Vera, oh shoot I didn't know that about the mexican sunflower! Thanks for the heads up on them. Should I just throw like a towel or something around them in case it gets a bit chilly?

I grew some Aster Crego in a pot last year very late so they didn't go to seed :(. I love their beautiful blooms especially this bluish purple I got last year.

Oh, I just wanted to mention that my Scarlet Flax was from very old seed dated 2001. I can't believe they sprouted!

Today's sprouts:
Hardy Hibiscus Disco Belle Pink

I think I might have some kind of curse on me with Columbines (rocky mountain blue) because they have not sprouted at all. I sowed some in 2006 and had the same problem zero germination. Has anyone's Columbines sprouted yet?

Gladys

Gladys,
The earliest I've had columbine germinate in 5 years is May 1st. Last years rocky mountain columbine seeds didn't germinate for me till 5/18 and 5/24.

I'm in zone 5 New England and the weather changes are really dramatic in April here. yesterday 84, today 70's and they are predicting 50's next week.

Keep them watered well and give them time. they may germinate for you yet.

Wow, is the warmth here the last few days germinating the seeds.

Todays germination

Portulacca 1 container
salpiglossis grandiflora 3 containers
dahlia fireworks 1 container
marigold petite orange 1 container
cosmos daydream 2 containers
cosmos sonata fushia 4 containers
cosmos sonata lavender 2 containers
cosmos picotee 2 containers
cosmos psyche white 2 containers
cosmos gloria 1 container
cosmos candystripe 1 container
marigold french yellow 1 container

Watch out for this wind today, in MA, between that and the sun, the soil is drying out very quickly. Will have to water everything today.

Fran

Warm and wet again today, but a cold front is supposed to move through tomorrow night. I might have to cover the babies.

The following have sprouted today:

Salvia regeliana
more Culver's root
Orange Thyme
Baptisia australis
Asclepias (Blood flower)
more Echinacea tennesseensis
Asclepias syriaca
Greek oregano
Lobelia inflata

Rhonda

Cherokee Purple Tomato

Hibiscus Militaris ... from seed I saved from last year's WS plant!

Black Cherry Tomato
Rosemary

Friday's germination

lavender lady 2 containers
delphiniium blue bird 2 containers
petunia pink 1 container
disco belle 1 container
balsam impatiens salmon and white 2 containers
lupin 1 container
hibiscus hardy cream 1 container
cosmos tag gone 2 containers
basil sweet 1 container

Fran

Zinnia California Giant

40% germination as of today

cosmos sonata lavender 1 container
monkey flower 1 container
lemon basil 1 container
cosmos picotee 1 container
morning glory jaimie lynn 1 container
morning glory emma's gift 1 container

Fran

Salvia 'Coral Nymph'
Columbine 'Nora Barlow'
African Daisy 'African Moon'

Well, in past few days the sproutage has slowed down a bit, and now we're heading into a cooler, wet period, so I wonder how much will sprout for awhile. There are also have about 6 containers that have appeared to sprout but I think they might be weed sprouts, or stray seeds from something else - so the jury's not out on them yet.

In the past 3 days:

Allium cernuum - Nodding onion
Polemonium reptans - Jacob's Ladder
Asclepias curassavica - Tropical milkweed
Rudbeckia occidentalis - Western coneflower 'Green Wizard'

All the rest of the plugs of Prairie grasses in 2 liter bottles have sprouted - Big Bluestem, Little Bluestem, Indian grass, and Sideoats grama

And 3 of the native vines have finally sprouted, 2 more to go -

Clematis virginiana - Virgin's bower
Campsis radicans - Trumpet vine
Cynanchum laeve - Milkweed vine (for the Monarchs)

Just checked today and my

Dahlia, Unwins Dwarf WS 4/21/08
Zinnia Giants of California WS 4/21/08
Zinnia Thumbelina WS 4/21/08
Zinnia Dwarf Pumila Sprite, mixed WS 4/21/08
Zinnia Giant Cactus, mixed colors WS 4/21/08
Zinnia Lilliput WS 4/21/08
Zinnia White Perfection WS 4/21/08
Zinnia Apricot Profusion WS 4/21/08
Zinnia Candy Cane WS 4/21/08

Sprouted. All of them are going strong, although I'm gonna have to start bringing them in at night since our temps are dipping again.

Also my Simba marigold and Lemon mum Marigolds are coming up and I just put them out last Tuesday.

