Garden Happenings! Week of April 7

Hello again,

Gardening is Happening in Skillin's Country! In this post I will be letting you know what I am doing or what I hear is going on out there in our local gardening world. I will be updating this post with quick supplements all through the week! So check here frequently! If you would like to contribute just drop us a quick note at info@skillins.com OR leave a comment at the end of this post. We would love any tips OR questions from you!

April 12:

Here are a couple of great gardening questions. The first question is from LM:

Question: I would like to use some treatment this year for crabgrass but am concerned since I have a small dog. When I read the label on scott’s crabgrass preventer it didn’t look too pet friendly to me. Is there a safer way to go? I don’t need to kill all the crabgrass at once but I would like to start getting a handle on it.

Answer: LM, this type of question is asked frequently to us this time of year!

Lawn Booster by Organica (http://www.organica.net/agrihortilawnbooster.asp ) is just the product you are looking for. The product is natural corn gluten meal equipped with natural microbes that help the corn gluten to break down quickly and efficiently. “Broken down” corn gluten naturally coats seeds and prevents them from germination.

We highly recommend the Organica Four Step Lawn Program and applying the Lawn Booster in mid to late April and another application in early September and you should see a good difference.

The Lawn Booster covers 2500 square feet and retails for $25.99 at Skillin’s in Cumberland, Brunswick or Falmouth.

Or buy the Organica Four Step Program which is 4 bags of Lawn Booster and one bag of kelp and one bag of natural microbes ( a $143 value) for $119 at Skillin's and pay only $99 after a $20 Organica rebate. This would cover all four steps of the Organica 4 step natural lawn program for a 5,000 square foot lawn for the year.

JC has a question about roses!

Question:
I have one rose plant in a pot that I kept in the garage thru the winter and 1 that I left in the ground covered with mulch and a foam cover. The 1 in the pot doesn't look good and I am not sure of the one in the ground.

Is there any steps I can take to give these plants the best chance to survive? They are the Pope Paul white rose plants and they produce beautiful roses. This was the 1st winter for both of them.

Answer: The best thing to do for both roses is to prune any dead or dying growth right off; prune back to live growth (live growth is there if you have green on the inside of the bark).

Pull away completely any mulch around your outdoor bush.

I would get the potted rose out in the sun ASAP and give it a thorough watering. Also I would recommend applying a nice natural fertilizer like Plant Booster Plus by Organica OR Rose Tone by Espoma around your roses and let’s see if we can get some good natural nutrients to them.

Send any questions or comments to info@skillins.com OR by sending us a comment at the end of this post!

April 11:

It is time to get the Go-Pher It tubes out. The Go-Pher It tubes work very well against woodchucks. They are battery operated metal tubes that emit a consistent beep every 30 seconds or so. Once the tube is plunged into the ground (it needs to be within 30 feet of the woodchuck hole) the consistent beep can be heard underground (cannot be heard above ground) by the woodchuck family. Over the course of a few days, the woodchucks can't take the constant din of the Go-Pher It tube and the woodchuck family flees far from the area.

Several years ago, the Go-Pher It tube saved my gardening experience and this is the honest truth. A family of woodchucks had driven me to the point of giving up vegetable and flower gardening after a war of about 3 years. I tried everything: fox urine, gasoline rags, plant dusts, devices to spray water on wandering pests (a wet summer for me!) and many more schemes. Nothing worked until I plunged those Go-Pher It tubes into the ground.

So, if you own one or two, power them up and get them in the ground! If you need to own one or two, come see us at Skillin's!

April 10:

*I had a long work day so I did not get enough yard time! I did take a little time last evening to pull away almost all of the mulch around my roses so the graft or "knot" is pretty well exposed to the sun and the air. I need to prune off the last of the dead growth, but I think all four of my rose bushes made it through the winter. They spent much of the winter under a DEEP blanket of insulative snow and of course mulch but roses are still never a sure bet!

