Surviving the Winter

It is just beautiful outside today. It is only 39 but with the sun shining it feels warm and nice. I have a large pile of brush in the driveway to move.

Love your paper whites. I worked on my seed order today. I went to work and when the boss came in he said that he felt like he was coming down with the flu, so he sent me home so I would not be exposed. He will be wearing a mask all day to protect everyone else thats has a better immune system then mine.
The sun was shinning most of the day but we have some really dark clouds coming in and a spitting of snow. May get 1 to 2 inches tonight and tomorrow.
Maybe tomorrow I'll get to the plant room in the basement and start cleaning it up and get ready for starting seeds later next month.
Grayon, what geranium seeds are you planing on? I was looking at some Black Velvet Salmon for my deck boxes I think they would look nice with Dolcissima Fragolino petunias in hanging baskets over head.
Here is a picture of my deck from 2008 I want to get it nice and lush again this year, it is my favorite place to sit when the sun is so hot in the summer.

Oops.
A white christmas cactus with a set of fresh buds 'fell' into my cart today. Then I checked it out at the register without noticing. For four bucks, not very big but looks like 3-4 seperate small plants grouped which I'll pot up. Looks lots healthier too than my one in the awful 'dirt'

I saw a summer picture from my yard today. Its so lush in summer, you notice when its winter.

Ladygardener:

I'm starting geraniums from seed I collected last fall.
Two years ago I started Black Velvet Salmon from seed and I was very disappointed. They never displayed the dark coloring indicated in the catalogs. The seed company (Parks) was very good about sending replacement seeds, but these failed to show the leaf pattern as well. I tried them in full sun, partial shade, in pots and in the garden.

I also grew Dolcissima Fragolino petunias. I liked them very much.


Sallyg:

Fell into your cart...a likely story. I had a similar problem before Christmas when a Phaelenopsis orchid fell into my grocery cart at Aldi.

Thanks grayon, I'll stick with the DF petunia, and I saw some other Pink/salmon colored geraniums so I'll take a look at those too.

I also like starting the seed dahilas. I am not good about digging up and storing the tubers over winter, so I grow them as annuals. They realy put on a nice show in the later summer/ early fall.

Sally, plants are like puppies, they always follow you home. LOL

ladyg- I was rushed and had meant to say how pretty your porch looks!

garyon, they really should fix those wobbly shelves !

Out doing a little yard clean up. I noticed a couple of plants heaving so we added more dirt on top and a layer of leaf mulch. Then I took more stuff to the burning pile. It's getting pretty big.

I have yet to go out and cut back about 3 perennials.
Never got to it.....

No biggie! G.

I have a few to cut back, too.

It's a club- got mums here, dead daylily leaves- I cut nothing back yet.

The snow is deep again, and I have cleanup to do as well. I'll use my new clippers I got with my Christmas money: a $20 Fiscars set of two was on clearance for $5 at Home Depot. What a deal! I have had the long -handled loppers for a year now, and really like the quality.

I'm trying to get organized this afternoon to plant the Flowering Maple seeds I collected last fall.

Today's outdoor activity will include snow shoveling and taking kitchen waste to the lasagna garden.

I am soo boggled down with my next big project! It has been on my table since June!

I have all these seeds collected--many of plants I already have---but also several new ones.

--I need to make seed-packet labels for all those.
-- I need to go through my old ones...refill all the small envelopes.
--I need to dole all the seeds out in all these tiny envelopes to share.

The Seed-Thing is rearing it's head already. I NEED to attend to it!

Just when I think I will have some free time to do other things....NOPE!!!!

Gita

Gita

I need to get organized, too. I don't have that many seeds, but I've misplaced what I do have. When I went to plant the flowering maple seeds this morning they weren't where I expected to find. All of my seeds are together....someplace.

Grayson

I keep all mine in a can in the fridge....in the veggiie drawer......then I know where to look....

Are those of you in Maryland or anyone else south of Syracuse getting this storm? The few inches we have and are expecting to get do not look like a problem here. Schools are still open and the plows are out.

We aren't getting any of it yet. Not sure if it is to come our way. We are near Harrisburg and so far all the storms have missed us. All we have had is dusting and maybe an inch or two. Ric didn't even shovel just took the leaf blower out and blew it away.

I live in Baltimore.
They are predicting this snow to gett o our area tomorrow aftenoon and into Wednesday.
Not sure yet on the inches--maybe 4"?

Looks nasty on the Weather map!

Gita

We live above Holly by about 50 or so miles and all we've gotten is a dusting also......nothing the past few days......so far so good!

Two fluffy inches, beautiful sun in the mornings, frigid blasts of wind yesterday afternoon!!!!!!!
With the sun in the window, I can close my eyes and hear the titmouse and think spring!

Six inches by yesterday morning, and another six by this morning - I have been shoveling. The roads were very bad yesterday, so I limited my time on the roads.

Grayson

Not sure how much is on the ground now but it has been snowing since Tuesday at 3:00 p.m. DH has snowblowed each morning and I had to push snow off the sidewalk to the mail box yesterday afternoon.
Here is a picture from yesterday.

I am staying home, no driving in this stuff for me. Not worth the stress.

Plan to do some winter sowing this weekend. I have snakeroot, sweet william and double pink hollyhock to start with. Anyone had success with this? I followed the forum last year and had some success. I let a lot dry out in May, though.