Melissa

I planted with my nanny boy first, myself second. He has every color of Zinnia, Statice and Sweet Peas up. I have tomatoes. This weekend I WSed more plants, it is still chilly here. In fact we may have a frost Tues. night. Among the seeds I WSed this weekend were my hanging basket plants like Swan River Daisies, Cascading Lobelias and trailing Peppermint Phlox. Can't see paying $4 for a mini pot of each of these plants. A person can spend $25 putting one basket or container together and I do many of both. To further save money I bring out my spider plants and starts of Philodendron to use in my baskets. Makes them really pretty. Do you have ideas on how to put together baskets and containers on a budget?
Tina

Well yesterday...

Purple Majesty Millet....sown on April 23rd! Hopefully these will actually grow this year for me. Last year they sat at about 8" all summer! I started them 3/26 and they germinated 3/30 and in April we had a week of mid 20 lows. I'm thinking the lows might of caused them to be stunted?

Sunday was just one container of yellow monkey flower.

Today has been very cool and pouring rain, No seed checking to day, and rain is forecast for most of tomorrow as well.

No complaints on rain falling, we need it badly, but we don't need the heavy downpours that I'm getting right now or 1-2 inches of rain all at once.

Fran

Basil Genovese (although the fact it's inside the house with a container of tomatoes I brought in because of freezing temps probably helped)

Today's sprouts:
Ipomosis Hummingbird Mix

Gladys

Well, the downpours of the past 2 days finally stopped and a bit of sun poked through before the winds picked up.

Tuesdays germination

viola yesterday, today and tomorow 4 containers
cosmos diablo 1 container
cosmos daydream 1 container
balsam impatiens dark pink 2 containers
delphinium giant pacific mix 1 container
morning glory akatsuki no beni 1 container.

seedlings still covered and the temps are really going down tonight. We will see how really hardy these babies are by tomorrow morning.

It's the morning glory babies that i'm concerned about, it's too early for them to be germinating but our temps have been crazy.
If I need to, will just sow more of them.

Fran

Nothing!! No sprouts today or yesterday...sniff...

Maybe it's the cool and rainy weather we're having. Much needed rain though. I hope the seeds in the remaining containers aren't duds. Just sowed Zinnias, Tithonia, Basil, and parsley yesterday.

Ladygladys, Ipomopsis rubra is on my winter-sow list for next year. I want to attract those Hummingbirds too!

Not a darn thing for me either. Got down to near freezing last night, and stayed pretty cold today. A little warmer tomorrow. Maybe I'll have something. (fingers crossed)

Rhonda

Lamb's Ear

Ok, this is weird, we where down to 29 degrees over night. frost on the car windshield this morning.

All "my babies" where still covered in their containers, never take those covers off before May 1st in the past 4 years of WS. Never worry about the zippy bags on the leaves either and never had a problem with that.

All 'babies" are fine as of late this afternoon

Had germination yesterday after all the rain and cold. I know I didnt' miss any seedlings up yesterday, I checked them twice and so did a friend.

Today, after the cold, below freezing temps last night, there is new germination today; and of all the seeds out there morning glory seeds germinated.

marigold disco flame 1 container
zinnia thumbelina 1 container
cinammon basil 1 container
lupin blue 1 container
morning glory pink with pink star 1 container
morning glory pink with dark pink star 1 container
morning glory flying saucer 1 container
morning glory lindheimer 1 container
morning glory sidney 1 container

Fran

Four O'Clocks Mixed Colors

Geez...have only been getting 1 new sprout a day. Today was my broken color 4 O'clock...maybe tomorrow will be the yellows LOL!

After a brief cold (and wet) snap, we have had 2 nice warm and dry days. Got a bunch of new sprouts:

Yucca
Echinacea "Primadonna"
Fern leaf bleeding heart
Agastache nepetoides
Variegated Obedient plant
Aquilegia "Bonnite"
Purple Beauty Berry Bush
Asclepias "Ice Ballet"
Crocosomia "Lucifer"
unknown tall coneflower
Hibiscus Minerva
Stokesia laevis
Aquilegia unknown purple
mystery plant
Monarda lambada
Red Yucca
Salvia "Coral Nymph"

I have gemination in 202 of 303 containers. Most of what I have that have not germinated are: Grasses, Gentiana, Roses, Daylilies, Cimifuga, Lilies, Siberian Iris, Clematis, Shrubs and trees (and 26 annuals and a few more perennials that I just planted). I am assuming that they require the most time to germinate. I'm sure I also have a few duds in there somewhere! LOL

Rhonda

Only 1 new sprout in the past 2 days for me. BUT - it was a very exciting sprout! One I've been waiting for anxiously. Asclepias variegata, White or red ring milkweed, a somewhat rare milkweed. The seeds were from a generous GWer who sent several seed pods, and then I turned around and shared the seeds with at least a dozen people in trades or SASBEs. Phew, they're viable!!

