JungleShadows said:Lynn,

I always planted my seed in MA that way but we didn't have the weed pressures that we have here. Moss and winter weeds are deadly to new semp seedlings. That's why I always use sterile planting mix and plant in seedling beds that have new soil in them, and with potting soil on the top 1/2". That way the seedlings will grow at least to a sizer that they can fend for themselves a little better, The potting soil in the pots tends to crust over a little bit and you can usual lift pieces of the crust when transplanting into the seedling beds. That disturbs the roots less than transferring naked seedlings.

Anyway, my two cents!

Hmm, maybe yo need to do a Cafe' series if these work out! Maybe 'Cafe' du Monde' or something silly like "Starbucks".

Kevin

Good advice -- thanks Kevin. It's always good to have a run-through of what's possible no matter how many times we've done things... Why is it that I knew everything at age 17 and yet I'm still learning at my advanced age???

Anything warm sounds like an excellent idea right now -- hot coffee, hot tea, hot cocoa.... Thank God I'm back in my office with my computer to myself again and a microwave across the hall to keep things warm! No seeds sprouting yet but the hope is there! 23 degrees today -- a real heatwave!

It is good to be back! MR

MR,

I thought I had learnt about gardening after years in MA and MS but OR is a whole new game. Here the winter weeds are awful and weeds must be pulled not just hoed. In MS, a hoed weed would die of dessication. Here they just re-root!

MOSS is a new pest out here too. The seed pots are especially prone and i just ended up peeling moss off all of the daffodil seedling pots despite putting aquarium gravel over the top of the pot.

Anyway, I've been breeding for 51 years and i'm still learning there!

Kevin

Kevin, you may want to put some lime stone chips over your beds, just a sprinkling. I don't think it changes the pH level and helps with the moss. i have seen a big change in my north hellebore bed over the few years doing this. Also mixed some in with the chick grit to keep the moss out of the semp containers. Your thoughts?

Julia.

Yes the lime will slow the moss but it will also kill my acid lovers! Moss here even grows on concrete! My hellebores would like more lime but my Pacific Coast Native irises will hate it. They're right next door to each other!

I find that the sterile potting mix stays moss and weed-free long enough for the seedlings to germinate and grow big enough to transplant.

Kevin

What about the semps?

Julia,

I find the semps are all fine with acid pH even calcareum, that grows on limestone. My beds are lined with concrete pavers and I'm sure there is a bit of lime wash from them. The bearded iris get lime so the semps in those beds get it too.

So many of my plants are LIME HATERS that I more worry about killing/ stunting them. The bearded iris I grow in raised beds in almost monoculture.

Am so excited that Lynn and Cynda are coming for a visit on Monday!

Kevin

And I am excited about seeing all your wonderful plants Kevin, and seeing Cynda.

Paddy said: Do you guys add any sand to the potting mix or would it not be sterile and affect germination ?

I microwave the sand, let cool and then add the seeds to it so that dispersing the seeds/sand onto the soil mixture is easier.

My seedlings are beginning to color up. These are 2012 seedlings.



This one is very tiny.


heuffelii


S. globiferum


This one just wants to do weird colorations


heuffelii

Wonderful, Lynn... that tiny one is very special!

Thank you Julia.
It is much redder than the photo shows. I need to try another photo when the sun is not so bright.

Love the seedlings Lynn. The tiny one is very fuzzy, lovely.

Nice Work. Were they Open pollinated or did you do it?

These were all open pollinated.
The ones from last year are still really tiny, all are from h. 'Musketeer', except the three seedling from the Oddity x seeds.

Lynn - I love that little roller too!

They're very nice Lynn!

We started digging out some window wells -- I want to see what has survived, but it will be a bit before we can tell that! Still, spring is in the air, even here. It's been above freezing for 2 days! We have a lot of snowmelt ahead of us -- hopefully without too much flooding -- and that's where I want to keep the pots from getting waterlogged! We all have our different problems for sure! MR

MR, how wonderful that your weather is warming up. It won't be long before we can see your window well babies.

Ummm... To keep a thread of reality here: This morning the temperature was 1.9 (above zero) and is now up to 19.5. Allegedly it will be up into the lower 40's upper 30's for awhile over the next 10 days, with nights down into the 'teens. If that happens it will be progress... The roofs are nearly clear of snow but we aren't seeing any ground yet.

However, indoors, my first seedling with a sign of true leaves appeared this morning! (yes, I inspect everyone with the jeweler's loupe at least once a day when we get to this point -- no, I'm not an addict)

It is always exciting to see the babies coming up out of the soil.