tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9125698507772106631.post7522281481740082453..comments2023-10-17T10:25:34.828-05:00Comments on Prairie Rose's Garden: Study on Seed Starting Finally Completed!Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01384059342847120951noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9125698507772106631.post-90839753959100734562010-09-06T03:04:34.238-05:002010-09-06T03:04:34.238-05:00Oh, Rose.....I luved this post, as I've been w...Oh, Rose.....I luved this post, as I've been wondering about your 'Starlight Rose' zinnias. You're not only a Master Gardener, but also a magician. It's not easy to change 'Starlite Rose' into Profusion Yellow. <br /><br />Your coneflower/kohlrabi story made me laugh and I needed that. <br /><br />donnadonnahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06950476333013336671noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9125698507772106631.post-71281815689524724982010-09-02T08:22:46.778-05:002010-09-02T08:22:46.778-05:00Thanks, everybody for visiting me and chuckling a ...Thanks, everybody for visiting me and chuckling a little at my silly attempt to see the humor in all this. And I do appreciate all your tips for more success next year, especially ideas for better labels. The seedlings were more successful than in past years, but there's still definitely room for improvement and learning, especially in proper labelling!<br /><br />Thanks, Mike, for spurring me to finish this topic and for checking in for the results.Rosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01384059342847120951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9125698507772106631.post-56141486844086532502010-08-31T12:39:38.056-05:002010-08-31T12:39:38.056-05:00A lot of seed companies probably sell us the "...A lot of seed companies probably sell us the "sweepings" off the production floor, hence the discrepancies when we plant. They are more meticulous when it comes to commercial growers I suspect.<br /><br />I think that kohlrabi was a fun switch. I learned a lot from this post. Thanks!Chloe mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02265196480664185330noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9125698507772106631.post-24861130086452089452010-08-31T10:18:58.134-05:002010-08-31T10:18:58.134-05:00Aha! So I'm not the only superstitious garden ...Aha! So I'm not the only superstitious garden blogger. After several flops almost immediately after posting, I've begun to suspect there is something supernatural going on--fairies, garden sprites? Maybe it has something to do with reading The Good Earth again just recently. Thanks for the followup. I was beginning to wonder what happened. Those kohlrabi must have had the malevolent spirits dancing with glee. I wouldn't mind a mixup like that at all, though.walk2writehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13501812375142037251noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9125698507772106631.post-37032123428996208652010-08-31T10:00:37.028-05:002010-08-31T10:00:37.028-05:00i do not do well with seeds and seedlings. flower ...i do not do well with seeds and seedlings. flower seeds are no problem but my tomato seeds were either not sprouting or the sprouts were dying on me for no good reason. no good reason to give up on it forever though :)<br /><br />when i mark my plants i use popsicle sticks and perm marker. it does fade a bit though when they get too wet, but it's good for indoor plants anyways!<br /><br />loved this post :)rachelhttp://girlgardenfood.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9125698507772106631.post-46596180599082949602010-08-31T08:57:38.945-05:002010-08-31T08:57:38.945-05:00Oh Rose this is such a wonderful post!~My own seed...Oh Rose this is such a wonderful post!~My own seed starting involves me throwing the seeds into the garden, crossing my fingers and waiting to see what happens! Last fall I scattered zinnia and cosmos but we had the rainiest fall ever and they all washed away! I'll try this year and again hope for the best! gailGailhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16194325535496408116noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9125698507772106631.post-46179532417915546472010-08-31T08:21:14.792-05:002010-08-31T08:21:14.792-05:00Glad to see you had some success with your project...Glad to see you had some success with your project Rose. Found this post pretty amusing as well as informational. :)Racquelhttp://perennialgardener.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9125698507772106631.post-53261823966902376502010-08-31T06:11:55.149-05:002010-08-31T06:11:55.149-05:00Dear Rose, what a terrific post! Funny, informati...Dear Rose, what a terrific post! Funny, informative and with plenty of surprises! Thanks for the linkage, I am glad you were pleased with the paper pots themselves, if not the seedlings. I have the same leggy problem, if only my own legs were so long!, with seedlings and use a fan and lights and fertilizer. The biggest problem is with getting the babies from the greenhouse into the ground at the proper time. We always mess up with the last frost or cold nights, too much rain, slugs, you name it. This year I am sowing in the fall outdoors with overturned nursery flats to protect the seeds from digging varmints. Hollyhocks have already germinated!