October Blooms

All today...Really Strange things are happening with Plants here in the gardens. They are confused and don't know what to do..The temps have been steady around 75 which is warm for this time of year. I have coneflowers blooming now. Pink and Red Beauty Berry and Cannas too..

What's Blooming Today??

Happy Gardening!
Kim

 

Happy Bloomer Today

Polemonium viscosum 'Blue Whirl' 
Blooming in the garden today.

What's Coming Up?

Busy Busy time of the year. Weeding, tilling, planting...A few things coming up, starting to flower. Hardly anytime to Blog and Journal. On my way out now to pull some weeds!

Crown Imperial Fritillaria 'Aureomarginata'

Blue Cohosh

Trillium

Variegated Solomon's Seal

Erythronium sibiricum subsp.altaicum

It's Cold today and doesn't feel much like Spring. Although this plant was my second bloom and makes me look forward to the other beauties to come.

First Bloom of the Year

Today gave me hope of the Spring season to come. This is the first plant to bloom outside today. 

Tulipa turkestanica

Never Say Never

In November I moved into a new house and had to move hundreds of plants. Digging potting..Thought I would loose my mind. Dirt everywhere, in the truck, back of my van..I had plants everywhere. I did the unthinkable for some gardeners. I left every single last one of my plants outside. Tropicals, Annuals, Tender perennials. I figured ONLY the STRONG would Survive! ha ha. I have more then enough seeds then I could ever sow in a lifetime. So I figured if they all die I'll start over...more plants for me! Low and behold I took a walk outside today. Every plant I was told was an annual is coming up. We just recovered from 3 feet of snow. And here I have in this picture a double flowering Portulaca. It does not look it's best but I do not think this plant is dead by any means. In September they were just a few cuttings. I received from a dear friend and rooted them outside in this pot. 3 weeks ago it had 3 feet of snow on top of it. Now if I'm not mistaken..I thought Portulaca was an annual? I now have a new belief and new faith. I have always been inclined that some plants can be acclimated to a growing zone. Now I know for sure I will continue to put every plant to the test.

Look Close

Yup they're there. New little babies of my ornamental grass. I forgot about them and came back and there they were!
Stipa arundinacea (Pheasant's Tail Grass)

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It's an Addiction

I did it again! I went to the Home Depot to buy everything but Plants. Low and behold I was pulled over to the Gardening section. Ohhh how Pretty! I thought... I can plant these here and there..To get home and find out. I already have these plants.

It's Truly an addiction when you have so many plants you forget what you have! LOL

Babies from the Fridge

Anthyllis vulneraria 

(had these seeds for 10 years, all have germinated in the fridge)

 

Lunaria annua 'Variegata Alba'

(all have germinated in the fridge, wasn't expecting that)

Datura

I received Datura stramonium var. tatula f. bernhardii for Datura quercifolia yesterday. I was delighted to receive them. And wanted to give a little brief "How To" for a certain species. It has been said that Datura quercifolia is one of the hardest Datura seeds to germinate. I have read it repeatedly stated on the internet. So I thought I'd share a few pointers...This species will not and I mean will not germinate before 30 days. It requires high moisture and warmth for germination. Therefore a medium that can be keep very moist without molding is best. Here are 2 methods I use and get almost 95% germination rate. Use moist vermiculite (seal them in a ziplock bag) and place in a sunny windowsill. Or use damp Bounty paper towel fold the seeds inside and place them in a ziplock bag, and wait 30 days. They are also errattic. But this will give you a 95% rate. Hope this helps and Happy Gardening.

OHHH MY Goodness!

I just received this message from a fellow gardener:

Couple of pointers, if you put moist packed seeds in the fridge, watch them closely, they may start to sprout. I do this with ones that require a moist cold period and then plant them in pots when they are beginning to germinate (though I have been too late a couple of times). Works well with monkshoods (Aconitum) as an example.
If seed is refrigerated, not frozen, even short lived seed like Agapanthus will live for years. I germinated A. coddii seed that was more than five years old, but it was refrigerated upon reciept.
Short lived seeds, at room temp, are pretty common in the following families (there are exceptions) Asteraceae, Poaceae (grasses), Ranunculaceae (monkshoods, buttercups, delphiniums, etc), and Amaryllaceae (fleshy seeds need planting even with refrigeration within a few weeks, black flattened seeds like Zephyanthes last longer but should be refrigerated if you plan on keeping more than 6 months).
Particularly long lived seeds often have hard impermeable seed coats, some examples would be Hibiscus and some scented leaved pelargoniums.
Of course, if you have old seeds, there's no harm in trying them out, pleasant surprises are one of the fun things about gardening!

