Seeds Sown So Far

Thanks tsc! I have some Blackcurrant Swirl and Double White. Maybe I'll do just a few seeds of each and see how it goes. TAmara

Cordeledawg - no I just planted them. I did that last year and didn't have a problem. I had thought about mixing them after the fact. Time will tell...

Shirley1md, That is a very impressive list. Is the second date following the cultivar, the date of germination? If is it is, then this is a most useful list for me as I just posted a request for when people expect germination to happen. I hope you will post your germination dates for this year which will give me hope that mine are not far behind yours. Thanks, Patti

My list is growing! I sowed 4 more roasting pans and 8 quart containers yesterday... I am on a roll!

Has anyone tried to WS Lychnis other than rose campion (which worked fine for me last year)? PF says indoor start or DSALF, but it seems to me that Alpine Catchfly or Yunnan Catchfly should be fine candidates for WS. I may hedge my bet and save out some seeds to start inside, but I'd like to have more of them than I have room for under the lights!

Sown so far:

Alpine strawberries, several varieties
Viola labradorica
Viola odorata, pink
Viola Tricolor (Johnny Jump-Up)
Viola mancschurica 'Fuji Dawn'

Columbines
Winky Red, Winky Blue, Winky Purple, and Maroon & Cream (in deli containers)
in different rows of a roasting pan, I've sown
Double Pink, Double Light Pink
Pale Blue Double, Blue
Aunt Zera's
Barlow mix, McKenna's mix
Dwarf columbines (3 varieties from WZ)

Flat of salad take-out containers:
Dianthus mix
Sweet Alyssum, 'Carpet of Snow' (volunteers here, so should WS)
Linarea 'Northern Lights'
Muscari (grape hyacinth) mix
Salvia lyrata 'Purple Knockout'
Veronica longifolia

4 more roasting pans:
Poppy Mallow 'Winecup', Dwarf Shasta Daisy, Mountain Bluet, Peach-leafed Bellflower
Campanula carpatica 'Blue Clips'
Berlandiera lyrata (Chocolate Daisy)
Penstemon davidsonii

8 deli quart containers:
Lunarea, purple
Lunarea 'Alba' (variegated)
'Bunny Tails' Grass
Northern Sea Oats
Penstemon digitalis
Agastache 'Apricot Sprite'
Agastache ruprestris
Agastache cana 'Heather Queen'

Hey Critterologist! Just noticed it was your bday...have a great day!!! Tamara

Here is part of what I got listed so far. A thru C seeds

http://conniesgarden.com/WSing.html

wow pepsi - you've been busy!

Yes I have lol, I am slowly working on getting the D thru Z listed...
I have everything on paper, should have just did the spread sheet as I went along...
Oh well, it is all a learning experience :o)

And I am learning some very usefull uses for my Excel and Frontpage... Did know they could do some of the things they did rofl...

Connie

Connie, you must have a HUGE garden!!!!!!! Does someone help you? Tamara

I am putting in 9 or so new beds this year, my dh is all the help I have, he does the heavy lifting tilling etc. I do all the planting... My neighbor is also putting in new beds this year, so she will be getting some of these too, Also we're putting a new bed in at the Church, so some will go there...

Being new to all of this, I went over board to say the least lol... But it will all be well worht it :o)

Connie

Thanks, Tamara... LOL, I'm using the birthday excuse to play in the dirt some more today....

bbrookrd:

Yes, the 2nd date is when the seed germinated. I'll try to post when seeds start germinating.

zone5girl:

My last frost date is around April 15th. This link will help with the average frost dates in various states. http://www.victoryseeds.com/frost/

No problems germinating Datura. I sowed the seeds in mid-March and they germinated about 1 month later.

I wasn't able to get the Verbena to germinate either. Anyone have any luck wintersowing Verbena?

Very impressive seed lists everyone!

Happy Birthday, Critter!!

Lucky you, Critter! We have 2 feet of snow...I can't even see our dirt! ;-) Tamara

LOL... I'm playing in potting mix, actually... we've got several inches of what looks like snow but is actually mostly sleet and ice... pretty sparkling in the sun today, but it's supposed to thaw this week.

you guys are way ahead of me... I didn't think I could still do winter sowing so I planted inside.... can I still do it???? I have flats can I use then instead of the milk jugs??

I never planted sun flowers... but I got some seeds for velvet queen... I hope it does grow... they are right now in my bathroom (where is really warm!!!!!)

