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Post by cheerypeabrain on Feb 12, 2011 16:15:17 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Feb 12, 2011 23:08:18 GMT
I missed out on our prime planting seed time because I was out of town and I am very depressed about it. I would normally have hollyhocks,digitalis,sweet peas and numerous lovelies going on right now. I've direct seeded a gazillion nasturtiums as it isn't too late for them here. I've grown the verbena bonariensis and adore it!!! I have several corms of colocasia that a friend sent from the Atlanta Botanical Gardens, (I posted pics of them in the TROPICANA thread on here). I believe they originated from Plant Delights Nursery,the one you have linked to the colocasia you planted Cheery. A fabulous nursery,real good people to do business with. I've used them quite a bit over the years. Always eager to please. I have several volunteers of a lovely candelabra like larkspur coming up all about some areas. A real old fashioned favorite. That's about it for me right now,other than a continuous planting/staggering of arugula/roquette,dill and parsley,cilantro,borage and some heirloom tomatoes. I'll be starting up some sweet basil very soon and some tagetes...hmmmmm...all I can think of right now.
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Feb 18, 2011 17:30:09 GMT
The sowing frenzy will be taking off apace soon...atm I have a temporary lull where I buy vast quantities of seeds and fantasise about growing stuff...Today I bought some sweet pea seeds, sugar snap pea, brussels sprouts and zinnia seed....oOoOOoOoooo excited....
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Post by Deleted on Feb 26, 2011 19:22:29 GMT
I want to grow something, but I have nowhere to grow it, except for a tiny pot on my windowsill. It is really frustrating.
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Feb 28, 2011 18:45:34 GMT
If you want to grow edibles you could try salad leaves K2...or some herbs (as long as it's sunny) Greek basil grows into a sweet little mound, thyme, oregano and rosemary would all be OK on a window sill...and with the salad leaves you just snip off a few as you want them and they grow more. OR one of the little cherry tomato varieties, or a chili.... Ginger mint Oregano Dingle Fairie Herbs in pots...I cut my thymes into little mounds...soooo fragrant. Also easy from seed Flowers tho...how's about a few French Marigolds? they are easy from seed and would look nice on a windowsill...just keep dead heading them and they'll keep flowering all summer. there are lots of varieties
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Feb 28, 2011 18:47:10 GMT
The weather is dismal atm...dark and drizzling. BUT my ricinus have all germinated and all is well...
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Post by bixaorellana on Mar 1, 2011 4:02:19 GMT
Gorgeous pictures and brilliant, unexpected combinations -- really inspiring, Cheery.
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Mar 1, 2011 15:19:54 GMT
Kerouac2...there is a pea that you can grow from seed that's called 'half pint' I had some a few years ago for the children...we grew them in 6" pots on the kitchen windowsill. By sowing successively we had quite a few pods...dunno where you'd get them tho... www.veggrower.co.uk/showdetails.asp?id=278
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Mar 1, 2011 18:53:02 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Mar 1, 2011 19:20:00 GMT
Maybe I'm weird, but I have always been excited by germination.
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Mar 1, 2011 20:51:54 GMT
You ent on your own there K2...I will never cease to be amazed by the amazing way a tiny, dust like seed can develope into a plant. Sowing huge seeds like Ricuinus or beans it's possible to see the process quite clearly...astonishing. I've had the seeds for at least 12 months...small, hard and dessicated...and now they're bursting into life...sigh...
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Mar 2, 2011 18:08:39 GMT
I've been sowing seed again....delphinium (chinensis blue butterfly), looooaaads of nasturtiums, nicotianas (perfume purple and perfume mixed), heliotrope, and a chili pepper 'padron'....I also potted on a cobaea scandens seedling...I did enjoy myself....
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Post by bixaorellana on Mar 2, 2011 18:27:40 GMT
Oh, you are going to have such a glorious garden! Add me to the people who are perpetually thrilled by the fact that little hard objects turn into ever-changing living things. Really, it's a miracle.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 2, 2011 18:55:20 GMT
I am on the verge of soaking some my dry cooking beans for 24 hours and sticking them in some dirt instead.
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Post by bixaorellana on Mar 2, 2011 23:55:06 GMT
You'll have pretty vines, maybe some red flowers, and possibly even a crop.
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Mar 3, 2011 20:19:14 GMT
I am on the verge of soaking some my dry cooking beans for 24 hours and sticking them in some dirt instead. ...go for it tiger.....
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Mar 6, 2011 16:34:56 GMT
intensive care.....
