Artful accents in the garden!

Since today is officially "art day"....don't forget a little art in the garden. It's just a nautral place to share the beauty of creativity! Thanks to Wendy Lycett for this beautiful creation!

View From My Garden!: Thinking ahead to spring!

View From My Garden!: Thinking ahead to spring!: "my"

Thinking ahead to spring!

Any good gardener starts planning ahead as soon as the seed catalogs arrive in the mailbox! Even without my usual space for a garden, I'm no different. Gardening magazines find their way into my grocery cart even though it is January. I fantasize about sitting in an Adirondack chair with soft colorful pillows, viewing the crop in my garden or picking a fresh bouquet for the table. The reality is....spring is just around the corner and gardening will be here quickly. Plan ahead! One memorable time last gardening season was visiting my son's country place on the border of Idaho/Oregon while they were floating the Grand Canyon. Three dogs, a fledgling garden and a greenhouse full of seedlings.....heaven. And to make it even better....the driveway lined with peonies bloomed profusely. Between putting on muddy boots to tend the new garden, I painted the peonies. That month, I was totally in my element!

From Fine Gardening......a tutorial on starting from seed!

10 Seed-Starting Tips

How a practiced propagator gets seedlings off to a healthy start

by Adrianna Vargo

Few gardening pursuits are as rewarding as growing your own plants from seed. As the nursery manager at the Thomas Jefferson Center for Historic Plants at Monticello, I have started thousands of ornamental and vegetable plants from seed. Growing plants from seed is not always an easy task, and over the years I have developed and adopted the following techniques to ensure that seeds get a healthy start.

Videos:
• Seed-Starting Pre-Treat
• Sowing Seeds
• Lighting Seedlings

Further Reading:
• Jump Start Your Seeds
• Starting Wildflowers from Seed
• Build a Growing Stand
• More Seed-Starting Information at VegetableGardener.com

1. Keep records to allow for better planning

An often overlooked aspect of plant propagation is the art of record keeping. Whether you are producing a few plants for your home flower and vegetable gardens or working at a larger-scale nursery, developing a propagation journal will prove indispensable. Here at the Center for Historic Plants, we record when seeds are sown, the germination date and success rate, and when seedlings are ready for transplanting each year. At the end of the year we evaluate the timing of our production schedule, noting what went right and what went wrong. These observations help us make adjustments for next year to ensure that we are growing our plants under optimum conditions. We also keep track of where we purchase seeds, as their quality and reliability may vary by source.

2. Store seed properly to maintain viability

Seeds are a fragile commodity, and if not treated properly, their viability will sharply decline. While some seeds may survive for thousands of years under the proper conditions, others will lose viability quickly, even when properly stored. To maintain dormancy, keep seeds in a cool, dark location with low humidity, like a refrigerator. I recommend labeling them (seed name, source, year) and storing them in a small reclosable bag or empty film canister that is, in turn, kept in a larger plastic container. Once you are ready to sow, you can test the viability of many, but not all, seeds by soaking them in water for a few hours. The seeds that are still living will sink to the bottom, while the dead ones will float on the surface. This test generally works better for larger seeds, but there are no absolutes.

3. Use wide, flat containers to avoid overcrowding

Plastic pots or containers are preferable to clay pots when starting seeds, as they retain moisture more consistently. Wide, shallow containers prevent both overcrowding of seedlings and excessive moisture around fragile, young roots. Plants that resent root disturbance when transplanted are best sown into small, individual containers like cell packs or plug trays. Recycled plastic containers, like empty yogurt or margarine tubs, work well, too, provided you've poked holes in the bottom for drainage. No matter what type of container you use, it must be clean and free of pathogens. To sanitize a container, soak it in a 10 percent bleach solution for 15 minutes and let it air dry.

Plastic pots are best for starting seeds.

Good drainage is essential.

4. Tamp seeds down to make direct contact with the soil

Use a kitchen sieve to spread soilless seed-starting mix evenly over the top of the seeds to the depth of two times the seed diameter. Very small seeds and those that require light to germinate should lie directly on the surface. Whether covered with planting medium or not, each seed must be in firm contact with the moist surface to begin germinating. Use a pestle or even the bottom of a glass to gently tamp down the surface.

After planting, cover seeds with sieved potting mix.

Lightly tamp to ensure firm contact between seeds and mix.

5. Prevent disease by providing air flow and drainage

The fungal infection often referred to as damping-off is usually caused by excessive moisture and poor air circulation. However, there are a few cultural techniques that will help to keep fungal agents at bay. After covering the seeds with planting mix and tamping them down, spread a thin layer of 50 percent milled sphagnum and 50 percent starter chicken grit (finely ground stone) over the surface to keep the soil around the emerging shoots dry and provide an inhospitable environment for pathogens. To promote good air circulation, place a small fan near your seedlings. Keep the fan on low and direct it to blow across the containers at the soil level where air may become trapped and stagnant.

