Seed Lists and mutual advice swap

[Aggie]

Tulsi and the old rustica are up and looking cheerful.  The other two varieties are lagging a bit; they don't currently get hit by direct sunlight, so I may need to move them to get 'em sprouting.

One of my rusticas appears to have three cotyledons, which seems very, very strange - I'll have to watch the others as they develop to see if this is just a leaf that has me fooled. I will take some photographs if I get a chance before they get too big.

[Opsa]

How are they looking, now?

[Aggie]

The 1k rusticas are up but a bit floppy-looking - they get all-day bright but only 3 or 4 hours of sun (at best).  The two you sent have had exactly one germination each to date - they do get some sun, but perhaps not enough - or perhaps the gov't irradiated the envelope on the way over.   I think the apparent 3-cotyledon was just the first one to get a leaf out - the rest followed suit eventually.

Tulasi is looking quite nice, with two pairs of leaves on the large ones.  I'm feeding a lot of good energy into those little guys every morning (including playing them tulasi songs, http://www.hummaa.com/music/playlistpage.php?pid=21363 ; I don't know enough Sanskrit to do the mantras as recommended ). Tulasi seems to be better suited to indoor life so far.

How are the little darlings on your end?

[Opsa]

I only sowed a few, because I felt it was too late in the season for germination around here. Haven't seen any, yet. I saved some for another try in fall and early spring. I should get some more jiffy pots and do them on the windowsill where I can fuss over them a bit more.

I harvested some nicotiana rustica "Delaware" leaves today. I only took the lower ones that were showing signs of aging, and I sang to them. They are now drying on my picnic table.

I also saved some seeds from the beautiful sweet williams.

[Opsa]

It's that time, again!

New seeds:
Giant Zinnia: Canary Bird, Scarlet Flame, Violet Queen, Purity
Hollyhock: Summer Carnival
Sweet Pea: Jet Set
Sunflower: Lemon Queen
Moonflower vine
Scarlet Runner Bean
Lettuce: Salad Bowl, Grand Rapids, Black Seeded, Great Lakes
Radish: Sparkler
Cucumber
Pepper: Cubanelle
Swiss Chard
Tomato: Jelly Bean
Basil

Saved Seeds:
Scotch Broom (red) (Don't know whether these are hybrids)
Sweet Williams
Tulsi (Aggie)
Nicotiana Rustica (Aggie's and mine)
French Marigolds
Dill
Green Onion
Beet
Broccoli

[Darlica]

That sounds like an interesting mix. 

It makes me miss having a garden or at least a balcony even more.
But given the neglected state of or flowers in our flat it might be the best for now...

[Opsa]

Eh, it's a good excuse foe me to get off my can and out in the yard.

I have some early stuff sprouting in my windowsill greenhouse: lettuces, radishes, plus some sweet williams and portulacas we saved from last year's plants.

[Aggie]

I still have the one plant that came up from your rustica seeds slowly growing away indoors, Ops.  It didn't get the sun exposure that it needed.  It's out-survived the rusticas I gave you seeds for, which got hit hard by mealy bugs and had to be put outside.

I plan to try both outdoors at my parent's place this year, along with the tulsi.  Any idea if tobacco is deer-resistant?  You'd think it would be once it gets to a respectable size, since it's toxic.  No other particular plans for growing things outdoors, and I'm likely giving away most of my house plants (will take some cuttings).

[Darlica]

Swedish roe deers stay away from tobacco, that much I know. It's usually the only thing in my mothers garden that stand un-nipped for the whole season. 

[Opsa]

I do see flowering tobacco (n. alata) listed on deer-resistant plant sites. I assume that since n. rustica is even higher in toxic content, it will also be safe. They never touched the ones I grew.

[Opsa]

HEYYYYYYY
It's a new planting season coming up!

Aside from the seeds I saved from my plant buddies from last year, I have bought these new seeds to start in 2012:

Sweet Basil (gotta)
Spinach- Bloomsdale
Cabbage- Flat Dutch
Lettuce- buttercrunch
Beet- detroit dark Red
Nasturtium
Cosmos- picotee
Sweet pea
Larkspur- rocket

I suppose I ought to get the spinach seeds out into the garden as soon as possible. I've never had luck with spinach, but I keep trying because I just love raw baby spinach in salads.

There are a few I want to start indoors, but I'm trying not to do that too soon.

It's so hard to wait, what with all the daffies blooming in the yard.

[Aggie]

Have you tried New Zealand Spinach (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetragonia_tetragonioides), Ops? It's not actually related, but it makes a good substitute and grows vigorously.

[Opsa]

No, but if it's good enough for the kiwis it's good enough for me. Have you grown it?

I think one problem I have here is that it has been getting warm early. I don't have a problem with that, but I think the spinach seeds do.

[Aggie]

We've grown it in the garden.  It's very easy to grow.

I'm plotting my seed lists and will be ordering some online soon (as well as buying from our local seed company). I'll post a seed list at some point.

Some of last year's chard seems to have overwintered here, and the rhubarb is showing some shoots.  We're still getting a bit of snow, so my biggest priority at the moment is to do a dormant spray on the fruit trees. I picked up a kit that includes lime sulphur and horticultural oil, but am debating whether to use the latter; I'm not sure whether I like the idea of using petroleum distillates on my trees.

Squee! Roommate has tons of leftover seeds from last year... the soil is workable here (if perhaps a tad wet), so according to the packages I can plant:

Spanish onions
Bunching onions
Carrots
Peppergrass Cress
Radishes
Beets
Swiss Chard (already in the garden, but time to start a new crop)
Kale
Butter Lettuce
Leaf Lettuce
Snow Peas

I'm seriously thinking about completely intercropping the main bed of the garden, with a few raised beds possibly in semi-rows. Herbs and veggies growing wherever they come up, plus a few perennial herbs tucked around the place. Garlic and onions planted throughout to keep the little monsters away. There's even a small apple tree in the garden. It'll confuse the hell out of the bugs, and it'll be more like foraging to pick it.  Less of a need to thin out extra conspecific seedlings, too... although one occasionally will have to choose between a carrot and a beet.  The radishes and lettuces will be grown and eaten before the carrots and potatoes are big enough to need the space.

I may need to be a little strategic about plant height, and be sure to place the taller plants to the north, generally.

I also have a bad feeling I'm going to grow a ridiculous number of squash and pumpkin plants this summer. I fear that they might take over the lawn. If nothing else, I can prune them back hard so they put their attentions into ripening a good crop of squash. I could use the green manure, as the compost pile is full of browns at the moment. I wonder if I can train squash to climb a net up the side of a shed, to get a pumpkin growing on the roof...

[Opsa]

Ha! That sounds like fun. I suppose if you have strong enough supports you can tie it up as it grows. The main danger will be that of having a pumpkin fall on your head at some point. Maybe you can designate a hard hat area.

You've reminded me that I could probably start my lettuce and beets soon.

I know how you feel about the oil, but I'm told that it is recommended if you're serious about growing tree fruit. Are there more organic alternatives?