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nutsaboutflowers

2013 Seed Starting (Part 3)

nutsaboutflowers
10 years ago

Well, based on the massive amount of snow we still have, I'm making my 4-6 week window, ending June 1st. I've never anticipated starting to plant outside that late :(

Today I'm going to start 5 different marigolds, sweet rocket, and swamp butterfly weed. I know I'll have luck with the marigolds, but the other two I'm not too sure about.

I'm also going to pot up the rest of my 50 or so tomatoes into the next size. They're doing really well, so at least I can go downstairs and look at them instead of looking out the window :(

Anyone out there still starting things, or are you finished?

Comments (13)

  • Ginny McLean_Petite_Garden
    10 years ago

    Well, I haven't started any vegies yet except tomatoes. I also haven't started my marigolds, cosmos, or sunflowers.

    It is snowing as I type......cold and windy....but I am sure we will get some kind of warmer weather eventually. :$ Last year I put my tomatoes and cucs in the first week in June!

    Yes, it has been an exceptionally long winter.....definitely in this old house. :(

    I could really use some sun and warmth and green growing things! :)

    Ginny

  • marciaz3 Tropical 3 Northwestern Ontario
    10 years ago

    Lynne, the dame's rocket can be done outside (winter sown).

    I just have no more room for anything inside, so i'll have to wait for everything. If it gets done, it gets done. If not - i might have to buy more annuals! LOL

  • CLBlakey
    10 years ago

    I am starting some stuff tomorrow. Cukes, Spaghetti Squash, Yellow Zuchini, Nasturtium. Also doing an herb garden deck container.

    Question re early seeding I know you can seed beets and peas as soon as the ground can be worked but what about carrots it just says on the pack early spring.

  • marciaz3 Tropical 3 Northwestern Ontario
    10 years ago

    You can with carrots too. I find that if you do anything too early, they pretty much sit there until the time and temperatures are better for them.

  • CLBlakey
    10 years ago

    That fine I was more afraid of freezing the seed. I guess I will be planting in the bales tomorrow and covering with snow. I might come home from the coast to find little plant babies growing.

  • marciaz3 Tropical 3 Northwestern Ontario
    10 years ago

    How long are you gone for?

  • CLBlakey
    10 years ago

    One week, then back for surgery on the 7th. By the time I am mobile again those babies should be happy that is if this darn cold wind lets up. I might not even get out there today now -5 and dropping jeesh. Looks like I won't get planted until tomorrow or Monday now.

    Okay I lied it is supposed to go up to a whopping -3 today then down to -12 tonight.

    This post was edited by CLBlakey on Sat, Apr 20, 13 at 10:26

  • bdgardener
    10 years ago

    I started some lettuce in the greenhouse in a huge tub and it has sprouted, also thru in some swiss chard and spinach, nothing out of those yet. I am hoping to pot up my tomatoes today which means one of the grow lights will be running 24hrs a day now. Cold wind just came up here, did chores really quickly and ran back to the house. Crazy weather, hope we don't get too much snow, it was just starting to dry out. Cheryl

  • nutsaboutflowers
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Marcia, I did try Dame's Rocket a few years ago when I tried winter sowing. It didn't do so well. I should have tried again this year.

    My tomatoes are growing like gangbusters. They must sense my mood and want to help make me happy.

    I think I'll try to find some room on the shelf tomorrow for some lettuce, as it doesn't look like outside sowing will happen for a long time.

  • nutsaboutflowers
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    It just occurred to me that there's probably a second reason my tomatoes are growing so well.

    Normally at this time of year the heat wouldn't be on in the house as much, and they're probably liking it more than I am !

  • runswithscissors
    10 years ago

    Wow, nuts...you seem to be way ahead of me and I'm a southerner! My tomatoes are only about 3 inches tall even tho they are well over a month old. They grow so slow! My peppers are doing very well, and are getting bushy since I pruned them last month. A few melons are up. A few onions are up, but that's about it for the veggie garden.

    I've learned a lesson this year about short-cuts tho. In the past I've tried those Jiffy things that expand in water and have a little net....(supposidly you plant the whole thing.) They never worked well for me, because they dry out too fast, but this year I tried those coco one steps. Same basic idea but they are made out of coir instead of peat. Opposite problem...these stay too wet. Plus I noticed that seedlings do not like to grow down into them. instead the root stays put, right where it germinated and then the plantlet grows up and away. To me, these were a waste of money, unless one would want to use them for big seeds that you can poke down into them. Like sunflowers, maybe.

  • north53 Z2b MB
    10 years ago

    Yesterday I transplanted a bunch of different seedlings. I start everything in small containers, then transplant into big cell packs. I wasn't ruthless with the tomatoes. I now have 60 plants! The rest were more reasonable..only a few rudbeckia Tiger Eye, 6 Nature series pansies, 12 bacopa, and 6 browalia. I still have to transplant the Santa Cruz begonias and the Plentifall pansies. But needless to say I'm now challenged for space. I'm going to have to get creative about where to put things. I also have piles of geraniums, coleus, and other cuttings growing.
    I do have a sunroom that I can use if the weather smartens up. Right now it is snowing again.

  • macky77
    10 years ago

    I've got everything started except the squashes and cukes (but those wouldn't have been started yet anyway in a regular year). I stayed on-calendar for everything but the brassicas, which I delayed a week. Optimism gone wrong? Probably. *sigh*