Shirley, verbenas don't like light. You need to cover them up with something dark. I use either a brown paper bag or some people use black plastic (I don't like to use this due to mold possibilities). The brown paper bag works fine for me. Then you will have to peek to see if the seeds are germing tho and take the paper away.

Suzy, just plant annuals then around the perennials and their bare spots. All will fill in with time. Or you could always use dahlias too, LOL

Grandpapa, I see you have the same potting bench I have in that snowy picture. Don't you just love to use it??? I sure do.

My wintersowing is going well. I will take pictures of them this weekend. I have lots more germing already.

Carol

Thank you Daisy! I followed the directions on the package, which said it *needed* light to germinate...and nothing happened! So, I'm going to try it your way. :-) Tamara

Carol (daisy) I do love that potting bench, but don't usually leave it out for the winter... just never got around to bringing it in. hope I haven't ruined it.

adding to my above list:

all SW'ed on 2-19-07

Cosmos: Cosmic Orange & Bright Lights
Huskers Red
Siberian Iris (purple)
Shasta Daisy
Coreopsis: early sunrise

I have 29 different seeds in my spreadsheet, with 20 of'em already sown.

Grandpapa, I just bought a cheap BBQ cover (at Big Lots for $3) for it and covered it up. It is up against a fence out of the sun. So yes, I understand that we should take those things inside but...........
It should be fine tho.

I am surprised the package says "needs light". My seed package (Lilly Miller) says to cover it. I finally have some seed germing (has taken almost a month to germ this time tho). Tho I am doing those inside since I have to babysit the covering. But yes, it does work. Just like the pansies I cover them too and they work better on the surface.

Edited to say with the verbena seeds, just place on top of the moist soil and pat down with back of hand. Then cover with dark paper.
Carol

This message was edited Feb 20, 2007 10:05 AM

adding to my list today!

4 more quart deli containers:
Brunnera macrophyla (bugloss)
Chelone obliqua 'Alba' (turtlehead)
Lupine, tall purple
Fuller's Teasel (yes, I know it can be invasive)

2 more roaster pans, 6 rows per pan:
Armeria juniperifolia 'Bevan's Variety'
Armeria juniperifolia, rose
Aster alpinus, 'Happy End'
Aster alpinus, blue dwarf
Saponaria 'Rosa Bella'
Lychnis alpinus & L. alpinus v., serpenticolifolium
Lychnis viscaria & Lychnis yunanensis
Silene stenophylla
Lychnis coronata (rose campion, purple)
Silene armeria (2 rows)

I've got various vines yet that I'd like to sow in milk jugs, and I'd like to do a roasting pan of various alliums, maybe another pan of salvia... but at some point (soon) I'm going to have to quit or I will *never* get everything planted out! :-)

I see everyone has such a wide variety of seeds. Where do you buy them? Tamara

Tamara,

I"ve purchased 2 bunched (home depot [burpee brand] and mail order thru Gurneys)

and I've gotten seeds from 3 people on the internet

Today I got:
Purple coneflower
Sandvine Milkweed
Wild Bergamot
Trumpet Creeper vine
Button Bush

some i have no idea what they are, so i have to do a bit of search - but - heck... seeds are seeds.

I did more 8 containers today, most were repeats of what i already did
with the exception of Vervain and Blue Fescue

that makes 35 containers of various sizes.

Critter -- when you use the roasting pans, what do you use to cover it?

I didn't try any other verbenas, but verbena bonariensis wintersows like crazy. I've read that it will reseed itself like crazy, so I've only done one container of it this year. I left it in beds until well into autumn so it would drop all seeds. I'm counting on reseeders since I loved the flowers.I hope my seeds don't end up in my neighbors yards instead of mine! I left the roots in the ground, too, since some in zone 6 have had them survive winter. I figure, worst case, they can feed the soil food web.

Also, for seeds that need darkness, you can just cover them with potting soil, then you don't have to do the paper thing.

I honestly pay little attention to directions on seed packs, but things grow anyway. Many that I planted last year and covered heaved up to the surface , but they germinated. For some, like valueseeds packs, I had no directions. Also, pack directions are for planting inside, with heat and grow lights. And remember, when things reseed in nature, Mother Nature just drops them on the ground and they grow. Last year, my first to WS, I was pretty nervous about the details. But then I got very sick for a very long time and those babies just thrived on neglect, which gives me more confidence this year.

