Spring seed starting (indoors) Part 2

http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/683374/

As requested a continuation of seed starting indoors.

Good morning Chris!
I was just out strolling - above 50 degrees and birds singing, catching a few early spring pictures.
I have that mystery seedling in the plant ID forum. claypa guessed lantana and I was going for that but someone else has raised them from seed and strongly disagreed. The next guess is something in the nepeta category. It has a funky scent, not any hint of mintiness. I think it'll be unsolveable until it gets a good size or flowers.
Thanks for the praise- coming from a 'master'( mistress?) of seedlings! They are growing so fast. I can't believe theyre just 4 weeks from planting.

Sally, I have a few lantana seeds that I am trying to start, I'll try to post a picture if I am sucessful.

It is raining today, I was hopeing to run over to the office early this morning and take care of the mail and phone and get back home to play in the garden a bit. But with this rain my chances are slim to none. I'll just sow some more seeds in the basement, I guess.

Maybe this will help - two sites with photos of seedlings.

http://www.theseedsite.co.uk/seedlings.html

http://wintersown.org/wseo1/Seedling_Photo_Gallery.html

Thanks hart- I was able to see that the cotyledons match those on a Nepeta listed at one of those. Jury's still out tho : ) doesn't confirm a Nepeta

My Cambridge Blue salvia is getting it's frist set of true leaves

This message was edited Mar 14, 2007 7:41 PM

And the Coleus is showing even more color!

Another pack of coleus, notice the one in the lower left has 3 leaves instead of the usual 2, now what's up with that?

That three leaf coleus- even looks like the next set is three too. Wouldn't it be cool if you got a spontaneous mutation?

You are right Sally, the next set is 3 also, I'll have to keep an eye on this one!

ladygardener1, The Heliotrope seeds you sent are just about ready to break the surface. I was thinking they weren't going to germinate and then last night I noticed that you could just see a touch of green breaking thru. My Lantana hasn't done anything yet, but I think they just need a little more time. I moved my Bunny tails and some of my Pansies from the group tray into individual cell packs and they are picking up. Every one of them looks good. I don't know what I'll have in another six weeks but right now I'm very happy with my results. I'll get pictures as soon as I can. My OSP are doing great with the only one of my potato that made it. All the others rotted and I was pretty upset about that but still very pleased with the production I'm getting from the one that made it. I also took the only remaining tuberous root I had and planted it in potting soil. I don't know yet if that will produce anything or not. I had dreams of flats, and more flats, of different OSP. But will be happy with what I have now. Enough for me and some friends.

My heliotrope have 2 sets of true leaves, they are very small but I think they are growing roots, my basement is on the cold side so everything is slow. My lantana have not started yet either and I soaked them for 24 hours in warm water before I sowed them.
Sorry about your OSP, I read your thread with interest, I might have to try it sometime. I always end up buying 1 or 2 for my containers each year.

Happy seed starting!

Got a couple of pictures. Here are my Pansies I have 2 more flats like these.

The Bunny Tails

Hollyann and ladygardener,

I LOVE the heliotrope! Can you tell me if they will bloom the same year they are grown from seed? I have to pay $3 each at my local plant stand for one of these!

Do you have any seeds to share? I don't have a "have" list, but I do have a bunch of seeds. I usually find it easier to just do the SASE thing.

Thanks, Gita

Might as well post a picture of my OSP, I have about 20 OSP plants so far. Oh and my Bellflowers are up.

Gita, this is my first year trying them from seed, they should bloom the first year. I found the perfect spot for mine last year, I use to plant one plant in a container on the deck just for the fragrance. But the leaves always turned brown and dropped, last year I planted one right in my patio garden in the ground and it was really happy there, no brown leaves. So this year I want more so I decided on the seeds.

Check your D-mail

Chris

Yes, heliotrope will bloom from seed the first year. Actually, unless you dig them up, they're not really perennials - too tender to live over.