*I did get to give my front lawn a good raking. Wow what a winter! I had my front lawn raked clean at the end of November but I filled a whole bag full of dead grass, small branches, parts of Christmas wreaths and more! Wow did that lawn need a raking!

*While I was out there I had time to think about my old flowering crab that does not flower any more. It has been a couple of years since I cut them (probably more like 5 years) and the suckers are way too tall. I need to prune them at the base of the ground and this should help the roots. Also the tree has become leggy and I am going to try and prune HARD much of the old branches. Let's see if this pruning helps to rejuvenate my old friend. I will also be getting a good natural fertilizer like Plant Booster Plus by Organica or Plant Tone by Espoma around the old tree.

April 9:

*We planted some awesome pansies in some outdoor containers yesterday but last night a frost was definitely forecast. So we covered the pansies with a great lightweight cover called Frost Cover and as we took the cover off this morning, the Frost Cover had frost on it but the pansies were snug and protected underneath and ready for a bright new sunny day!

Yes, we have pansies for sale and YES they are awesome!

*Now is a great time to start edging your perennial and shrub beds. Grass creeps, it just does! So get that edger of yours out and start redefining those beds. Edging is a great way to get those garden muscles warmed up for more--especially on a bright sunny day like this!

April 8:

*The writers of "Today's Garden Center" regularly send us helpful material. This quick list of must have tools for every gardener sounds like a great list:

Here, courtesy of the Master Gardener Volunteers of Clark County, Ohio, are five must-have tools for gardeners of just about any experience level.

Soil Or Garden Knife – Can be used for weeding, dividing perennials, planting bulbs, spreading roots and cutting through small roots. Bonus points for carrying the clip-on sheath (holder) to hook on the waist or attach to a bucket.

Folding Pocket Saw – Handy for pruning those items that are just a bit too large for pruners, yet not too large and unwieldy to stick in garden bucket or bag.

Transplanting Spade - Fits in to tight spaces. Makes moving perennials in an established garden easier. More proportioned for digging the right sized hole. Can also be used for bed edging.

Adjustable Rake – Telescopic rakes are great for large or small areas. Flipped, they are great for smoothing mulch.

Hedge Shears – Good for shaping shrubs and perennials, great for deadheading those multi-blooming perennials like coreopsis.

We received this great question from LM about dividing Stella D'Oro daylillies.

Question: I have several stella d’oros that need dividing this year. They are already sprouting. I was planning on dividing them, re-planting some in the original location and then keeping some potted up until I had their new bed ready in a couple of weeks. I don’t have a green house and was wondering if putting them in pots outside at night might be too much for them.

Answer: NOW is certainly a great time to divide your Stellas and it is not difficult to do.

I think keeping them in pots for a couple of weeks will be fine. On cold nights keep them near your foundation to keep them a little warmer but for the most part they should be fine. I would recommend planting your new transplants with a great planting mix like Penobscot Blend by Coast of Maine or Plant Booster Plus by Organica.

Any new transplants should be watered regularly throughout the gardening season.

Speaking of watering make sure you water well your potted Stellas when the soil in the pot gets good and dry to the touch.

April 7:

What a warm day! I took my lunch break at home and quickly dragged a couple of good sized plants outdoors. It has been awhile since we have been able to give them a real thorough watering because of the size of the pots. So my Schefflera Arborcola and my flowering geranium both got a real nice soaking from my garden hose. Just prior to doing that I gave each of them two Plant Nutrition Tablets made by Organica (http://www.organica.net/).

The Plant Nutrition Tablets are a great source of organic nutrients for container plants that break down very nicely into the soil because the nutrients are accompanied by some natural microbes. This is organic science at its best AND the product is sold here at Skillin's. The tablets are easily applied by merely pushing the large capsules into the plant's root system! We highly recommend Organica's Plant Nutrition Tablets as an outstanding natural fertilizer for all container plants--hangers, large patio plants and, of course, any sized houseplants!

