Seed Swap & Chat # 55 - sowing and germination

Salmon Sunset Four O'clocks

Oooooooooo -- that is pretty!!

I have germination on my Custard & Cream

If I can get them to the point of seeds, I will share them in the next swap! :) Even though so far I have had lousy luck with 4 o'clocks. I was talking about it somewhere else on DG. They usually don't flower until a week or two befor ekilling frost, so I am hoping for better luck this year!

The phlox look so pretty up there!

I've been MIA did any one notice lol My cable has been out for the last week have a cable guy coming today but it's running so slow right now, got a new router and it helped a bit.

Cris I think that was me for the butterfly bush start I saw in my notes to dmail you we'll have to figure out something to trade I'm kind of busy today will have to dmail you tomorrow need to run and get fea stuff for the cats and all kinds of things just hoping I'll be back by the time the darn cable people get here lol

Herbsprit I'll mail your money for the comfrey today too haven't been able to get on line and get your address so frustrating was suppose to mail a trade out to Terese too! I got your comfrey a few days ago :) Thanks so much! He's in the ground and looks to be happy I'm not happy having to carry water up to him in the field already our drought has started I think the rain sure has slowed down we are lucky to get a bit in one little down pour about once a week from one extreme to another all that rain last year so I bet we don't get anything for this year sure wish we could hit a happy medium! Already I need to get the hose out I don't think I pulled it out once last year that was so nice :)

I had 3 Custard & Cream to sprout & 1 'Limelight Rose'.

ants

Lea, I hear you! We haven't had a drop of rain in April so far, and tons over the winter... 30% chance Wednesday, which means nothing... I've been watering twice a day with all my little babies in the hot sun... hopefully we'll get our April showers sometime, and not just skip them entirely!

I'm afraid we are going to skip them entirely! We are due in a couple of days for 'scattered showers' every time they say that we don't get any :( Have a feeling it's going to be a l o n g summer!

Hey Lea,
I told Ella earler last week when rain stopped we be crying for rain now lol , If weather man would be nice he would be dancing for it , know my pots been drying out big time seems like everyday but my great grand loves water even though I think to cold yet so can get out the pools for them.
Trying to get something going but lol got weeds up to my knee's so trying to get back into doing my grand helped me weed the lily bed but we didn't get very far, she ask what happened to all my clean bed's told her old age and bad health but will get there hopefully like a snail right now but meant to take my anneul,s out with me to plant inbetween. Gonna get there can't wait till see 80's stay every day.
Carolyn

HI Lea, glad to see you back! :)

Waiting on scattered showers here too, but looks like the bulk is gonna go up and over and below . grrrrrr I need some rain. Figure from all the plants I lost from flooding and too much rain over winter that now should at least have some. Ya know it gonna be a bad summer when they already putting the burn warnings out.

Least it gonna be a cloudy day and a bit cooler so gonna be a good day to spend outside and if the rain light enough will just stay out during it.

I had planted some sort of new poppy. Forget which name it was, but am having trouble with the bottom leaves turning yellow. Am wondering if they don't like alot of fertilizer?

Ella, we've had no April showers to speak of this year either, we've only had 1 decent rain this month. That concerns me- this is awfully early to be this dry.

Ella -- up in our camp ground... they've had burn warnings too. it's been dry. we did get a lil storm that rolled thru on Thursday night. Not sure if it was enough to cancel the warnings in the counties to the north of us.

here, at home... we are very dry too. I think I'm gonna have to lug the hose out. I need to prepare my tomato bed.

Neal did you get the good rain the other day it missed us just got a little bit of rain and that was it. It is awful early for this dry spell!

We have clouds this morning don't remember anything on the weather about showers today but I hope it does I'm going to have to go out to the garage and put something over the top of my little greenhouses so the gutters don't pour over onto them I have two with rugs on top of them but just filled another one up yesterday and put a cover over it so need to find something to put on top of it, the gutters spill over and it's like Niagara Falls when the gutters are full lol
Carolyn aren't you suppose to be taking it easy for a while :)

Terese, never made a leaf bed for my tomato bed last year now I'm wondering where I'm going to put my tomatoes this year :) I do the leaf bed every year didn't even think about it last fall guess I'll have to get out there and dig one up. I can't believe I forgot about my tomatoes!

Lea, the problem I have is... every year i have to tear out the sedum acre that has moved back into the area where i put my tomatoes. So have this huge carpet of sedum to move, yet again. then i think i'm going to add more top soil and compost.

