The Weekend/Transplanting Pansies

Sunday it rain most of the day, hard pouring rain that stopped for short periods of time. The upside, the temperature was in the 60's so no boots or heavy coats. It was a day to shop for my mother and I. Of course the best part is going to the produce market which has a separate building for flowers. I wanted some of everything but didn't buy any plants or flowers. I am forcing myself not to go back today to get something. Five foot tropical plants were only $12.00. Beautiful dish gardens crammed with unusual tropicals in beautiful ceramic container with Asian inspired paintings; primrose of all colors $1.50. Winter cactus were 3 for $5.00 and other smaller tropical plants but still large for $9.00.

There was a sea of orchids in all colors for $5.00's each. My mother was taking near the orchids with another customer. When we got back in the car she told me that the customer told her that the orchids were 3 for $5.00 earlier in the week, wow. I have had to admit to myself that for me orchids are like a tulip. I enjoy their beauty while in bloom and once the bloom is finished the plant is done, although some spring blooming bulbs are perennial. I have not been able to keep them alive to become a houseplant. There was a table of chrysanthemum's for $3.00 in all colors unlike winter mums. Beautiful wicker and ratan baskets of all sizes. There were so many flowers at reasonable prices.

Okay I will stop exciting myself. A busy day is ahead. I took a coffee break and while I drink it I will blog. I transplanted some pansies this morning and have to sterilize more soil first to finish. I used miracle grow organic potting soil. I sterilize it by baking it in the oven. I'm not sure this is really necessary but different people do different things. I won't be using the soil that I used last year from Home Depot for the seedlings. The texture was wonderful but I didn't like how my plants performed this summer with it. I have never made my own soil but I am geared toward doing this in the future because I still don't like the texture of Miracle Grows organic mix. It has a lot of cut up bark in the mix. Brought a bag of vermiculite before it disappeared from the shelves in the Fall. I will keep it to mix with   more components of what I would like to make my mix with. That will not be during seedling time.

I had more pansy seedlings than I thought and still want to start a variety with ruffled leaves but too many seedlings are time consuming. The end product is wonderful, but all the preparation and time it takes to pot up each seedling can be discouraging for me. I did dispose of some seedlings that were smaller than their counterparts and may not be as healthy. I cringe whenever I do this because I want to keep everything but have found from experience that it's okay to do this because when I kept seedlings that didn't look like the others they did not thrive and often died later. Haven't bought small bathroom cups that would have been perfect but I would have to transplant again later and I want to avoid this. Multiple seedlings were put  into each pot. Time will tell how they do with so many in the pot. I have smaller pots I saved to reuse this year but they need to be disinfected and washed. Of course this should have been done last year so everything was ready. Well, there is only so much time in a day.

I still have to start dinner which will be baked turkey parts with gravy, basmati rice, and fresh roasted brussel sprouts and possibly fresh pole beans. This will be my first time having them. My mother bought some at the produce market yesterday and showed them to me. They look like huge string beans and much longer and fuller.This will be my first time roasting brussel sprouts. Seems simple to roast them on a cookie sheet after seasoning with a small amount of some salt and some pepper and coating them with olive oil. I usually buy them frozen and boil them but all the health benefits leach out into the boiling water. 

Just planting bulbs in the window box! This box is outside my daughter's window. She'll enjoy the blooms in the spring.

Spring Inside, Freezing Rain Outside

Weather can be so deceptive. The news yesterday did forecast freezing rain and icy roads today but, when I left for work there was only light rain and I thought, no problem. Listening to the news on the radio while driving talked about many accidents and the icy conditions in new Jersey. I gave myself an early start but it didn't matter because, before my eyes what started off as just wet roads became ice within minutes of leaving home. It was frightening. 

Every time the car stopped for a red light or stop sign, lightly pressing the gas to proceed results in spinning wheels and for those who weren't careful, skidding and possible loss of control of their car. I arrived to work safely but late because speeds were hugely reduced. The next obstacle was getting out of the car and walking into the building. Opening the car door and looking down, all I saw was a street of clear ice as far as the eye could see. Well I couldn't sit in the car until afternoon. Didn't break a leg or have an accident, and I'm thankful. Guess what? It will rain tomorrow and temperatures are expected in the 60's. I won't even mind the rain. Well the smell of spring is inside with primrose and paperwhites. 

Vinca. I thought I had killed them putting them under the shop lights too soon after germinating. Some did die, but what is left look healthy. The second tray is slower. Many have germinated but have not stuck their heads out of the soil and stood up. I took the top off after they germinated and put them back on the heat mat. I think they may benefit from the heat to help them finish emerging from the coir. A close watch on them will hopefully avoid other disasters. One can never tell with seedlings. They have a mind of their own.