<br />FrancesFranceshttp://fairegarden.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9125698507772106631.post-41108172094947541142010-08-31T00:06:52.083-05:002010-08-31T00:06:52.083-05:00You crack me up Rose! I giggled throughout reading...You crack me up Rose! I giggled throughout reading this post. <br /><br />Something I tried this year that seemed to help the legginess problem - a fan positioned to gently blow air over the seedlings helps them develop stockier stems. I didn't run the fan until after germination, and watered a bit more with the additional air circulation.<br /><br />I used popsicle sticks and permanent marker to label my seedlings this year. It worked very well. I have to say, I really like the plastic knife idea though! <br /><br />I always start more seeds than I need, as insurance against at least a few inevitable casualties. I still end up with more plants than I need. I don't mind though, because I just give away the spares. There is never a shortage of takers for them, and I enjoy sharing them. It's fun to see my 'babies' growing in the gardens of family and friends, and in my case, clients too.garden girlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13284047851881823280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9125698507772106631.post-65040836000850936872010-08-30T20:58:58.204-05:002010-08-30T20:58:58.204-05:00"blogger" here. Appreciate the followup,..."blogger" here. Appreciate the followup, government funding or no.. I too got some laughs and some good info out of all of this as well. This year I still plan to try some seeds for a bunch of things.. if that grant from the State comes in! ;-) And that paper pot maker thingy sure looks cool..Mike E.https://www.blogger.com/profile/17761694555516561602noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9125698507772106631.post-28363484667752322012010-08-30T20:56:32.425-05:002010-08-30T20:56:32.425-05:00Rose, what a riot - kohlrabi! (at least they'...Rose, what a riot - kohlrabi! (at least they're beautiful kohlrabi!) ;-) Thanks for being humble enough to admit it. ha.<br /><br />Thanks for all the hints.<br /><br />I use paint markers for my labels (my permanent labels) and spray them with clear acrylic spray.<br /><br />I'll vote for you as seed researcher any day!! :-)<br /><br /><br />Now - Sept. 1 is my post in honor of Grandparents Day... :-)Shady Gardenerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05007816271406393818noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9125698507772106631.post-73993726316362771112010-08-30T20:14:39.789-05:002010-08-30T20:14:39.789-05:00The legginess of seedlings makes me crazy too! I t...The legginess of seedlings makes me crazy too! I think the best way to avoid that is light, light, light. And you're right about seedlings needing daily attention. I find it's best to go for quality not quantity with seedlings.Ramble on Rosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18407299834073788678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9125698507772106631.post-26206710543616058132010-08-30T19:44:20.613-05:002010-08-30T19:44:20.613-05:00I think you definitely had some sort of garden fai...I think you definitely had some sort of garden fairie running around in your seedlings.<br /><br />As far as labeling why not use plastic knives. Use a grease pencil to write on them. We use grease pencils at work for our labels and they do work pretty good.Susiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06270611634380137009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9125698507772106631.post-11124086535117636182010-08-30T18:07:18.369-05:002010-08-30T18:07:18.369-05:00Funny! But full of info, thanks for sharing the re...Funny! But full of info, thanks for sharing the results.Dawnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00234495965199888943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9125698507772106631.post-71561705921438078022010-08-30T14:21:46.079-05:002010-08-30T14:21:46.079-05:00Hi Rose....am I supposed to be laughing....that is...Hi Rose....am I supposed to be laughing....that is just too funny.<br />Especially like the kohlrabi and Mr idlfjt.<br /><br />I have to agree with Monica on this one....winter planting has worked very well for me. <br /><br />Such a fun post Rose......Cherylhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14802468583972118464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9125698507772106631.post-75787613068809967782010-08-30T13:51:25.585-05:002010-08-30T13:51:25.585-05:00Oh Rose! Too funny! Personally I think a job in qu...Oh Rose! Too funny! Personally I think a job in quality control would be ideal--just as long as it has nothing to do with Kohlrabi or Coneflowers. ;-)<br /><br />When I label plants, I use plastic knives or forks from take-out. I write on the handles with permanent marker. Works pretty good for me.