Erica, I have my property wired with an electric dog fence. They were all trained when they were puppies to avoid the red flags. It took about a day or two and they learned where they can and can't go. When a new garden is added, I stick the red flags in the ground and they think they are wired....haha

So, it's 4am here in MA. which means it's 1am in CA. night owl?

Lisa - Wow. That's great that they see the flags and know not to go there.

And yep, it's 1 here... Which isn't nearly as late as 4! What in the world are you still doing up?

I go to bed around 11 and I wake up at about between 2 and 3am everyday! I have never required a lot of sleep but when I have things on my mind sleeping is almost impossible.

best therapy is Gardening but i would say our Pets R trully the 1st best
@ishareflowers I want remy been looking for one like her .

Ok I Know I should not be going through all these new seed catalogs but whats a gal to do with all these "BUT TO DREAM "

Q : I Have a plant swap 1 st of June & Well I Have 3 water can planters that I want to grow seeds in for the swap as gifts for the drawings i hold, anyway
would like a few ideas as what is the easest planter type seeds to grow.
& when should i plant ? So that there can be blooms .

well off to drool over more seeds & enjoy coffee .

Here are the planters I want to make up they are about 15" deepx12" across at top . so they are fairly big .

Those are cute, Susie. 12" is a good size. Something with a slightly cascading habit would be nice, like trailing snaps or something similar. Or something more upright along with some silver Dichondra trailing over the sides; lots of possibilities!

I just realized what I won't be growing come spring. I left my Plumerias outside. Too bad there is no emoji for kicking your own hindquarters, because that is my emotion right now.

SO SORRY ALANA & for the tips i will be sure to check them out i'm never seen or planted them (silver Dichondra ) before I will go see where I can get the seed .
ty

Here is what I WS so far and have plans for more:

Romaine, Lettuce, Broccoli, Spinach, Pak Choy, Sorrel, Mache, Orach, Arugula, Mustard, Collards, Leek, Kohlrabi, Celery, Celeriac, Onion, Pea, Basil, Pepper, Tomato, and Tomatillo

I would have more planted but Starbucks keeps telling me they'll save jugs....I go to pick them up and they don't have any Once I receive my seed swap seeds I will be planting those. So much to plant so little time and space!

I was going to get a community garden plot but I'm applying for a manager position and if I get it I won't have time to take care of it so I will pass this year on getting it. Maybe my friend will get the property she wanted and I can borrow some of her space

I was going to do my w/s this weekend but now with the snowstorm I have nowhere to put the jugs When I asked mu husband to shovel out a path and clean off the picnic table and my workbench I got a not so funny look This was after he had snow blown for hours, shoveled a path to the chicken coop and shoveled out the run, twice. I guess I was pushing my luck

Hi all! Before the snow, I got some seeds out for WS. I have a variety of coneflower seeds outside. Many I got from Heidi Revelo. I also put out Ironweed and Verbena... Oh I wish I had put out those daisy seeds and I need to get my Cup-plant seeds stratifying. Now I think of it! I can't keep up with it all. I have a variety of Rudbeckia's and herbs under the grow lights, hoping for them to germinate. along with a bunch of Rosemary seeds, sitting in vermiculite. This year I'd love to grow a bunch of Basil to make and freeze pesto. So far my gardening goals are simple. Pretty flowers and herbs.

Hope y'all are staying warm!

