Who has started seeds for their gardens?

These are the dahlia seeds from last year. I'll be starting some of these Unwin dahlias soon but I'm wondering who has already begun, which seeds and why so soon.

How were the Unwin Dahlias for cut flowers? I'm looking for something bright for a 40' border. Two to three feet high is best (its a ways to the road from where they will be most visible).

Started Corsican Mint this week. Germination took 4 days at 70-75 degrees. Surprised me as I read they can take weeks. Are those seeds ever tiny. Impossible not to crowd them.

Anyone grow Mentha requienii) ? Make creme de menthe or use it in cooking? This is my first year growing it.

The Unwins are not for cutting. They're pretty for edges but that's it.

Your mint looks interesting and you got fast germination. Let me know how it works out for cooking. Green Eggs and Ham?

I have a ton of mints, but not that one. I do have the mojito mint, speaking of drinks. I have some of the Jim Westerfield mints, and they are yummy. Like Cotton Candy, Julias Sweet Citrus, Pink Candypops, those kinds. But the creme de menthe mint sounds great. Plese let us know what you make with it, and how it turns out.

I havent' started any seeds yet, but I have the ones i got from the species iris group in the fridge, and they should be ready to go in a couple of weeks.

Our tomatoes are started. These are the plants that will be for greenhouse tomato production. Also some peppers going in the greenhouse.
This pic is from a prior year.
Bernie

Now I know where tomato heaven is - Lewisville, MN!

polly....Hadn't heard about Westerfield’s mints. Only American source I see is Fragrant Fields. They get mixed reviews:

http://davesgarden.com/products/gwd/c/622/

Do want to plant 2 other varities. Aside from Westerfields, what mints would you suggest?

See Corsican mint is so tiny and compact, it can be grow as "turfed seats".

Oh, I haven't started my seeds yet because I want to start them outside, want to wait until it warms a bit, probably next month. I may start a few indoors. I collected and traded for several different flower seeds and this year really want to be successful at them because my income is cut back.

David-Paul, I don't have many other than the Westerfield. Let me see if I can root some for you in spring, if you'd like. They were going well in fall. I got them from Kathy Ann on DG, and some from Richters in Canada. Richters doesn't have the best rating in GW either, but mine were really nice. I know my Mojito Mint was going really well, if you'd like some of that.

http://www.richters.com/

Off the top of my head, I got Berries and Cream, Candy Lime, Cotton Candy, Pink Lollipop, Mojito, and Julias Sweet Citrus. I have others but can't remember the names and the tags are buried in snow.

Can I come rub your head, Polly?

It would smell nice, wouldn't it, LOL. Although more like Suave Green Apple today.

I've started some seeds already under a heated mat! It has been only 10 days and they are already coming up. I have some daturas, passis and other exotic vines germinating! Love to see pictures of baby greens!

Love this thread,thanks Pirl.
I will start Oriental Poppies in a few weeks.
Coral Reef from Jonnas on poppy forum
Fancy Feathers
Royal Wedding from One Stop Poppy Shop.
If this works I will try other OP varieties.
I have Nemophilas seed coming from Tompson&M
I just dont have the room in this house for a bigger operation and next fallI will do coleus cuttings from about 6 parent plants of the best performers from my RD co-op

I started basil, pansies, garlic chives and majoram so far. Been really trying to control myself. It was 57* here yesterday and I have to keep reminding myself it's not spring yet!
Herre's a pic of my pansies, the ones on the left germinated 5 days sooner than the ones on the right.

looks good,I have to go by DD 's process for germinating seeds. I have had bad luck starting them too early. We dont plant annuals here before Memorial day.

Just a kindly message to all - water from the bottom only.

Thanks for the reminder

Unless people enjoy fungus gnats. If that's the case go to it.

Boy I was squirting water from the top and have not seen anything. Better change the bad habits then!

Polly..that would be great. I have some corsican mint to trade (and other stuff).

Got a bad area on the other side of the driveway. Snowplow digs up the dirt. People park there. A black walnut tree does it's damage. I'm thinking of the most aggressive mint I can find to put a blotch of green there. Think it would work? Any suggestions? Does Walnut kill mint?

I'll read up on starting mint, then. Can't be hard. I'll let you know in the spring.

I think spearmint is the aggressive one. We had a ton of it at the old place, and it really spread. I doubt a walnut would have hurt it. It smelled beautiful when mowed. I think it could outrace the juglone from the black walnut, LOL Chocolate mint is also quite aggressive.

