Are YOU summer sowing?

Mary

Already picking out things to shovel-prune for the fall plant swap, so will have holes to fill.

Proud - just like winter sowing, but you put the containers in dappled shade and watch the water. The sprouts come quickly which is fun. I then keep them in shade until fall plantout.

Don't think you need cold strat for Asclepias. Some of mine are still germinating now. If you need more seeds this winter, e-mail me. I have Incarnatas which garminated like bonkers from my own plants' seeds.

Bakemom,
I'm afraid to ss. I still have too much to plant out although I am putting a dent into it. Every night I have to plant at least two containers. So far I've held to my commitment. :O) Here's a photo of what I have left next to the veggie patch.

I'm just picking my first tomatoes, hot peppers, & cukes now. And musing over whether or not I actually have time to start some tomatoes, hmmm...

Karen

and I saw a 2+ inch mantis on my tomatoes yesterday!

Leisa

The baby mantids that hatched here in May are growing fast! While weeding, I caught a glimpse of this little guy:

Not quite an inch yet, but quite feisty.

I hope to SS though. I have plans for it at least!

Karen

Where are you moving to? If it's local, maybe you could do a few shuttles.

But, ok, maybe I'll start with some Dianthus.

Later I am actually going to try a short DTM tomato - I have so many seeds if nothing comes of it, no great loss. I'm also going to plant a Balconi Red tomato, which grows in baskets, and my past experience says it will set fruit indoors.

If any of you remember my spring sowing thread in jugs, it has been total failure. It could be this batch of potting soil (Mir Gro) which has a lot more bark in it than last or too much rain. Plus some of the seeds were not fresh. Or it just isn't a good idea in spring because the seeds don't get conditioned the same.

I have 12 good-size drainage holes in the bottom of each milk jug so it shouldn't be drainage plus I got mold because I should never have taped the tops like in ws although got rid of it for good by spraying with H2O2 dilute and opening them up.

The only thing that worked are delphiniums which I planted in a shallow tray (Mir Gro w/junk picked out and mixed w/seed starter) and transplanted. I forgot to punch vent holes in the lid, but always take it off anyway when germination starts and mist. Well, I transplanted 57 of them, and they aren't doing too well, have lost at least 1/3 to 1/2 of those. I had to protect them from hard rain by bringing them inside at night and out again.

Also the shallow trays worked well enough before when I just used an exacto knife to cut lots of slits, don't drain well and waterlogged, luckily I caught it and saved the delphs but not the rest. I will need to use the woodburning thingie that punches larger holes from now on.

I should move them into a little more sun but am afraid to because that's one reason I lost so many.

Maybe this is just not my year. I would like to know what might work better for potting soil for this winter.

Carrie

It's been high 80s/low 90s since I got here (a couple of days high 90s) in May. I was soooooo cold in New England this past winter, yes, I am absolutely loving the weather here.

You will LOVE the Carolinas - (a former New Yorker).. the winters are great!

Carrie

It's hot right now in the Carolinas. But seeds are still sprouting in containers. My rudbeckias were planted out today. 10-12 weeks is the guess for blooms. That means I should have blooms in early October of black eyed susans. ;)

I guess it's too late to even think about zinnias with our first frost mid November, but I maybe I'll change my mind and try - have nothing to lose -

Carrie

Today is a good day to sow pumpkin seeds for Halloween harvest here in NC. So I'd say you have plenty of time for zinnias. :)

He loves them. Got them from friend at work 30 years ago.

My sister was over last week and wants them for low maintenance spreading (rhizomes out the wazoo) plant for area at end of her driveway.

Can I sow seeds now, grow over summer and plant out at her place in Fall?

Wasn't sure it there was limit to what can be summer sown due to temperatures.

These Oenothera call for 70F for germination. Would keep them in shade as seeds only get lightly covered for germination.

These plants are one of the banes of my gardening existence as they're all tangled up with roots of Iris in large bed I have to dig up this year to separate & transplant Iris.

Okay for summer sowing and Fall planting?

My sister doesn't want to have to do anything with them so transplanting some from my father's in heat of summer isn't feasible with watering requirements until they get established. At least that's what I surmise.