I am holding back on planting Canna seeds for a couple of weeks. A Dave's Garden friend was kind enough to send seeds from several varieties.

It's cold (9 degrees). Several more inches of snow is predicted. Wind is to increase. It will be a good afternoon for a fire.

This message was edited Feb 19, 2011 8:27 PM

I was too late with last year's wintersowing, myself; my columbines did almost zero. I just went thru seeds yesterday and found some I really do want to WS now. Luckily with three big kids, I have enough milk jugs.
I also found at least two for indoors to start anytime: Jobs Tears and Strelitzia. And I already potted some purple Datura. They can take a few weeks to sprout.

So cold- all the coals in there and the snow underneath doesn't look a bit melted! I love to sit by a fire.

I tried winter sowing once and had poor results. I decided it was not for me as I enjoy starting seeds in my plant room and fussing over them. I feel I have better control over their environment. A lot of folks swear by it and that is all they do.
I will not be starting any seed until the end of February, I started too soon last year and could not get plants out when I hope to. (That was before I got so sick) I will be starting petunia seeds first, as they take a while to set flowers.
I started Canna seeds the last 2 years, last year I soaked them in a mix of hydrogen peroxide and water for a day or 2, I didn't think it made much difference in germination then planting them directly in seed starting mix. I did use a heat mat both times till the seed sprouted.
Snowing here too, maybe 4 inches + by 10:00 tonight.

Today we don't move from the house because of the thick layer of ice on the ground. It's a good day to bake and catch up with some closet cleaning. All this seed talk is making it hard for me to stick to my resolution of not starting too early. I will also start the petunias early, Lady. Last year was the first time that I grew them from seed and they did take forever to flower.

R-A-R, Last year I started my petunias Feb 6th, I potted them up to 4 inch pots and then into hanging baskets. I had to keep them in the basement for a long time as the spring temps were on a rollercoster and I did not wnt to loose then to a cold snap. They did start to bloom in the basement.
I think I'll back up a few weeks on the start date to the end of Feb. and see if this gives me the bloom time I want.

Roses now is a great time to start pansies. I was going to have the Grands today but with the ice we canceled it's a lot farther to our house than the daycare. My yard is filled with cardinals a dozen or more out there. They are looking in the windows as soon as I move to get the camera they will be gone.

There is a real interesting discussion in Garden Art on making hanging planters out of PVC pipe. You drill one inch holes in a length of PVC pipe and fill the cylinder. I think they could be very interesting. Making up a few could be a nice winter hobby.
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1149763/

I'm trying to stay home to day too with the ice. No school. I should complete my Pinetree order, and might put a couple seeds in a pot. I also have a pot of three Coleus cuttings that are alive but seem to have a rot in the stems, threatening them, The base of the stems is brown and looks a bit sunken in.

I planted violas yesterday, will plant coleus today. I have planted Actaea racemosa (syn. Cimicifuga racemosa) and will put outside after a few more days along with some other winter-sown stuff.

Is anyone doing any seed trading this year?

I'll look into the pvc planter... sounds interesting.

Coleus have always rotted on me. I think it's too cold inside, and not enough light to keep them growing. In June they root in a week. The ones I try each fall don't do anything.

Grayson

Sally and Grayson check out the Coleus Forum on DG. Lots of good info on wintering over coleus They do best with bottom watering and temps above 50

Hmm, thanks. I think I'll cut to get rid of the rotten looking part, then water root in my bedroom . Usually cozier but then one day a kid turned off the heat (has its own thermostat) and we got down to 57 overnight. LOL

Judy---

It is possible that cold and too much watering may have caused your Coleus
to decline and rot....I do think they like warmth.
Mine are doing so well because the seed lights also emit a lot of warmth.

I would cut them off to where the stem is healthy and pot them back up in something like
Seed-Started Mix. You want something that will not have bacteria in it and that will
drain quickly...

Ahem---WHO am I to tell YOU how to grow Coleus........hanging my head in shame....

Gita

Its OK--I was the one needing coleus help. Thanks!

I'm thinking of placing an order with the Renee's Garden seed company. Is anyone familiar with the quality of their seeds? I've checked GardenWatchdog.

I have never heard of Renee's seeds until now. Nice site, but no seed count which for me is a factor in placing an order, is the quantity worth the price. It is hard to compare if you are going to order from multiple companies.

You will find a link to a seed count chart on the main page, on the left hand side. I think it's under "more information."

Just got home from work....OH, my God!!!! Seldom have I seen ALL roads in
a white out--no idea where the lanes are-or the median.
It was like the inside of a ping-pong ball!

I am not a scaredy driver--and have a lot of faith in my Subaru Outback, but sliding is sliding.
Nothing can stop that....Not the anti-loc brakes...nothing...

I only have 4 1/2 miles to go--and it took me 20 minutes.....

Be safe--be very careful out there--keep your distance from the car in from
and don't break if you don't have to--shift way down....

I am off the next 3 days----that's a relief.

Gonna see if I can stick my camera out the door and snap a picture...

Gita

Well--not that great! as the flash lights up every snow flake...

This is looking out mu BR window to my patio.

edited to say--Tomorrow will be a real photo-op day....

This message was edited Jan 26, 2011 7:18 PM

Great picture!

We have it here too. It was snowing pretty heavy this morning right about commuter time and then off and on all day. Picked up pretty heavy again just about the time everyone was headed home and it is coming down pretty heavy right now.