Saturday, March 19, 2011

Boston Flower Show (without a camera) drives flower frenzy

I have a lot of flower seeds that I've been holding off on sowing because it will be a while before they can go outside and I'm not sure I will have the indoor space.  Well one trip to the Boston Flower Show and patience be damned.  I decided to sow most of my flowers after being hit by the spring bug of a beautiful day 3/17 and an amazing Flower Show.

I did not remember my camera so I have no pics to share but the Flower Show was divine.  I did bring home some daffodils, an orchid bloom, and a gardenia.



Then I set to work reviewing my flower seed list.  I knew I wanted to group them according to days to germination so I didn't have half a flat needing light and no lid and the other still needing the humidity dome and heat. I had two 72 cell flats which were not plant based plastic (which I use for my organic veggies) and limited space so all the flowers needed to fit in those two flats.  So I pulled out my seed packets and started to review the days to germination and was stumped by the next level of directions (scarification, soaking, stratification).  Excuse me?  So one step at a time, I organized by "days to germination" and then went to the internet.

Cosmos: Cosmic Orange (7-10d) and Bright Lights Mix (7-10d)
Amber Jewels (7-10d)
Minalobata: Spanish Flag (10-15d)
Nasturtiums:  Empress of India (10-14d), Gleam Mix (4-14d), and for eating Organic Fiesta MixViola:
Thunbergia: Spanish Eyes Mix (7-21d)
Cypress Vine: Red (7-21d)
Pansy: Swiss Giant Blend (10-20d)
Coreopsis: Mardi Gras (15-20d)
Morning Glory: Picotee Blue (10-15d), Heavenly Blue (7-21d), Flying Saucers  (7-21d)


I had to learn new skills in a hurry.  Some of the seeds required notching (scarification) and soaking overnight.  Some required stratification (period of moist cold followed by warmth).  The scarification I was able to do with a nail clipper being careful to avoid the ends of the seed.  The soaking overnight messed with my original plan to sow everything today.  So everything that could be direct seeded ended up in a Burpees self watering greenhouse flat with peat pellets.  The flowers requiring scarification and soaking overnight (nasturtiums, cypress vine, thunbergia, morning glories) were planted the next day in MG seedstarting mix and a flat with a humidity dome.  I notched and soaked all the seeds thinking some wouldn't swell and I could just sow the promising seeds.  I was surprised to see many seeds the next day with emerging roots (or seedlings? I have no idea which end is up).  I planted the seed "green thing emerging" side down.  I hope that was right. 
I had filled the flat with seedstarting mix the day prior and had water in the base tray.  Unfortunately, the mix was soaked by the next day.  I drained out the bottom tray and seeded anyway because I wasn't sure if I could leave the seeds soaking an additional day.  I'm elevating the humidity dome so the soil can dry out.  Perhaps the extra moisture will simulate nature with the snow melt we've had here with pure mud?  One can hope...

The pansy and viola seeds required stratification.  This means that either I sow the seeds in soil and then put them in the fridge for 5 days or place the seeds on a damp paper towel in a plastic baggy and after 5 days sow the seeds into seedstarting mix.  I'm not quite comfortable with the idea of soil in my fridge so baggy method it is.  I should be able to plant these on the 23rd.



Finally, there were seeds left over that had been soaked overnight but hadn't swelled. I didn't want to toss them so I planted them in seedstarting mix in a Burpee tray which is meant to be used with the coir pellets.  Unfortunately that means no drainage from below.  I also used a produce container with holes to seed the rest of the morning glories in seedstarting mix.  Both are covered with humidity domes with ventilation if the soil is looking too wet.  It's all an experiment.


That will be all for flowers.  I do have organic edible nasturtiums and crysanthemum which I will plant organically later and sunflowers and scarlet runner bean vine that I will likely direct sow.  I have limited lights and space so I have to be careful to not overreach with the seeds.  I did apply mylar (an emergency shock blanket from a first aid kit) and aluminum foil to try to maximize my light sources.  Not a pretty look for the bedroom...

Fortunately, at the flower show I did manage to buy the display cold frame with an automatic temperature set ventilation opener made out of eastern white cedar and double paned polycarbonate top and side for less than it would have cost me to make it.  I pick it up after the show is over and then will have to figure out whether the temps inside are high enough to think about hardening off my brassicas now.  I am excited about the cold frame because I had no idea where I was going to find space and lights for my lettuce, mache, endive, spinach, and snap peas which need to be started ASAP.  If the temps are high enough than I can germinate in the cold frames and use my lights for the warm loving peppers and tomatoes.

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