Seedy

I *finally* got around to starting seedlings. Or at least doing what needed to be done to get them started.

Something new to me is starting wild strawberry and wild petunia from seed. The seeds need to be pre-treated by stratification. The gardener mixes the seeds with damp sand to help break through the seeds' dormancy mechanism and allow germination. The mixture sits in the refrigerator for a given amount of time, 60 days for these varieties, at which time the seeds have hopefully sprouted and may be planted directly into the garden. Fingers crossed!

The other seeds that needed starting were zinnias and amaranth. This process is more "normal" - fill little pots with potting soil (I chose to top the potting soil with vermiculum), moisten the medium, then plant the seeds. Ordinarily, I would place the pots on a warming pad, but this year I have too many for that. The flats are in a room that is fairly warm and protected from Beau the Feline Destroyer.

Each packet of zinnia seeds contained 40 seeds, although they are so small I was skeptical. However, when I counted them out, there were 41 seeds in each. A while back I learned that the gardener does not need to use more than one seed per pot, so that is what I did here. There are some leftovers in case some of the seeds don't germinate.

If the zinnia seeds seemed tiny, the amaranth seeds made them look like giants. The package contains 100 seeds, but all I needed were six. In this case, I did plant two per container, just because they are so small.

By the way, amaranth is a ancient grain, but I plan to use my plants for dyeing yarn.

It feels like March around here, especially with the wind - in like a lion. Around town, forsythia is blooming and magnolias are budding. The birdhouses are cleaned and hung. The lawn is green and will soon need to be mowed. The yard awakens.

Brrr!

I am so tired of talking about the weather. Wet and windy yesterday, a good day to spend my children's inheritance on the yard. I purchased some "garden fence" at TSC, to (re)build the compost bins that fell apart after many years of service. Then I succumbed to the four Dwarf Gold Mop shrubs I've been coveting. They get only 2-3 feet tall, 3 feet wide, and should camouflage the rabbit damage at the base of the arborvitae. I balked at the price at Stuckey's Greenhouse last year, but after shopping around, discovered it was a good price.

Either bravely or foolishly, I have been transplanting a few things here and there. My annual success story is the continuation of the coleus I favor for the box on the front porch. It does really well and I like the color, so rather than gamble on it being available each year, I save a mother plant in the fall and start cuttings from it in the spring. So far, so good.

I have a love-hate relationship with my lawn. On the one hand, it would be nice if it were weed-free. On the other, I like seeing clover, violets, and other "wild" flowers creep into it. There is a big patch of wild strawberry to the north of the King Crimson maple. I have no explanation as to where it came from or why it likes that spot, but it is welcome to stay.

Last year's rhubarb looked rather anemic. I dosed it well with horse manure this past fall. Now it looks positively robust, just in time for birthday pie, an annual tradition for my kids.

One victim of retirement has been my desire to cook. Consequently, I don't know how I will use up all this garlic. It is fun - and easy! - to grow, but I'm not sure I will continue with it.

A victim of various remodeling projects was my lovely Old Fashioned Bleeding Heart. I replaced it and am happy that the replacement is alive and doing well.

I have yet to capture on "film" the iridescent color of the purple smoke tree leaves. In sunlight, they positively glow. On a gray and gloomy day, this is the closest I can get.

We are supposed to get a couple of sunny-ish days, so between other engagements, I may be found in the yard.