Seed starting spring 2013

I will be ordering from Pine tree Seeds,soon , dmail me if I can add a couple packs for anyone. I already have Jill's order.

I'm interested if we can do any bulk perennial purchases....

Hmm well how many people would be interested?? We can make our own group.

Me me me me me me me me!

Holly, that coleus plug order sounds awesome!

Holly, I would like to take some of the coleus plugs if you place a bulk order. I can propagate just about anything and yet coleus always defeats me. Gita told me the secrete of doing it successfully: cut the tips, put them in dirt and water. Hmmmm,,, sounds easy...

Paul--

I would be interested as well--it would be nice to have a diverse group--not just us DG'ers.
We have already hashed out so much....Fresh "blood" would be stimulating....slurp......;o/

If you decide to lead this group--advertise it a bit-- and lets get some other gardeners involved.
Once the idea is set--you could print out some flyers to give to other people interested.

Would you like to start a new Thread for tossing this idea around?

Gita

I can't speak for Paul, but if it were me I would be reluctant to get a large group -- because then you have to worry about whether the purchasers are reliable.... Back to all the problems that used to exist with co-ops. Plus it makes a huge amount of work for whoever is running this.

I thought Paul was responding to the suggestion of a group purchase of perennials or the like...

I think more research needs to be done to see what "minimal size" orders are. I don't even know where to find such plug sources..I'm the greenest one here.

Donner I should have Coleus at the Spring Swap. Although you never know especially when you get such small plants. You can loose the whole tray (and I have) very easily. I am not sure who our grower is, but one of the members has a connection and he picks up our plants. They are not shipped to us and we buy these plants by the thousands wholesale. I do know that you can get wholesale plants on line from several growers, but like us you will get several hundred of just one plant. DG used to run great co-ops but they had some problems in the past and I haven't checked out the Co-op Forum and really don't know if they are even having them any more. Also the Coleus Forum used to have info on buying bags of cuttings. Try sticking your cuttings in cups of wet sphagnum moss. Roots really nicely and you get stronger roots than just growing them in water.

Holly, wow! I didn't know it was going to be that many per flat. Guess I will pass. Thanks for the info.

North Carolina Farms sells plugs and cuttings

http://www.ncfarmsinc.com/store/index.php?cPath=65

We might be able to do some ordering and splitting at the swap in May, but I'm not sure if anyone would want the responsibility of keeping them alive if they're fragile.

I got a good buy on spinach seed at ghe local farm co op store. They have antique jars and sell seed of basic varieties by weight. I got a half oz bloomsdale spinach for 1.29. Thats about ten times more than from rhe packet i looked at. And you need a lot of spinach to have enough for a meal.

First Datura sprouts today- three weeks from sowing, about right,
Nothing at all in the Pansy tray, no surprise, might be old seed.

I have two seed starting racks. The first one I bought many years ago from Gardener's Supply - I paid a pretty penny for it before I knew any better. When I met Jill, she pointed me to her articles and I put together another one from a chrome 4 rack shelf from Costco, and lights, metal chain, s-hooks, and power strip from HD - very easy, nice, and much cheaper. I haven't started any seeds yet, but I think I'll take sally's cue and get started on some datura seeds tomorrow.

Have lots of things sprouting already. I shouldn't have started my delphiniums in the dark as suggested. Fell over on me before I got them under lights. The Salvia Patens Blue Angel is one of my favorites and is already getting too big. The Lisianthus is doing nothing and probably will stay that way for a while yet. They're sooo slow, but one of my favorites. Some of my Petunias are showing. I just put up 2 more flats of Petunias and I hope that I don't over water them again. Will winter sow all the Verbascum Southern Charm seeds when I receive them. All 5 lighted shelves are filled up and I'm going to resist putting seeds in cups on every window sill. The remainder are going OUTSIDE and that's final (I think).

Terry

One of the absolutely easiest plants is a Shifflera Arboricola. It is the one with the smaller leaves--not the big leaves.
It is very tolerant of all situations, can go dry and not complain--is very pretty to look at, etc.
IF you over water it--it will start to drop leaves...How's that for easy? Dry is good.

I have had one for 22 years. It gets too big--and i cut it all back. It re-grows fuller.
Gets too big beffore I bring it inside for the winter---I cut it back....etc....

It is available everywhere! Gita

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/294436/

Very pretty green plant, Gita. Right now I'm really interested in plants that make flowers. By the way, your Brazilian Plume Flower is in an Eastern facing window in a rather cool room and is doing VERY WELL. Can't wait to see it bloom again, probably outdoors when it gets warmer. Your Brug cuttings have lots of leaves and are almost a foot tall!!

Yeah, Roses!!!
Another success story! Love follow -ups.

My Brazilian Plume is sitting on a bed in my guest room by a S. facing window.
It has yellowed and dropped a few leaves, but, overall, it is doing well.

It should be quite large this summer as it grows further--and wider. I did not prune it at all
this past fall. Didn't want to "impair" its possibility of growing spectacular.

I only took 2 cuttings of each my Brugs--as a safety measure in case the big plants
do not make it. They look good, though. They are all growing leaves on top of the stems.

Need to start thinking of sowing some seeds.....Ugh! I am not even done messing with them for the Swap.