Also saw a little white root popping out of a Aristolochia seed - so those should be sprouting up soon. I am waiting eagerly for those too!

LOL!!
Today....Yellow 4 O'clocks and Cosmic Orange Cosmos

Vera

Even with all the rain and cool temps we've had, I still have lots of germination.

Today's germination is quite a bit.

Cosmos gazebo lavender 1 container
cosmos seashells white 1 container
pink babies breath 1 container
nigella blue 1 container
ice plant harlequin 2 containers
marigold disco flame 1 container
marigold bolero 1 container
columbine winky 1 container
nasturtium jewel 1 container
dahia stargazer red 2 containers
dahlia stargazer yellow 2containers
morning glory summer skies 1 container
morning glory heavenly blue 2 containers
morning glory flying saucer 2 containers
morning glory sydney 1 container
morning glory mt fuji light pink 1 container
morning glory gray mist 1 container
morning glory red star 1 container
morning glory blue with dark lavender star 1 container
morning glory floating cloud 1 container
morning glory blue star 1 container
morning glory pink star 1 container

Fran

Finally, I got a tomatoe and a Swiss Chard sprout.

Last night DH and I were arguing about "do we need to go to the hardware store for tomatoes" and "do we need to start seeds indoors" and the "we's" coming from his part and really meaning "me" and in me not him.

I got really agitated cuz Im the one out there studying the bottles and rolling around in the compost pile and reading about you'alls experience and all he does is sit there and manage. grrrrr.

:)

Good thing I got a sprout, might be saving my marriage! lol!

I also found a skinny as spaghetti ASPARAGUS sprout about two inches high!!! How I missed that one the last few days, its just so skinny! Also a gazania that I was considering giving up on.... there's three or four of them sprouted today.

:)

You guys are scaring me! I dumped out about 90 16ounce cups the other day because there was nothing in them. I'm afraid I didnt wait long enough now.

Lisa, I'm so sorry, I should have told you to be patient about those "no shows" in those cups.
I've had germination as late as July with some of mine.

One year hubby decided that "enough was enough" of the "no shows" and used a couple of containers to fill in some chipmunk holes in the center of the fenced in yard out back. He thought it was a great way to use up the soil and not throw it out.

Well about 3 weeks later I had marigolds, morning glory and a 4 oclock growing in the middle of the lawn and had to dig them out to move.

Keep an eye on where you dumped the soil from those cups. you may be very pleasantly surprised with what you find.

Today, Tuesday's germination

cosmos seashells pink 1 container
petunia mixed colors 1 container
morning glory lavender mist 1 container
morning glory wrightii palm leaf 1 container
livingston daisy 1 container
poppy hungarian 1 container
petunia pink 1 container
daylily yellow 1 container

Fran

Fran,
I dumped the 90 or so cups across the street from me. I would be thrilled if they sprouted! I had a bag of miracle grow that looked like bark mulch but used it anyway and when everything else was popping up and nothing popped in those I just thought it was a bad batch of potting mix.
it's not a big deal, I put out some more and hopefully will have better luck with the newly planted cups. I still have 4 bread trays full of cups, that should be enough to plant and plenty to share if I divide them in half. I haven't had anything pop up in over a week, not sure why.

Fran, that's great you're still getting lots of sprouts even during the cool and rainy weather we had in New England last week. Ishare, I only had 1 container sprout in the past week, Asclepias variegata.

But I had new sprouts today! Zinnia 'Persian Carpet' and Zinnia Profusion Apricot. Sowed those 1 1/2 weeks ago in yogurt cups. Yippeee! It was fun to see sprouts again.

When I went out today I had the following babies:

Cream Gentian (WOOHOO)
Bottle Gentian (WOOHOO)
more Columbine
Prairie Lily (WOOHOO!)

The sprouting has definitely slowed down, but every couple of days somebody pops up. Just be patient, ishare! (Pretend I know what I am talking about LOL!)