I love the smell of Chocolate Mint and have always had it in a container that's on a stand about 24" above the earth.

Hey, I was just about to start a thread about gardening myths and the black walnut was going to be my prime example. In my garden, I have what some people swear is the biggest black walnut tree in the county and I grow everything under there, including fruit trees and roses. The branches of the tree overhang at least one-fourth of my garden and it hasn't killed anything yet.

My friend Lali (Begoniacrazii in DG) lives in the middle of a black walnut grove, so everything she grows is growing under black walnuts.

Here's a picture of the trunk of my tree to give you some idea of its size. Those aren't mini-pots hanging from it and standing near it. The one to the left of the tree is a 5-gallon container.

That's one beautiful tree. It must be so cool there in the summer.

The shade helps, of course, but I also have something like a natural wind tunnel going through my garden in one spot, so I have a table and chairs under the tree in that area, and it gets a pleasant breeze even on the hottest days. The cats are always curled up in the chairs and on the table there in summer.

Zuzu...that is interesting. Tomato people fear Black Walnut a lot. Know of anyone who had sucess in the vicinity of one? Grew up with one in our front yard. Wonderful tree. Our clothes always had green stains from the husks (why we were messing with them before they ripened, I don't recall).

Familiar with Linda Chalker-Scott? She has a page on Horticultural Myths here:

http://www.puyallup.wsu.edu/~Linda%20Chalker-Scott/Horticultural%20Myths_files/index.html

Some of what she says some people do not want to hear....

What an amazing Website, David. Thank you so much. I love this kind of information and I want to hear everything she has to say.

I've never grown tomatoes because I'm a smoker and I had always heard you can't handle tomato plants if you smoke. That may be another myth, of course, but it turned me against tomatoes. My smoking habits are already being restricted more and more by other human beings. No way I'm letting plants get into the act.

My husband smokes and handles the tomatoes, and we've had no problem. I guess it's best to get the varieties that have resistance. But we've never had a problem.

Zuzu...I was going to say I wish Linda Chalker-Scott would write a book but I see she has: "The Informed Gardener" came out last spring.

There are so many myths out there. Linda takes on claims made for Epsom Salts which pleases me as I have too much magnesium in my soil and people tell me often to put more on in the form of Epsom Salts.

Appreciate a heads up you do start a thread on gardening myths.

Zuzu - today is Friday the 13th. Sounds like a good day to start a myth thread.

I started some seeds. I started a little early because I had to do something involving gardening before I went stark raving mad.

That's a February ritual for me.

Seeding or raving ;?

Both!

Great web site and the magazine is free online!

LOL on the February ritual of "seeding and raving"....I'm right there too!

I've been starting seeds inside since mid January. Started with Pansies and Snapdragons since they like cool temps and can go out to the little zip up greenhouse soon, and I like to get Pansies in the ground in March. Also have started some slow to mature seeds that will require warmth and babying under lights till danger of frost is past, like Vinca, African Foxgloves, Torenia, Browallia, several species of Salvia. It has been much needed therapy getting my hands in dirt and having something green to tend. I've found I really enjoy observing plant growth on a "micro" level- getting out the magnifying glass to see those tiny cotyledons emerging- those miracles of spring!

Pirl, are you starting Dahlia seeds again this year? I have 'Bishop's Children' to start, but will probably do those around mid March. This will be my 3rd year attempting them, none germinated the last 2 years. Dahlias are always sooo easy to start from seed, so I assume my original seed was not viable. Starting with new seed from another source this year- I'm determined to have dark leaved Dahlias!

I am chomping at the bit to start.
I have all the trays filled and just have to get to mid April for planting O Poppies and some annuals.

I guess I will, Neal, if I can find the seeds again. Bishop's Children should be a lovely dark leaved group of various colored flowers. They're bound to make quite a nice display.

We'll wait until the end of March and then I'll be starting basil first just because I enjoy it so much and it grows well for everyone. I'll also be waking up the dahlias then...or adding them to the compost.

"I'll also be waking up the dahlias then...or adding them to the compost."....the hits and misses with Dahlia storage drive me nuts! Most of mine are looking pretty good now, but it seems that last month or so is when I see problems.

See that! I "know" I should go downstairs and check them but then I fear what I might find and the thought of ordering more is daunting. I've already ordered from five dahlia places for this year and don't even ask where they'll get planted. Maybe I should post that on the mistakes thread.