So What did I do???

I just run to the fridge after I got the message. Wouldn't you know..I'm in trouble now. I have seeds I have had for 10 years and every last one is germinated in the bag. What to do now??? And the Aconitum seeds I paid big money are germinated. I wasn't ready for that..Now what?? I didn't know seeds germinate in the cold. Ohhhh phooey. Not set up..it's cold here, grow lights in a box, and I'm just not ready.

Growing Adventures...that's why I named this Blog.

Needless to say... I guess the method really works!

Vermiculite Germination Bag

 

Ok..got all the Aconitums potted up and out the fridge. Stuck the ones that didn't germinate back in with more vermiculite. Well if you want to call this potted up. It was the best I could do for now and stuck them in a windowsill..until I get set up.

Astrantia Frenzy!

This is the First and Last Astrantia I've seen.

Great Masterwort 'Rubra'...

I was inexperienced and didn't know any better. I killed this poor plant before the flower fully opened up. This was the onset of flowering 5 years ago when I took this picture, and 5 years ago I just didn't know better then to pull a plant up. I was so excited that is was about to flower I pulled and placed it somewhere else. It flopped, got an attitude, withered, and died. Well I have never germinated an Astrantia seed in my life. This plant was sent to me from one of my fellow gardening friends in the mail. The bottom line is... now I am determined to grow whatever and any Astrantia I can. Haven't got a clue what this seed requires. But I have collected many different species and used my little germination baggy method with vermiculite, wishing and hoping. These seeds have been moist packed and refrigerating for 8 weeks now. I'm gonna give it another 4 weeks and bring them out for success or failure...sigh. To the growing lights and warmth (heat mats) they go!

Vermiculite

Vermiculite Germination Bag

Some seeds require cold, warm, or moist treatment. Wether you plan to sow your seeds right away or store them for later. Vermiculite is an ideal growing medium for germination and starting seeds. It retains moisture without rotting or molding the seeds. In addition, vermiculite is loose and you can easily remove seedlings without damaging the roots. Which makes it easier to transplant from the vermiculite to soil. For tiny seeds (like snapdragons) Sprinkle the seeds on top of moist vermiculite and they usually sprout in a couple of days. Vermiculite is also ideal for when a plant seems to be dampening off. I have sprinkled it around the plant and it usually recovers quickly.

Just a few Tips:
Most seeds can be stored in the refrigerator, and can withstand cold treatment. Annual flowers and vine seeds usually germinate without any cold treatment. Although there are many Annual seeds that benefit from cold treatment (like Impatiens capensis and pallida) Very tiny seeds (like snapdragons) can be sown right on top of the growing medium surface for germination. Hard coated seeds can benefit from being nicked and soaked in water before sowing. For example, Morning Glory seeds germinate faster when soaked before sowing. Seeds that benefit from cold treatment are usually Cold Hardy Perennials. They can be winter sown in the ground or prepared indoors.
Keep in mind when sowing seeds indoors the key is: You are trying to duplicate how germination occurs in natural conditions for that particular plant. For preparing indoors, place seeds inside the vermiculite bag, add water. Just enough to wet the vermiculite and squeeze any excess water out the baggie, then seal it shut. Then place the ziplock bag in the freezer (very cold hardy plants) or in the refrigerator (semi-cold hary plants) for 6-12 weeks until ready to sow. Therefore they will already be cold stratified and ready for sowing indoors. Always use good seed starting soil (or vermiculite ) when trying to start new seeds.

New Info: Seeds will germinate in the Baggie in the refrigerator. So keep an eye on them after a few weeks.

Before the Snow..

This picture was taken yesterday before the snow. When I woke up this morning I was snowed in. But here's my new backyard. A few months ago I went from hardly any yard to a small park. So I will make the best of it. I'm sure I can get a lot of plants in there! By the way..I can grow but I'm not a photographer. Might not get the best pictures here.