This is my list I already winter sowed:
Acaena microphylla
Achillea ageratifolia
Adonis brevistyla
Allium sikkimense
Androsace bulleyana
Androsace carnea
Androsace villosa
Aquilegia glandulosa
Aquilegia glandulosa
Artemisia lactiflora
Asarina antirrhiniflora coccinea
Asyneuma limonifolium
Barbarea rupicola
Besseya wyomingensis
Calceolaria fothergillii
Campanula lactiflora
Campanula saxifraga
Chamaecrista fasciculatea
Chamerion latifolium
Cheiranthus allionii
Corydalis magadanica
Corydalis s. alba
Corydalis solida
Corydalis sp. ex CC3862
Corydalis sp. ex Xian 25cm mauve
Cyclamen cilicium
Cyclamen coum
Cyclamen hederifolium
Cyclamen purpurascens
Cymbelaria pallida
Cynara cardunculus f. scolymus 'Tavor'
Cynara scolimus
Delphinium alpestre
Delphinium cashmerianum
Dianthus 'Elizabethan'
Dodecatheon amethystinum
Dodecatheon frigidum
Dodecatheon hendersonii
Dodecatheon m. album
Dodecatheon meadia
Dodecatheon salinum
Echolzia californica 'Purple Gleam
Eryngium maritimum
Euphorbia marginata
Euphorbia myrsinites
Francoa appendiculata
Gentiana crinata
Glaucidium p. leucanthum
Glaucidium palmatum
Glaucidium palmatum
Glaucidium palmatum album
Glaucium corniculatum
Glaucium flavum aurantiacum
Haberlea rhodopensis
Helleborus abschasicus
Helleborus odorus
Impatiens arguta
Iris bloudowii
Iris suaveolens
Jeffersonia d. alba
Jeffersonia dubia
Kolkwitzia amabilis
Lathyrus latifolius 'Pink Pearl'
Lilium lophophorum
Limonium gmelinii
Linaria aeruginea
Lysichiton americanus
Meconopsis b. ex Doshong La
Meconopsis integrifolia
Meconopsis punicea
Mentzelia decapetala
Narcissus triandrus pallidulus
Nemesia strumoa suttonii
Oenothera fruticosa
Oxytropis campestris
Oxytropis sericea
Penstemon albidus white
Phacelia sericea
Phacelia viscida
Physoplexis comosa
Polemonium viscosum
Primula limbata
Primula maximowiczii
Rhododendron campylogynum Myrtilloides Group
Saussurea hieracioides
Saxifraga aizoides
Saxifraga f. grisebachii
Schizostylis coccinea
Soldanella carpatica

Jonna you are a busy girl. Happy gardening.

That's a beautiful list Jonna! I will be excited to hear how the Calceolaria fothergillii does. I'm trying a new one for me this year, Calceolaria paralia. I have not done anything with it yet but I will this weekend.

Well, usually half of the seed will germinate and after that I find out that only half of it turns out to be the plant the seed packet promised.
For some people it's very hard to find out how to send viable seeds.
I was a beginner once, so I can understand that.
Maybe newbies can learn a bit from this video's my son in law made.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?...
These video's were made while I was having chemo therapy, I look completely different now
For me it was a thing to look forward to the future. It helped me to undergo the treatments.
I hope it will help starters to learn more about gathering and cleaning seeds.

Great video.

Jonna wonderful videos! I learned a lot! Looks like I need to go shopping for supplies!! Did you bag the blooms before they bloomed to prevent cross pollination? Just trying to figure out seed saving

@Littlecheryl
No, I didn't bag the blooms before they bloomed. I have a natural garden, so some cross polination may occur, but since I hardly grow cultivars, over 90% of my plants give true seeds. Really natural plants often do not cross polinate. Some Primula's in my garden might cross polinate, but most people don't mind that because it gives beautifull crosses.
And usually I don't grow plants that will easily cross.
Like the rare Petunia exserta: you will have to grow that specie without growing Petunia axillaris, otherwise you won't get true seeds.
If you have any further questions, just let me know.

Jonna

Thanks Jonna!! As I think of more I will let you know! I'm sure I will think of more I tend to ask too many questions and drive my husband, father-in-law and friends nuts!!! I've been that way since I was little. Drove my family nuts! But that's how I learn....I have to know the whole process and not just part of it. I love to read books but I had to stop reading. I will stay up until I finish the book! My husband has told me to stay home from work because I stayed up until 3 am at times I can't stand to wait for the end, too many questions.

Oh silly me....forgot to share what I planted yesterday

Walking Onion x3
Gladstone Onion x6
Evergreen Bunching Onion (a few)
Spicebush x4
Cauliflower, Snowball Y x1
Cauliflower, Sicilian Violet x 2
Purple Passon Asparagus x 8
Dwarf Snapdragon Frosted Sunset x4
Spinach Bloomsdale x2
Nasturtium Tom Thumb Black Velvet x6
Nasturtium Jewel Mix x6 (save seed from 2015 )
Hollyhock Apricot x6
Carnation Dwarf Fragrance Mix x6
Snapdragon Twinny Yellow Shades x 6
Coneflower White Swan x6
Coneflower Purple Echinacea x6
Swamp Milkweed x 6

So last year I just had the one Nasturtium, this year I will have three maybe four. To make sure I understand... to keep my Black Velvet pure I will have to bag the blossoms before they bloom and hand pollinate? Correct? I will also let some cross pollinate because I like surprises!

Littlecheryl, what stage are your Spicebushes? I have 3 that I believe are alive. We'll see this spring! I also keep trying to germinate seeds. I'd love to get as many Spicebushes as I can. Also, have you grown Nasturtium before? Last year was my first time growing it and I think it was TOO happy, it tried to take over the garden!!