Informed opinions?

LOL

Yes, I'm jealous, but you did pretty darn well up in frosty Mass. as I seem to recall.

Enjoy all your new planting adventures and the extra growing time you've got now.

I am not sure what to SS.

I guess I can just buy some cheap seeds and try it? I have some dirt and containers, just need some seeds.

Everyone, keep posting what you are SS'ing so I can get ideas :)
I learn a lot from all of you!!!

Karen

I always sow zinnias till the end of July and this year with out sloooooooow warm up, I am hoping to have an extended fall for blooms. I've got tiny seedlings coming up...we'll see how it goes.

Last week I sowed herbs - 2 kinds of basil and some parsley. Seeds were old but I did get plenty of germination.

Bedding Impatiens is slow to germinate for me this year. I think because it has not been very hot (they love heat). I've got 3 flats that I check every day but nothing is happening....

I want to go through my seed box and look for perennials to summer sow, I just have not had a minute. Maybe next weekend.

I have an area I planted lots of poppies but they did not do well. now they are done blooming and the area is so bare it drives me crazy!!

I might sow a bunch of zinnia and add there...

any other ideas?
Karen

I'd be happy to share some zinnia seeds Karen ..just send me an email.

Nancy

Karen

Karen

Lynne

If I ever get this year's seedlings planted out, I'll do some more zinnias to go along with the mums in the fall. Actually, with the way the weather has been this year, it may be fall before most of this year's annuals bloom.

Yeah, that's my plan.

PV

Note to self (and anyone else that cares)...Less is More. More is not necessarily better. Case in point: Poppies. That wonderful carpet of poppies created a lovely bed of short, stunted mostly red poppies with only a few short, stunted breadseed ones mixed in. Height was affected, bloom size was HUGELY affected, and with all the rain in combination with "too many," there was no air circulation down below. The stems rotted from the soil line to about a foot up, and they were stringy and weak. Ripping them out was a breeze this weekend, and I vow to take the whole top layer of soil out and replace it in the fall so I can start over in case it managed to reseed itself. I tried to pull them out prematurely to prevent a huge reseeding, but likely many of them still did. I'll scrape it off, and compost them.
I left only a couple of the best ones standing (a 'torn' edged, deep purple one that I have no idea where it came from but it's a beauty, and a hot-pink patch). I'll collect only those seeds and put those in next year.

So for what all that's worth, sprinkle lightly, and you'll have a better show.

Pix of bed with Iris, then the Poopy-Poppy show (cosmos to go in now):

Carrie (you are so ambitious@!)

I SS yesterday lots of Zinnia Seeds...YEAH (Thanks to Nancy!)

Karen

Leisa

What did you sow today?

I need to start some perennials, specifically, Dotted Mint.
And where the heck is my golden gallardia? I just now realized it's MIA this season.

21-22 TRANSPLANT, PLANT FLOWERS, PLANT SEEDBEDS, PLANT ABOVEGROUND CROPS

Best Planting Days - Farmers' Almanac

I have some seeds I can sow, I am thinking of just trying them. I need to look them all up to see if they need cold periods first. That is my only problem, I do not know enough about the seeds to decide if I should SS or wait and WS.

Karen

Today I sowed
penstemon husker red
double green-eye rudbeckia
sea holly
lobelia cardinalis
delosperma

Karen

Hey, I am liking this summer sowing thing!!!! From seeds sown 10 days ago I have burgundy hollyhocks, lots of zinnia,more foxglove,more rose campion, more alyssum basket of gold. I am also trying delphiniums as mine did not come back this year (or were eaten by deer very early) but so far no germination. I wonder if they need a cold period - anyone know?---------------------------------------------------

Were tey fresh seeds? IDK. I sowed a few packs of delphs 6/26 after 3 weeks in the freezer. I am getting very slow germination ( I did 3 seeds per pot and did about 80 pots I have new ones sprouting every day the past month...but only 1 per cup...
I Have a bunch of fresh seed I AM contemplating sowing now...

I have lots of french marigold seeds too. Not sure if I should SS some now or not.

I might do 1/2 the seeds now and the rest for next season.

Karen