My project today was: I gathered every marigold seed I've ever collected, purchased, traded for, or stumbled upon. You name it's it's in there! Crackerjack, Disco Flame, Safari, Tashkent, Patula, Erecta, Lucida, Tenuifolia...Every species..Every kind and the list goes on and on and on.... Since I have this theory that marigolds aren't very viable over time. I Suppose Time will surely prove me right or wrong. I opened every bag, envelope, and dumped them all out and transferred to 1 bag. I have placed the HUGE bag of seeds in the fridge (for what I don't know). But I will keep them there until Spring. I am going to sow them all in a bed. Haven't decided where to place that bed. But I will come back and update on the place, size, and space. Hmmmm maybe I can get the Husband to build me a 15x20 raised bed

Save the Seeds! for times like this...

I'm always putting something to the test. Here we have Iochroma cyanea 'Purple Queen'. Which I took this picture in October. I decided if it was tough enough it would pull through the winter. So I left it outside (maybe wishful thinking) I live in USDA zone 6b. The poor little plant doesn't look like it's coming back about right now. But time and Spring will tell. Just in case..being the seed junkie I am. Of course I saved the seeds

Who Has the Right Way?

No one. I'm sure there are a million and one ways to start seeds and everyone has there own preference. We can all learn from each other and then choose what works best for us. I am amazed at others growing techniques. Someone mentioned to me about winter sowing and I am not opposed to it at all. Maybe for columbines, marigolds, common annuals. Matter of fact I have about a kabillion Aquilegia seeds (all kinds of species) I'm going to sow out side this weekend. Whatever comes up comes up! I've decided to have a columbine garden. But for those plants I want to hand propagate I have to do something different. On March 1st I'm going to do something I've never done before. Buy these little doohickies here.



A sponge like material, all natural soilless organic grow plugs made of composted tree bark and organic materials.

Then I will place one each in a 50 cell 1020 Grow tray with the dome for humidity. Hardening off??!! Ahhhhh that's a whole nother story! Haven't gotten to that part yet. But for now my plans to germinate the Little Baggies will be to empty the seeds and vermiculite into a ziplock bag (with more vermiculite) keep warm, provide light, and when the seeds sprout. Remove each baby by hand and place it in the plug. I read to place the seeds into the plug for germination...But here's my thoughts and logic. Why waste a plug?? Not every seed germinates, so when it does then I will place it in the plug. More to come later..

What's in the Little Baggies?

Acanthus Mollis

Achillea sibirica subsp. camtschatica 'Love Parade'

Aconitum carmichaellii

Aconitum lycoctonum subsp. moldavicum

Alyogine hakeifolia

Anthyllia vulneraria

Astrantia major 'Ruby Wedding'

Astrantia major 'Sunningdale' Variegated

Astrantia maxima

Bomarea salsilla (Tropical..but Didn't think it would hurt to try)

Clematis recta 'Purpurea'

Cornus florida subsp. urbiniana (wishing and hoping...)

Delphinium carolinianum

Eryngium alpinum

Eupatorium variabile

Hibiscus panduriformis

Impatiens balfourii (seems to benefit cold treatment to me)

Kiss Me Over the Garden Gate 'Shiro-gane Nishiki'

Leycesteria formosa 'Golden Lanterns'

Lunaria annua Variegated 'Alba'

Meconopsis punica

Oenothera macrocarpa 'Inca Silver Blade'

Ophiopogon planiscapus - Black Mondo Grass

Penstemon barbatus

Penstemon heterophyllis 'True Blue'

Persicaria virginiana var. filiformis 'Painter's Palette'

Roscoea purpurea

Salvia jurisicii

Salvia officinalis 'Albifloria'

Salvia recognita

Salvia roemeriana

Salvia verticillata 'Alba'

Saponaria Pumila

Tropeolum azureum

Yellow Magnolia Tree

All to be started in Spring. I will take pictures and show the method of propagating these seeds come Spring. Most likely I will place each germinated seed in it's own cell and try my best to harden them off.

Moist Packing

Ok I'm back now... and Maybe I should have titled this post TRIAL and ERROR! Basically that is what this batch is for me.

Hoping and wishing...but seriously there aren't many seeds I have not been able to germinate (eventually). I recently bought seeds from Garden's North. The description of the seeds "Aconitum lycoctonum subsp. moldavicum" stated will come moist packed. Well I had no idea what the heck that meant and was curious to see. I received them and many others and some were "Moist Packed". Well well well...These packages were little plastic baggies tightly packed with moist vermicullite and the seeds. Ahhhhhhh! Well I have tons of vermiculite.

