On veggie front the tomatoes, peppers and eggplants are nice and robust and grown under lights. They are right on target as far as time line is concerned.

Here are pictures of what starts to look like a jungle.

I almost forgot to mention that Zinnia and Snapdragon are blooming. Oh boy, am I ever in a trouble L

 Tomatoes and peppers, Petunia on left.

 Painted Tongue

 Petunia

 Tomatoes and peppers

 Lobelias, Cosmos (bottom left)

 Snapdragon Lampion. Notice the bloom at left.

 French Taragon (from last year)

 Red Millet (bottom) and Zinnia

Snapdragon in bloom.

Growing from Seeds Update March 23, 2011



Winter came back for few days!

Things are moving quite fast on our seedlings front.

The Lobelias were transplanted from cells into 3” pots; now we have 15 pots that could have been divided easily into 50 pots. My hand was a bit heavy when I spread the seeds, I guess. Lesson learned.

Cosmos have new home and doing very well and so do Petunias, Zinnia, Red Millet and Black Eyed Susan Vine. The Snapdragons slowed down in their growth for some reason but are healthy.

Snapdragons and Zinnias



Black Eyed Susan Vine, Red Millet and Cosmos

 I wrote about my little Snapdragon experiment before but I have to post an update. Few weeks ago I snipped the top of one plant to force it into branching. Instead of throwing the 3/8” long tip in the garbage I dipped it in growth hormone powder and planted it in a Jiffy Pot.  Last week I have notice roots growing through the pot sides. It penetrated the sock! I am sure that If I clip same plant and repeat the process I could grow hundreds of Snapdragons from one seed! Amazing, isn’t it?

Anyway, this plant will join its mother and rest of seedlings in a hanging basket.

Arugula and French Tarragon

Some tomatoes were also transplanted and so were some peppers and all eggplants. Things are looking good.

Growing from Seeds Update March 16, 2011

Spring is almost here, judging by arrival of American Robins, Grackles and Turkey Vultures and hundreds of Tundra Swans going south.

Our seedlings are doing really well. Soon, I will transplant Zinnias, Cosmos, Lobelias, Petunias and Pearl Purple Millet from cells to larger individual containers where they stay till transplanted permanently into containers or ground. Also, 2 days ago I came across French Tarragon that I have overwintered in our unheated garage and it was looking all dried up. I removed all dead growth all the way to soil level and put it in a bucket of water. Next morning I couldn’t believe how fast it woke up and how much it grew in just few hours!

My tomatoes, peppers and eggplants are also doing well. They all had excellent germination rate. Tomorrow I will move my bonsai Juniper from cold frame into a pot and in its place I will plant snow peas and sugar snap peas and see what will happen. Last year I have planted them way too late.

Outside in garden the crocuses are about 1” high and so are tulips. Yup, Spring is here now, not almost!

Growing from seeds update.

Last 2 weeks have been very busy and full of surprises, most of them good. Actually, I had only 2 bad surprises, both involving trailing snapdragons. 1^st was discovery of damaged leaves; they looked like something was eating them. Problem solved after I have sprayed with horticultural spray about a week ago and they look terrific. Second, after reading posts about Jiffy pots on Garden Web, was realization that I could have left the sock on my snappies when I transplanted them into hanging basket. That could have spelled death to seedlings. I poked around and sure enough, they were still there. All pots were carefully removed, sock removed and replanted in same basket. I’m happy to say that 5 days later they are looking pretty good.

Here is picture of my leftover snapdragons. I will make a mixed baskets with them.

Very positive surprise was Lobelia that was supposed to take 20 days to germinate and to my shock I saw first green fuzz on 5^th day! Here is a picture of what hey look like on day 7. I might see flowers come end of May after all.

Zinnia was another early germinating plant, 4 days only. Both were on a heat mat set at 29 °C. They are now in a cooler part of tray, replaced by peppers and eggplants. They like it hot J.

Salpiglossis were another surprise. They germinated after 8 days, first 4 in dark and then under light. The packet said to keep in dark but last year it didn’t work for me so I planted another batch, under lights and they all germinated. This year I went half and half just to see what happens and it worked. Go figure.

 The Thunbergia (Black Eyed Suzan Vine) is a mixed bag. Even though they germinated in half time listed the rate was only 44% - only 4 out of 9 seeds planted, but they do well and 4 plants is just about all I will need. No spares for neighbors this year.

Not a bad week. Now I’ll wait for peppers and eggplants.