Tomorrow is going to be warm as well. If you have time in the afternoon, drag a large plant or two outdoors and give them a good soaking and maybe even some Plant Tabs if they have not had any TLC for awhile!

I also planted two flats of pansies in a pot that I filled with Coast of Maine Bar Harbor Blend potting soil (the best potting soil I know of--and it is a local product!). And guess what I stuck in for some fertilizer? That's right Organica Plant Nutrition Tabs! Tonight the temps are going to be right around 32 degrees but I am keeping the pansies in a protected southerly spot that is warm during the day. I think I will just keep the pot close to the foundation and I think the pansies will be fine! Plus if I bring the pansies inside my two cats, Manny and Noah will probably find that new soil and plant way too appealing overnight!

Mike Skillin

Skillin's Greenhouses

Week of April 7, 2008

Strangers in the Night by KCB

KCB is a professional gardener and friend who does wonderful work in the Greater Portland area. KCB is also an accredited Master Gardener by the Cooperative Extension Service and we are honored to have KCB as part of our Skillin's Garden Log family.

It’s 2 AM…..do you know where your favorite gardener is? Any reasonable person would be sleeping, unless you work 3rd shift. I have been known to pick-up such a schedule at the catalog phone center that I call my ‘other’ job, but not this night.

Outside my window Mr. Mockingbird (Mr., M) is chirping away. Last spring when I began hearing him ‘in the middle of the night’ I thought I was crazy. At that time, I had not heard a mockingbird since moving from the other side of Munjoy Hill. Was I longing so for the melodic warbling of the Mockingbird that I was delusional? Even after my first daytime sighting of Mr. M I could not believe he would put forth a merrily mocking medley at such a morose hour. Not to mention the thermometer barely pushing 30 degrees. Research later enlightened me to the mating habits of Mr. M and his brethren. The wee hours of the barely spring are the time to serenade a mate. A true troubadour!

While Mr. M and his ilk may be exciting, I have other cause for not sleeping. Tonight I am just too energized to sleep—the weather report is hinting at temps in the 50s. Yes! I might as well make good use of my time. Since I live in an apartment, vacuuming or any heavy cleaning would not win favor with the apartment dwellers above or below me. Darn! I so wanted to start my ‘Spring Cleaning’. Not!

Next best thing….to share some of the garden notes cascading through my head as I prepare for my elusive opening day of gardening season.

In my life, there aren’t many rules I tend to live by, when it comes to gardening I do follow certain self-imposed and proven guidelines. Why, yes, I would be ever so honored to share these with you.

Think of these as ‘Gardening 101’. We may not be freshman gardeners but this is a new season. Moreover, Gardeners being who we are, always look for ways to add, change, and revise. It may be why we do not get board, what other passion offers so many beginnings?

Volumes have been written on how to begin a garden or the gardening season. Sometimes less is more, sometimes less is just, well basic. Here are some basic tips and tools that I (try to) live by. Feel free to make them your own!

1.Plan before you plant
2.Prepare before you plant
3.Know your property/know yourself
4.Right Plant, Right Place


Planning before planting is much more than leafing through magazines and ‘just imagining’. Not only will planning save you money and time, in some cases, relationships.

Before you dash to your local family owned and operated nursery consider the following:

* How do you use your out door space?

* What is your vision for color, texture, form?

* How much do you, or more realistically, can you spend? There is more than just purchasing plants and shrubs. Soil amendments, plant food, tools, gloves even sunscreen and proper clothing add up quickly. Not to mention all those decorative items you must add to make the space so you.

* Think about—Maintenance; cost and time. You may have the vision but do you have the time and stamina to keep it that way. If not, will you/can you spend the money to keep it so. Low maintenance does not mean no maintenance.

* Window shop. Some of the best things in life are free. It doesn’t cost a dime to dream or look. I spend so much time at my favorite nurseries that customers often mistake me as an employee.

