Starting Seeds

I've spent some time in the last week or so sorting through the seed packets I have to decide what I'm going to start this year. In my effort to cultivate larger patches of plants for the bees, I'm starting lots and lots of flowers.

First, I sorted the packets out by the month in which I should start them. When I had a choice I moved a packet later because February and March were getting pretty packed up.

Then I soaked and opened up the little Jiffy pods, labeled them, and sowed my seeds.

I had seeds in sizes from rose (rather large) to lobelia (these dustlike seeds). If I thought the packet would not last another year, I set it aside after sowing and then went out and sowed the remaining seeds in the ground. I have particularly bad luck with direct sowing because of the little songbirds in the garden, but it's better than throwing seeds out.

When I was out tossing seeds around, I noticed a couple of things that made me very happy. First, some of my Darwin tulips are coming back. Yay! With our microclimates here you never can tell what will work and what will not. I can't say this one looks great, but it's there.

Also, my Lady Jane clusiana tulips are also coming back, though I had expected they would.

And in the spirit of seed starting, I give you the newly cleared greenhouse bed, ready for some assorted radishes, carrots, and leeks. And maybe peas. In a month or so the shade will be receding from this part of the lawn, so I need to take advantage of the cooler temperatures while I can.

Technorati Tags: bulbs, flowers, gardening, propagation, seeds, springtime

posted by ayse on 02/11/08