Paperwhites. I bought the same variety as last year but these are half the size in height; wonder why?
Could it be that last winter they sat on the table in the living room where it is warm and this year they set in my cool kitchen window?  They were fuller last year also although there are the same number of bulbs and I planted and arranged the bulbs the same way. Before planting, the bulbs appeared to be about the same size as last year. Their home for now is the dining room table. Lets see if the warmth of the house changes their appearance? So far only one has bloomed.

                                                                        Weekend Reading

                                                                 

Begonia and Pansy Progress

Almost balmy in Philadelphia, 22 degrees today and sunny. I thought I saw, barely visible begonia seedlings yesterday but wasn't sure. Today I got a flashlight to inspect them. I saw correctly. They have germinated! Would you like to see them? That's not possible. You wouldn't be able to see them if I took a picture with my camera. Probably if I had a "good camera" with a zoom lens and properties for close up photos. Tiny, tiny, tiny. Last Winter my vinca seedlings were the smallest germinated seeds I had seen. This year I have a different variety and they aren't small at all. The begonias are clearly the smallest I have ever seen and really require high light or a magnifying glass to see them. A review of online information indicate begonias take a long time to get to planting out size. I would be upset to have to buy them in the Spring because mine aren't ready. An online image search of begonia seedlings was very helpful to give me an idea of how seedlings may look. This encouraged me go back and inspect them. They are as tiny as they looked in an image on line. Someone had a good camera to take the picture. It will be interesting to watch their progress.

There was almost a catastrophe last night with  the vinca. The cover was removed when I put them in the light except for some pieces I cut to keep seeds that had not yet germinated in the dark. I put the trays under shop lights and it baked them. I was horrified when I went down stairs to peak at them. It's hard to resist peaking at seedlings frequently throughout the day. Some that were plum had dried up from the heat of the light. I thought this can't possibly be damping of with coir pellets. I took them from under the shop lights to give them time to recover. I never thought I had to slowly introduce them to light. I don't remember having to do this last year. A lesson learned.

The pansies are strong and since many are developing a set of true leaves, I may transplant them over the weekend. I ordered pots a couple of months ago instead of starting with styrofoam cups. I have 100 square cups. When these run out, I will use cups. All of the seeds didn't germinate but many did. After I transplant the seedlings that did germinate the others are going to be put back in the dark to see what happens. I try not to get stressed if all seeds planted don't germinate because I have learned that just because a seed germinates does not mean it is healthy. Some seedling can be misshapen and unhealthy looking. Letting them continue to grow won't produce a healthy seedling. Maybe some seeds that don't just aren't healthy.

Pansy Seedlings. Many on the right side did not germinate. They are different from those on the right.

Sorry it's not clear.

Begonia seedlings. See if you can locate them? They are there, tiny green spots.

Vinca Germinated and Seedling Progress

Yesterday when I came home from work I checked my seed trays. The vinca had germinated in both trays. I kept them covered and in the dark to see if the rest would germinate by today. There are still cells is each tray that have not. I covered those to see if they will. I don't remember last years seeds germinating in 2 days. It's fun to watch seedlings grow and change every day. Still waiting on the begonias. I think I see something happening but I'm not sure. I read that they like to grow crowded. Probably should have read this first because I have one in each pot.

Vinca

Not Winter without primrose. They smell so good. I smelled blooms of red, blue, and pink. The yellows were the only ones that were scented. I love scented flowers.

Seed Sowing/Vinca

I sowed 2 different colors of vinca, white and rose. I thought I had red ones. They take months to reach full sized so I am starting them now as I did last year. There were 20 seeds in each pack. Some cells had 2 seeds as there are only 16 cells per tray. I did not use the self watering feature that came with them as I did with the begonias. The self watering system which is a mat, sits on top of a plastic elevated insert. I really don't need this as I check my seedlings daily. I did have 1 self watering seed starting tray last year but it was different. The trays were less than half price during the Summer. I have to cut a black plastic bag to cover the top as the seeds require dark to germinate as the pansies did. If I don't have a bag I will use newspaper. Here's hoping for success. 

Seed trays with pellets expanded with warm water and allowed to sit. Excess water poured off. I took a plastic knife and broke apart the coir so each individual pot was filled with the medium other wise the seed may have difficulty germinating and for roots to develop. In spite of having a heat mat I have no thermometer. It worked without one last year so hopefully it will work again. Heat mats have not always been around and seeds germinated without them. I bought one last year but don't always use it unless the seed package says heat may aid in germination. People have been germinating seeds on window sills for years without any other heat source. I also started with seeds in the window and they did fine. Of course many seed require certain soil temperatures and when direct sowed or Winter sowed will not germinate until the soil reaches a certain temperature.

