Winter Weather!

I have been really busy trying to make sales for new job at Comcast.
I like being in the snow and we finally got some. I haven't forgotten the blog but just got internet again.

Look how pretty it all is! My winter sowing is in full swing and I promise an update later this week.  I moved into a new apartment and have a new garden plan. I'm hoping to stay here for a few years and expand. I'll show my plan for the 5 gallon buckets and the mixture I found on garden web.

Garden Update

I got almost nothing done in May. I know that is when I should do the most. As this is the first year I am trying to establish this garden, no blooms yet. My winter-sown plants have more than doubled in size. Quite a few didn't ever sprout, that had more to do with old seeds and poor watering. A few scraggly looking scabiosa have bloomed the last few days. They are by far my new favorite this season.

I have divided this planter since the picture to give the plants some more room. They seem to be happy with that decision. My best plans of writing out a chart of what is where is long gone and the only plant I'm sure of id the butterfly weed. My garden seems to be following an orange and yellow theme this year. The funny thing is I didn't plan it that way. The yellow cosmo and orange corpeous. Butterfly's have been paying me a visit even without the blooms so that makes me happy. My rose bushes from last year have buds so next week I should have some real color.

Last year  I had two large blue plastic bins, a ton of pots and three wooden crates. I decided to do it a bit different this year. That meant starting over with new plants but for a nicer and more streamlined design I decided it was worth it. The box to the left with the snowy fern leaf marigold in it had fallen apart after a few years of use and is now a vintage looking shelf indoors. To maximize space I got an old horse trough rubbed it with neem oil and it now runs the length up front. The large box in the front is holding steady but I rejuvenated the soil by adding new with the old some fertilizer and  per-lite.

Frost!

Logan Airport is advising there is a chance of frost for most of Massachusetts today. Proving that even though the weather has been in the 70's and 80's this week sneeze and it can change. The last frost date was April 21st. A common mistake gardeners often make is planting early. It is much better to plant a week or two after the suspected frost date.
In areas where a late spring frost or even an early hard frost threaten garden plant, being prepared is your best defense. I just have to pop the top back onto the winter sown seeds. I can throw a blanket over the roses and a few other not quite cold hardy plants. I find the plants most vulnerable to frost are soft woods, blooming , and potted plants. I happen to have all three. The bloomers will have to stick it out as they are already past prime and covering is useless at this point. Frost usually occurs overnight and I can drag everything in and covering everything but I will probably forget and make it worse off. Common signs of frost damage are black leaves, mushy leaves and buds.
Many people mistakenly use plastic to protect plants from frost and while this can be effective, it is a practice that some expert gardeners warn against. Plastic doesn't breathe, but rather trap moisture inside. If the temperature drops low enough, the increase in moisture presents a greater threat to the plants if it should freeze. Since I winter-sowed using plastic covers  that are well ventilated I am popping them back on. You can also make cloches by cutting a soda bottle in half and putting it over your tender plants and it's o.k. to leave them on if you forget. Just make sure that you remove them before the real heat sets in.

A fabric covering will allow moisture to escape, but will still protect plants from frost by preventing the freezing air from coming into direct contact with the moisture. Bed sheets an old duvet or thin blanket are ideal for covering large plants and shrubs as well as tender sprouts.

How my Winter sown seedlings are growing in my apartment garden

Winter sown seedlings!I am having about 70% success and even more at the program. I'm guessing the program ones are doing better due to the bottom watering. It is always so exciting to see the little sprouts pushing through the earth. How is your winter-sowing doing? I must admit I'm a believer after a few years of doing it and relived to avoid a costly clumsy light set up. If you have ever seen winter-sown roots you would see how great and strong they are. Keeping that in mind I'm going to take a chance and plant a few things out this weekend. I saw a great idea of using cloches in this post Seed Starting Tips for Beginner Gardeners. While I am not a beginner gardener I am always scouring blogs for tips and tricks. I have only gardened once in a real yard. Living in my apartment doesn't allow for much in the way of ground. All of my garden is done in containers and hanging baskets.I found some wonderful metal tins at Target in the $1 isle using my trusty drill I have a few more make shift containers. When I have some more time I shall post pictures of those as well.  My boss asked if we could plant out the seedlings at the program since it has been so warm. He was worse than the kids when I said no it isn't quite over yet. In fact next week we are expecting snow!

What I'm winter sowing!

Here is a quick list of what I have winter sown so far. I will be adding more soon!!

 Aster's , Lavender hidicote dwarf, Dianthus, Candy tuft ( sprouting), Marigold french, snowdrop and fernleaf, 4 O'clock's
Blue and white columbine and rose columbine, Crucosima, sunflower teddy bear and little pink

Purple gay feather, pink rock roses, black, blue and pink morning glory, Corpeopsis, rose campion, cardinal flower, nicotina, broccoli, tomato patio, Cherokee and sausage. Basil, oregano, thyme. Salvia lipstick and blue. Laverta silver cup. Pincushion above in purple I have white, purple and maroon I love them.

winter sowing seedlings

a photo by lissa2343 on Flickr.

Sorry it's fuzzy but it was way to cold today to take the lid off and the holes are in different spots. But those are Broccoli sprouts! They survived the snow storm and are happy growing in the snuggly mini green house. I also spotted a few candy tuft pushing through the soil. I can't wait to plant my garden. I was a bit worried about this container as the seed starting mix I used is very dry and doesn't seem to hold any water. It must be wetter than it looks because things are coming up and look green and strong.

I'm feeling spring fever! The Red Sox have gone to spring training. The crocus are in bloom and tulips and daffodils are popping up all over the place!

 I'm itching to buy some tickets for fenway this season but I just lost my second job and I'm tightening the belt along with the rest of the world. So tickets can wait. I always end up with a few. 

I started my winter-sowing a few weeks ago. Don't know what that is? Read all about it at www.wintersown.org. It's a way for spatially challenged people such as myself in my tiny one bedroom apartment and no room for a light set up. You take seeds and let nature do the work with a little help from mini greenhouses made from jugs, bottles and flats.  See easy as pie the seeds sit all snug until spring and bloom when ready. Some cole crops have started already and I know they can survive through a bit of snow.