Seed Starting

What better day to start seeds. Bitter cold out with strong winds and snow last night. I don't know what the temperature is today but it must be in the single digits. Not snowed in. The snow is light, fluffy and pretty. Blowing through the air with every gust of wind. 

Jiffy seed starting mix.

Holes put in bottom of tray with hot screwdriver. This time I did something different. I didn't use the pellets but filled 2 trays with seed starting mix instead of using the pellets. I mixed the coleus seeds and calibrachoa seeds with sand before sowing since they were so small.

I planted two 5" pots of broccoli. This is old seed from 2012. Maybe not a good idea for my first time sowing my own vegetable seeds.

These are old seeds. They did real well the first year I planted them but I didn't take the tubers in during the winter and they died.

Planted all the coleus seeds left. Hopefully I will get a lot of seedlings. 

African daisies again. I hope these do better and make it to plant out size. They're yellow and salmon colored.

Did the calibrachoa 3 types but didn't get to the petunias.

I like pretty seed packs. They need to be soaked or nicked due to the seed coat. I'm not doing that today.

I didn't start these yet I'm going to soak them for a day or scarifying them also first before sowing on another day.

Put on the heat mat. I hope these seeds do better and I pay more attention to them.

Snowflakes, Flowers, and Valentines Day

Begonias, orchids, calla lilies, sunflowers, ti plants, daffodils, the aroma of roses in as many colors as the rainbow, flower heaven! Sold out isles that were previously stocked with candy. Be my valentine and I'll show you the plants that told me to take them home. I'm sending you flowers, enjoy. Couldn't bring them all home. Wish I could send you some snow, light, fluffy, picturesque. Just a coating, enough to enjoy.

I thought I would be planting the last of the bulbs soon.

Snapdragons and lisianthus. The snapdragons are the longest I've ever seen almost 3 feet.

Just beautiful!

Amaryllis done blooming. I'm going to put some more bulbs in there.

I saved the snapdragon stems. Do you think they'll root? You know you love plants when every stem is a possibility.

Hydrangea

Calla Lilies

Rieger Begonia

Who doesn't love pale pink zinnia? Can grow them in the ground in my yard, too much shade but I can put them in a container on my steps which gets tons of sun. Going to try more petunias since I didn't have to order seeds and they were only $1.88. They're plan not the wave or other specialty ones but they'll do.

On The Couch

We haven't talked in a while. Not much happening. Have to get off this couch and start more seeds. Three day weekend so I will start some sometime in the next 3 days. What can I say about the seedlings? Not much for those that have survived. It hasn't been a good seed starting season although for many the season just started. I've lost a lot of seedlings, not their fault probably me. Maybe this wasn't a good year to start seeds with all the daily care they require. I didn't think that during my time of mourning for the loss of my mom that maybe this was not a good season to start my own seedlings. I have good intentions but I haven't given them the daily care they require. I lost 2 trays of petunias due to lack of attention after they germinated. I sowed another tray of dragon wing begonias and so far only had one seed germinate. There's still time. My coleus did horrible. I only have a few tiny ones. I will definitely start more this weekend. The licorice seedlings are still tiny and growing slowly. I forgot to take a picture of them. I'll share it at another time. Four African daisy seedlings are in my bathroom window, just hanging on. They weren't doing well under the lights. I think they liked it cooler. Spring is near and I'm excited.

Can't wait for pansies at the nursery and time to get outside and finish up what I didn't do in the yard during the winter. The days have already started to get longer with the sun up by six in the morning and not setting until six in the evening. I'm excited. The sun feels different or maybe it's my imagination. I know that the trees and plants know spring is near. I'm planning to start my ornamental sweet potato vine tubers soon. Don't want to start too early. This will be my first year trying to start some that so far have made it. I've never been successful with cuttings surviving inside during the winter. I store them in a box in the basement with my canna, elephants ear, and caladiums. When temperatures start to warm up I'll start them on my porch again. I ordered 2 other types of elephant ears, begonia tubers for hanging baskets for the porch, and some other bulbs I can't remember. I also got loose in the garden center and bought bear root peonies, black eyed Susans, 2 types of lillies, dahlias,  gladiolas, and some others.

This is as far as I got after work. I actually did get up and got a lot done. De cluttered the living room and dining room. Vacuumed the rug. Did dishes and mopped the kitchen floor. Washed 2 loads of laundry and folded one. Next put fresh sheets on my bed and vacuumed the bedroom rug. Cleaned the turtle's tank. He was very happy to get some clean fresh water. Finally back down stairs for a little while to cook scrambled eggs for my dinner. Too late for a real meal and this is always my go to meal. Since I got so much done tonight maybe I can actually get some rest this weekend and actually start the rest of my seeds.

Forcing tulips for the first time. I hope they do something and I end up with blooms not just foliage. I have more to plant. When I can get outside and the ground's not too hard, I'll put some where squirrels dug and ate many of the others. Don't know what to expect in the spring as they had a feast before I put down the chicken wire. More paper whites are still waiting to be forced.

Three geraniums and 6 petunias. One petunia died and the others don't look promising. I think the light is too hot because the tips are yellow like the light burned them. I'm going to move them to the top shelf where the light is higher. I hope they survive. What is there to do with six little petunias?

Euoorbia and some more vinca. I may end up with about 8 seedlings of vinca and 4- 6 of euphorbia if they make it. Euphorbia is a strange looking seedling. I read the growers directions for it at Ball. I was relieved when they stated the seedling get elongated and can be planted deeper. I didn't pull mine up and replant though. I would love them to make it.

Vinca and euphorbia.

A few coleus seedlings.