I really only have room for 3 plants, sometimes i can squeeze 4 in there, but they are really close together. I currently have 7 plants, mostly Beef Maestro [hope they are good, first year for them]

I was thinking of getting 'coily' tomato stakes for them... we shall see -- at 8 bucks a piece....

Lea, no rain to speak of, just got cloudy and drizzled for a few minutes. Its cloudy now and looks like it could happen, but I watered anyway- that usually helps it along, LOL. Too bad I don't have a car right now, I'd wash it, then it would surely rain!

Neal how do you make it without a car lol I've got to know I at least have one to drive if I need it I feel lost when it's in the shop lol

I watered plants last night just couldn't hold off any more at all all of my plumonaria were pouting and a few other plants that I just transplanted this year! I just hope we get those storms that are supposed to come in this weekend but not tornado warnings!

I need to wash my car pressure washed the garage doors the other day and it went thru to the back of my clean car in the garage! Looks like it has the measles but just not on the top of my 'to do' list maybe it should be like you said it will make it rain lol

Terese I only plant about seven tomatoes and they never do any good so I'm lucky to get enough tomatoes out of seven plants not counting the green peppers I usually plant about four or five of them but they don't do well either. I always wondered about those 'coily' tomato stakes you'll have to let me know how they do for you I may get some next year if you like them.

I can't imagine moving that much sedum! I have a pretty good patch out front and keep wondering where it's going to take over next lol I'm in the process of digging a lot of campanula out of that bed now and it was all in the Juniper that I have out there that was a job now my next spot is where the campanula is it's growing into the sedum too! Then I had a morning glory planted close to those where I'm digging so I know I'm going to have thousands of seedlings of those to get out of the sedum and probably going to have to step on the sedum to get to them the patch is so big I did that to myself though never did take the vine down before winter :( I have a trellis there I need to replace too I can get lost in this bed alone little lone both side yards lol I'm so over whelmed trying to get these beds straightened out this year LOL I don't know which way to turn half of the time! And then what do I do but order more plants from Ella’s coop going on LOL LOL I’m a gluten for punishment for sure but I keep telling myself it will all be worth it next year :)

I would just plant the tomatoes in the sedum! :) Then it's already mulched & all :)

ants

There's not enough light where the sedum is for the tomatoes :) I can't understand why the sedum grows like crazy there it's mostly morning sun.

>>I can't imagine moving that much sedum!

when i finally get around to doing it [i'm quickly running out of time]
i'm going to make a 'walking path' out back between two of the flower beds out in the field... if i ever get around to doing it, i'll post photos.

Why are you running out of time are you getting ready to go to your other place? Or do you mean the heat is coming :)

I just wish we had a warmer winter so I could have gotten out to do what I'm doing now! Usually we at least have a warm day here and there during the winter this year it just turned cold and stayed that way and now its summer and dry! Winter, no spring then summer again! geeesh!

With looking at this mess here I won't hold my breath for those pictures Terese LOL

Lea -- we opened up the week of the 12th. it has actually been warmer up there than it has been here. but i'm looking forward to getting back... plus i put in a job app for working in the office... hopefully they will have a spot open -- it will give me something to do for the season, plus a lil cash on the side.

I was just outside... took Sir Charles out... brrr, that wind is cold... and i took notes on the numbers on the jugs of what i want to plant tomorrow. [he's sitting in teh corner of the yard watching birds... i'm at the kitchen table [where its warm] but i can see him due to the sliding glass door.

Lea, for the most part being without a vehicle has been ok, but now that I'm working again it's a real pain.

The seedlings are growing fast now, looks like quite a few are ready to be set out. Been hoping for a rain first, but I may just have to bite the bullet and get to planting. Geez, I hope this isn't going to be one of those awful drought years.

we've got light rain. i wouldn't mind a good soaking over night.

Does anyone know if I can transplant a holly hock that is in it's second year. I do not know if they have that huge tap root.

I have a friend that is looking for a pink HH, and that is the only color i have that will bloom this year.

From what I've read, it is not easy, nor recommended to transplant HH in second year though some claim to have done it.

ants

Terese, I transplanted some late in the fall that were at the end of their first year, and they look good. Not sure about now though, if you've got several its worth a try. May be a good idea to pot it up, water it well and put it in the shade to recover for a few days, then it would probably transplant into the garden easier. They do have a thick, long tap root, so be prepared to dig deep.

ah... i'll just leave it then... i can offer her seeds.

its a friend who i went to school with.... we were very good friend in jr high... hadn't seen her in 22 yrs and spent hrs last night catching up... only to find out she's a gardener too.

