6,340 Garden Web Discussions | Growing from Seed

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bakemom_gw(z6 Central Ohio)

Dry shade holds them back a bit.

    Bookmark     October 12, 2007 at 6:15PM
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ohgirl

I'll never grow them again! I grew them 5yrs ago and every year since, i pull them up. They are very very invasive!

All i did was throw them ON the dirt and they grew.

As stated in the post or 2 above; the 1st year they dont look like anything. But the next summer and thereafter, you are just about stuck!(forever)

And they dont look all that great either!

Just my 2cents.

    Bookmark     January 16, 2008 at 2:03PM
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riverminty

I wonder if I have a few Mexican Marigolds myself! Or Crackerjack... this flower confuses me, lol! For two years straight now, our marigolds haven't exactly reached that stunning 8 feet (and growing!!) that yours have, but they have easily grown slightly over four feet. They aren't like those bushy, yellow marigolds- they are multi-colored and very spindly, and grow like weeds. I wonder if, aside from certain varieties growing very differently, seeds that were re-planted right from the last plant tend to grow more wild. I love marigolds- you keep 'em in the pot over the winter and they'll grow some new ones come spring all by themselves. ;)

    Bookmark     January 14, 2008 at 2:02PM
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ohgirl

My My My. Wow! I plant marigolds every summer, and ive never seen THAT! I will be on the hunt for crackerjacks!
Thanks for the picture!

    Bookmark     January 16, 2008 at 1:43PM
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georgez5il(z5 IL)

No pretreatment requires. Lightly cover the seed. Soil temp 65-70F & takes 25-30 days to germinate.

    Bookmark     January 16, 2008 at 8:24AM
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beetle_2007(3)

Wow!! A months wait!! Thanks very much George, for the info! May I bug you one more time lol? would on top of the fridge be ok,and do I cover the flat with plastic or anything? [this almost always works for peppers and toms.]

    Bookmark     January 16, 2008 at 1:32PM
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snidelywhiplash(z5a Nebraska)

My $0.02 - I've always used king-sized moisture resistant heating pads. They're usually about $20 a piece, but a lot cheaper than heat mats, and - bonus - they're almost exactly the size of a flat.

Jason

    Bookmark     January 15, 2008 at 6:50AM
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ohgirl

I bought a heat mat at meijers for $12.00

Its for people, but i use it for my seeds. This is my first time growing seeds in the winter. Thought this might work.

    Bookmark     January 16, 2008 at 1:19PM
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belleville_rose_gr

I started some seeds yesterday. I know I'm early for my zone but I have a GH I will place them in around mid March.

    Bookmark     January 14, 2008 at 6:09PM
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belleville_rose_gr

the seeds I started on Sunday I have 2 varieties coming out.

    Bookmark     January 15, 2008 at 5:36PM
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calistoga_al ca 15 usda 9

Hot water works but germination will still be spread over a several week period. Al

    Bookmark     January 14, 2008 at 9:55AM
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dicot

The CalFlora database shows over 130 species of lupines just for CA, so it helps if know exactly which species of lupine you want to germinate. I've had sucess with both hot and cold water soaking, but if its more that 24 hours I find the seed so soft that it sometimes fall apart. Few CA species need stratification, but yours might.

Like Al says, germination for me has been slow and variable, but I've had success both direct sowing and growing in flats.

    Bookmark     January 15, 2008 at 4:09PM
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georgez5il(z5 IL)

Many companies breed lettuce & the cole crops so they will not "bolt". Bolting is usually dependent on the plant being in "stress" could be temperature, light, water, or just age.

    Bookmark     January 15, 2008 at 8:52AM
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crabjoe(z7 MD)

All I can tell you is that my lettuce bolts when the temps jump up (80s). So if that's true for most lettuce, you're out of luck, waiting for them to bolt, this time of the year.