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Post by bixaorellana on Mar 6, 2011 16:48:31 GMT
Castor beans in the foreground?
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Post by Deleted on Mar 6, 2011 18:17:22 GMT
And I still have some dill seeds left over from last year to ruin again on my windowsill. It's probably still too early to plant them, though.
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Post by bixaorellana on Mar 6, 2011 18:29:33 GMT
If there is enough sun coming through the window, you can go ahead & start the seeds, then put the plants on the outer sill when the weather warms.
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Mar 6, 2011 19:29:23 GMT
Castor beans in the foreground? Yep... ;D
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Post by tod2 on Mar 7, 2011 8:13:36 GMT
Cheery - When Bixa recognized 'Castor Beans' , they are some variety I have never heard of and of course must be edible otherwise you wouldn't be growing them. The only CASTOR seed I know is the one we germinated in biology and the weed plant it grows into and is such a curse, besides being deadly poisonous.
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Mar 7, 2011 13:09:01 GMT
Cheery - When Bixa recognized 'Castor Beans' , they are some variety I have never heard of and of course must be edible otherwise you wouldn't be growing them. The only CASTOR seed I know is the one we germinated in biology and the weed plant it grows into and is such a curse, besides being deadly poisonous. That's it Tod...I grow it purely for the foliage and always remove the flowers before they set seed....in the UK they aren't hardy and don't spread, especially if you keep them in a pot and they look glorious next to helianthus, verbena bonariensis and cannas. They don't survive our winter...and I would never leave them in the ground. Impala
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Post by tod2 on Mar 7, 2011 13:56:31 GMT
Oops! I would never in a million years guessed one could use it for decorative purposes! Seeing we have so much of it everywhere I will check whether the leaves are poisonous ( besides the seeds) before using it - with two baby grandsons one can't be too careful. Your photos show how really pretty it is - thanks Cheery!
Can I ask you about your potatoes - Do you cut them up with an 'eye' on each piece then plant them, or, put one whole big potatoe in the ground?
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Post by bixaorellana on Mar 7, 2011 17:49:47 GMT
My 2 cents re: castor bean plant ~~ they are weeds here and completely despised, which is a shame. They are exceptionally beautiful plants, both in form and color. They are excellent for adding height and a tropical touch where needed. As Cheery points out, the smart thing is to keep them from setting seed. The leaves are indeed poisonous, but so are many other garden plants we take for granted: aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/lawn_garden/poison/poison.html
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Mar 7, 2011 20:56:11 GMT
I wouldn't give the plants to people with children or animals likely to nibble them...my DiL would love some in her garden but keeps chickens so they can't have them.
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Mar 11, 2011 14:22:00 GMT
Going lots of pricking out today...and have sown my leeks, brussels sprouts and the first lot of sugar snap peas in the greenhouse. Have also sown tomatoes, peppers and chilis...and plan to sow my cucumbers today too.... ;D
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Post by bixaorellana on Mar 11, 2011 17:25:35 GMT
Any how many of the pricked-out plants are you going to try to save? ;D
I'll take all you've got! ;D
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Mar 15, 2011 19:56:40 GMT
sigh....
I am being quite pragmatic with my pricking out...I've got about 30 gazanias in 2 trays (eek), 15 nasturtiums (cobra, apricot double and mahogany gleam), 5 cerinthe, 6 ricinus impala, 4 ricinus NZ purple, 15 nicotianas (various), 6 astrantia, 3 coboea scandens (cathedral bells purple), 8 coleus red dragon, 8 stocks, 5 cosmos (sonata), 9 cleome (red cherry), 5 busy lizzies, 9 verbena bonariensis, 4 veronica blue bouquet, lots of sweet peas. There are still more to prick out too...delphiniums, tagetes, marigolds, lisanthus, heliotrope....
I have sown more seeds...more marigolds, tagetes, kiregeshoma, more cosmos (Ladybird Scarlet), cineraria silver dust, lobelia....
In the GH all the brussels sprout seeds have germinated, as have the pepper, chilli, leek, pea and tomato seeds...I still have the more stuff to sow in a few weeks time; celosia, morning glories and mina lobata flowers, cucumbers, carrots, more beetroot, lettuce, courgettes.....I could go on...and I'm going to a garden centre tomorrow!
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Post by bixaorellana on Mar 15, 2011 22:25:01 GMT
After the gazania, are those amounts individual plants, or flats?
You are so good and your garden is going to be magnificent.
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