Show Us Your Jugs...

Here's my Rudbeckia "Cherry Brandy" that I winter sowed. I can't believe how thick they are. I'll try and plant them out in a week or two.

And here's some Black Hollyhocks! These are growing so quickly. I'll try and set these out too.

Here's some Rudbeckia "Goldilocks."

Good heavens! Those kids aren't babies, they're huge! Why haven't you planted them out yet?

Karen

I'm just waiting for the danger of frost to be past. There is a frost warning for tonight. I'll probably set them out next weekend. I just don't want to risk losing them. They are doing so well. This is going to be beautiful. I'm planting them up and down my mom's fence. I'm doing it for Mother's Day. I have tons of Gaillardias and other plants too. Can't wait for this cold spell to pass.

or..Do you think they'll be ok? Our danger of frost is over on April 15th. I think the Hollyhocks would be fine, but I'm not sure about these Rudbeckias.

I think they would be fine, especially as far south as you live. Even here, I'd plant them out now at that size. Remember, rudbeckia and hollyhocks are perennial and biennials. They tolerate winters just fine when planted in garden beds with no protection. Most of my rudbeckia hirtas stay green all winter even here in my zone 6 yard with below zero temperatures. Hollyhocks have no problem with severe winter weather, either.

For most plants, the sooner they get to sink their feet into a real garden bed the better they will do.

Karen

All my babies are still so tiny... haven't photographed any yet.

I can tell ya...my HollyHocks, the ones already in my garden... started growing about a month or so ago... have withstood cold winds, heavy rains and even snow ... still growing just fine.

My Rudbeckias are not coming back yet... maybe mine were annuals ... but i do have a few other perennials that stayed green in the winter, or come back very early in the season.

I'd plant them out as well. Remember, they have been outside. If you are worried, you can always cloche them.

It's supposed to get below freezing Monday night and the high Tuesday is 40 something. I think I'll wait till Wednesday when it's above freezing to plant them. They are looking so good. I'd hate to lose them when it gets below freezing. I have too many to cover. This is going to be an amazing flower bed. I've got tons of Foxgloves and other plants that won't bloom this year, but next year should be amazing.

As long as they're plants that are hardy in your area, they'll be fine in the cold. Just wait until frost date to plant out tenders like zinnias.

Karen

I finally got my first 2 jugs planted out in the past few days- one california poppies and the other digitalis. I have others ready to go- just no time to do it.

And finally after a pretty dry spring we've had lots of rain in the last few days. Laura Bush petunia needs to go out too, it's suddenly trying to grow up out of the jug. Rain always seems to help sprout the seeds, so maybe some of the slowpokes will wake up. And another freeze warning for tonight.

I still have a couple of tenders to sow, like castor beans and zinnias. I ordered a few of them from Diane's but they haven't arrived yet.

Karen

I put my jugs in boxes so with all the rain we've had, I took them out to drain better since we've got a nice afternoon.

Look at these guys. This box had Wild Bergamont, Rose Campion, Delphinums, Coreopsis. Cosmos is still in the box. those need to be planted!

I am thrilled that I tried WS this year!

(rolling my eyes)

Nice! Definitely need to be planted out.

Karen

Here is my Larkspur...first time for these. They did really good I think...LOL!!

They look beautiful nanny! They can go on out in the garden- they're unbothered by cold.

Okay...thanks Neal!

I call this photo "Sunbathing".


Giving my babies a little sunshine after some nice spring rains this weekend.

Lissa -- yours look great. mine are still quite tiny... but they are getting the spring rain now... light rain almost all day long, and probably into tomorrow.

Mine got sopped yesterday with 2.5" moisture, snow and rain. But they looked okay today.

i hadta shake water from mine yesterday. soggy for sure.

I honestly have not taken any photos of my jugs.... some were chia's
I've started planting out already.

off the top of my head....

a few varieties of poppies
Lavaterna [probably spelled wrong] Silver Cup
Bird and Butterfly Mix
Golden Jubilee Agastache
... there may have been more, but that's all i can think of.