I have a friend like that Terese that I hadn't seen in years just ran into her last year she does hair and when she saw all of my plants she said she would do my roots for plants lol If she would have waited I would have offered her plants anyway but that works for me lol We used to run around together and party a long time ago we live in the same town now where her husband and I grew up at but she owns her own business so we still don't get to see each other very much but it sure was nice to get back in touch with her :)

I'm back from vacation in Florida!

Saw lot of tropical plants, and it makes me realize how much I garden with native plants for my area. I know so little about tropicals.

I owe 2 more people Comfrey roots, and I'll get those out this weekend. For those of you sending me postage I'm in the addy exchange.

Someone was asking about remedies for Poison Ivy. There is a plant that grows near it in the northeast called Impatiens capensis (Jewelweed) that is an antidote. It only works when you use it when you are exposed, not days later. It works very well. I had seeds in the swap this year, I'm sure I'll have some next time as well.

Welcome back herbsprit hope you had a great time! Did you get pictutes :)

I sent you postage you should have it or tomorrow hopefully really appreciate you sending me a bulb :)

Hey, y'all...we Californians are always in drought and asking for rain...be careful what you ask for...We have had snow March 31st, April 5th, 12th, 20th and rain on the 21st. You are all welcome to any of our "leftovers", as our lakes and streams are all still low, but by the end of this season I doubt that they will call this year a drought. I do not remember snow in April in the 23 years I have lived up here. Our farmers did need the water, as it would have been rationed...☺

Lea,

I'll get the cuttings out to you after my company leaves.
Glad I remembered about them - not too often I remember
anything these days.
Same with all the seeds I've promised everyone.

We've got plenty of rain to share - just wish the rain barrels
will fill up.

Cris I forgot to dmail you lol I've been trying to find a box to mail a hosta to Terese, darn thang leafed out on me lol This is just a busy time of the year I'm meeting myself coming and going lol I'm going to get Terese's out tomorrow and in the process I'll check your want list out and see if I have anything that you want believe me I'm in no hurry lol Did we agree on anything for me to send you in return? I don't think I have a memory anymore :)

I potted up and thinned my tomato seedlings. Some how I managed to snap off one, and I had already snipped the other seedlings off! So now I have zero of that variety! Somuch for getting a head start on that one! ugh

sorry had to add spaces, due to a sticky space bar.

This message was edited Apr 25, 2010 11:50 AM

Meredith keep them pottted up you might be surprised and they will come back not sure about the little seedlings but I've had a big tomato plant break off before and just had the stem and kept watering it and another leaf came out and ended up with tomatoes anyway it's worth a shot :)

I'm trying to sell tomatoes and peppers this year and have like ten trays to transplant been doing it for two days and haven't even made a dent in them the worse part is having my cups to soak up water that's what holds me back and taking so long lol

Thanks Lea! I stuck the top in the potting mix, just in case it roots. Some people grow tomatoes from cuttings, so I guess it's worth a shot. :) I will start more seeds too, they will still get a small head start at least. I was trying to have only one plant of each variety at 2 or 3 intervals of sowing ~ so I don't get a trillion toms all at once, like I usually do. :)

Meredith, here is a link that tells you 3 different methods of growing tomatoes with cuttings.
http://cubits.org/salsagarden/thread/view/20223/

I had some peppers that the sweet, adorable, ROTTEN cats ate all the leaves off. One did manage to sprout new leaves, though they're still kind of pitiful at this point!

Lebug.. Instead of waiting for your cups to soak up water. Get ya a wheelbarrow and fill it with your potting mi. Add enough water to it to make it moist and damp and put your hands in it and toss it around like a salad. Put your tray there and fill with soil. Transplant in your seedlings in and then water them in good from top.

The reason behind this is that it sets the plants in place and the pressure of the water forces any air bubble s that could cause air pockets that could be detrimental to your seedlings to disperse.

Also by wetting your soil first, it make s it more absorbent when it does come time to water. Makes transplanting go fast too.

Tcs... If your hollyhock is in a pot you cna transplant it. Haven't dug one up from the ground before to transplant, but transplant them all the time in pots.

Meridith... If the tomato plant you snapped has any nodes ta ll on it, give it time, it will come back. Just gonna take awhile, cu that stem will start making more roots before making more leaves.

The snapped off part, just stick in some soil and in a few weeks it will have roots. It too won't have much top growth while making rots , keep the soil on it not soaked but pretty damp and don't give it heavy does of fertilizer til it does have some established roots or you will burn the new emerging hairs.

herb... Glad your back and had a good time. I love seeing them tropicals too and usually buy them and then kick myself afterwards as they usually die over the winter even with trying to protect them.

started a new thread... http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1091414/