Seeds are large enough to work with unlike seeds of petunia and foxglove which are so small. If seeds are too small pelleted seeds are easier to work with although they cost more.

Trays on heat mat with germination covers next to begonia. The pansies are above under lights. Will cover vinca to block out light. I need to label the trays. If the seed packs don't stay in front of the trays I won't know which vinca is red and which is white. The part of seed starting I least like is labeling each individual container especially if different seeds are started in the same tray. If I do it now I will be prepared when it come time to transplant them. I don't think I will confuse them. Pansies look different from vinca. Other seeds that I will start petunia, coleus, lambs ear, and other develop their own distinctive look and type of true leaves.

Tray and mat that I removed from self watering seed starting tray.

Reflections By The Fire While Snowed In

Today was a snow day from work, lucky me. We got 9 inches of snow. The temperature is in the single digits tonight and below zero in the surrounding counties. This is the first day of single digit temperatures in 20 years. Winters have been mild the last few years. Nine inches of snow seemed monumental although I can remember years of getting 30 inches in one day; talk about snow bound. The snow was fluffy but heavier than I expected. I think my daughter got the easier job. She woke up early and shoveled the pavement and when I woke up she was back asleep snuggled in a warm bed. It was my turn to shovel out the car. No place to move it but the snow will harden and be difficult to move if not done today. A lot of snow. My neighbor Erica came over and help and I was very thankful. The wind was brutal and cutting. I haven't worn gloves in the Winter in years. Today I dug in the trunk of my car and found one glove. It was large, insulated, and warm. One was better than none until I took it off and the wind blew it under my car out of reach. Oh well.

I was reading an old post on Garden Rant, another blog. The blogger wrote about her garden and how due to "life" she has not been able to attend to it as she previously had done. She felt that her house was the worse house on the block. At it's best, it had been in the pages of a magazine. She spoke of how those who walked or drove by observed and admired the garden. This really touched me. Why do we expect so much of ourselves? Who told us that we, life, things, and the garden always has to be perfect?

A comment made by another blogger spoke of how gardening magazines may show perfect gardens with perfect plants. What I fail to remember also is that many can be staged. Flowers can be added just for the photo shoot. I wasn't even aware of photo shopping pictures until recently and how a photo can be really altered from the original. 

For me, I have been think about how to make things as simple as possible for myself and not adding too many things that will require too much care. When temperatures heat up in the Summer I really could care less about watering plants outside. I love to see bloggers with vegetable gardens. I think wouldn't it be wonderful to have the space to have raised bed and be able to can my harvest? Maybe 20 years ago. Not realistic for me at this time in my life. Besides if I had to pick off insects and worm because of course it would be an organic garden; that's hopeful thinking. 

What about homesteading? I viewed a blog today about a woman who turned 50, bought her first home and started homesteading, animals and all with no help. Love the blog but I can dream through viewing her blog. I would love to do something like that, follow my dream. She makes me believe it's never too late. I don't know that I would have the energy. 

I'm reading a novel. I don't have it in arms reach but I believe the title is Gardening Wiser as You Grow Older.Okay, I found the book. It's Gardening for a Lifetime-How to Garden Wiser as You Grow Older by Sydney Eddison. It's not exactly what I expected but I find it helpful. Especially the tips and reflections she gives at the end of each chapter. The author and her husband move to a large property and start developing a garden with lots of perennials and maintenance requirements. Over time her husband dies and she realizes that the garden requires more work than she can manage at her age. Two friends who are neighbors and also with large gardens also have husbands who die. After careful consideration they move to homes that are more manageable with less land and smaller gardens to manage. Sydney makes the decision to keep her home and with help makes changes to the garden that will make it more manageable. I am not promoting this book and receive no compensation for talking about it. It seemed so appropriate for me at this time in my life.

If I "Bloom Where I'm Planted" and don't move, this will be my only garden. I will never have to worry about maintaining 2 homes or having to "down size". My mind ponders these things. Sometimes I think too much. I don't know what "life" will bring. Each day is new and anything can happen. I also read a blog by a blogger in Bethlehem Pennsylvania. She has a beautiful garden. She became disabled and is now in a wheelchair and thus how she gardens has changed. Life will happen.

My father became ill 2 years ago and since, my life has never been the same. Life changed over night. Helping take care of him has also impacted my health trying to do "everything". I also turned 50 in those 2 years and "life" is still happening all around me. The first year he became ill I was starting to try to improve how my garden looked and learning about plants, soil, compost, soil amendments and a world of gardening information. Who had time to garden? My focus was not on it. There was no time. I had to learn that "it's okay." I can't do everything. There has to be a balance in life. The most important thing is to take care of yourself, be good to yourself, encourage yourself. Know your limitations. Don't expect perfection. Break things down into smaller pieces. I get more done this way. If I think of how much there is to be done I may not get anything done. Take one day, one thing at a time. Do you think as people grow older that they start to enjoy gardening more? Do you think more older people garden? I wish I had made more time for it starting in my 20's. I always had house plants but I never thought of gardening outdoors. So much time lost.

