Saturday, April 22, 2017

Winter Sow Success

It's still too early to put any of them in the ground, but I think we can safely call the winter sow experiment a success.

Despite a few wind storms, and the lawn maintenance boys intentionally aiming a leaf blower at them.... everything its doing pretty well.

The clear winner are the Mammoth sunflowers
Soon that one sprout is going to get too tall for the jug and I'm going to have to set it free.
The Indian Blanket sunflowers aren't nearly as big, but they are nice and healthy.
Same with the Teddy Bear sunflowers (though they are squished to one side thanks to lawn maintenance blowing their jug across the yard.)
The Lupins are starting to look like Lupins with their signature five-leafed shape emerging.
The Holly Hocks are doing well. I'm really curious to what colours I will get (package was mixed).
Early or not, I am going to have to transfer the Butterfly Mix soon. It's running out of room. I'm thinking it will go into a large pot until I can sort out what plants are in there.
The poor Iceland Poppies took the brunt of the leaf-blower incident, but I think they will survive. I'm going to try to spread them out in their jug a bit (they are all to one side), but it will be tough because they are still so small and delicate

The only ones that weren't a success were the Chives and the Sweet Peas. Both were a gamble because winter sow method is really meant for perennials. I still have half a package of both left; the Chives will probably be tossed directly in one of the gardens once the threat of frost has passed, and I'll try the Sweet Peas in a pot again (I can get them grow, just not bloom), otherwise, Bunbun just eats them

Elsewhere....
Finally a tulip!!! I think my tulip problem is not enough sun (this one is right on the edge of the garden so it gets a little more than the rest). Later in the summer, I'm going to dig up all the bulbs, and either dig a new garden, or put them in the back gardens. I really miss that spring colour.
The weather has cooled off a bit , but it hasn't slowed the Bleeding Hearts which are just beginning to emerge.
And the raspberries have really  leafed out. Boy am I glad I tidied them up when I did. I have a few stray sprouts to pull (raspberries spread like wildfire if you let them), but they are miles better than they were last year.

What's the garden like where you live?

5 comments:

Araignee said...

The trees are filling in so I am losing the sun. My pansies are done for but the hostas are huge. They are so pretty at this stage and then the deer find them and they are goners.

Delighted Hands said...

Boy, when things let loose with Spring-they go gang busters! I can't believe you have a flowers starting already-love the bleeding heart!

kathy b said...

Yours fared much better than mine. The hollyhock never sprouted at all. My lupine, well I have about 6 stems on their second set of leaves. It was fun. It was easy. I hope my lupine transfer well. Thanks for sharing the experience with me!!!

Vera said...

Great success! We have lettuce ready to pick and the rhubarb is huge!

Cat Lover said...

Your plants look great. It definitely was a resounding success!
Have a good day!
Robin