* Visit your favorite gardening center/nursery. The staff is as eager as you to get the season in full gear. There is a lilt in their step, broad smiles on their faces and even some are whistling while they work. I’m not saying it is not always so, the big difference between now and then is time. They have more time to dedicate themselves to answering your questions. Often they will dream along with you.

* Shop by catalog. I adore Nursery Catalogs. Not only do they offer a description of what will be available, they are a wonderful resource regarding care, maintenance and growing habits.

* As bare shelves break forth into a kaleidoscope of color, take the time to see what is available. ‘Just looking’ is much easier said than done as plants move quickly. That perfect Amethyst Astilbe may not be available tomorrow.

* Read the plant tags. More on this almost obsession of mine as the season progresses.

So, make a list, check it twice.

The seductive song of Mr. M has faded into the rising sun. Perhaps I should return to bed before Kayla, the slightly snoring Golden, gets the idea that now is a good time to go out.

Next writing we will tackle Prepare Before You Plant.

See you then!

KCB for Skilllin's Greenhouses
April 11, 2008

Gardening with Children

Crystal Rose of Skillin's Falmouth checks in with this great article about why we should garden with children and some helpful tips on how to garden with them. Crystal Rose has taught many gardening classes for children here at Skillin's and also on behalf of the Maine Cooperative Extension Service as a Master Gardener.


"Gardening with children is a great opportunity to share your love of something with someone you love. Teaching them the traditions and knowledge you have learned about gardening can be a great experience. When you show kids your love of the earth and the garden, and are able to surround them with plants and flowers, you start to notice that your passion can rub off onto them.

Involving children in the garden can start at an early age. Simple tasks, like starting seeds, pulling weeds, or even spreading mulch is a good first start. Once a little older, they are able to read seed packets and write out plant markers to help identify their new seedlings, and how to care for them. Gardening makes it easy to incorporate science, math, and art into everyday fun. A trip to your local garden store can prove to be entertaining. With all the sizes, shapes, colors, and fragrances of plants, children’s imaginations can run wild. You can use these ideas in creating a garden just for them. Before heading to the garden store, take the kids out in the yard with a compass and figure out what direction the sunshine’s on your newly plotted garden. With this new knowledge, do a little clue hunting in garden magazines or plant catalogs, and help figure out what plants will do best. It is fun to find plants that butterflies, bees, and birds enjoy as food. Let your children be in charge of choosing the varieties of plants. This will give them a good feeling, knowing they picked out and grew these plants themselves.

There is a flower for every child. Snap dragons; for example, can be made to “roar” by opening the flower and exposing its “teeth”. Mimosa pudica, the sensitive plant, is another exciting one. When you touch the leaves they close up and a minute later, they open back up.
Gardens can bring out a child’s senses. They are able to see all the colors a garden has to offer, hear birds sing; smell all the fragrant plants; touch the textured leaves and flowers; and taste the many flavors of fruits, herbs, and vegetables.

Safety is a big factor in gardening. Be sure to keep all fertilizers, pesticides, insecticides, and herbicides, organic or chemical, stored away from children. Some plants can be harmful too. Stinging nettle, Urtica dioica, is a common weed that has tiny spines. It can be very painful. Using gloves in the garden can help prevent skin irritations that other plants may cause. It is also a good idea to help your children in identifying plants. There are plants out there, pretty or not, that can be poisonous.

Some of us may live in an apartment and traditional outdoor gardening my not be possible. Nowadays, a whole community maintains many gardens. Your local co- operative extension is a great place to get information on local community gardens and other horticultural related questions. The office always has a bundle of informational handouts to take home and learn about too. Growing houseplants is another way to bring plants into a child’s life. Just as there are many varieties of plants for outside, there is another large selection for inside. The garden store is usually full of beautiful green plants. There is always someone there to help you figure out the right plant for the right light.

Sharing the world of gardening proves to be beneficial for everyone. Whether it is your children or someone else’s, they are the next generation of gardeners. Make it one of the best experiences of their life, which they will never forget."