My sister and daughter encouraged me to start a blog. They ask me how the blog is doing but I would appreciate their viewing and reading it. An occasional comment wouldn't hurt. Blogs do take time and work. I do enjoy looking at what I post and how it helps me to refer back to my garden and how it looked the previous year and what worked, and what didn't. If you stop in from time to time to view the blog, thank you. I hope I'm not ranting. It's okay to rant some. Why journal if you can't?

The shutter on my digital camera froze outside today. This has never happened to me. I wanted to take pretty pictures of the snow out front but couldn't. Peaked my head out the upstairs window and took a few shots. My Winter sown seed containers are covered by snow; just what I wanted. When I can locate my other bags of seed starting mix in my packed to the top shed, I will sow more containers. I think I will also sow some vegetable seeds that I normally buy as plants in the Spring. The vegetables that I normally plant are cucumber, tomato, broccoli, and bell peppers. They're the vegetables that I like and since we eat a green salad daily it's nice to be able to pick some of your own veggies. 

In the fall I planted garlic for the first time. I want to try the root vegetables that I love carrots, beets, and rutabagas. I think I will try lettuce and spinach also. I have grown lettuce before. The amount of space will determine what's planted. I have read that sweet potatoes don't require a lot of attention so I may also try them. I just need a large container. There is a spot in the corner for them where the vines can have space. I saw seeds for a new container watermelon in a seed catalog. Can you imagine a watermelon that does not spread vines every where? It's spread is only 18 inches. That should be interesting. I plan to order a pack of seeds and see what happens.

Happy New Year!

The New Year is a time that I reflect on the past year and what I would like the next year to be like. I make goals and a to do list. This year I plan to write in a journal on a daily basis. I have many journals that I start and don't follow through with during the year. Maybe this year will be different. I hope to commit to starting to take a walk after work, use my walking DVD at home, or walking on my treadmill on a daily basis. I used to do this but stopped when I started having pain and stiffness from arthritis. I will have to push past the pain. I may walk slower, but I have to incorporate scheduled physical activity into my day. I felt so much better when I was doing it. 

May your year be all that you hope for and envision. This year I will try to remember that without change there is no growth. Sometimes "bumps in the road" are there to grow us; now to gardening.

The pansies have started to germinate, yeah. No germination yet for the  begonias but it's early. It is recommended that they be put in an enclosed container to mimic an environment of increased humidity. They are to stay in a humid atmosphere from the time you sow them, until after they develop true leaves and possibly transplanting twice. I referred to brads begonia world and the seed packet for information on how to start seedlings. You can read the information for yourself. I did not completely follow all of what was recommended but used it as a guide. I will probably look for a clear plastic container to put them in instead of trying to finding fire proof plastic to cover the seed set up. 

Tomorrow evening into Friday morning, 3-6 inches of snow is predicted in Philly. Today I was able to Winter sow 8 containers of seeds. Just in time for snow. I have more I want to do but I'm glad I had time to get at least 8 containers done before the snow comes. Some seeds benefit from an environment and conditions that they would naturally grow in being exposed to the cold, rain, and snow. Some perennials require a period of exposure to cold known as stratification to germinate. Seeds are supposed to germinate when they naturally would. I sowed seeds of alyssum, foxglove, larkspar, delphinium, bergenia rose, hollyhock, lupine, and poppy. This is my first year Winter sowing seeds. I would never have the room or set up to start this many seedlings inside and keep them healthy until Spring. I will be in "plant heaven" if this works.

Pansies. The light needs to be lowered. Only a few seeds had germinated yesterday. It is recommended that when some seeds start to germinate, that the top be taken off to prevent damping off and that other seeds will continue to germinate. I am always worried with pansies because they require darkness to germinate. I decided to keep the cover on top and kept them in the dark over night. This morning there were many more seedlings that germinated and they were starting to stretch in search of light so I took the top off and put them under shop lights.

I had more saved vegetable trays from last year than I realized. I threw a lot out during the year because I could never imagine what to do with them until I tried Winter sowing this year. I didn't have any gallon milk container because I don't buy gallons of milk only smaller containers that aren't clear. This year I will ask family members to save their milk containers for me for next Winter if I have success with the seedlings this Winter.

Holes Punched in the tops and bottoms with a screwdriver heated over a flame. I lined the bottoms with paper to keep soil from falling out. The paper will still allow water to drain out.

Begonias on heat mat.

Another amaryllis in bloom, soon to be followed by paperwhites in the kitchen window.