I used to grow it all the time in my old garden and I sowed directly in the garden and got plenty of bloom time. The smell is heavenly and the purple blooms are gorgeous. Very nice foliage too.

The do like a certain amount of moisture. The ones I grew got quite a bit of shade too and were very happy.

Hart, I think the one in the container was too hard to control the moisture, the one in the ground received late afternoon sun, so the soil did not get much of a chance to get really dry. And depending on which way the wind blew you would get that wonderful smell sitting on the patio.

Oh ! I can't wait for summer!

Alright - I made my first step towards getting involved in gardening for this year. I went through the many, many seed packets that I bought last fall thinking I was going to wintersow. I chose about 8 or 10 packets to begin indoors, hopefully this weekend. I brought in several bags of seed starting soil mix yesterday to get house temperature. Either today or tomorrow I am hoping to get a few things started. Oh yeah, almost forgot that I potted up three begonia tubers last weekend. I also made a note to self yesterday about starting slips of some of my house plants to bring to the plant swap in June. That I want to do this week also to insure that they have good root system then. Even though I have been involved with a lot of other issues this winter, gardening has never been too far from my mind. I have really enjoyed my house plants this year and know that they really benefitted from being outside last summer.

Holly, I love the ornamental sweet potato vines. I had several last summer that did really well. I had also started a regular old store bought sweet potato vine inside last year and then planted it outside. At the end of the season I was rewarded with a few really nice size sweet potatoes and lots of tiny ones too. My son and his former roommate who is a chef happeded to be here the day that I dug them and they took them home and Justin fixed some sort of gourmet sweet potato dish for them.

I just asked John if he wanted me to do the sweet potatoes this year and he said he didn't particularly want vines in the front yard until we have mulched more of it. The front yard is in a construction stage, even though it looks more like de-struction has hit it.. ha-ha. I have to remember that it is a process and will take a while before it is completed and looking better.

Until the sidewalk that he is building is completed, I won't be in front yard much anyway. It is basically a very steep slope and I am too un-sure footed to be around there too much. The walkway will help a lot. I did find a great trick last summer though. I am able to stand on my deck and water about 95% of the plants. It is only the very edging that the hose won't reach and most of that is in the shade and won't require as much water anyway. So, I will be doing most of my watering and things from a safe and steady spot.

I have been reading everyone's progress with their seed starting and finding myself a bit envious. I will feel better as soon as I open my first packet of seed and begin sowing. I hope that all of you folks will have a great weekend. As always, I am so glad to be a member of this great group!!!

Ruby

Ruby, just take the baby steps. I have been starting seeds a few at a time, takes me about 1 hour, but I am also taking photos of the seeds for the plant files and doing notes in my journal. But it is so rewarding when you see the first sprouts. Gardening is good therapy for the mind and if you go easy for the body too. Don't go lifting anything heavy now.

Let us know what you start, ok?

Chris

Oh, I know how rewarding, exciting and fun a sprout is. I also get thrilled when seeing roots. ha-ha Really, I have a piece of some sort of ivy rooting in my kitchen window. When I saw the first two roots beginning, I was so happy. You know what I mean. Only a gardener would know the feeling.

I chose these to start with: Coleus, mixed varieties Cactus, Colombine, Portulaca, Blue Bedder Salvia, St. John's Fire Salvia, Petunia, Bells of Ireland, Nasturtium and Impatiens. Last year I sowed the coleus and portulaca. Those did fairly well. I still have one of the coleus and it has been a very beautiful color all winter.

I will try to pace myself Chris. Thanks for watching out for me.

Ruby

Ric told me I must be doing something right. When you open the door to the upstairs room it smells like a greenhouse.

My coleus is what is keeping me the most interested, they are showing the most color and the leaves are getting bigger, the plants I still consider seedlings. Never grew Bells of Ireland, you'll have to let me know how they do, Ruby.