Crystal Rose
Skillin's Greenhouses
April 9, 2008

Anticipation by KCB

KCB is a professional gardener and friend who does wonderful work in the Greater Portland area. KCB is also an accredited Master Gardener by the Cooperative Extension Service and we are honored to have KCB as part of our Skillin's Garden Log family

Not since 2 months into my 3rd year of life have I anticipated the ‘snow being all gone’. It was the year my younger and forever ‘the baby’ sister was born. Of course I will not say what year that was. You guys are smart and could do the math.

As I watched my mother’s stomach grow I kept asking ‘when’ regarding my new baby. Her pat answer was ‘when all the snow is gone’. I clearly remember (yes I can—but just don’t ask me what I did this morning) a rainy March day when it appeared as if all the snow was being washed away. The sky was steal gray and offered a slow steady drip.

Left over snow is less than pretty and often reminds me of white cotton candy that had been burned on the ends. I recall the snow being such an unattractive mess that day.

With each passing hour the snow faded. Late in the afternoon when only a dingy mist still prevailed I ran outside and checked every nook and cranny of our yard. In the ‘way back’ next to my play house remained piles of snow. This being the shadiest area I would have saved myself a lot of looking if I had only been smart enough to check there first.

I couldn’t get back in the house fast enough to report my findings. My mother was drinking coffee (instant) and had prepared me a cup of tea (I’m 100% Irish-and I was much too young for Guinness). ‘There is still snow!’ My shout clearly revealed my disappointed happiness. My mothers words still echo, “I guess it’s not time yet”. She seemed tired but managed a smile as she helped me into the chair that was thisclose to hers. My tea, mostly milk, and slightly elevated from room temperature, still warmed.

Earlier this week that particular day ran through my mind. Reminiscent of that (not too distant) memory, I was eagerly awaiting the snow in my back yard to disappear. You see, I was looking for a ‘baby’ of another sort. Under the piles of snow a cuddly white teddy bear was hibernating, said bear being a favorite of my own ‘baby’ a sweet Golden Retriever.

During one of the many snowy nights of this winter, it was dropped during our last outing. The next morning a thick layer of water laden white stuff rendered the bear invisible. Over these past couple of weeks I had monitored the reemergence of the bear. With each reveal I would try to retrieve the mass of synthetic fur. Unfortunately it would not budge. The little guy was frozen steadfastly to the poor excuse of a lawn that was now the back yard. When the bear no longer bore the camouflage of snow, my Golden tried to free her toy. She had no more luck than I did. Secretly I was glad. Then it happened. I was able to release the bear from its frozen prison.

For Kayla, the name of my girl, this was a good thing. For me, not so much. I had somehow justified that as long as the bear was frozen, the ground was frozen. For a gardener this means that the ground can not ‘be worked’. Yes I am more than anxious to get out there and dig in the dirt, but I am not fully prepared to start. I vowed to complete some winter projects, become more organized, fall or now, ‘spring clean’, work-out to get my body in shape. So many ‘to dos’.

Being a gardener in Maine means the season starts usually starts with a bang. An explosion of sun, warmth, and green growth. Last April we suffered through the ‘Patriot’s Day Storm’, only to have the following Monday be 85 degrees. My season started that day and didn’t end until November.

Kind of like my baby sister, wanting her yet not being at all prepared……

KCB
for Skillin's Greenhouses
April 7, 2008

"New to Skillin's", Perennial Varieties, "R through the end"

Hello again,
Here are a few exciting “new to Skillin’s” perennial varieties we will be introducing in 2008.

I will list a few new varieties this week. This finishes up our listing. If you would like the entire list emailed to you, just let me know at info@skillins.com and I will send you a “Word” attachment. In other words, this one really catches my eye for this reason....!

I have highlighted aspects of some varieties thatI feel are some very attractive attributes to some of the plants.

RED LEAF MUKDENIA - Mukdenia
‘Karasuba’ 8”-12” tall. Nice foliage plant for partial shade. Leaves are fan shaped and start out green turning into red tones as the leaves age. Fire red color in the fall. Starry white flowers in spring.
Zones 4-9. Blooms in spring. Part shade.

