Seedy Saturday - And The Growth Continues!

 

Patting myself on the back a bit, this first round of seed starting is off to a great start. 

For one thing, they have been blasted with light and at a close range. With the exception of a couple of plantings, they are all short and stocky. And my dahlias! They are looking so good. 

The dahlias will have to be monitored throughout the growing year. Since they are from seed, there is no real guarantee on color or shape really, other than they will be a dahlia in some form. Which means I have to remember to label them with color and type when they bloom. On one hand, I'm excited about it, on the other hand - I'll probably forget. 

But just about everything from the first round of seed sowing is up. 

I pulled out some things which have been in the fridge to cold stratify. And several of them are already starting to sprout. Which means today or tomorrow I need to pot them into soil. The exception is my Blue Steel Sea Holly. 

The Sea Holly is not only an attractive flower, but it attracts pollinators (a plus), will grow in poor soil (plus for the clay in the front yard) and is drought tolerant. Seems like a winner all the way around. But I had popped the seeds into a container of potting mix and stuck them in the fridge for their month of cold. They are about 1/2 inch tall now. I am so excited. My plan is a couple of groupings in the back of beds (they get 24-48 inches tall) and probably will do some plant swaps with the rest. Maybe.

This weekend, amongst doing research and writing, there will be a bit of planting. I want to winter sow some lettuce, kale, spinach and onions. I have to sow seeds for the herb society sale (borage, bronze fennel and Mexican Tarragon) and get ready, over the next week, to pot up the seedlings I currently have. Because next weekend is the start of the 'veggie round'! And more flowers. 

Of course, while the daytime temperatures seem to be moderating some, the nighttime temps are still dropping into the 30's. Which means if I stick things in the outside greenhouse, I need to more in a heater. Doable. Will have to see. 

As far as my pathway?

Well, we have had a lot of rain over the past couple of weeks. While that doesn't help make my layer of clay soil easier to work with, it means it is really mud I'm working in. So that project is having to take a 'Mother Nature' break until things dry up a tad.

What's growing in your house?