Last night I sowed 136 2-liter containers.
This morning, I started at 7am sowing the 224 quart pansy containers. Eight containers of 28 varieties are now in the hoophouse.
I also sowed 120 9-ounce cups of Rudbeckia hirta, from the yellow flowers I collected. I'm doing this to test something. I put a pinch of seeds in each cup. I'm hoping to be able to divide these cups into two or three containers once they've germinated. There just might be a plant sale in my future.
I also moved 30 small fig cuttings into the coldframe. These were tip cuttings I thought were too small for sand box storage container currently residing under the kitchen porch. The rooted gardenias also went into the hoophouse. It's supposed to be extremely, unseasonably cold for the next 2 weeks as a historic cold snap is coming down from Canada affecting most of the South. I don't want to lose these cuttings.
With everything closed up tight for the next few weeks while seeds start to germinate, I'll keep a close eye on the temperature. I'm thinking I will need to cut a few vent holes in the sides of the hoophouse to keep the temperatures from swinging so wildly on sunny days. Last year, I didn't monitor the actual temperature and everything worked out just fine, so maybe I'm worried about nothing.
All done for the morning, I need to clean the basement, but I have to work from 11-8 today. Maybe I'll save that for tomorrow morning.
It's currently 27 degrees, clear and sunny. The hoophouse is at 35 degrees and rising. As I said, Game ON!
20 comments:
Are you zoned commercial?
LOL. Not yet Jim. I'm not exactly sure how to go about selling plants, to be honest. First, there's the issue of my job and possible repercussions from that. Second, I'll probably have a yard sale in the spring with a few things from the basement I want to get rid of and some odds and ends from my sister and mom, old clothes etc. I think having a yard/plant sale might be the ticket. Of course I would only be selling things I've raised from seed or nonpatented cuttings like the brugs and pineapple sage. I can't sell anything that came from the store, if I used my employee discount. That I know.
Worst case, I have to dig a lot of holes this spring in my own yard. At least it will be pretty.
Worse Case....jail and a hefty fine! lol
I feel quite confident that a yard/plant sale would be the way to go!! You don't want to become the grounds keeper at the local jailhouse in those horrid stripes now do you?
If you get a minute please drop by and tell me what you know about coffee grounds and/or egg shells in the garden...
Tom you have been one busy guy. I sell some of the plants I start from mine. I found the best way is to put flyers at the stores and also use the free ads online and in the newspaper we have free ones there too. I get quite a few calls doing it this way. Good luck - you sure have done a lot of them!
Tom in stripes? I can't imagine! Stripes are never "horrid" frightening possibly if you have Coulrophobia which is the abnormal or exaggerated fear of clowns which we have a few of at our house!
Hi Tom can you ship some of your plants--I'm interested.
Sue
Wow, that's a serious amount of plants!!!
And here I was thinking my 20 or so pots of seedlings I had last year was a little on the crazy side... ha ha.
Obviously for sale it's a totally different situation, good luck with all your seedlings and cuttings, I hope they survive!
Happy New Year, Tom! I'm still giggling from your post and the comments. I still wish I had half of your energy!
I like to get plants from yard sales. There are some who have them every spring in our town. Also, there are some who sell just plants every spring. I don't know if they have special permits.
I don't like it when I see a tag saying it's illegal to propagate a plant. Come on, much of gardening is propagating! I usually put those back, but some I have gotten because I liked the plant so much.
I hope all your seeds sprout!
Thanks for the comment on my blog about coffee grounds and egg shells. Do you have to have a bin to compost or can you do it directly on the ground? I have so much to learn.....
I'll get back to the rest of you soon, but Darla, I have a compost bin out back made of pallets. You can almost see it here. http://i367.photobucket.com/albums/oo116/mthomasg316/garden%202009/September/DSC08448.jpg
It's just three pallets screwed together with deck screws. I use a fourth pallet to hold everything in place. I toss all my pulled annuals, veggies, etc in there. I add some nitrogen fertilizer to kick it into high gear each spring. I don't compost my grass clippings. They get mulched into the lawn. My leaves get composted in place in my flower beds.
Thanks to all who have visited and commented today. I'm really having a blast knowing what some of you are thinking about my energy levels. I'm looking at you, Barb!
Thanks Tom...I've been doing some reading and believe between what I have read and the information from you wonderful bloggers I will have a New Years Compost pile. YIPPEE!!
I just read on another blog yesterday about a guy who plants Japanese Maple seeds. Have you done anything like that? I know a guy with trees that are good for our cold area, but I bet I am too late to collect seeds. Plants yard sales are a lot of fun and I think you should do well. I can't keep up with your energy level even though I am known to run on nerves. Keep up the hard work but go get yourself a cup of coffee once in a while. I hope you don't get too cold. -17 degrees this am. we are dieing.
Jim, I do look fantastic in stripes. As long as they're vertical.
Darla, I'm toying with the idea of a plant sale. I might just use this year to really stuff my gardens and take it easy next year. Right? LOL
RainGardener, I'm trying to find out what the laws are on yard sales here. I had one last summer with lots of people dropping by, well before the gardens got going. It'll be interesting.
FunHouse, don't you go scaring these nice people. And thanks again for the new header.
Sue, contact me in the spring. I'm bound to have extras. I've shipped brugs and other items all over the country.
Liz, the only downside is once they start sprouting, I'll want to see them all bloom. I haven't even done the annuals yet. I see a lot of direct sowing in my future.
CGSue, I do believe that it's responsible to pay for plants that have been propagated. Someone spent a lot of time and energy on those patents. But, I still think the common, species sometimes perform better than those other plants. I did purchase a few things, and they are never propagated for sale.
Larry, it's down to 28 now after a high in the low 30s. Tonight is going to be terrible. We're just not used to this weather. The heater is cranking up again after being at work all day.
Thanks all. I've really enjoyed the comments the past couple of days. I'll be taking it easy for the next few.
Tom - has it occurred to you that you might be suffering from Obsessive-compulsive Disorder? LOL. That is a serious amount of very organised propogating - you've not explained what happened to the over 700 you did LAST year... Jack
Jack, I'm not suffering at all. :)
Check out my thread from December.
http://seventhstreetcottage.blogspot.com/2009/12/wintersowing-cottage-garden.html
Btw, I love your blog. A lot of us have found it and visit it even if we don't post. You've got some amazing gardens.
Tom, I am impressed both at your energy level and your organizational skills!
It will be very interesting to see how you finally dispose/use/sell all these wonderful plants.
Keep us posted about the rules and regulations regarding it.
How did you attach those white hoops to the 2 x 4s (??) around your hoop house? Are they flexible or did you buy them in that shape. I'm hoping I get up enough nerve-energy-confidence to build a tiny version of your hoop house.
Bitter cold and scary windy here in DC on Jan 3. Hope none of the big trees behind my house stay rooted to the ground.
Wowie zowie that's a lot of plants! :) I think I sowed about 40 containers last year, and I'm going to scale it back this year to 20 or so. I love watching you flowers grow though, amazing!
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