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pixie_lou

When to dump the containers?

pixie_lou
11 years ago

How do you decide it is time to dump the containers?

It has been cool and rainy here in massassachusetts, so some things are still sprouting. How much longer do I give them to sprout?

I was thinking of dumping the lunaria, Shasta daisy Alaska, and oriental poppies - any of those that sprouted were planted out weeks ago. But I have some things - blanket flower, delphinium, cleome - that nothing has sprouted. Should I work on improving my patience? Or are they a lost cause?

Comments (8)

  • northerner_on
    11 years ago

    Dumping my containers depends on the contents. If I have easy germinators that are not sprouting by now, I'll dump them. If I have already planted out and I have enough plants, I may keep them for a while in case some don't survive. You may want to do some research on what has not yet sprouted because some seeds take two years e.g. some roses, Chelone (in my zone). The shasta daisies and blanket flower should be up by now so maybe they won't be showing. I don't know about delphinium and cleome. If you are still having cool weather, you may want to hold on to them bit longer - you have nothing to lose. And yes, being very patient can be rewarding: nature sometimes is full of surprises.

  • drippy
    11 years ago

    I dump containers when they annoy me, LOL - but if you dump them in a garden spot, or a bigger pot, you may get some sprouts yet. I dumped a bunch of my containers into a larger pot last year, and something clearly from the lily family sprouted in it (maybe blackberry lily, I'm not sure). I planted it out in my front garden later in the season, and hope to find out the mystery plant later this year.

  • mnwsgal
    11 years ago

    I would hold the delphinium pot as it can sprout after a cold warm cold spell. Kept a pot from the spring which germinated the next fall.

  • pixie_lou
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Ok - I'm going to selectively start dumping. I dumped some of the annual containers today - since I was planting out all my annuals. I did dump them in a spot where I'd be happy to have them sprout. I'm going to plant out tomatoes tomorrow as well as any perennial with true leaves. I'll then dump the corresponding dud pots.

    Maybe if I dump a bunch of the dud pots, then it will be easier for me to see what I have left. I'll dump the blanket flower (some where that i would be happy to have blanket flower grow) but hold on to the delphinium.

  • aklinda
    11 years ago

    I dumped all my non-sprouters last week because I wanted my porch back. But I spread all of the soil in a flower bed that could use it so there could be some sprouting later in that flower bed. I still have about 50 plants to get out - this week for sure. (famous last words)

  • clc70
    11 years ago

    I have alot of unsprouted jugs. I have a green house with heating mats so earlier this week I put all my jugs in on the mats. It's been cool here and I figure I've got nothing to loose. Sure enough a few of them are showinng some sign. Very few of them are annuals. I'll probably hold most of them over and see if anything eventually sprouts.

  • northforker
    11 years ago

    Today was a big "dump "non sprouting containers " day for me. Most of them were trade seed and you never know how folks stored the seed. I probably dumped about 20 containers out of over 175 so not too bad. I'll reuse the promix in pots all summer long.

  • beachgrub
    11 years ago

    Dump day today. Have quite a few (sniffle) that i had high hopes for. Never did get any coneflowers. On a good note i did finally get about 20 BES vine sprouts. :)

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