Rhonda

Terrene, I will be getting germination for most of my seeds for at least another couple of weeks. and some of my seeds can take a really long time to germinate, like candylilly, blackberry lilly and leopard lilly.

Seeds that haven't germinated yet and need warm weather are about 100 tomatoes, cukes, squash, sunflowers just went out last week, 4 o'clocks, nasturtium, datura, most of the morning glory, at least 40 more containers of those, some columbines, nicandra, schizanthus,
They will be along over the next week, and once they germinate, they take off like a rocket.

And I will be doing late summer sowing and fall sowing as well.

Today's germination

portulacca 1 container
easter egg plant 2 containers
daylily from daylily rocket seeds 1 container
morning glory rose silk 1 container
daylily red star 1 container
daylily fuji frost
daylily mix 1 container

and

My first tomato plant of the season

larger cherry red 1 container

Fran

Fran: Wasn't it your suggestion to sow tomatoes in cups and add soil as they grow? This is my first year trying tomatoes and I'm doing that with a few of them. So far only Early Girl has high germination, but I also sowed "Snow White" and "Believe it or Not". I don't need/want many, but I do want to get a few plants of each. I sowed a couple more cups of them today. I'll probably end up with not enough or too many. I already have too many Early Girl.

Karen

Couple more sprouters today!

Tithonia 'Aztec Sun'
Genovese Basil (these are pretty old seeds too)

Hi Karen,

Yes it was my suggestion. I use 12oz styrofoam cups for the tomato seeds. I seed in each cup, a hole in the bottom for drainage and covered with a sandwich size zippy bag with slits in it for ventilation and water to get in.

Cup is about half full of soil, then seed on top and then a sprinkle of soil over the seeds, a real think sprinkle of soil.

I wait till the seedling has some height to it and at least one set of true leaves and then I add a bit more soil to the cup. This increases the height of the soil as it goes up the stem and roots will quickly come out of the stem. It gives you an even larger root system when you plant the seedling.

I haven't grown any of the tomatoes that you have sowed, but the method is the same with any tomato seed.

I always sow extra seeds, a few more than I want, just to be safe. Past experience has taught me that if I sow only the exact number of seeds I want plants from, I never get enough, but if I sow more than I want to have, every seed germinates.!!!

It has to be Murphy's law or something.

The reason I have so many tomato seeds sown is because I'm sowing the tomato seeds for 5 other people besides myself, so have to have enough of all of them for all that want them. Any extra seedlings will be put out for the taking at my plant swap.

Don't worry about slow germination right now. Tomato seeds need warm weather and warm soil to germinate. I checked my records for last year and the year before and I never had germination on the seeds before May 6th and then they started to germinate very quickly.
This year my spring temps have been very, very cold. Last week it was down to 24 degrees to nights in a row. Very unusual for where I live.

My seedlings where about a foot to 1 1/2 feet tall when I planted them in huge pots last year, the first week in June. Didn't seem to grow to much for the first 2 weeks as they set good roots, but then they took off like a rocket.

I had a jungle of tomato plants in pots and tons and tons of tomatoes as well.

Let me know if you want to see pics of the tomatoes

Fran

I remember your seedlings from last year, Fran. I thought your idea of adding soil to the top seemed pretty smart to me so I decided to try it. I only have a few with any size at all, and I added just about an inch or less of soil to those I couple of days ago. Thanks.

All I need now is more germination. The weather has turned cooler and rainy since yesterday so I don't expect to see any more for the next few days. But for those that have sprouted already, lots of rain usually makes things grow like crazy. When I can get out there I expect the flowers already in the ground will really shoot up. I just wish more were in the ground and less still in jugs!

Karen

Yesterday....

Zinnia 'Green Envy'
Zinnia 'Giant Cactus'
Zinnia 'California Giant
Zinnia 'Giant Purple'
Zinnia 'Beaudry's Giant'

Still waiting for Profusion. It may be these were not mature enough when I harvested late fall :(
All sowed on 4th of May...had seed leaves by yesterday early afternoon with all above and 'Green Envy by end of the day! Had to hall them all in last night as the forecasted low for Spokane was 36 which here usually means a little cooler...I wasn't about to risk it LOL!

Karen,
germination will come, be patient.