I've given two small containers to my neighbor

OH, B.E.S and Indian Summer - Rudbeckias

Hopefully we do not get any more rain and the grounds can dry out a bit more so i can plant a bit more tomorrow... heck, i'm still sowing seeds too. Gotta get my MG's going before it's too late.

I'm going to start direct sowing some seeds too... it's about that time.

tcs, I sympathize with you about the weather. You startled me with the talk of planting MGs now! We're in the same zone. Today we had another snowstorm, very late. I don't think it would be a good idea for me to plant MG seeds yet. Are you WSing them?

I"m not sure how I"m gonna do the MG's. I actually found a seedling in one of my flower beds the other day.

I may just do the WS thing and put them out side. I have 1 flat left to where i can use a heat mat, but not sure if i'll use it or not.

and.... IT's raining yet AGAIN.

at least the stuff i put out will get watered.

and -- we rarely get snow this time of the year... we may have a cold night or two... rarely a frost, but it's a possibility, but rare. but ya figure... these days with the whacky weather.... ya never say never.

we've had 80's since last thursday which is unusual for us. with lows in the 50's thru till next week.

here's my Cardinal Climber. Ipomoea multifida

this was 3/4ths of a jug of Rose Campion: I could have cut it with a knife.

I flipped a few tops open today...here is Cherry Brandy Rudbeckia...I put a whole package of seeds in here plus some. A least I got some plants!

This is Pairie Sun...I didn't use the whole package on this one.

Just one of 3 containers I have of Lady In Red Salvia....

Larkspur is going strong!! I am going to try again and plant some more now that it is bigger.

mine was full like that and I put it up on the back porch and then let it die. it didnt take long for it to dry out and wilt away either. made me mad at myself.

does anyone know if poppies will still bloom this time of year if they were just now transplanted. the plants look healthy enough but i wondered if it was too late.

oops...the date on this was awhile ago I see now but i'm replying anyhow.

a leaf blew in front of my shot right as I was taking it but here is my first Japanese Morning Glory taken few days ago. I had blooms before the vine started climbing my trellis this year.

question. when you sprout them in containers like that, do you plant the whole clump in the garden, or do you separate all the seedlings for individual planting?

This is interesting. I've always had trouble with seeding. I wonder if it could really be that simple. A milk jug greenhouse. I noticed some are clear -- are they 2 or 3 liter soda bottles?

Roni

cue_chick: I could never separate all those seedlings, so I usually plant out hunks, like this
http://wintersown.org/wseo1/Hunk-o-Seedlings.html
I have been known to plant an entire jug full in one hole, but don't do that often.

Elizabethtown, yes, 2 liter pop bottles work well. My favorite container is a gallon milk jug. It holds enough volume of potting mix to retain moisture well. They also need about 3" of potting mix, lots of drainage holes, and no screw-on cap is used. You want rain and snow to water them.

If you cruise around Trudi's site, linked above, there is a lot of information on containers, too.

Karen

I had a lot of trouble planting "chia pet" milk jugs of snapdragons and shirley poppies. Very frustrating trying to seperate the 100 or so seedlings per jug and I ended up planting a lot of hunks (just not enough room for them all!) However, I now have had beautiful plants for a few weeks. Poppies since mid-June. Well worth the effort.

sandstreet, how did your Snapdragons do once you got them set out? I've started mine indoors the last couple of years in hopes of getting them in the ground early, but they grew so slowly as seedlings, it ended up being late May before they were big enough to plant anyway. I may just WS them from now on.

This is my first year with snapdragons and I'm very pleased. It might be because we have had a very wet spring/summer, but this year my annuals flowered much earlier. From my notes:

2/16 -- wintersown in milk jug (I think you could wintersow them much later.)
3/27 -- sprouts
5/1 -- planted out
... and I think flowering 2nd week in July, but not sure. Didn't make a note.

(3 snapdragons in foreground ... white david phlox behind.)

As soon as they're big enough to handle, snapdragons can be planted out. They're not bothered by spring frosts. I've had them survive winters here in zone 6.

These are volunteers.

Karen

Oops, missed the picture