A sprinkling of sphagnum moss and chicken grit helps keep the surface dry, preventing the growth of pathogens.

A fan circulates air.

6. Cover trays with plastic wrap to keep the moisture level constant

Seeds are very sensitive to the extremes of overwatering and underwatering. In addition, heavy-handed watering can disturb newly germinated seedlings. Securing plastic wrap over the surface of a freshly sown seed pot can help to keep the moisture level constant. However, the pot must still be checked daily for moisture and germination. If you find that you need to rehydrate your seed container, place the entire pot in a basin with 2 to 3 inches of warm water and allow the planting medium to wick moisture from the bottom. If just the surface has dried, you can lift the plastic covering and spritz the surface with water from a spray bottle. As soon as the seeds germinate, remove the plastic wrap.

Plastic wrap ensures a constant moisture level.

If more water is needed, let it wick up from the bottom.

7. Keep seeds warm to encourage germination

Most seeds require temperatures of 65° to 75°F to germinate. Placing seed containers near an existing heater or using a space heater with the proper precautions can raise the ambient temperature as needed. In addition, a heating pad designed for plant use placed directly under the seed containers will warm the planting mix and encourage germination. When using any additional heat source, be sure to check for moisture often, since the seed containers may dry out more quickly.

A heat mat speeds germination.

8. Turn seedlings daily to keep stems strong

Most seeds will not germinate without sunlight and will perform best with 12 to 16 hours each day. Indoors, place seed containers in a sunny, south-facing window and give the container a quarter turn each day to prevent the seedlings from overreaching toward the light and developing weak, elongated stems. Also, gently brush the palm of your hand against the tops of the seedlings to encourage strong stem growth.

A sunny windowsill is a good place to put sprouted seedlings.

Lightly brushing the seedlings encourages the growth of strong stems.

9. Feed them well

After true leaves develop, it's time for a little fertilizer.

Proper nutrition at a consistent rate will keep your seedlings growing strong. When the embryo inside a seed is developing, it relies on food stored in the endosperm to fuel its growth. As the shoot emerges from the soil and the true leaves develop, the initial nutrients supplied by the endosperm will be depleted and supplemental fertilization is then required. Most seed-starting mixes contain a small nutrient charge to help make this transition while not burning the developing roots. However, once the true leaves emerge, it is time to begin a half-strength liquid fertilizer regimen on a weekly basis.

10. Acclimate seedlings to direct sunlight

Hardening off in a cold frame acclimates the seedlings to conditions outdoors. Photo/Illustration: Gary Junken

Before seedlings can be planted outdoors, they need to be hardened off, or acclimated to direct sunlight and fluctuating temperatures. It is best to do this over a three-day period by placing them in direct sunlight during the morning only of the first day, then increasing their time outside by a few hours each day until they are vigorous enough to be transplanted.

For more seed-starting tips

Most seeds germinate readily, but others may require a few extra steps to achieve good results. To see how I use the techniques of warm soaking, scarification, and stratification for seed starting, watch my video, Seed-Starting Pre-Treatments.

Photos, except where noted: Jennifer Benner

Here's the scoop!

Kind of vegetable	Weeks needed to grow transplants*	Seed planting depth	Optimum temperature for germination	Plant-growing temperatures
				Day	Night
	(weeks)	(inches)	(oF)	(oF)	(oF)
Cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower	5 to 7	1/4 to 1/2	85	60-70	50-60
Lettuce	4 to 6	1/4 to 1/2	75	60-70	50-60
Onions	8 to 10	1/2	75	60-70	45-55
Tomatoes	5 to 6	1/4 to 1/2	85	70-80	60-65
Peppers	7 to 8	1/4 to 1/2	85	70-80	60-70
Eggplant	7 to 8	1/4 to 1/2	85	70-80	65-70
Cucumber, squash, muskmelon and watermelon	2 to 3	3/4 to 1	85	70-90	60-70

Recycled uses for five things!

1. Re-use old gutters by turning them into seedling planters. Drill a few drainage holes, fill with compost and vermiculite and plant away. If you hang them....they are space savers.
2. Savvy seed storage...rinse and dry old prescription medicine bottles to store seeds from your garden. Mark them with permanent marker to identify seeds.
3. Milk jugs have many uses...cut into strips for plant markers. Or with the cap on, slice off the bottom and you have a handy potting-soil scoop.
4. Recycle paper bags by using them to compost peels, eggshels and other kitchen scraps. Throw the entire bay onto your compost heap when it is full.
5. Old window-blind slats make great plant markers too. Snip 8 inch lengths, cut one end to a point and write the plant name in permanent black ink....stick the pointed end into the soil and you'll always know what you've planted.

View From My Garden!: Starting an herb garden in a container!

View From My Garden!: Starting an herb garden in a container!

Starting an herb garden in a container!

