Hey there - this is for those seeds that are being started (indoors and WS) as a result of the "Second Chance Swap", hosted by Illoquin.
(edited to add: this is a great place to start if you've got "beginner" questions...)
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/809955/
This message was edited Feb 6, 2008 10:30 PM
Piggie Swap babies and seed starting
I'm here so when the seeds get here I can find this again.
So am I!
I am here, holding a spot for all my questions! LOL!
This message was edited Feb 7, 2008 6:28 AM
I'm here. can't wait to have something to talk about.
Here's a VERY timely article for us newbies, from the Wonderful Critter. If you've not read her tips on seed care and starting, put that high on your list of things to do. Same for tips from our own Weez, and Xeramtheum.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/277/
LOL.. thanks for the plug! :-)
For a list of my articles, click on "critterologist" to go to my home page and then scroll down... There are two "Seed Starting 101" articles on Light Shelves and Heat Mats that might also be useful, and there was a Winter Sowing article on Groundhog's Day.
I've been "playing seeds" the last few days... only sowed a few so far, but I'm trying to get everything sorted out at least!
Hi Critter! If they had a "stalking" tool on here, you'd notice me following you all over the place - LOL!
Yippee! A special thread for us! I can hardly wait . . . Critter - your article was more than timely . . . I have several different plants started in the basement.
Has anyone ever started corkscrew vine? I have two that have germinated, and I am not sure what to do next. They were on a heat mat with lights - but there is no more room, so I put them in a large ziplock baggie and put them in a south facing window on our main floor. Normal room temperature would be somewhere between a low of 58 degrees to a high of 64 degrees (max - hence the zip lock baggies - which are open at the top) From the plant files I gathered these love heat and humidity.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/1884/
If you mean corkscrew vine Vigna caracalla, I'd try to make room for them as long as possible in the warmth under the lights... maybe you can hang them off the end of the shelf or something. They sulked in the relative warmth/humidity of my bathroom.
Okay - back under the lights they go. :-) Thanks Critter :-)
I believe I am in love. LOL
Yeah - I'm patiently (NOT) waiting for Seandor to let us know that she's got seeds - LOL!!
I got 'em in a trade - quite a few actually. I made packets of 5 seeds each (valued at almost 5 bucks from Parks seeds!) and shared them with other DG members in an earlier swap.
BUT, if I get these to grow and thrive and make seeds, I will collect lots and share them with my piggy swap buddies :-)
;~) Thank you, you are so sweet.
. . . I try . . . . :-)
I've never been able to get mine to bloom early enough to set seeds... once I bring them inside in fall, the blooms fall off without leaving pods behind. I think I've heard they need ants for pollination...
hmmm....perhaps we would need to have a picnic for them - LOL!
Count me in.
We must have hit 'send' at the same time dryad lol. I meant count me in on this thread. I can do without the ants lol.
Somebody needs ants. I will gladly ship you mine.
Ok I have a question for some of you plant sages. Is there another list (besides the old one from T&A) that gives germination notes on flower seeds - especially the info on cold/warm treating? I keep googling but all I come up with is for veggies.
can't I just pollinate them myself with a nice little brush? I could find some ants to do the trick as well . . . . :-)
Seandor - I don't see why a nice soft little brush wouldn't do the trick - but then I've never grown anything like that before... LOL on the ants! Perhaps if you had a peony nearby.....
alas . . . no peonies . . . but we do get ants :-)
Ansonfan, I was silly and posted the seed starting info to the wrong thread. Try these two sites and see if they help:
http://www.backyardgardener.com/tm.html
http://tomclothier.hort.net/
I started mine from seed last year, here is a photo of my one bloom this past summer and you can see the ants on it :)
I didn't get seeds from it because it got cold too fast and it didn't start blooming until late. But we dug up the roots and I have them stored in with the dahlia tubers in the basement and hope it will grow faster from that this spring.
LOL... not fast enough...
I think this site had some temperature info also on its germination pages.. http://theseedsite.co.uk/
buwahahahaha! Critter - I probably got that link from one of your articles!
Critterologist, you are my favorite all time co-piggy! I have been looking for this site, forever! Thank you! Thank you!
Critter is just a veritable fountain of information :-P Between what I pick up from her and Suzy (and a few others on DG) my head ends up swimming every day!
Let us know what happens when you replant it, wind :-)
Pretty wind. I have one that is about 4 inches tall right now. Keep your fingers crossed I don't kill it.
just watch it closely if I recall it reacts like critter said, it will tell you immediately if it is not a happy camper! it gets tendrils too and will start grabbing on to anything too, I think...good luck :)
Thanks I'm probably going to need it.
Thanks for the input. I like the one from the Backyard Gardener - thats also the one from Thompson and Morgan that is now out of print according to the info there. Its just that I can't figure out how to print it out. I tried it but it just didn't work. If anybody has any ideas on how to print it I would be greatful. I have Microsoft Words and Word 97 on this computer but I'm not very saavy with spreadsheets and such. By the way I like the Tom Clothier too, its what I use for look-ups. I will go check out the Seed site, didn't know they had germinating info.
Thanks
Ansonfan, Dryad can pull it out and print it -- what size do you want to end up with? a half sheet of paper that's easier to read, or a full 81/2 x 11 that's easier to go in a notebook?
Do you want color or B&W? Grams' chart was pretty nifty, I thought wqith all the color bands. Maybe for reading we can use pastle colors. I'd like one that is 12 point so I can READ it! LOL!
Notice how I volunteer her? She's probably ready to kill me. LOL!
Suzy
What I have been doing is probably cheating - I cut and paste from Tom Clothier's list, then make corrections to name, colour, etc.
My spreadsheet is organized by the week in which each seed should be started. So this week I am supposed to start canna lilies, Mexican hats, petunias for hanging baskets.
Please let me know if it is a mistake to start any of these now.