Seed Stratification

Well, I didn't have anything in particular to write about today, so I figured I'd give a bit of info on stratification.

All seeds require certain conditions for them to germinate, most will work with average moisture in a 65-75 degree environment. However, some seeds require a cold period to break through their hard outer shells. Now, to achieve the cold period, you can either plant the seeds in the fall knowing that they will not sprout until late spring, or you can cut that wait time down by stratifying the seeds.

To stratify seeds: take a soil-less medium (I use vermiculite or a paper towel) and moisten it - not sopping wet, just damp - and cover the seeds up inside of it. For example, for Chaste Tree seeds I just filled a ziploc bag with vermiculite, dampened it slightly, and then mixed my chaste tree seeds into it. Then, I flattened out the bag, removed most of the excess air, wrote the name of the seed and the date on the outside of the bag, and placed the flat bag in the back of the fridge. The Chaste Tree, due to it's thick outer shell, apparently should be taken out of the fridge in about a month.

Other types of cold germinating seeds don't need to be in the fridge for quite so long. For example, I also started calamus and pyrethrum. For these seeds, I moistened a paper towel, squeezed out the excess water, then sprinkled the seeds in the paper towel. Then I covered them up in the towel, flattened out the bag to remove excess air, wrote the name and date on the bag and placed the flat bag into the back of the fridge. Thanks to the Thyme Garden's wonderful instructions, I know that the pyrethrum should only be kept in the fridge for 4 days on the dot and then removed and put into a regular seed starting tray. The calamus (also due to the Thyme Garden's individual instructions) will be taken out and planted in a tray in exactly one week.

It's very hard to find info one the exact times that specific seeds need in the cold. Unless the seeds come with specific instructions like the Thyme Garden seeds, I would just put them in the fridge, check them often, and remove them when they sprout.

Hopefully this will help someone out. I know I would have liked all this info in one place when I was starting it. As soon as the Chaste Tree sprouts, I'll post the info so the masses will know how long it takes :)

Hooray For More Bulbs!

Well, I wasn't really having the best day a few days ago, and to cheer myself up decided to wander around the garden section at Walmart and Lowe's. For a gardening addict who is trying to save money, this is a dangerous thing. It's bulb season! I've been contemplating ordering some Lilies of the Valley for a few weeks now from a company online, but low and behold Walmart had them for less than half the cost they would have been. I really hate that store (it's taking over the world one crappy product at a time), but how can I deny that price difference, especially when I was distraught?

So, that night, I purchased plumtart gladiolus, mixed color ranunculus, white lilies of the valley, and pink and white bleeding hearts. They were all so pretty, I could have gone completely wild and bought a bunch more, but I restrained myself especially since I'm not sure where I will be living in a month. As it is, if I end up in an apartment, my place will look like a jungle. I'm hoping to find a house to rent, but that still waits to be seen.

Anyway... tangent sorry. I planted those bulbs today (all in pots so they can move with me - like the rest of my garden). I can't wait to see them. Hopefully it's no too long of a wait.

New Year, New Seeds

Well, taking into account the things I learned from my almost complete failure at starting seeds last year, I have pulled out the seed starting trays and officially planted again :)

I learned from my last experience that if the seeds are too hot (above 70-75 degrees) they will not germinate - a.k.a. don't place the seed tray in full Florida sunlight. Also, I've switched from those peat pellets to a "sterile seed starting mix" - which, yes, is mostly peat moss, but I think it will work better as it's not so compacted. I also got my seeds from places other than just Lowes. I'm now an avid customer of The Thyme Garden Herb Company, as well as Sand Mountain Herbs, both of which have websites. I also got some seeds from Gurney's and a few from Lowe's - impulse buys, I couldn't help myself.

Today, I planted: sweet alyssum, heavenly blue morning glory, foxgloves, delfino cilantro, brown mustard, luffa, meadowsweet, tangerine marigold, inca ii hybrid primrose marigold, wormwood, vervain, bells of Ireland, Mexican hats, dragon head, and agrimony.

I even started stratifying some chaste tree, calamus, and pyrethrum. All should be out of hte fridge in about a week to ten days, except maybe the chaste tree.

I have more to start as well, but I have some that need heat (tea tree and henna) as well as some that don't transfer well (sweet rocket and borage) . I still have to figure out what to do about those. I'll probably just start them in pots with plastic wrap over the top.

