Starting The Season

I have been productive this last week, which is why I haven't found time to update my blog. But here I am.
First off, there is a 4-H Plant Sale in my county in May that I will probably attend. Why not help out the community and benefit from it myself? I think it's a great idea.

I've done quite a bit of work outside since my last post. These are the things I have planted:
Dahlia
Viola
Gladiolus
Coneflower
Purple Carrots
Multicolored Carrots
Broccoli
Garlic (late)
Runner Beans
Viola
Honeycrisp Apple Tree (named Richard)

Transplanted:
2 Morning Glory plants

I had meant to attempt to start a greenhouse but I think if I've held out this long, I can wait another 2 weeks when everything will go out anyways. I have begun hardening off a few plants, mainly my peppers because I am so worried about them doing well. This is my most treasured crop so I don't want to take any risks. Not to mention, I don't have the best setup inside. The plants are in front of a window, yes, and I DO have a grow light on them but for how much I have, I should probably have at least 3 lights on the table. I know this, I just don't want to spend so much money. BUT when I know it will be nice out, I will put them outside.

Now to go over some individual planting problems I am faced with.
I failed myself a bit earlier this year by not labeling things that I planted. I have a general idea what some are but guessing is not that accurate. I don't believe my pansies came up, nor my poppys. Things that I misplaced: Bergenia Roses, Bellflowers and canterbury bells. I'm sure there are more. If I can find pictures of seedlings, I'd be able to identify them but it's hard to find those. Some of the flowers haven't been showing much growth in the last few weeks which worries me but I just re-arranged the table so that may help. Being that some of these plants are perennials, they might not get established and flower until next year which is fine.

I believe I just found out that what I had thought to be my hollyhock growing big is actually a bunch of pansies. That's great because I believe the ones I planted are black. Well maybe. So many seedlings look alike. I have some fuzzy-type seedlings and I have NO idea what those are. I'm going to have to do some mega research. Bummer. This will definately not happen next year. Lable lable lable.



I will get pictures up later this weekend hopefully. I need to document this year better so I can learn from it all next year.

Mail-Order Plants

I received my plants from Michigan Bulb Co. yesterday. This is the first time I have gotten actual plants (not seeds)mailed to me. Not what I was expecting except for my lilac bush. I planted everything yesterday except the bush. I put the strawberries with my original strawberry plant and onions next to that. I also pulled some hostas out of the ground and moved them to a boring spot that nothing else can grow in. I tilled some of the front where a mojority of the flowers will be planted. I planted my new old fashion bleeding heart as well as the 6 new hibiscus plants. Last but not least I put all 24 Iris bulbs in the ground. I'm unsure if they will come up this year or not...maybe not until summer, we shall see.

I took some string and created a ladder for the peas to grow on and transplanted the sweet peas that I had started indoors, they aren't looking too healthy but hopefully will be fine. The rose bushes, lettuce and sweet peas that are planted outside have quite a bit of growth, it is exciting!

Planting Calculator

I just found this wonderful planting calculator that tells you based on frost dates when you should be: planting, starting, hardening off and transplanting all of your plants. Not that it's THAT hard to make your own calender but why not have someone else do it for you :) I have also thrown together a list of vegetable plants that can be planted outside before last frost. If you can't tell, I'm getting to be an anxious gardener with all of the nice weather and would love to start putting some things outside other than my peas and lettuce.

Here is what you can plant before last frost, once the ground is workable:
Vegetables:
Snow Peas
Lettuce
Beets
Turnips
Radishes
Kale
Onion Sets
Potatoes
Garlic
Spinach
Cole
Broccoli
Leeks
Carrots
Swiss Chard
Kohlrabi
Mustard Greens
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Onion Seeds
Brussels Sprouts
Dill

Flowers:
Pansies
Bachelor’s button
Larkspur
California Poppy
Sunflower
Sweet Peas
Rose Mallow/Tree Mallow
Sweet Alyssum
Bells of Ireland
Forget-Me-Not
Mignonette
Black-Eyed Susan
:::::::(Cold-tolerant seedlings)
Snapdragon
Ornamental Kale
Dusty Miller
Dracaena/spike
Pinks(Dianthus Chinensis)
Stock
Cupflower
Cape Daisy
Phlox
Violet
Johnny jump-up
Viola

Hopefully that will help a little, I know I will end up glancing back at this list occasionally to see what I can put in the ground this early. I do have some poppys started, I wonder if I can put those in now? I guess I will have to do some more digging.
Also my first outside bloom today was a daffodil, hopefully the tulips will start to soon.