    Bookmark     January 15, 2008 at 2:57PM
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georgez5il(z5 IL)

I have checked my references from America, Europe, & Australia & can not find any reference to leucadia. There was an introduction of "Sensitive" plants at that time. They were a mimosa that reached 6 foot. & you needed to presoak the seed & keep soil temperature between 65-70F

    Bookmark     January 15, 2008 at 8:58AM
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kilngod(Zone 6b)

Bookmark these links for both seed IDs (finding what is what in there) and for germination info --

http://www.backyardgardener.com/tm.html

http://www.theseedsite.co.uk/

http://tomclothier.hort.net/

You'll need the latin name for some of these - to find that, do a search on google for the common name.

    Bookmark     December 31, 2007 at 10:27AM
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kirkhubb(5)

the best book I have seen is called seed to seed. The book is incredible. each chapter is a type of plant and it will tell you how to polinate, how far away to plant to keep from cross breeding, how to save the seed ect..... hince the name "seed to seed"

    Bookmark     January 14, 2008 at 7:01PM
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Carol Henry

I have a question. When you start alyssum do you separate all the little seedling into individual little cell pots or do you plant in clumps? I bought seeds to start and in the past I have used clumps but I'm thinking I'm doing it wrong.

    Bookmark     January 14, 2008 at 1:12PM
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riverminty

This is a bit of a non sequitur, but I just thought I'd mention how much I love this flower because, though delicate and in scent and looks, it lasts for a long while even through frosts. :) This year I'm planting more!

    Bookmark     January 14, 2008 at 1:56PM
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sheltieche

I have ordered from Morton horticultural products- they are wholesale but prices are reasonable so I am sure will end up spending all. They have your requested sizes.

    Bookmark     January 13, 2008 at 4:13PM
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calistoga_al ca 15 usda 9

Mojogardener's site he referenced is an excellent source, I hope you look it over. Al

    Bookmark     January 14, 2008 at 9:51AM
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phoam

Fantastic site. Thanks!

    Bookmark     January 12, 2008 at 6:07PM
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melrose_jackie(5)

Great site and great prices ~ I just placed an order. Thanks for the tip

    Bookmark     January 13, 2008 at 1:02PM
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morz8(Washington Coast Z8b)

Campanula medium, canterbury bells, biennial. Surface sow seed (some light may be beneficial to germination so do not cover) @ 70ºF , keep moist, germination in 14-28 days

    Bookmark     January 13, 2008 at 11:11AM
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pitimpinai(z6 Chicago)

Yes, they are easy to germinate. I collected mine from my own plants.

    Bookmark     January 12, 2008 at 7:17PM
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grannybrug(z7 ESVA)

Thank you. I just ordered some seed from a lady on e-bay.

    Bookmark     January 13, 2008 at 8:39AM
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kayhh

One other thing about the winter sowing method - for us northerners, it really is not worth the effort. You are only gaining a few weeks at best, over direct sowing into the garden and if your growing season is only 3 months long, waiting until August for flowers is just not an option.

I sow my tomatoes so that I can plant them outside in WOWs at least a month before my last frost date. That way I can actually eat some tomatoes in July. With winter sowing, I would be lucky to have green tomatoes before the first fall frost.

    Bookmark     January 12, 2008 at 5:35PM
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highalttransplant(z 5 Western CO)

There ARE advantages of winter sowing verses direct sowing though, Kay. Direct sown seeds can get blown away, washed away, eaten by birds or bugs. By sowing them in a container, you may not gain a lot as far as the bloom date, but you have more control over the germination process as a whole. Tomatoes and peppers are about the only things I may sow some of indoors. All of the cool season veggies and herbs will be WS, along with all of my perennials, and annuals. The annuals won't be sown until March or early April, and yes the blooms will be a little behind the nursery bought plants, but the plants will be stronger and many will bloom well past the first frost. For those of us that don't have room for sowing indoors, or have a green house, wintersowing allows us to still grow from seed.

Primgal, I hope that you won't give up on growing from seed. It's just a matter of finding a way that works for you. We are all learning as we go.

Happy sowing,
Bonnie

    Bookmark     January 12, 2008 at 10:45PM
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