What do you have sprouting?

Hi everyone,

The other topic was getting rather long so I thought I would start a new one with the same type topic.

So this is what I have sprouting finally,

Castor beans
Purple and white datura
Wave petunias
Mexican sunflower ( i know to early)
cannas
seed dahlias
lilies from bulbets I propagated from scales
perennial hibiscus

What has no come up yet is my...
Dracena
brugmansia ( ok so I just got them in the dirt)
lisiantus
clematis ( getting worried 4 types )
begonias
yellow datura
bellflower


Ok, your turn
Crys

Crys, which Brug seeds have you started?
I have started
Brugmansia a) Betty Marshall X Insignis Pink
b) Charles Grimaldi X Candida Double White
c) a few hybrid seeds from D's G folks

Birdhouse Gourds
Swan neck Gourds
Hybrid Geranium
Ponderosa Pink Tomatoes

This week I hope to start the Castor Beans, the Ornamental Millet 'Purple Majesty' and Kotlas Tomatoes.

That's about all I have room for now until it warms up enough to move the Brug seedlings off the warming coil and let them shiver in the 50F green house.

The brug seeds are from liz it is a Isabella x butterfly :)
Oh, I just can't wait to see them sprout.
The seeds your starting sound nice, I wonder if you will get doubles out of the double x Charles combo.

Do you grow the gourds for a crafty reason, or just enjoy looking at them? I have seen people use them for many things.

I will hold off a bit myself since my sunroom is only 10x18 or 9x18 something like that so I run out of room fast when I start potting up my callas and lily bulbets and stuff.
Veggies are a whole other thing, I always start to many of those.

Have you grown the pink tomatoes before? Curious about them.

Chilly greenhouse!! I have my heater on in the sunroom (electric YIKES!!!!) full blast right now and hubby tells me its gonna go to -25c tonight.It stays about 25C in there but when the sun actually shines I need to shut it off other wise it climbs to 33 or more in there.

Oh I have 1 yellow datura poking through tonight!!

I feel like a slowpoke. All I have are brug seeds sprouting, too many. I start my seeds in a guest bedroom windowsill, then they get moved to a little sunny room on a lower floor. Unfortunately I can't seem to get rid of fungus gnats in there right now so nothing else can go in there until they're gone. I've tried the powder, doesn't work, and the sticky strips, and awful insecticides. So I'm at dead stop until I can get rid of them.

Liz try cutting the yellow sticky cards into 3-4 squares, attch it to bamboo stakes just above soil level, every 2-3 feet or so. Nearly total control.
I attach them by cutting a 2" slit at the top of the stake, and just sliding the card right in it.

So it's just that I don't have enough sticky strips? Luckily all I have in there right now are the new EEs and gingers and cannas, like 50 of them. But at least they have more established root systems. I HATE fungus gnats.

Well what works here, is strips all over the place for control. Plus I sprinked diatomatious earth, a bit in each pot.
These gnats seem to like wet soil. If you let the top crust dry b/t waterings, that will set them back bigtime. HAVE FUN!!

Dennis - diatomacious (sp) - I have - I've only used it to keep slugs away. You know this stuff - I'll try it.

Hi- If you're still awake, what it does is give insects many microscopic cuts which in turn dehydrate the bug to death.
Each of my pots has 2-3 pinches over the surface. And you're spelling is right, I've never spelled that right! Now I need to try that on slugs! I use safer's slug bait on all of my customers, I love it but it costs a bomb.

Liz
If you have standing water anywhere in or near the room your gnats are in ( even your sink traps) add a drop or 2 of cooking oil to it. Ken Beattie ( from Lets Get Growing on WTN) recommends this ... he says they like to breed in the water and the oil will smother the little suckers! He says to do it at bedtime so that it coats the water and covers it (when you aren't using the sink especially.)

For me at least, I found the perfect shelving unit to hold seedlings and/ or to use as end supports to run 2X4's between to hold plants and thought I would share it with you.

IKEA has a unit that is very versatile. It is called "Sten" and can be seen on page 320 in their 2003 catalogue. You can mix and match a lot of the components.... there are 2 widths and depths of shelving, 2 heights for the posts along with extensions. It is made of unfinished wood and very strong and stable when erected. ( I believe in the stores it says each shelf can hold 500 lb..)
The shelves are slatted so excess water runs off, the wood is not treated and the upright posts have multiple levels for adjusting shelf heights.
A " basic unit of W90 X D31 X H171 has 4 shelves and a cross brace and costs $29.00.
I really find this Sten shelving great to use both in the house and the GH. It all goes together with a ratchet and if you put on a cross brace you will need a screw driver but that is all it takes to assemble it.
If you need more space, I highly recommend this item.

Liz your not slow on the starting your seeds I am just jumping the gun. I can never wait til the package says to plant. I must start planting things soon after christmas just to give me something to do.

As for those Knats, I too have battled with them. THis season so far has been ok and I am not infested but I still have some spider mites here and there.

RA49 I use metal shelving from Canadian tire for my seeds and then I run a 2x8 from one to another for more room when the plants get bigger. They are under $30 dollars.

Hi Dennis.
Crys