Seed Shopping Tip

I'd like to give a little hint to all of you internet users. If you are ever shopping online at Park Seed, Burpee, Michigan Bulb Co. or anywhere else (even not for seeds), take a second before you check out and pull up a google screen. Type in whatever website you are using and the words "Coupon Code" There is generally something for (virtually) every website out there. My last order with Michigan Bulb Co. I did this and saved myself $20 on a $45 order, just for looking it up. You can often get free shipping, half off products, free with purchase products or percentages off the entire order. I have probably saved myself 300 dollars this year alone(so far) from doing this. Granted it makes me want to buy more but that's my own problem ;)

Here are some current coupons out there for the websites I use, Enjoy:
Burpee
Park Seed
Michigan Bulb Co.
Thompson and Morgan
Johnny's Selected Seeds
Harris Seeds

Hope this helps.
Some may not work everytime, but it's always worth the few seconds it takes. Anything I can do to help out my fellow seed/plant shoppers.

Morning Glorys

Oops, I definately started my morning glorys too early. First blooms of the season yesterday. I got home and they had already closed up but I will see them tonight when I get home. Cute little white and purple flowers. I wish I could put them outside but that will have to wait. Putting the sweet peas in the ground this weekend I'm pretty sure. It doesn't seem like it will even freeze at night until fall. It hasn't even really gotten close to 32 in the 3 weeks. I have to be patient though.

Spring Shopping

Just ordered a few new things for the garden. I decided to check out Michigan Bulb Co. for some actual plants vs. seeds, which I try to avoid doing. With some plants, it's just a better idea to buy a started plant. These new plants consist of an Original Bleeding Heart plant for along the garage with the ferns. This spot gets no direct sunlight (if only an hour maybe) and needs some color. I also purchased a few new Hibiscus plants-6 total--Perennials Including this Sub Zero Hibiscus mix including light blues, reds, pinks, dark reds and purples and a Hardy Perennial mix of reds, pinks, and whites. I found a deal for buy 12 get 12 free for Mixed Dutch Irises which will be wonderful!


I also found a deal for 3 strawberry plants for $3 something and some cheap onion sets. Lastly (if I remember right) I finally got a lilac bush for the backyard, though I may try to convince my boyfriend to let me put it in the front yard, we'll see. I have wanted a lilac bush for years, I am glad I finally have gotten one.
These should all ship within a few weeks. Being that they are plants, they have to wait until mid april or so but I will try to be patient. I am also waiting on some garlic and a white raspberry plant which should also come soon. So Exciting!

As for my plants and plans for this last weekend to get a lot done, we're making our way slowly to having the front grow spot ready. Derek and I pulled out 90 percent of the roots from the old large bushes. We are almost done which is exciting. I can't wait to have flowers growing there because it looks very dull and bare now. Our nosy neighbors asked what we were doing in that nice but obviously worried tone. "You going to plant flowers there?" which was meant in the "you better be doing something there!" kind of way. But yes of course we are and I can't wait for him to be impressed by the Hibiscus and Gladiolus and a million other flowers this year.

I forgot to mention I splurged the other day and bought one of each-red tulip, white/orange daffodil, pink hyacinth, just to add some different color to my small spring flower display. Along with that I got 2 rose bushes. If I remember right, they are both Hybrid Tea Roses, one is orange/pink/white, the other is scarlet colored red. I hope they grow fine, this is my first time with roses and they were pretty cheap. Wish me luck and cross your fingers. :)

Oh Sweet Pea!

After finding out more about my sweet peas yesterday, I was inclined to do more digging on the subject. I glanced outside on Sunday morning and noticed a few of the seeds have started growing. Either they are snow peas, or another variety of sweet pea that I did not start indoors. I planted both in the same spot as I realized after sowing that the snow peas I purchased are not compatible for my zone. I figure it won't hurt to leave them in the ground, if they decide to come up, I'll simply have more peas. If they do not, I won't risk the use of space and decided to plant over them. We shall see how that works out. So, after noticing these have already started growing, I took a look at the package for the sweet peas that are started inside(These are getting very tall and somewhat ridiculous to have inside). I think I should be starting to harden these off since peas like cold weather. I'm just worried that a hard frost will kill a somewhat grown plant versus just a sprouting one. I guess I will find out, at least one variety is growing well.

Any idea if I can put my started sweet peas outdoors before the last frost?

Along with the sprouting peas outside, both varieties of lettuce has started to come up with tiny little leaves. As well as my red/green peppers inside that I was worried about, all is well in the gardening world for me.

