I love the striped look! I have 4 oclocks and morning glories going in with the similar striped look. They should compliment some tulips I have with a similar look. I got spring fever the other day and started soaking some 4 oclock seeds for a test grow. I want to see how long they take to germinate and then fill up my starting pots so I can actually correctly time 'planting out' this year. Maybe the 'test' plants will end up in a lucky persons window, since I have months to go before actually 'planting out'. cheers os
I need a semi (mostly shade) flower or shrub idea for my little dogs grave areas. I want to make it look nice back there. Edit to ask how Rose bushes do in a shady area?
18 Great Roses Varieties for Shady Gardens (thespruce.com) Top 12 Flowers for Your Shade Garden (thespruce.com)
I just learned something new about germinating seeds. Some of them prefer to germinate in the ‘not dark’. I have been playing around with some 4 O’clock seeds for a couple weeks. I tried a couple day soak, and then plant. I also tried the paper towel method for germination with no tails. I was watching some you tube vids and kept seeing successful germination in paper towels. The third one I watched the guy said, put the paper towels in light or they won’t germinate. Sure enough I tried that yesterday with some fresh seeds and now I have tails. I’m also playing with morning glories, they germ fast in paper towels in the dark. I have also tried a couple techs for moon flowers but no luck yet. I think I got em too wet. Tying again, maybe tomorrow I will have a tail. Cheers Os
As a little follow up on using the paper towel method for starting seeds in light, instead of dark- four o’clock grew tail fast, one day, planted and popped above soil in 3 days. I still haven’t had great luck with moon flowers yet. Tried same process, get seeds to crack but no tail. Going to use the light one more time and try a single paper towel on top, and try a little dryer towel under. I also am going to rinse them first. Thank goodness I started experimenting super early so I can get this figured out. I have very big plans. Cheers Os
I figured out Moonflower germination. They do need light just like Morning glories and 4 o’clock, but are even fussier. First if the seeds hav a brown husk, I recommend carefully putting a nick in the husk and removing a tiny bit of husk material. You want to see a tiny patch of tan, which is the actual seed. The seed looks just like a peanut in shape and color. Next, soak 24 hours. Finally, go to the paper towel method. The key is to use a single layer of paper towel on top of the seed, and put it under good light. I did one seed nicked, that grew a tail in a day, un nicked took two days. I ran many test pairs, and I can’t believe the difference between covering with a single layer paper towel, compared to 3 or 4 layers. I now feel I have the skills to start a gaggle of vines. Hopefully my climate is warm enough. Cheers Os
I agree, I have another clump of Crocus I cannot remember what the color was. Getting old and forgetting is great. Everything is new..
Happy Easter everyone! Here's a picture of the other clump of Crocus. Also some Snowdrops. I have found 2 other clumps of Crocus I don't even remember planting, more surprises..
Those are awesome! I love the crocus! Those snow drops are pretty and interesting. I like the downward facing flowers. Do they last a long time? I have a different kind of snow drops happening today. Looking like another foot. (Damnit) cheers os
Snow drops are very hardy. I actually dug these up from a old farmhouse that had burned down about 25 years ago. I have the early variety that comes up before the Crocus and last a few weeks longer than the Crocus do. Flower time depends on location of plant. Mine are in a north facing garden, no southern exposure.3-4 weeks flower time for my micro-climate in zone 5b.
I started my spring ornamental shenanigans. Last night I potted up 4 varieties of Lily Tree bulbs, 2 of each kind. Lily trees by Organic sinse posted Apr 12, 2021 at 5:24 PM I put these out on my porch for two weeks of cold rooting. These are in 2 gal nursery pots and will remain in pots on my deck. I will also direct plant, one more bulb of each of these in a flower bed as soon as a couple more feet of snow disappears. Hoping to have some early blooms using containers. I have a couple more Lily tree aka Orienpet Lily strains coming in the mail. BTW- thanks to all who recommended Breck’s for bulbs. They don’t ship up here, but I got my Sis to forward them up from America. I got her a pack of Lily Tree bulbs for being my go between. Cheers Os