Today's germination

columbine songbird robin 1 container
columbine origami blue 1 contianer
dwarf snapdragons 1 container
petunia purple and pink 1 container
alyssum, carpet of snow 1 container
morning glory star of yelta 1 container

tomato sweet 100 2 containers
tomato hawiian pinapple 1 container
tomato tiny tim 1 container
tomato rainbow 1 container
tomato purple cherokee 1 container

Thunbergia Spanish Eyes

Today was the best day I've had for sprouts in a week and 1/2! Yippee! Guess that's what a few days of sun and temps in the 70s will do.

Tithonia 'Aztec Sun' - 2nd container
Tithonia 'Fiesta del sol'
Asclepias tuberosa - Butterfly weed - all my Asclepias are up now!
Monarda punctata - 2nd container (1st sprouted 2 weeks ago??)
Yvonne's Salvia - 3 sprouts!
Salvia 'Coral Nymph'
Ipomoea sloteri - Cardinal Climber - only sowed this 3 days ago, it has sprouted very quick.

Just this morning, I was thinking I might try resowing the Salvia - thinking they might have rotted or something - and 2 of the 3 Salvias have sprouted!

Was able to get outside before the drizzle, soon to turn into heavy flooding rain started and found.

alyssum rosie o'day 1 container
schizanthus 2 containers
schizanthus orchid 1 container
day lily happy returns 1 container
tomato sweet 100 2 containers
tomato tiny tim 1 container
tomato black cherry 1 container
tomato roma 1 container
tomato purple cherokee 1 container
tomato celebrity 1 container

sunflower prado yellow 2 containers

and now it is really beginning to rain.

Fran

today's germination finds

leopard lily 1 container
blackberry lily 1 container
columbine origami yellow 1 container
oriental poppy 1 container
lobelia trailing saphire 1 container
nicandra splash of cream 1 container
pumpkin on a stick 1 contianer
alyssum carpet of snow 1 container
morning glory "bold miss piggy" 1 container
sunflower double dandy 3 containers
sunflower prado yellow 1 container
sunflower autumn beauty 2 containers
tomato beefsteak 1 container
tomato sweet 100 3 containers
tomato celebrity 2 containers
tomato white wonder 1 container

Fran

Am I the only one still getting germination?

Today's germination

Scabiosa ebony 1 conatiner
4 o'clock broken colors yellow,white and pink flowers, 1 container
4 o'clock broken colors yellow and fushia flower, 1 container
4 o'clock tea time rose, 2 containers
zinnia zowie flame, 1 container

tomato roma, 1 container
tomato celebrity, 1 container

sunflower solar eclipse, 2 containers
sunflower autumn beauty, 4 containers
sunflower ring of fire, 3 containers
sunflower strawberry blond, 1 container
sunflower prado yellow, 1 container

Fran

Germination is getting slower, except on annuals. In the past couple days I have had the following pop up:

Liatris spicata
Siberian Iris (2 containers)
Scabiosa deeep red
Veronica spicata "Red Fox"
Gopher purge
Echinacea "White Swan"
Coleus (3 kinds)
Datura (2 kinds)
Black Leaf Millet
Summer Savory
Zinnias
Hibiscus
Petunias
Basil

Some of these I didn't think would germinate, I am glad I waited and didn't dump!

Rhonda

Monday's germination

columbine songbird robin, 1 container
columbine winky, 1 container
columbine origami yellow, 1 container
leopard lily, 1 container
scabiosa ebony, 1 container
texas red star hibiscus, 1 container
daylily rocket 1 container
sunflower ring of fire, 1 container

Tuesday's germination

balsam impatiens tom thumb, 1 container
cleome white, 1 container
morning glory blue silk, 1 container
cucumber burpee pickler, 2 containers
cucumber straight light, 2 containers
sunflower autumn beauty, 1 container
sunflower solar eclipse, 1 container
tomato larger cherry red, 1 container
tomato hawaiian pineapple, 1 container
tomato white wonder, 1 container

Fran

I've had hardly ANY germination lately. The only things that have sprouted in the past 4 days have been the Zinnia Red Spider and 1 Tithonia. Still waiting on a few perennials, and some Tomatoes, annuals, etc.

Still have a few slow germinating perennials to come up, but lots of the real tender annuals left.

Today's germination

morning glory kohkan, 1 container
moonflower vine, 1 container
sunflower prado yellow 1 container
sunflower ring of fire, 1 container
sunflower strawberry blonde, 1 container
tomato warren's yellow cherry, 1 container
tomato purple cehrokee, 2 containers
tomato large cherry red, 1 container
tomato hawaiian pineapple, 1 container

Fran