______________________
ROCKFOIL – Saxifraga
‘Purple Robe’ 8” tall. Delicate deep pink-red flowers. Small mound of bright green finely cut foliage. Zones 4-9. Blooms summer. Sun.
-------------------------------
ROSE MALLOW - Hibiscus
‘Turn of the Century’ 6’-8’ tall. Bi-Color petals ranging in color from red to pink.
Gives the flowers the appearance of a ‘pinwheel’. Shrub like and more compact than other hibiscus. Zones 5-9. Blooms mid summer to late summer. Sun to part shade.

-----------------------------
SEA HOLLY - Eryngium

‘Paradise Jackpot’ 24” tall. Beautiful blue flowers with large blue bracts on blue stems.
Zones 5-8. Blooms mid summer. Sun.
SHASTA DAISY - Leucanthemum
‘Snow Lady’ Dwarf variety with abundant flowers all summer. 10”-12” tall. Zones 4-9. Blooms summer. Sun.
-----------------------------
---------------------------------------

SHASTA DAISY

‘Thomas Killen’24”-30” tall. Single Shasta daisy with a double row of petals near the center. Great cut flower.
Attracts butterflies. Will keep blooming if spent flowers are removed. Zones 5-9. Blooms early to late summer. Sun.


SNAKEROOT - Cimicifuga

‘Hillside Black Beauty’ 4’-7’ tall. Darkest of the Cimicifugas. Foliage is purple –black. Flowers are form a 1’ ‘bottlebrush’ are pale pink and slightly fragrant. Zones 4-8. Blooms late summer to early fall. Part shade to shade.

-------------------------------
SPEEDWELL – Veronica

‘Blue Indigo’ 20” tall. Deep blue flowers. Zones 3-6. Bloom in summer. Sun to part shade.

‘Erika’ 20” tall. Reddish-pink flower spikes. Dark red-green stems. Zones 3-6. Blooms in summer. Sun to part shade.

----------------------------------
STONE CROP - Sedum

‘Acre’ – 2”-5” tall. Very low, creeping foliage. Star-shaped yellow flowers in late spring. Zones 4-8. Blooms late spring early summer. Sun.

‘Angelina’ 3”-5” tall. Golden yellow needle-like leaves.Tips turn red-orange in cool weather. Zones 3-11. Blooms early summer. Sun.

‘Blue Spruce’ – 6”-10” tall. Silvery-blue ‘spruce-like’ leaves with yellow flowers in summer. Zones 4-8. Blooms summer. Sun.

‘Bronze Carpet’ 4”-6” tall. Mats of bronze foliage and rose-pink flowers in summer. Zones 4-8. Blooms summer. Sun.

‘Crazy Ruffles’ 20” tall. Blue-green leaves with wavy, toothed margins. Forms a compact, upright clump.
Red tinted stems. Clusters of soft pink flowers. Zones 3-9. Blooms late summer.
Sun.

‘Munstead Dark Red’ 18” tall. Leaves are tinted with purple. Stems are reddish. Dark red flowers in late summer. Zones 3-9. Blooms July-Sept. Sun.

‘Neon’ 24” tall. Upright with light green leaves and rosy-magenta pink flowers.
Zones 3-9. Blooms late summer. Sun.

‘Pink Chablis’ 14”-18” tall. Upright with variegated leaves, blue-green with white edges.
White buds turning to pink flowers. Zones 3-9. Blooms late summer. Sun.

‘Red Cauli’ 10”-12” tall. Blue-green foliage, bright red flower clusters. Forms a lower compact mound.
Zones 3-9. Blooms late summer. Sun.

‘Samuel Oliphant’ 24”-30” tall. Foliage has unique variegation with green, cream and pink. Buds are light red and cream opening to pink flowers. Zones 3-9. Blooms late summer. Sun.