This weeks' forecast in the twin cities consists of 70 degree weather, currently being 69, said to reach 73. This, I'm sure will encourage some spring growth with my planted seed, as well as the tulips and daylilies. I am so excited.

On a completely different note, I bought myself a "sorry about the allergies" plant for my desk at work. It consists of 3 pixie lily plants. The best part is, I have no idea what color they will be, except for the hint of a pinky/red/possibly orange color starting on the inside of a few of the pods. Along with that, I received a beautiful bouquet of flowers from my boyfriend this morning consisting of aster, 2 pink/yellow roses, some form of Lilly and some pink snapdragons. And of course hugging the vase is an adorable little bear. I certainly feel special.

After tomorrow, I will have all the time in the world to dig in the dirt and I am sure I will have something much more interesting to blog about. Until then, I am going to enjoy inside garden I am starting at my desk.:)

How Vining Plants Vine

My indoor plants are doing fantastic! Some of the recently started Checkered Poppies, Bergenia Rose, Zucchini, Watermelon, Hibiscus and Morning glories have popped out of the soil this weekend. Along with the Mixed hot peppers. Seems the red/green pepper plants are a bit more stubborn but I'm sure they will come up when they want to. We are expecting weather in the 70's this week! I have Thursday and Friday off from work which means I will certainly be spending most of my free time preparing the garden.
Yesterday I cut down all of the "decorative bushes" aka overgrown weed/trees from in front of our house. This is where I intend to put most of my flowers this year. It will be quite the chore pulling all of those huge root balls out of the ground but I'm up for the challenge. This is the spot that gets the most sun in our entire yard. I will have to sneak in some tomatoes, peppers and maybe even a watermelon plant on the end.

The morning glory's that I started in mid-february are quickly out-growing their pots, well more their posts. The other day, the top of the vine was headed toward my lamp since it's taller than anything else in the room. Funny how that works.
I have been wondering this whole time however why my morning glory will crawl up the bamboo rods I placed into the pots while my sweetpeas just fall and won't cling to anything. After some research, I came across this wonderful article on vining plants. Apparently morning glories, pole beans and others use a twining technique which allows them to twist around anything it touches. However, sweatpeas, passionflowers, etc. use tendrils to latch onto things to keep their growth vertical. Although I was aware that peas had a different method of climbing, I was oblivious to the fact that they need horizontal support systems. Who knew, well I'm sure a lot of people knew but for a fairly inexperienced gardener, this was a pleasant surprise for me. I was worried I had faulty sweetpeas. Apparently what works best is netting with squares that are 2-6 inches wide. I will need to do this asap as I am afraid my sweetpeas will refuse to grow if they can't stand up. Hope you learned something in this blog, since I just have. :)

What a Wonderful Idea

I got this from Garden Fuss but I needed to include it for anyone who would read this, as well as a reminder for myself next year.

Winter Sowing!!
What an amazing idea. Yes you're somewhat limited on what you can grow with this method but if you're anything like me, you get anxious during the winter to get your hands back in the dirt. Who in Minnesota doesn't hate that feeling of needing to plant something and not being able to? That is one great thing about this winter sowing idea. Another being that you don't have to spend lots of money on seed starting kits. I personally do a LOT of indoor starting and if I can sew some of those outside using this winter sowing method, it will free up a lot of my space which I am quickly running out of.

On another note, the second batch of morning glorys that I started on the 20th have all already emerged along with one of the hollyhock(pink) seeds. This is exciting too because I lost track of which plant was a hollyhock with my first batch(white), now I have something to compare to.
I am anxiously awaiting the budding of the Hibiscus I planted.

This is the most important flower to me this year. It's so special because my boyfriend spotted these beautiful flowers at a house down the road from us and asked the lady what they were. He told me that's what he wanted to grow this year. Being that he is so excited for them, I am even more excited.:) I'm just crossing my fingers that they grow well and beautifully.

University of Minnesota Gardening Workshop

The U of M Home Landscaping and Garden Fair---April 10th 8:00-3:30.
I am going to try to convince my boyfriend(new to gardening)to go to this with me. He volunteered to help me this year but knowing very little except how to work with his hands. It would be so beneficial for both of us to go since I too have much learning to do. The schedule includes lots of different classes that would teach us both a lot. Everything from keeping rodents out of your crops, to edible landscaping, to building bird feeders. It's fairly cheap--$45 for 2 people and it's an all day event. Not to mention Andover is only 20 minutes from our house. Him and I reach our one year anniversary next week so I'm thinking it can be part of our date, just a few days late.

I didn't know about the Minnesota Home Patio Show until it was too late. This would be a great alternative with lots of learning.