Thank you to the readers who sent feedback about what they’d like to see on the blog this season! “Eye candy” got the most votes, so here’s some 😍Spring color: Siberian Squill; Narcissus “Rip van Winkle”; Muscari (grape hyacinth). Sorry for the blurry resolution.
April brought a roller coaster of temperatures and all the types of precipitation, including grauple. (Just learned that word. Where has it been all my life?? Much more succinct than, “Those little ice pellets that hurt your face.”)
The Super Sow Sunday mini-greenhouses got a bit dry during a week of 80-degree F temps, but all did ok with some extra water provided by me. Now Nature’s providing lots of rain. Soil in some bottles has algal growth, but I’m not worrying it. Warmer temps and sunshine ahead! Later this week, I will take the tops off the bottles to acclimate the seedlings to wind and full light.
Let’s Peek Inside!
L to R: Old Viola seeds were a crapshoot, but yay! They’ve germinated. Dianthus (Sweet William) germinated quite early. Word is they are more robust when started outside. Asclepias (Butterflyweed) was the bottle I was most hopeful about. Planning for a few of these to go in the main pollinators’ bed.
L to R: Matricaria chamomilla (German Chamomile) is the most sprouty of all! Red Russian Kale is the tallest of all! Need to plant those properly in the garden soon. Papaver somniferous (breadseed poppy) were experimental with free seeds. They resent being transplanted, so I will wait a few weeks for them to bulk up before trying to lift them out with the soil.
And are there some fails? Yep. Nigella and Orlaya both had few seeds germinate. Not sure if the Calendula will pop-up when the air warms up. Zero signs of life in the bottle of Baptisia. And the 4 o’clocks won’t even try to germinate until they feel some heat. So, those bottles will stay put a couple more weeks.
How about your cold-weather sowing? What has sprouted? Hope you’ll share with us 🙂
You have some fun plants coming along! Yes, crazy spring here in the Madison area! April is usually a rollercoaster ride, but not usually winter to summer to winter, repeat, repeat. The weather in the forecast for early May looks perfect, though. Are you going to the Pennsylvania Fling?