<br /><br />I am quite jealous of your bountiful tomato crop! They are beautiful.Morning Glories in Round Rockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07988634441429032483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9125698507772106631.post-20232859124389830572010-08-30T12:43:46.760-05:002010-08-30T12:43:46.760-05:00Kohlrabi looks like a spaceship--cool! Grrl, give ...Kohlrabi looks like a spaceship--cool! Grrl, give it up and do winter seed sowing! :) That's my solution, anyway. :)Monica the Garden Faeriehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06369882350990949968noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9125698507772106631.post-62991585900822335882010-08-30T12:10:38.161-05:002010-08-30T12:10:38.161-05:00Dear Rose, it is so good to be back and that was s...Dear Rose, it is so good to be back and that was such fun to read! I laughed out loud throughout and when I reached the Kohlrabis...well, I was in stitches :) That really was a wonderful scientific study and I enjoyed it greatly.<br /><br />I just had a peek at some of your previous posts and it was lovely to see the butterflies on your 'Too Many Distractions' post but I have to say that the last photo of the Swallowtail was absolutely stunning!!! Thank you for sharing it with us :)ShySongbirdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08148381873578585910noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9125698507772106631.post-61583038165314958992010-08-30T10:13:04.769-05:002010-08-30T10:13:04.769-05:00Due to so many failures, I have decided to stick w...Due to so many failures, I have decided to stick with my tried and true seeds. Impatiens and purple wave petunias always grow and transplant well. This year I started pineapple sage inside and it has done very well. The hummingbirds love it! <br /><br />For the last two years due to family emergencies, I lost most of the seedlings after nurturing them during the winter. I plan to do it again, but on a much smaller scale.Robin's Nesting Placehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05894844125547373328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9125698507772106631.post-52485850437514508102010-08-30T07:22:11.662-05:002010-08-30T07:22:11.662-05:00Half to three quarters of the battle is getting th...Half to three quarters of the battle is getting the seedlings not to damp off so success there! A few tricks you can use to keep seedlings strong and growing well are these: begin applying a dilute fertilizer once they have germinated and are growing well, use a fan on low blowing across the seedlings to keep them strong and not damp off, use double flourescent lights. For instance, I use two 48" flourescent lights on my seedlings for a total of 4 48" bulbs. I have read where the shorter bulbs just don't get enough of the right light waves for seedlings to do well. I normally will keep mine on from about 7 am to about 10 pm for a total of 15 hours. Lastly, be sure not to start the seeds too early for your area. This is in reality much harder said than done since each seed germinates in its own time and some grow faster than others and are therefore prone to legginess. What I feel is it is better to plant to late than too early. The seedlings can always then be set outside during the day until they are ready-then no need for lights. Just be sure to harden them off by putting them in shade a bit at first. The kolhrabi is very pretty. I've done the same in my garden with some seeds germinating better than others. Sigh. A good label I use is cut up mini blinds. I just lay them across the flat until I remove the cover then stand them up.tinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17415302577518111227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9125698507772106631.post-59771244464892763912010-08-30T05:54:03.495-05:002010-08-30T05:54:03.495-05:00I about cracked up when I read that you gave Becki...I about cracked up when I read that you gave Beckie kolrabi instead of cone flowers. What a surprise when those cone flowers started looking like a monster creeping out of the ground. This post reminds me that I will have to tell the tale of my winter sowing. I didn't have as much success as you did. Someone did mention that I started too late. Hmmm.Lisa at Greenbowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07743973292900758183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9125698507772106631.post-73543160733590344552010-08-30T05:19:27.671-05:002010-08-30T05:19:27.671-05:00Thanks for the followup - I agree a lot of seeds a...Thanks for the followup - I agree a lot of seeds are mislabeled. Every year I seem to have a 10:1 ratio of failure to success, but the investment is so tiny, I keep on trying! Your tomatoes are enviable!Cyndyhttp://gardeningasylum.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.com