__________________
SUN ROSE – Helianthemum
10” tall. Evergreen, gray green foliage. with tiny, single flowers that resemble a single pedaled rose.

--------------------------------------
TICKSEED - Coreopsis

‘Sweet Dreams’ 18” tall. Flowers are soft pink with raspberry centers. Cutting back the plant 1 or 2 times before blooming with create a bushy compact plant that will bloom summer until fall.
Zones 5-8. Blooms late spring until mid-summer if not cut back. Sun.

---------------------------------
VIOLET – Viola
‘Painted Porcelain’ 6”-8” tall. Creamy white flowers. Upper petals shaded with lavender. Deep purple center markings. Zones 5-8. Blooms late spring to early summer. Sun, part shade to shade.

-----------------------------------
WALLFLOWER - Cheiranthus - Biennial.

‘Orange Bedder’ 15”-24” tall. Light orange flowers from May – July. Incredible fragrance. Wonderful cut flower.
Zones 5-6. Blooms early summer. Sun.

--------------------------------------
WILD GINGER – Asarum

‘Canadian Wild Ginger’ 6”-8” tall. Large heart-shaped foliage. Foliage is larger than European wild ginger but not as glossy. Beautiful groundcover. Will naturalize. Flowers are insignificant. Zones 2-9. Shade.

‘European Wild Ginger’ 6”-12” tall This, glossy, heart-shaped leaves. Excellent groundcover. Clump forming. Flowers are insignificant.. Zones 4-7. Shade.

--------------------------------------
WIND FLOWER

‘Queen Charlotte’ 24”-36” tall. Double rose colored flowers with gold stamens and bronze-green foliage. Zones 4-9. Blooms late to early fall. Sun to part shade.

-------------------------------------
WORMWOOD - Artemisia
‘Powis Castle’ 36” tall. Finely cut silver foliage. Mounding habit. Zones 5-9. Sun.

YARROW

‘Moonshine’ 18”-24” tall. Lemon yellow flower heads. Finely cut, silvery foliage. Zones 3-10. Blooms summer. Sun.

Transplanting Your Seedings!

Hello again,

Recently in the Skillin's Garden Log we have discussed the ABC’s of Seed Starting. We reviewed how to start seeds indoors and when to start seeds indoors. (If you need a copy of that article, just let me know!). It may be time to transplant your seedlings when they show their first true leaves! This brings us to sections E, F, and G of the ABC’s of Seed Starting.

Equal parts of peat moss and vermiculite makes a good growing medium for your seedlings to be transplanted into now that they have their first true leaves. Unless you sowed your seeds directly into an individual peat pot (which I actually recommend in many cases), you will want to transplant your seedlings from their starting trays to give them more room and a better chance to grow. For containers, consider using plastic 6-packs, 3” or 4” peat pots, or peat flats, spacing seedlings one to two inches apart. You may also wish to add equal parts soil and sand to your mix as this makes the transition to the soil outdoors that much easier. Moisten your mix with warm water to make handling manageable. Fill each container within a quarter inch of the top and tamp down. Gently tap the seedlings as a group out of the container they were started in. Carefully separate the seedling, attempting to keep as much of the original medium around the roots as possible. Using a label or a pencil, make a hole for each seedling in your mix. Generally you will want to place the seedling at the same soil level it was previously. (Bushy type plants like lettuce or petunias need to be planted at the same soil line so their growing point is not buried, where upright plants such as tomatoes can be planted to the base of the first leaves and roots will develop along the stem that is buried.) Pinch the soil in around the base of the transplanted seedling. Set in a pan of warm water for bottom watering, as this will be the least likely way to disturb the new transplants.

Fungus disease known as damping-off can be the worst enemy of new seedlings. A seedling will appear perfectly healthy then you discover it has toppled over- a black line of rot cutting through its stem. Over crowding, being too warm and damp, and still air can all lead to this infectious loss. Prevention is the best weapon against damping-off. If you do use a mix with soil or sand, be sure to pasteurize it first. Make sure your seedlings get enough air circulation. Don’t keep them covered with plastic and don’t over water.

