They Begin!

[digitS']

Amidst the celebration of past events, convoluted explanations of recent events, and catastrophic current events ... I wonder if I dare plot a course for new plant life and share it on TEG.

a couple of days ago​

On a bright, sunny day after March came in like a lion, the sprouting onion seed is emerging from the soil . Late February, with storms and outdoor temperatures as low as 4°f was difficult for them in the unheated greenhouse. None of 6 varieties leaped into the new growing year. In fact, 2 of the bunching type have made no appearance at all! Well, the Lilias seed was a couple years old, Fukagawa was from 2017. Tokyo White should fill in the gaps, despite my desire to move away from such a robust bunching onion. Bulbing types are slowly getting off and running.

royal babies, a couple of days ago ​

The Royal snapdragons are now leggy but will be spending their first night in the cooler South Room instead of being coddled in the kitchen. I don't have much excuse for not picking up some petunia and pansy seed ...

The celeriac seed is in a container and beginning its long season of growth. I hope!

The seed for the peppers with longer seasons have been sown and I began today casting a nervous eye on their container. I want an immediate knowledge of their emerging or failing to emerge so that remedial sowings can be made.

Four varieties of eggplant seed went in today and the larger, slower tomatoes were also planted in the containers. Let's see, the eggplant is in the apple strudel box and 5 tomato varieties are in the croissant container ...

@marshallsmyth might want to know that Amy Sue is in the group. I messed up in 2017, however. I think that I'm supposed to be responsible for extended the generations but that thought didn't occur to me. Rather, I must have decided that one year old seed would be fine for 2018 and I'm sure that it is but ... I don't know where we should be in the generations! Marshall saved seed from 2006.

I'm not sure how many tomato varieties I had in the 2017 garden; it was down from the usual 25, or so. I imagine that I'm on track for about 15, this year.

How are you tracking?? Seedlings started? Growing? Asserting themselves in their young lives?

Steve

 

[thistlebloom]

Yes! My stocks germinated quickly and are shooting up. I'm almost scared! My tomatoes and peppers not so much, but I blame that on a change I made this year. I worried that I had done them in, but they are slowly sprouting.

Steve, I'd like to ask you a dahlia question - I have some dahlia bulbs I purchased for a client and will be growing them in containers. I would like them to be blooming at least by late June, and planned on starting them inside so they could get a head start. Any tips or suggestions about when I should bring them in and get them going? They are in an insulated cupboard in our unheated garage right now.

 

[digitS']

Wow, Thistle', June?!

Ya know, there have been a few growing seasons when only one bloom has opened before fall frost on some of the larger, dinnerplate varieties.

That's unusual but August is the month of bloom for those planted in the garden. I have never grown a dahlia in a container altho I've started seed for low-growing and some pom pon dahlias in years past.

So, yours are roots. And, you want blooms about a month plus earlier than when you might hope for them if started outdoors. ... I will guess that indoor conditions would not be 1 to 1 compared to spring outdoors. Still, you may as well think that way and hope for a little insurance on bloom, over a month early. So, 30 days prior to a set-out date - say, whenever you would expect your tomato plants to be safe, outdoors. That's my guess.

It's a little early for me to be thinking about dahlias. I haven't even been sneaking peaks at the roots downstairs. Howsomeever! Just today the mail carrier brought me 15 new roots! They had been shipped by FedEx and, apparently, turned over to USPS. I nearly panicked when the notice came that they had been shipped but it really looks like it's turned out fine . They are downstairs getting acquainted as we speak.

Steve

 

[thistlebloom]

I knew June would be pushing it.
These are the clients that are only in residence a maximum of 3 months. I would like to have some blooms for cutting (or close ) when they arrive and I think a couple of cheerful pots of dahlias with at least some flower buds would such a nice thing for them to come back too.
They are dealing with some significant challenges and life changes this year. I would like to have a few special touches for them.

I knew you would have good advice, I'm sure I'll be picking your brain about this again soon.

 

[Collector]

We have started DW flower seeds so far, and they are up and growing pretty good. Have not started any of the vegetable seeds yet waiting till next weekend. Have you ever grown Eckert polish tomatoes? I got them for free so thinking of trying them. I tried the free seeds from last year and was not very impressed with them. Maybe this years will be better. I am almost afraid to start any garden vegetables before the tenth of March, one year we were about ran out of the house by the plants. Good luck with your seeding.

 

[digitS']

Have you ever grown Eckert polish tomatoes?

No. I haven't. It's an 80 day variety so it would take some real curiosity to encourage me to try it, Collector.

I failed to get any Kellogg's Breakfast into my garden the last few years. It's been about my only 80 day variety that I've had before doing some recent downsizing in the patch. I know it's a good tomato but it was too late to really encourage me to grow it in my own, smaller tomato garden.

Checking the Eckert variety on Tatiana's website led me off to the Dwarf Tomato Project (link), without too much of a good reason. Years ago, I grew New Big Dwarf which probably has nothing to do with this current breeding project since it's about 100 years old .

The plants were really in the wrong location to grow any tomatoes, especially ones that were on or really close to the ground. The slugs didn't share much once they discovered that the fruit was ripening.

It might be fun to grow more container tomatoes with real appropriate growth habits. Still, some of these little plants are late. I will need to be selective.

Steve

 

[Collector]

@digitS' that what I thought also, think I might try a couple though any way you know... just to see.

 

[digitS']

My thermometer Henrietta is working in the greenhouse and sending reports to Toby, on the kitchen table!

Every March/April/May -- these things gotta work!

Sunny day with clouds. Temperatures in the 30's throughout the day with winds in the teens and the onions have had enuf suffering in there! Enuf of the exclamation marks, I'll try paying attention to Toby. Nothing in the South Window so far except the snapdragons. Better not neglect them - they bite

! Steve

 

[digitS']

The first peppers out to take a look for some morning sunlight:



Now there are 2 Giant Marconi with the first tiny giant rising to greet the world. Three - count 'em - three Garden Salsa! Okay, it's a little hard to see these things, despite their enthusiasm .

I have pushed down the King of the North sticker so that the new GM sprout might be seen. I'm not much worried about the King. The Anaheim near the camera is a slight concern ... Nah, I have had some fairly old Anaheim seed sprout and, I think that this is last year's.

Anaheim ... ... kinda cute that German immigrants named the city for the Santa Ana River with "-heim," home. So, Ana's Home ... then, along came the pepper. Germans. For several years growing it, I didn't know that Anaheims are classed as a hot pepper.

Steve

 

[digitS']

Busy ... but I’d better be .



Seed for more tomato and pepper varieties in the mix. More pepper seedlings showing up. And yes, the container is sitting on a hot (warm) water bottle .

digitS’