Karen

Kassia - it's never too late to start sowing. Once it gets later in the season, check your packets as you might be able to direct sow.

tcs, I used and am going to use the aluminum turkey pans, there deeper than the oblong ones, (got them for 2 for a 1.00 at the dollar store. I cut some wire fence I had 3 each about 1 1/2 inches wide about 18 / 20 inches long (the middle one is just a bit longer than the 2 end ones. dh had some heavy clear plastic, the kind you cover things with when you want to paint :o) I just cut pieces from that taped it around the pan and cut slits in it. works great...
I also did some the baggie method. (gallon size) they work good too..
on the 16/20 oz cups I used the regular plastic sandwich bags (the cheap kind) w/ 2 small strips cut from the fence to make a dome shape works great. :o)
Nice thing about the wire fence, I can reuse them next year :o)

Connie

The picture is what I have done so far, still have a few to do today.

tcs, I've been getting the slightly smaller roasting pans at the dollar store that come with a plastic lid (the lid gives 2-3 inches of space above the top of the foil pan, so I've been mostly sowing things that should stay fairly short until it's warm enough to take off the lid. They're $1 each, but I like not having to fool with plastic bags and supports for covers on these pans... and I'll keep them to re-use.

Planted some more seeds today - some donated, some very old

Here are the up-to-date lists:


http://davesgarden.com/journal/edit/viewbycat.php?cat=45824
http://davesgarden.com/journal/edit/viewbycat.php?cat=45823

thanks critter -- i'll see if my local dollar store has something similar.

Connie Wrote:
aluminum turkey pans, there deeper than the oblong ones, (got them for 2 for a 1.00 at the dollar store.

Critter wrote:
smaller roasting pans at the dollar store that come with a plastic lid (the lid gives 2-3 inches of space above the top of the foil pan

I think mine are similar to critter's - they are about a quarter sheet with the lid... they were $1.25 at Dollar General -- i got 4,
but if i run out, i'll look at Big Lots.

thanks for the tip -

Terese

The only ones that our dollar store had that came with lids, wasn't even 2 inches deep... And they didn't have the lids for the oblong ones that were about 2 1/2 inches deep. The turkey pans were a little over 3 inches deep so I just got those and covered them myself. I used 1 gallon and 1/2 gallon jugs mostly to do my winter sowing in..

Connie

Here is my list. I copied this from a spread sheet I made. The other headings are: date planted; number of seeds, some just say pinch; date 1st germination; number germinated; and % germination.

Latin name common name
Achillea (roseoalba?) Yarrow pink
Ajuga-pyramidalis Bugle Weed
Alcea rosea Hollyhock Chocolate double
Alcea rosea HollyhockCrème de Casses
Alcea rosea Hollyhock Forkhood Gialnts mixed
Alcea rosea Hollyhock "Indian Spring" mix
Alcea rosea Hollycock Mixed
Alcea rosea Hollyhock peach
Alcea rosea Hollyhock Double Yellow
Allium canadense Wild Garlic
Allium tricoccum Wild Leek
Amarath Love Lies Bleeding
Amorpha canescens Lead Plant
Antirrhinum majus Sawyer's Mix Snapdragon
Aquilegia alpina Columbine Songbird
Aquilegia flabellata Blue Fan Columbine
Aquilegia McKana pink Tall Pink McKana Columbine
Aquilegia vulgaris var.stellata Clematis Colunbine Mix
Aquilegiax hybrida McKana's Giant Columbine yellow
Aristolochia elegans Dutchmans Pipe
Artemisia frigida Fringed Sagebrush
Artemisia ludoviciana Prairie Sage
Asarum canadense Wild Ginger
Asclepias hirtella Tall Green Milkweed
Asperula-odorata Sweet Woodruff
Aubrietia Hybrida grandiflora Mix Purple Rock Cress
Bachelors Button Polka Dot mixed colors
Baptisia tinctoria Small Yellow Wild Indigo
Blephilia cilata Downy Wood Mint
Bouteloua curtipendula Side-oats Grama
Callirhoe digitaga Fringed Poppy Mallow
Camassia scilloides Wild Hyacinth
Centaurea cyonus Bachelor's Button
Coreopsis lanceolata Coreopsis Lanceleaf
Dodecatheon amethystinum Amethyst Shooting Star
Dodecatheon meadia Midland Shooting Star
Echinacea angustifolia Narrow-leaved coneflower
Echinacea tennesseensis Tennessee Coneflower
Eplobium angustifolium Alaska Fireweed pink
Echinacea angustifolia alba Alaska Fireweed white
Erynigium yuccifolium Rattlesnake Master
Eupatorium rugosum White Snakeroot
Euphorbia corollata Flowering Spurge
Helianthus occidentalis Western Sunflower
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis Hibiscus Lt. Pink
Larkspur
Lewisia rediviva Bitter Root 'Lives again'
Liatris aspera Button Blazing Star
Lilium superbum Turk's Cap Lily
Lilium Candy Candy Lily
Linaria vulgaris Butter and Eggs, Common Toadflax
Lobelia Siphilitica Great Blue Lobelia
L (Nigella damascena Love in a Mist
Lupinus perennis Lupine Blue Wild
Lychnis chalcedonica Maltesecross
Meconopsis betonicifolia Himalayan Blue Poppy
Meconopsis grandis Himalayan Blue Poppy
Monarda lavander
Monarda fistulosa Wild Bergamot
Monarda punctata Spotted Bee Balm
Morning Glory Heavenly Blue
Mystery Blue from Otumwa
Oenothera biennis Common Evening Primrose
Papaver paeoniflorum Peony poppy
Papaver somniferum Applegreen poppy
Penstemon digitalis Foxgove Beardtongue
Pedicularis canadensis Wood Betony
Petalostemum purpureum Purple Prairie Clover
Petunia Royalty Improved Mix
Phlox pilosa Prairie Phlox
Potentilla arguta Prairie Cinquefoil
Psoralea tenuiflora Scurfy Pea
Ranunculusfascicularis Early Buttercup
Ratibida colunifera Long-headed Coneflower
Schizachyrium scoparius Little Bluestem
Senecio plattensis Prairie Ragwort
Silene regia Royal Catchfly
Sisrinchium campestre Prairie Blue-eyed Grass
Sisrinchium campestre alba White Blue-eyed Grass
Solidago nemoralis Old Field Goldenrod
Tiarella polyphylia Filigran Foam Flower
Verbena stricta Hoary Vervain
Viola wittrockiana Rococco Pansy
Zinna Burpeeana Giants Mix
Zinna Cut and Come Again
Zizia aurea Golden Alexanders