Holly, love the greenhouse smell! I get it when I lift the domes to peek at the seeds. Which is at least 3 times a day. ha ha.

You are so cute Chris. You make me smile. I have never done or even heard of bells of ireland before ordering these seed. They just looked very interesting to me, so I bought them. Didn't get around to starting things today, but now that I have the kitchen stove coverd with my supplies, at least I know if anyone around here wants to eat, we have to sow seeds first.

It will be the first thing on my list tomorrow morning after spending time on the computer. After that it is grocery shop by a list that I made last Tuesday. Man, am I running behind. haha I just went over and read the now closed thread and was delighted with everyone's pictures. Last year, I could have been sending pics of mine to you. Just getting a late start with everything these days it seems. Better late than never, I always say.

Have a good week, you friends of mine.

Ruby

So, we can say Ruby is really cooking up a summer garden in her kitchen. LOL

I put everything out on my chest freezer in the basement, I have a system. When I'm done everything is put away, don't want hubby finding an excuse not to cook dinner the days I work.

I made Irish soda Bread yesterday and marinated a beef brisket for todays dinner, the beef has to cook at 300º for 5 hours but it is very good. When I got up this morning hubby had done away with half the loaf of bread and it is a big loaf! All he could say was "Good breakfast food"

Off to check the potatoes on the stove. Bye!

AHHHH, We did the Corned Beef and Cabbage with potatoes and Soda Bread today. Ric was going to make it yesterday but with all the snow we put it off until today. My parents, both sons and grandson all came over today for diner. The guys were all out in the snow for a while such fun for me and my parents to watch them play. Here's GS JR with Unc Josh.

Wow, can't believe how my nicotiana is growing. Leaves all covering the six pack and hanging out the sides onto other stuff. Can I start moving them to a protected place outside, maybe cover with a milk jug? I better go note in my journal not to start these so early next time
(spelling)

This message was edited Mar 24, 2007 4:43 PM

No, you don't want to move any of the tender stuff outside until after the last frost and night temps are at least 40 degrees or so and nicotiana is tender. Just pot them up into bigger pots.

hold me back! chomping at the bit... I'll go soak some peas and chard seed instead....

Do any of you grow Squash, Gourds or Pumpkins? Any ideas when should I start them?

they get big fast. I think they say 4 weeks before planting out...almost not worth it here. I will be planting out any maybe trying to help the warmth with milk jugs.

More warm weather plants. You can start them inside now or plant the seeds directly outside after it warms up.

Since we had our last frost last year the first week of June, I'm probably not going to plant any of the tender stuff outside for a bit this year.

Lady,

How is your lantana doing? Has it germinated yet? I finally had to take mine off the heat mat and away from the lights. I needed that space for more seedlings.

According to one website that I looked it, it can take 42 - 60 days. I am just about 30 days now. I ending up getting some small starts anyway from a nursery on ebay. I'm still going to hold on to my flat and see what happens, but I don't expect anything.

Nothing yet on the Lantana, pennefeather. I really didn't know it took that long. But I have a lot of slow to germinate seeds this year, and a few are old so they might not do anything at all. I'll yell if anything happens : )

I checked mine yesterday. The hard seed case is soft and loose. I still have hopes.

Hi all, Still no lantana seedlings, but I do have some pigmey torch to show off.

Here is one of the Delphinium that I had luck germiniating.

nice! Pygmy torch- is an amaranth? too lazy to look it up !!
just sowed radicchio and orach(mountain spinach) first time to grow these.

Right you are Sally! http://www.parkseed.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/StoreCatalogDisplay?storeId=10101&catalogId=10101&langId=-1&mainPage=prod2working&ItemId=0079&PrevMainPage=advsearchresults&scChannel=Annuals%20AS&SearchText=p16.v230;p16.v226&OfferCode=T1H

I thought they would look great with some gold marigolds, what did you all think?

Chris