Soooooo I figured I will take all my aconitum seeds, astrantia, and Tree Peonies and moist pack them for experiment. Then place them in the fridge from now until Spring. This coming year I am going to have a BLAST! I can not wait to see what I get. Bought some seeds from JL Hudson many many years ago. Gonna moist pack some of those too. Resurrecting Long Lost Plants! ha ha

I don't germinate anything in soil (except veggies). I use vermiculite or I place them in Bounty Paper Towel (moistened) and in a ziplock bag. This is because if I start seeds of any plant. It is because I really really want it. Therefore I never play the wishing and hoping game. I've been germinating things like this for years. When the seedlings are big enough I move them to a soil. I make my seeds do what I want them to! ha ha haa! That's probably why I never throw any I plan to grow away. I personally would never place seeds of a plant I really want in the ground for germinating. But to each their own and hats off to gardeners that do and are successful getting the plant they WANT. Vermiculite is very loose and doesn't mold. Great for those itty bitty seeds. I have found that some soils mold if the seed requires a lot of moisture for germination. The vermiculite is so loose that the seedlings roots grow twice as fast, and you can virtually pull them out. Therefore no root damage and extremely easy transplanting from the vermiculite to soil. I use little cups and fill them with vermiculite and water. Sprinkle the seeds on top. Place the cup in a ziplock bag. Usually within a few days they sprout. I also get lazy and they can live in there for quite some time. With the baggie I always feel like I have to get the newly germinated seed potted up or in the ground. Vermiculite It's just a really nice medium...Next post will be a list of what's in the itty bitty bags in the fridge (packed with moist vermiculite)

Grown From Seed

Seeds given to me as 'Miss Willmott' but when it Bloomed Dave's Garden placed it under Potentilla 'Melton Fire' (Potentilla nepalensis)

Hardy Geranium 'Striatum' (Geranium pratense)Seeds came from somewhere over seas. Grew this many years ago.

Joe Pye Weed 'Variegatum' (Eupatorium variabile) Seeds came from somewhere over seas. Grew this many years ago too.

Kiss Me Over the Garden Gate "Shiro-gane Nishiki" (Persicaria orientalis) Last one for this post, although very far from least, for plants I grew from seeds.

Reminiscing...

Just looking through some of my old pictures of plants I grew from seed. I think I have become more advance in the growing and picture taking...I'm chuckling right now. These are Plants I grew from seeds years ago. With a 'not so good' camera. Posting them here helps me reach towards bigger, more difficult propagation. I love the challange!

Lupine "Russell"

Never knew the species or why it grew 2 colors on one plant. But maybe one day I will resurrect this one. I'm sure yall have read I NEVER throw seeds away. And still have seeds I picked from this plant.

Penstemon

I waited 1 year for this Coreopsis to Bloom from seed. Which is normal for this perennial type. Also in this picture is: Silene dioica 'Clifford Moor'. I didn't grow that one from seed. And if I'm not mistaken it doesn't produce seed that I know of.

Maltese Cross

I have now acquired every color this plant produces. Back then I thought Red was amazing! LOL

Growing from seed takes patience but is very rewarding. In my opinion the plant is healthier and more beautiful. Here is a Sea Holly (Eryngium planum) grown from seed. Also in this picture is Brugmansia. Which I propagated from a 4 inch cutting. It grew 4 feet tall very fast within a couple of months. And as far as Sea Holly...once again, I've collected many different species since then. But I am still holding on to seeds from this plant.

And the Growing Begins...

A Few Tips:

Most seeds can be stored in the refrigerator, and can withstand cold treatment. Annual flowers and vine seeds usually germinate without any cold treatment. Very tiny seeds (like snapdragons) can be sown right on top of the growing medium surface for germination. Hard coated seeds can benefit from being nicked and soaked in water before sowing. For example, Morning Glory seeds germinate faster when soaked before sowing. Seeds that benefit from cold treatment are usually Cold Hardy Perennials. They can be winter sown in the ground or prepared indoors. Keep in mind when sowing seeds indoors the key is: You are trying to duplicate how germination occurs in natural conditions for that particular plant. For preparing indoors, soak the seeds for 24 hours. Then place the seeds in a ziplock bag in the freezer (very cold hardy plants) or in the refrigerator (semi-cold hary plants) for 6-12 weeks until ready to sow. Therefore they will already be cold stratified and ready for sowing indoors. Always use good seed starting soil when trying to start new seeds. Purchased seed starting medium has the adequate growing nutrients for starting seedlings. Viola seeds benefit from darkness when germinating, others may need light and high warmth. Therefore do not cover seeds with soil and provide bottom warmth. Remember keep all seed starting moist until germination.