CarolineC's Blog

Spring Fever
Feb 27, 2008 | 6:07 PM PST
Tags: seeds , seedlings , marigold , coleus , Epsom salt , tomatoes , daylilies , hosta , Spring Fever

Well, the marigolds are starting to set flower buds indoors just 4 weeks after sowing. Sheesh!! I had no idea they grew that fast. Oh well. It will be nice to have some pretty flowers indoors while I'm still waiting for spring.

Two of my coleus are starting to look very nice. They take quite a while to get started, but the longer they're around, the faster the new leaves grow. So they're growing at a decent pace by now.

I finally located some Epsom salt at the pharmacy, after have looked in several nurseries for it. 4 lbs. for 3 bucks. Not too bad. I've already put some on some of my more well established plants. We'll see if it makes any difference. So far, at least, it hasn't killed anything. ;)

I just sowed a bunch of tomato seeds-- beefsteak, cherry, Italian heirloom, and Italian market. Hopefully my crop will be better this year since I'm starting them so early, and I think I have a bit better of an idea of what I'm doing this year.

My one daylily which germinated about two months ago is really starting to take off. It must have been establishing a good root system in all of that time. Now sets of leaves are starting to poke through on the other side of the pot. And the new leaves seem much thicker and sturdier that the first set of leaves. I'm still waiting on the rest of my daylily seeds. Just because they haven't germinated yet, doesn't necessarily mean that they're duds. ;)

I have 58 hosta seeds. I most sincerely hope that all or most of them germinate and grow. I could so easily use 58 hostas around the yard.

What can I say?? I wish it was warm out! I'm so itching to get outside and move around at least a bit. But at least I'll be somewhat prepared this spring. ;)

The peat pots let you know...
Feb 23, 2008 | 11:54 AM PST
Tags: marigold , peat pots
when they want to be planted.  I was moving around my plants the other day, and when I picked up the marigold peat pots, there were huge roots poking through and hanging off of them.  I was quite surprised that they had such big roots already as they were quite small with only 2 sets of leaves and about 3 1/2 weeks since sowing.  Well, at least I'll know they have a strong root system when I set them out in spring. ;)

In the works
Feb 19, 2008 | 6:19 AM PST
Tags: seedlings , indoor garden , spring planning

Well, I went to the nursery yesterday to look for manure, straw, Epsom salt, and 6-cell starter pots.  They don't carry Epsom salt, they didn't currently have manure and straw, and they don't normally carry 6-cell starter pots, though they said they might be  able to order them for me.  BUT they did have a pile of old plastic pots that they let me rummage through for free.  I got a bunch of 3" and 4" square pots, plus 2 giant pots which will be good for tomatoes.  Plus I bought a bag of 10-10-10 all purpose fertilizer.  So, all in all, I'd say it was a worthwhile trip.  I'm planning on painting the big pots and maybe some of the little pots so they won't look like cheap black plastic, even though that's what they are.  

 

As for my indoor garden, I've counted and I have a little over 150 plants started.  I've been rotating them under the lights and in the windowsills since I don't really have the number of light fixtures to accommodate all plants 24/7.  I realized about a week ago that those coily long-life light bulbs that go in regular table lamps are actually florescent.  So I've been using those to increase and enhance my indoor garden.  One of my main problems so far seems to be that my cat loves to eat my hollyhocks.  I've started a pot with 10-15 hollyhock seeds just for him.  I hope that will be enough to keep him occupied.  

 

In addition to my indoor garden, I've winter sowed about 150 seeds outdoors.  None of them have yet germinated, but I'll keep you posted.  :)