Growing your seedlings on, place them in a very sunny window using a sheer curtain in between to prevent scorching, or place under artificial light, adjusting the height as they grow. Fertilize once a week with a quarter strength solution of a liquid organic fertilizer. Continue to water and grow on until ready to set out.

Gardening is Happening! April 1

Hello again,

Here are some "real life" Gardening is Happening stories and questions and answers. I would love to publish frequent dialogues between you our gardening friends and us here at Skillin's! So, keep your questions, stories and comments flowing to us at info@skillins.com or leave a comment here at the Skillin's Garden Log (click on The Pencil at the end of this post!)

*BB wrote the following about "Lettuce Under Lights":


"Last summer my husband built me a cedar flat with a screen on the bottom and handles so I could have more lettuce and move it into shade when needed. This January I filled with your ProMix and planted a packet of mesclun and some arugula and placed under fluorescent lights for l4 hours a day. I thinned it and used thinnings for salad. Now I am scissor cutting it every couple of days for a handful to add to salad. I water it with a 1/4 solution of Peter's 20/20/20 when dry. It's great to be harvesting something now. I am going to try the peas thing."

Thanks BB! The peas thing BB is referring to is planting some peas in a container. I will admit the snow over the early part of last weekend discouraged me a little but the warm weather of this week is invigorating me and I am about to embark on my peas in a container project. I will use a large plastic pot (about 16" or so), some excellent Bar Harbor Blend potting soil by Coast of Maine and some Sugar Snap Peas by Botanical Interests. For fertilizer, I will use the Neptune's Harvest Fish/Seaweed Blend (probably about once a week).

*LK chimed in with some great questions for this time of year. Here are her questions and my answers:


Hi Mike -

Spring's here and I'm ready to get planting. My Spring Bonds are burning a hole in my pocket - but I know I have to be patient!

I have a question about fertilizers. I typically use Pro Gro in the Spring and the Fall and then use Neptune's Harvest every week or two. My first question is - is this a good fertilizing plan? Am I missing anything?

Secondly - Unfortunately I didn't get a chance to put Pro Gro down last winter before the first snow fall as a prep for Spring - so should I get that down as soon as the snow falls?

One more question. I did a lot of planting last spring and as the snow is melting I'm noticing that some braches of a few bushes (Andromeda and Mountain Laurel) were snapped off from the weight of the snow. Besides a bit of pruning once it warms up so they're not so lopsided - is there anything else I need to do for these new editions.

Answers:

I think you have a great fertilizing plan LK. I am not sure what you are using the Neptune’s Harvest on but it is a great fertilizer and I think frequent feedings of it for flowering and even vegetable material really help during the season. We have a short season and our plants and soil need all the boost they can get.

I would get that Pro Gro down as soon as the snow melts. Just follow up with a second application later on this year.

Great question about the shrubs. Again once the snow melts I would get some Holly Tone by Espoma down around the base of your Andromeda or Mountain Laurel. These are acid loving evergreen plants and they will really need that Holly Tone. Follow up with a second application later on this year.

*JP has the following question about bulbs and I have included my answer:

"I have a variety of potted bulb plants (daffodils, tulips etc) that have died back. What do I do now with them so I can plant tem outside?"

Answer:

Now is the time to get some fertilizer to those bulbs. Don’t cut back the foliage just yet—nutrients are flowing back from the foliage to those bulbs causing the bulbs to gather nutrients and to actually grow. You can aid this growth by giving them a good liquid fertilizer like Schultz Houseplant Food or Fish/Seaweed by Neptune’s Harvest. Continue to water the bulbs when they are dry to the touch.

This summer you can plant the bulbs outdoors in a sunny spot. Plant them plenty deep so they can stay as insulated as possible from hot temperatures and cold. When you plant them put a generous portion of Bulb Tone by Espoma into the planting hole.