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sister_k

My First WS Seedlings!

sister_k
15 years ago

I don't know if that's good or bad! But I went outside this morning, and found the following have sprouted:

Cosmos (I think 3 of the 4 different cosmos I sowed) (Sowed Feb 24)

Night-scented stock (Sowed Feb 24)

Lettuce (black-seeded simpson) (Sowed March 1)

I guess 70 degrees all week helped this along, I didn't think I would see anything for a while. I know Skybird & Charlene said I should watch the cosmos once they sprouted if it gets down to freezing because they're not hardy so I'll keep an eye on them with the cold this weekend. I don't know about the lobelia -- there are a lot of those coming up, they had these teeeny tiny round seeds so I had no idea how many I planted. I held some seeds back in case my first efforts completely failed, but I'm so excited to see all those little guys coming up! I will try to post some pictures later.

Plan for today is WS a few more seeds, to clean up some of my containers today (i.e. get the shrubs out that didn't make it through the winter) and do a little bit of organizing. I am going to try my hardest not to go out and buy any more seeds, bulbs, bareroots or pots this weekend but I'm not sure if I'm disciplined enough to resist.

Comments (9)

  • highalttransplant
    15 years ago

    Congratulations, Sister K! Even though this is my third year, it is still exciting to see those first sprouts. I sowed heavily that first year too, since I doubted that it would really work, and had so many lettuce sprouts, the jugs looked like Chia pets when I took the lids off, LOL! I still put more seeds in each container than I need to, but I'm not patient enough to space them out neatly.

    I've got about 16 containers prepped, and seeds have been pulled from the seed boxes, but with DH and the kids home today, I'm not sure how much I'll actually get done.

    Good luck on your resolution to not purchase anymore stuff! Everytime I go to the store, my cart just veers over to the garden section, just to see if there's anything there that I don't already have. Somehow a packet or two of seeds just jumps in the cart while I'm over there : )

    Bonnie

  • sister_k
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Okay, well, I tried but failed. I bought some more veggies, including okra & various chile peppers! I also got some impatiens -- trying to get a few more shady plants for the back of my deck! I saw so many other pots & trellises & things that I want, though -- I think this is going to be an expensive summer...

  • sherri09
    15 years ago

    Sister K,

    Just wondering how your babies were holding up in the weather? This is my first year too & I had some new sprouts over the past weekend. Here's what came up so far:

    Bread Seed Poppies (sowed 2/8)
    Painted Daisy (2/8)
    Convolvulus (2/8)
    Johnny Jump-ups (2/8)
    Shady Wildflowers (3/1)
    Mountain Garland (3/1)

    I put the mountain garland in the garage last night since they were so new, but left the others outside. I put out about 20 containers & kept some back also, just in case. I figure this will a good learning experience at least if some don't make it. I may have started a little early on some of the annuals, it was just too hard to wait.

    The poppies were about 1/2 inch tall & now have little ice drops on them. They look so cute - wish I could find my camera!! Brave little souls... The johnny jump-ups seem to have disappeared, but only a few had come up, so hopefully the other ones are still waiting. Everything else still looks good, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

    Hope yours are hanging in there!!

  • sister_k
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Unfortunately, with the time change, I'm now working before it's light in the morning and home after it gets dark, so I haven't been able to see them since Sunday! I put the cosmos & a couple others inside a big cardboard box & covered up with a blanket up on my balcony. I'm much more worried about some of my tulip & daffodil bulbs that emerged several inches in the last warm spell -- they're all in containers on my balcony. I will be so upset if they made it through this whole stupid winter and get killed NOW! I moved some of the downstairs ones into the garage, but upstairs on the balcony, I just threw blankets over everything and will hope for the best. My thermometer out there says the low was 24 last night/today.

    This is my first year growing anything, so it's all a learning experience, but unfortunately I always go overboard -- I can't just try a few things to see how it works, because I can't imagine waiting until the entire next year. I can see why we should just wait on the most tender annuals! Keep us posted how yours fare in the cold spell!

  • Skybird - z5, Denver, Colorado
    15 years ago

    Hi Sis,

    Mine are on their own!

    The pic was taken yesterday. I got a couple inches of snow last nite and both flowers were laying down (sleeping???) this morning, but they both stood back up when the snow melted off. A couple of my other daffs that are in bud but not open yet layed down too, and I think the stems might have bent too far, but I propped them back up and have my fingers crossed!

    The early bulbs are pretty "sturdy" things, and should be able to take pretty much anything we get. I was down into the teens last niteÂbut I donÂt know if they were covered with snow when it got that cold or not. I should be down around 11 tonite, and IÂm not really worried about them.

    But the annuals are a different thing, and if theyÂre up, I think youÂre right to be bringing them in and/or covering them.

    Going overboard is a GOOD thing,
    Skybird

  • sister_k
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Oh, thank you Skybird, that makes me feel so much better! Those daffodils are beautiful, I can't wait to see any of mine come up. Here are some of the balcony pots with growing bulbs:

    I'm also hoping my mint doesn't keel over, as I want to get started on mojitos as soon as possible this spring! It's already been sprouting in the warmth, then dying in the cold and comes back:

  • Skybird - z5, Denver, Colorado
    15 years ago

    Mint is pretty tough stuff too, and IÂm guessing itÂll be ok. Those "tubs" itÂs in do have drainage holes in the bottom, donÂt they. IÂve seen planters that looked like that before without drainage, and if they donÂt have holes, make some soon or the lack of drainage will do far more damage than the cold.

    Leave us know tomorrow how they all did,
    Skybird

  • phloxy_mary
    15 years ago

    Hello sisterk,
    I know how you feel. I think I start too early every year, but I always want beautiful flowers by May Day. It's been my goal since I was born! OK since I can remember. And I always end up re-planting; but I do it again later in the season too. It's like "growth spurts". ;-)

    I always forget to cover mine to help them out, so I bet yours will make it! Try to keep the roots above freezing but don't worry about the rest. Those little pots have a tendency to cool down quicker than beds.

    Speaking of beds, I uncovered a new garden bed today and laid paper and cadboard. I put the bark back on top, and it's supposed to snow a little. I can't wait to see if this loosens the ground for digging. My 1st veggie bed!

    Good luck with the sprouts, I can't wait to see 'em!

  • sister_k
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Ha Ha Skybird, you've discovered my terrible secret! I planted that mint last summer, before I really knew what I was doing. I got those tubs at WalMart for about $7-8, I think they are supposed to be for drinks at parties. I had lost the charger to my drill, so I figured it would be okay without drainage holes. Both pots of mint grew like crazy! Then, I found all this information on Garden Web about how important drainage is, but that mint has stayed outside all winter with no drainage, being watered occasionally and now it's coming back really strong all over the place.

    I alternate between feeling bad about it, and thinking that at least it's neater without drainage running onto my balcony since I don't have a dish under them! I still haven't decided whether I'll try to do something about getting some holes drilled in them or just let it be.

    It's so funny, every time I read about the critical importance of drainage on this forum, I think about those containers and feel sort of guilty and think how other GW people would think I'm torturing my poor plants, and here you go and call me out on the forum! : ) I laughed out loud when I saw your comment, asking about drainage...

    At least it wasn't on Container Gardening Forum. I am fascinated by the discussions over there, but sort of intimidated, especially with all the horrible things I do (or did) to my plants before I knew any better. I'm sure that the problems of no drainage can be cumulative, so I'll probably fix it this spring. Can't wait for the weekend to rearrange my pots aimlessly (again!)