Gita

Gita, my brazilian plume is doing really well too. I brought it in for the winter and put it in the turret where there are six floor to ceiling windows. It is getting bigger and fuller every day instead of the winter dormancy that I was expecting. The two brug cuttings that you gave me when we got together for brunch at Sally's are leafing out too. The 'Maya' is smaller than the other one that I think you just called 'Pink', but I'm thrilled that I am having some success.

ASPEN---
The "Maya" is a bit daintier than the others--until it decides to show off.
See pictures and commentary below......

How many of you remember this?????? Yes! This IS my "Maya".....
Sept. 2009--when she reached 7'x7' and there was NO way I could ever get her in my house for the winter.
I begged Cylburn Arboretum for 2 weeks to come and get it--sent pictures--told them all about brugs, etc.

Finally they agreed and sent a City-sized panel truck to pick her up. I also gave away my big pink "Souvelons" to them.
They barely fit in the truck--the top was all smushed. The driver said: "I have never been this far out before!"
Meaning--all his driving up till then had beenin the City.

The young man who is responsible for the Greenhouses at Cylburn took cuttings and they grew beautifully,
and were sold the in the spring of 2010 at their Market day for $12 each.
I had to go begging for one as my cuttings died over the winter. Of course--the guy gave me one.

I often wonder if they still have it and if they still propagate it.????????
I also wonder how many new people became enamored with a Brugmansia for the first time ever because of my "Maya"??

Cylburn Arboretum grows most of the plants that are destined to be used in all the big events
at City Hall, Receptions, Special visitors and Holidays and the mayor's office.
Rawlings displays many of the plants Cylburn grows. The two are related and both function under
the "Baltimore City Dept. of Recreation and Parks".

Pic. #4-- is the Cylburn Mansion
Pic. #5--Taken in the Rawlings Palm House--a 5 story all glass building. The original section of Rwlings.

Gita

I got a flat of Gita's triple purple and white datura metel seeds started this morning. Notes say it takes about four weeks to germinate. We'll see how it goes...

This message was edited Jan 27, 2013 11:32 AM

Yes Teri, they take at least three weeks. Do not panic until at least a month. Place in warm spot to get started, nothing green will need light for a few weeks at least.
I'm hoping a few more yellow ones sprout for me.

I put a heat mat under the flat, hopefully that will do the trick.

On the datura seeds, should I leave the plastic lid on the flat while the seeds are germinating?

I would, to keep the soil moist.

When should the plastic lid come off the flat for most seeds?

I like to keep the dome over the seedlings until they have at least one set of true leaves (first set are the "nurse leaves" or cotyledons)... but if they get tall enough that the seedlings are touching the plastic, it should come up, or you risk leaf rot. That said, I often leave the lid on with the leaves pressing against it, but with one end lifted a bit to make sure it's not tooo wet. I also put a couple of little ventilation holes, same reason. If you see big droplets of condensation on the inside of the lid/dome/baggie, then it's too wet. A little puff of mist is fine. None, and you should check to see if the potting mix is too dry.

Thanks, Critter. I'm never sure if I need to mist, water, take off the dome, fill the tray more, etc. etc. I treat all the seedlings the same, and I'm sure that's one of my mistakes. I WILL NOT water the petunias as I do the other seedlings. They seem to like it drier.

There are photos of "too wet" and "just right" seed starting trays in this Seed Starting 101 article: http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/862/

Book Marked that page. Thanks again.

I have seeds I collected for the deep blue/purple Petunias a couple of years ago.
Would like to grow them from seed I collected. Never grew Petunias from seed.

Open for more experienced suggestions here........when? How? Hard" Easy?

Gita

I've had variable germination from petunias, but I wouldn't call them hard, just variable. Definitely worth a try (if you don't sow them, you definitely won't have baby petunias). I do them the same way I do most seeds, in a little seed starting tray with a lid (aka deli salad container with holes in bottom & top for drainage & ventilation). I transplant to 2" pots when they have a couple sets of true leaves. They can take a while... so go ahead and get them going!

,,,Or I can just buy them in a market pack for $2.

I really need to coordinate what my mind wants to do--and how much room I have under my seed lights.
Also--how much effort i want to put out for something that is so easily available...

Thanks for the info though. I know--i asked.....Gita

I like to try to grow the ones that are a little different:


Pirouette

Sonata

Double Cascade Plum Vein

Double Cascade Blue

Double Cascade Orchid Mist.






This message was edited Jan 31, 2013 6:59 PM

This message was edited Jan 31, 2013 8:17 PM

I've grown Double Cascade Blue before, and they were wonderful! I love the coloring on the "veined" ones.

I've never been really good with petunias from seed, but I keep trying.

Sally, I checked the flat of datura seeds that I got started last weekend. Imagine my surprise when I saw green through the moisture on the plastic lid. What??? I must have the fastest germinatinig datura seeds in history LOL... On further inspection, I believe they are morning glories seeds that never germinated last year and were still in the soilless mix that I reused for the daturas. They are really leggy though, I'll see if I can rescue them by repotting in the morning. Too funny.

haha!!!
Can I hope my pansies finally germ if I plant the lettuce on them?!

Perhaps the lettuce leaves will shade the pansy seeds... they need dark to germinate, right? I grew some when we first moved here but haven't since... not sure why I haven't, as I do love them, just ran out of room before I got to them I guess.

I saw the most magnificent basket of deep yellow pansies in a bakery/nursery in Delaware Water Gap. The pansies were at least as big as 50 cent pieces. Wish I could find seeds for pansies that color and size.