Propagation
2024-10-05: I stepped away from propagating and keeping track for a few months to get through the rebuilding of the greenhouse. Now that it is all done, and I have a safe place for my plants I can again turn my attention to what has happened with all the growing activity from the current year sowing, and start to plan for next year.
2024-06-03: It turns out that the sowings in April that was placed in the greenhouse mostly made it through. throughout May I managed to transplant a lot of plants and got some out in the garden. I also decided the buy in some seedlings for busy lilies and geraniums, and laterly also got a tray of summer plugs to plant out when the nigelias are done.
2024-05-06: I realise that with the visit of Arnie and Adrienne, and the week at the conference I must abandon sowing in May. I dismantled my seed growing area and placed all the plants that is more or less survivable in the greenhouse.
2024-04-17: Sowing a batch of seeds for april.
2024-03-13: just noticed some of the seedlings already planted out and in the greenhouse, did not make it past the third week outside, especially the Zinnias are all gone. Will sow them again.
2024-03-13: Reviewing a video on why seedlings goes wrong. Planting too early. Should not start earlier than 4-6 weeks before last frost date for plants that is tender. According to plantmaps it is 21-31 March. So my sowing from mid to late February is OK. Check the temperature for germinations. Need to be about 20 d C - my office is 16-18 where I am growing the seedlings. Could be too cool. Need about 6 hours minimum light with 1500-2000 lumens and 4500-6500 kelvin. lights about 2 inches above the plants. I need to drop the lights a bit. Next issue is babying the seedlings. use a fan to create some air movement. DO NOT WATER FROM ABOVE. Always harden off the plants before planting out. Take out the seedlings out for a couple of hours, then bring them in. Do this for 5-7 days. If you have overcast weather for three days, then you can leave them out.
2024-01-08: It is time to put together the sowing plan for 2024. In 2023 I experimented with creating a propagation area under lights in my study and was successful to start sowing in mid February. Each variety were sown in pods, instead of trays, to optimise the space and also to contain the number of plants grown from each sowing. This has worked very well. I am likely to use the same approach this year.
2023-12-30: Figured out I can place another order for seed from RHS seedback: Ammi majus (false bishop’s weed) Actaea cordifolia (heart-shaped-leaved actaea) Berkheya purpurea (purple berkheya) Helleborus x hybridus (hybrid Lenten rose) Eranthis hyemalis (winter aconite) Watsonia mixed (bugle lily) Camassia leichtlinii subsp. leichtlinii (Californian white-flowered quamash) Lilium regale (regal lily) Crocus mixed (mixed crocus) Amsonia tabernaemontana (eastern bluestar) Anemone x hybrida (Japanese anemone) Angelica archangelica (angelica) Betonica officinalis (betony) Amsonia tabernaemontana var. salicifolia (eastern bluestar) Anemone hupehensis (Chinese anemone)
2023-12-03: Order seed from Dobies: Sunflower ‘Gummy Bear’ Calendula Orange King Cosmos Seeds Sonata Mixed Beetroot Seeds Bulls Blood Allium cernuum Seeds Basil Seeds Lettuce Leaf Poppy ‘Royal Wedding’ Seeds Zinnia ‘Macarenia’ Seeds Hollyhock Seeds Cabaret Sweet Pea Seeds Old Fashioned Mixed Bellis Seeds Giant-Flowered Mixed Tomato ‘Big Mama’ F1 Seeds Leaf Salad Seeds - Winter Mix
2023-11-30: Ordered seed though my RHS membership from the RHS seedbank Actaea pachypoda (white baneberry) Amsonia tabernaemontana var. salicifolia (eastern bluestar) Cenolophium denudatum (Baltic parsley) Cephalaria gigantea (giant scabious) Chelone obliqua (twisted shell flower) Erigeron karvinskianus (Mexican fleabane) Francoa ramosa (bridal wreath) Geum rivale (water avens) Lobelia x speciosa (cardinal flower) Maianthemum racemosum (false spikenard) Myrrhis odorata (sweet cicely) Cyclamen hederifolium (ivy-leaved cyclamen) Eranthis hyemalis (winter aconite) Watsonia mixed (bugle lily) Amaranthus caudatus (love-lies bleeding)
2023-10-22: Planted the following bonsai tree seed into pods and covered them with plastic sheet. Put in greenhouse. Acer Rubrum Larch Larix Redbud Cercis Sweet Gum Silver Birch (Betchula Pendula)
2023-10-17: Autumn sowing plan: Bonsai trees Aruncus Betoni Primula Digitalis Cyclamen Rape seed Need to get the trays prepared and get this into the seed pods
2023-04-30: I had reasonable success this year with sowing and germinating seed. I would say in about 75-80 of the cases germination was achieved, however I am no really satisfied with growing the seedlings on. Am I moving the seedlings too early, is there a lack of light in the greenhouse, is it too cold, and what to do with rat and other pests mulching away.
