Getting Ready to Sow Seeds

 

Yesterday was spent repotting some of the flowers that are in the house and some winter holdovers. I wanted to get them taken care of before I started sowing my seeds indoors. I am slow and running behind this year getting started on the sowing of the seeds.
Like a child I guess all I could think about was the tooth that was going to have to be cut out Saturday and I wanted to get  past that and then start on my indoor gardening chores. I do not have any trepidation when comes to going to the doctor but the dentist still makes me nervous. LOL! So with the tooth now behind me it was time to start on my indoor gardening.

 
The Rosebud Impatiens plant I brought in to overwinter (at the bottom) is getting a few buds. I have had to spray it all winter so far for spider mites. They find a way of getting into the house on the plants in fall no matter how well I prepare the plants against insects before bringing them in. I repotted the impatiens plant despite the buds which will now likely fall off but the plant will do better with some new soil.

The African Violets  were in need of some fresh soil because of calcium deposits along the roots and the Red Mandevilla hold over from last summer also needed some attention.

I have been babying the Mandevilla through the winter in hopes of keeping it around for this spring. Having had no luck with trying to over winter them before I still have my fingers crossed on the odds of keeping this one.

 
As most of you know I do not do well with taking plant cuttings and rooting them either but this Rosebud pelargonium took root and is growing so beautifully and I am glad to add another to the collection.

This parent Rosebud pelargonium got some new soil too along with another holdover pelargonium…

the Artisto Petticoat. These are the only two geraniums that I kept under lights for the winter. All the others are in pots or hanging by their roots waiting for spring and warm weather in the basement.

Also the old amaryllis plants that were under lights were taken to the basement since they were not going to bloom again for me this year and to make room for the new seeds. The amaryllis bulbs had wonderful leaves though. LOL! I will grow them outdoors again this summer and try once more with them to get them to bloom next winter. This time I am not going to keep them in pots in the summer but plant them into a garden bed and in the fall let the bulbs dry out first and then repot them. I hope this method will work since keeping them potted failed for me. I know other gardeners have good results with keeping them potted but in my case it just did not pan out. This is my and their final warning on holding over amaryllis bulbs, then out they go to the trash pile.

 
But the new amaryllis “Firecracker” is going to have two more blooms for me soon and then all of the amaryllis blooms will be gone for the winter. I have so enjoyed them this winter along with the hyacinth blooms.

Outdoors the first hellebore is still in bloom. Since it is my first bloom I am surprised in how long the blooms last on them.

Daffodils, tulips, and crocus bulbs are still trying to grow early with the mild weather.
I hope we do not pay for this mild winter weather later in spring like in previous early spring’s.

Snow on Lilacs, green leaves…

and tulips is not the ideal way to begin spring.

I hope to get some of the earlier seeds sowed this week.
I still have tickets left for the Central Ohio Home and Garden Show so feel free to email me to get yours.
Happy Gardening,
Lona

 

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