Herbs are essential for the kitchen and you can get a head start by buying young plants or seeds and planting in containers that can be moved to the sunniest spot in the yard or brought in from the cold and placed in a sunny window. Rosemary, chives, parsley, thyme, sage are must haves. When they get too big for the pot....the weather will be warm enough to put them in the garden. In many climates, they'll winter over.

If you don't have a greenhouse!

If you don't have a greenhouse a cold frame is the next thing to extend the growing season...magic boxes that are inexpensive to create from bales of straw or wooden frames or even old plastic containers with zippers that your bedspread came in. A framed box with old storm windows works well....simply use a southern exposure and prop up the window with a stick to let the heat out. On cold nights, cover the window with an old blanket.

It's best to plant cool season crops very early on....lettuce, radishes, spinach, swiss chard. Build more than one cold frame and stagger your plantings so you will have a continuous harvest. Label your frames with the dates of plantings.

View From My Garden!: Growing sprouts!

View From My Garden!: Growing sprouts!

Growing sprouts!

In answer to a chef's question....there is great information about growing sprouts on web site:
http://www.real-foods.net/grow-sprouts.html

Quote of the Day!

"Small deeds done are better than great deeds planned." ~Peter Marshall

Spring clean up in the garden!

Time to cut back grasses. Most ornamental grasses will be cut approximately four to six inches above the ground. Siberian iris will be the same, and in both cases, watch for dead spots appearing in the center of the clump, as that is a sure sign that the plant would appreciate division into smaller units. Also important is removal of matting leaves that accumulated in the garden in the fall. While leaves provide a nice insulating layer, they can also become barriers to your plants that are beginning to reach for the light.

The more full and beautiful an ornamental grass is, the messier it is when cut down. To lessen the mess of long grass blades spilling throughout your garden, use this quick and easy technique for cutting back ornamental grasses.Wrap tape around the circumference of the grass. Any wide tape will do, as long as it's sticky enough to keep a hold on the grass blades. A strong masking tape is preferable if you plan to compost the grass. Hedging shears will be the tool of choice.

Quote of the Day!

Gardening is a matter of your enthusiasm holding up until your back gets used to it. ~Author Unknown

Starting your garden seed in mix.

What to use as a growing mix

For sowing, use a commercial starting medium (a mix of peat, perlite and vermiculite, such as Pro-Mix). Moisten it an hour or so before sowing. It should not be soggy - aim for the moisture of a wrung-out sponge. As general rule, sow seeds about as far below the growing mix as they are large. Big ones generally should be covered with growing mix, and tiny ones barely need to be covered.

If light is needed for germination, do not cover them at all - just press them into the growing mix.

Give all trays or pots a light watering and cover with a plastic dome lid or seal the container inside a plastic bag.

Newly sprouted seedlings tend to look alike, so be sure to label containers as you sow.

More sowing tips

Small seeds can be a bit tricky. A simple solution is fold a piece of paper and then pour the contents of your packet into the fold and tap the end of the paper lightly so that the contents can slide down onto your germination mix. If they stick, sprinkle them with a little baby or talcum powder to reduce the static cling.

Quote of the Day!

Every thought is a seed. If you plant crab apples, don't count on harvesting Golden Delicious. ~Bill Meyer

Starting seeds!

Starting seeds is easy, fun and can be very rewarding. All one needs is a little soil, sand, vermiculite, a container, egg or cottage cheese carton, a warm, bright spot, and the seed. Then follow-up watering to keep the seed moist until it germinates. Get ready, set....go!

Quote of the Day!

The flowers of late winter and early spring occupy places in our hearts well out of proportion to their size. ~Gertrude S. Wister

The first view of Jerri's greenhouse!

The first view of Mark and Jerri's (son and wife) new place in the country was driving into their driveway in late winter and seeing a greenhouse full of exploding color....brightly blooming geraniums that had been dug up and held over for spring. What a breath of fresh air that was....I immediately loved their new digs. It inspired me....not unusual....to get out the watercolor sketch pad and capture that color. One sketch turned into an oil painting as a gift to one of my nieces, Heather....another garden lover. Until gardening seasons is in prime time.....settling for painting gardens is just perfect!

Gardening tip of the day: Always have a greenhouse with a view! Snake River is perfect!

Quote of the Day!

And as the seasons come and go, here's something you might like to know. There are fairies everywhere: under bushes, in the air, playing games just like you play, singing through their busy day. So listen, touch, and look around - in the air and on the ground. And if you watch all nature's things, you might just see a fairy's wing. ~Author Unknown

It seems winter is not my favorite time to discuss gardening....thus, the November to February break. But of course, the seed catalogs are beginning to find their way to our mailboxes and the planning begins! Those lucky enough to have a greenhouse, are lining up the peat pots with the right soil mix and making sure last years roots are sifted out and swept away. The angle of the sun is changing and the days are getting longer here in the Northwest. The gardening blood is starting to awaken and flow at the first glimpse of tulip leaves poking up toward the sunlight....even though it is way too early for their adventure. Always....after every winter...there is spring.