2023-03-11: Potted most of the sowings of february on - lettuce, anthirhnum snap dragons, achillea, hissop (agastache)
2023-03-05: Transferred all tree seedlings to the fridge to force a chilling period of three week to four weeks
2023-03-05: sowing of cetaurea started to germinate after about 10 days
2023-03-05: Sow a packet of seed that was harvested, but lost its lable. will hopefully see what it becomes. sow 8 pods.
2023-02-25: All the tree pods that have not yet germinated has now been moved to the fridge for 4-5 weeks to force them into a cold period. hopefully that will be successful
2023-02-25: The three pine trees that germinated is also ready for the next stage
2023-02-25: Only six pods of the 8 dianthis little mermaid germinated. I think I will leave them for another week under the lights to get stronger. The mexican fleabags also need another week, as well as the aqualegia.
2023-02-25: The next see tray to inspect is the mixed lettuce and achillea. The lettuce was first to germinate, before I had the grow lights properly in place and now have too long legs. however, I have a number of pads that I will put in larger pots to see if the long legs are going to be an issue. The 12 pods of achillea looks great and is also ready to aclimisaise for the next phase
2023-02-25: checking out the seed trays, I now have 8snapdragon tetramix, 8 snapdragon apple blossom, and 8 agastache white that is coming on very well. None of the harvested snapdragons germinated. This tray eady to be taken out under the lights and start to aclamatise them for the greenhouse. Will put the seed tray on on the patio in the day.
2023-02-12: Sow 12 pods of basil indoors under lights
2023-02-05: First sowing for the season in pods near the window in my study: trees (from previous day soaking) lettuce, achillea, mexican fleabag, dianthus, Yunnan, snap dragons, Agastache, aqualegia
2023-02-04: Place seed in water for planting next day: trees for bonsai: silver birch, pine nugo, red maple
2023-02-04: Place seed in water for planting next day: trees for bonsai: Larch, sweet gum, pine, redbud and juniper
2021-08-09: Starting the autumn sowing season. Centaurea cyanus ‘Classic Fantastic’ and Classic Magic’ Antirrhumum majus: Appleblossom, Tetra Mixed, Braun-Blanqueti, and Lucky lips
Image217.jpg.jpg: 2020-11-14 Seedlings in greenhouse |
Image280.jpg : 2020-11-14 Seedlings in greenhouse |
2021-04-03: Sown the first batch of seeds. It may be too early still. I don’t have any heating the in the greenhouse. Hopefully the seed is not going to be damaged. sown foxgloves, nasturtium, basil, parsley, and cornflowers in seed trays
2019-01-17: Received a box of different seeds from Dalida for our wedding anniversary and my birthday
2001-03-04: Planted more seeds and started the seedling page to record the activity.
2001-02-25: Unfortunately I lost all the stocks and carnation seedlings - they became too dry when I was out of the country. Need to pay much more attention. To compensate I planted delphinium seeds, and gousblomme (english name to be determined). The Gousblom seed came from the garden last year.
20190422_080333.jpg: 2020-11-14 nasturtium seedlings |
20190422_080249.jpg: 2020-11-14 seedlings |
20190524_172904.jpg: 2020-11-14 growing seedlings |
20190504_103951_001.jpg: 2020-11-14 seed growing |
20190623_161706.jpg: 2020-11-14 basil seedlings |
20190422_080208.jpg: 2020-11-14 seedlings |
20190422_080044.jpg: 2020-11-14 |
2001-02-25: Finally I have taken two Saintpaulines, noted that there crowns made several plants, took a sharp knife and cut the crowns between the plants. I made 9 plants from the two. I dusted the cuts with yellow sulphar in an attempt to avoid fungus attack. We will report back on there progress.
2001-02-17: I placed an order with Thompson & Morgan for plants: miniplug Accent Petunias, 2 Yellow collection baskets with foliage plants, Purple vein and hot pink surfinias, begonias, and sweetpeas. Delivery is primarily in April.
2001-02-11: Planted today the first seeds in the propagator for this season. I’ve put the propagator in the conservatory for extra protection with a towel over it to keep it dark until germination takes place. It included: geraniums, stocks, cinerarias, coleus and carnations
20190623_161700.jpg: 2020-11-14 Cyclamen seed heads |
20190305_070304.jpg: 2020-11-14 seed growing |