Sorry I started to straighten the rows up and I got tired of clicking.

Connie,

the size of the pans i got are basically 9x11x2.5 - and it looks like the dome is about 2-3"
I'll be doing more SW'ing later today.

and WOW -- some of these lists are quite impressive!! I dont think i'd have room for all the containers, much less all the plants.

a lot of my plants will go to our lake cabin. I am just starting to fill the woods and yard with native plants.

Whoah - I see a lot of people do annuals right at the beginning with the perennials! I have packages and packages of sweet peas, zinnias, cleomes, nasturtiums... I don't actually know where they all are, heh heh. But when I find them, I'll sow them. I thought I had to wait until early spring. (Hmmmm - I wonder if my grandmother actually sowed all that alyssum every year, or maybe they were just trained to self-seed there?)

xxxx, Carrie

I think there are annuals, and then there are annuals... I've heard the term "half-hardy annuals," which seems to be applied to annuals that will self-sow on their own, to annuals like poppies that people sow right on top of winter snow, and to annuals whose seed packets say things like "sow in very early spring, as soon as soil can be worked." Then there are annuals that would just keel right over in freezing temperatures, and those are the ones that people "wintersow" in April or March (or earlier yet, depending on zone)...

I did put a container of sweet alyssum out last week, just as an experiment... I may still start some later on or even indoors as a backup (white alyssum is a must-have in my hot, dry bits of garden near the street.

TC dh and I went to Toledo today and they have a Dollar General, we don't have one of those around here where I live, but any way, I picked up 3 of those pans you were talking about... Same size :o)
Now to find some seeds to sow in them lol... I used up all the ones I had already, but I am sure I can gather some more to do :o)

Connie

Connie, Dmail me... maybe I can find a few things that you'd like to try...

Critter,
I'm very interested in your alyssum experiment! I'll try to keep track through this thread.

xxxx, Carrie

Hi I'm not a new gardener but I'm new at postings on line. I planted some poppies in the milk jugs last fall and put them out for the winter.
I've read that to direct sow the poppies you should sprinkle them on top of the snow. I did that last weekend. What a dilemma I couldn't decide if I wanted to sprinkle the seeds on the snow because if I did I would have to walk in the snow and that would have messed up the beautiful snow in the back yard. Foot prints or Poppies?!?!?!
So far I have started under lights in the basement the following fig leaf holly hock, Amaranthus (love lies bleeding), bachelor buttons, gomphrena, stock, status, Hungarian 4:00, Easter egg eggplant, Red bell peppers, Tomatoes (enchantment) Eggplant, Birdhouse gourds, Penguin gourds, Castor beans. I have started to rehydrate the Cana bulbs and Elephant ears.
It should start to turn green in the basement in about a week or so.