I'm really excited to see how things develop. Hopefully things go better than my last seed experience. Be sure I'll keep you posted.

I Have Some Catching Up To Do

Wow, it has really been a long time since I last blogged. I apologize for the lapse in time. That does not, however, mean that I was not gardening. Quite the contrary. In the last few months, I have started many plants as well as lost many plants. Firstly, I started several Amarylis bulbs and paperwhites for the holiday season. All but one bloomed and came out great, I even gave one Red Lion as a gift to my grammy for Christmas. I'm still hoping on the other bulb that didn't bloom.
The picture is of my Apple Blossom Amarylis, which came out the prettiest I think.

The bad news in the last few months was the deep freeze that came a few weeks ago. I knew it was coming, I covered everything really well, etc, but it just couldn't be stopped. All of my vegetables that had held on so long finally kicked the bucket. All my tomatoes, pumpkins, peppers, eggplants, etc. All gone, and dearly missed. Oh well, I'll get 'em going again this spring (this time a lot earlier) so they have time to grow and give me results :)

Back to good news! I was pleasantly surprised about a week ago when my bulbs I planted in the fall began to sprout. I won't lie, I was beginning to get worried that I had done something wrong, but low and behold, they are sprouting now: daffodils, muscari hyacinths, freesias, ranunculus and spring star flowers. I've decided that grape hyacinth is the coolest looking sprout. I can't pass by without stopping to look at them.

Also, about two weeks ago, I was visiting New Smyrna Beach and I came across a very neat little nursery in the middle of the downtown area. I was pleasantly surprised by the fucshia he was growing, being that I had thought it was too hot here for it. So, I had to take some home with me. Now I have a big bushy plant with fucshia and royal purple flowers as well as a small plant with fucshia and white flowers. I love this plant, they are so exotic looking.

Also, right after Christmas, I was going grocery shopping and I found a really nice Shooting Star Hydrangea they had on sale to get rid of, which has now been adding color to my yard.

Well, I promise that I will be better at keeping my blog updated (New Year's Resolutions) :) So, check back for more gardening news later on.

Wedding Flowers!

Yay! Today I started planting my Ranunculus bulbs for my wedding.

For those who my not be familiar with this lovely flower, it is very similar to a rose that has 5 times the amount of petals . Also, Martha Stewart Weddings (the magazine) seems to be very fond of them, as that is where I was first introduced to them.

I have 3 varieties:
Flamenco Ranunculus, Gold Ranunculus, and White Ranunculus. The Flamenco colored ones are actually just because I thought they were pretty, they will not be used in my wedding. My colors are yellow, green, white and black. So, to add a bit of variety I also ordered White Freesias (which I planted today as well) and Minnow Daffodils as well as Tête-à-Tête Daffodils (which I will be planting on Saturday).

I was looking up information about growing ranunculus on google and I found I highly informative site: How To Grow Ranunculuses

This was incredibly helpful, especially with giving a time table. I have found that getting a more solid estimate of how long a certain plant will take to grow fully is near impossible, so this site is an absolute gem! I was starting to think there was no hope for me growing my own flowers, worrying that my flowers would bloom too early or too late. Now I feel much more confident.

I can't wait to show the results!

Holy Tomatoes!

Hizzah! I finally have tomatoes! Out of all my 21 tomato plants, I was beginning to worry that I would not get any fruit from any of them.

When I planted my initial 6 plants, they shot up in size and looked great for about 2 weeks, which inspired me to purchase 15 more plants. Suddenly my leaves on the first set started to look droopy all the time and the bottom leaves of the plants were turning yellow and brown and curling up. For weeks I thought they were on their last legs and they started infecting the newer plants as well. I thought all was lost until last week when I went out to re-tie my grape tomato plant and noticed a bunch of small green balls emerging from the branches!


Just a few days later, I noticed all of my cherry tomato plants had fruits as well. I guess that smaller fruits take less preparation time it needs.

I'm greatly looking forward to harvesting these little lovelies. Tomatoes are my favorite vegetable and I intend to eat my fill.

Les Tete-a-Tetes

Yay! I got my daffodil bulbs in the mail yesterday! I ordered them about a month ago from Gurney's and they just now came in. I ordered two different types: Tete-a-Tetes (which are yellow with a golden yellow center) and Minnows (which are white with a yellow center).

Hopefully they do well (I've never done bulbs before now and I'm deathly afraid they will rot with all the Florida humidity).

Stay tuned for results!