Starting from seeds?

[rubysi]

So I really want the gardening category to stick around. I will post more. Do you start from seed or starts? What do you grow? We do both but this year we are attempting do most  by seed. We have started white strawberries (I am allergic to the pigment in reds), lettuce, radishes, cucumbers, pumpkins, onions, leeks. We also grow potatoes, shallots, and garlic  from last year's crop. From starts we have tomatoes,  blueberries, raspberries, misc herbs. The dh built me a greenhouse over the last 2 years and it is ready to be the seed house. This is a picture before completion. 

[4furrypaws]

Ruby...I think I'm going to steal your little stick/twine doggie fence idea! LOVE the quaint/rustic look of it!!!!

I have just been doing flowers for the past several years at this new house. Have done strawberries, tomatoes, peppers in the past.

I've done both seeds, starters, bulbs and transplants. I plan on doing some of all of it this year but focus more on seeds for specific ones.

I've had good luck with Cosmos and Zinnias from seeds. I should actually start getting my materials gathered!

[NariaDreaming]

I am SUUUUUUPER jealous of your greenhouse!


We have a 3 season porch and I have two of the plastic mini-greenhouses. We typically start from seed:

Tomatoes (8-10 varieties. I'm an addict)
Peppers (6-8 varieties)
Zinnias, Marigolds, and whatever other flowers strike my fancy that year.


This year I'm going to try and start some eggplant and perhaps some squash as well

[rubysi]

4furrypaws we need to get our seeds ordered. The dh has found an heirloom seed site and is like a kid in a candy store. I think he has 40 different item selected. We are planning on canning more this year too summer is nice and busy for me.

[rubysi]

Feb 5, 2015 8:58:40 GMT -5 NariaDreaming said:

I am SUUUUUUPER jealous of your greenhouse!


We have a 3 season porch and I have two of the plastic mini-greenhouses. We typically start from seed:

Tomatoes (8-10 varieties. I'm an addict)
Peppers (6-8 varieties)
Zinnias, Marigolds, and whatever other flowers strike my fancy that year.


This year I'm going to try and start some eggplant and perhaps some squash as well

We are adding eggplant, squash, different peppers, different cucumbers,  more tomatoes, and whatever else dh has selected. I am afraid of my dh's commitment to the garden... I guess it is cute he loves it so much.

[mlal78]

I used to start a lot of my annuals from seed, but now that my gardens are established I don't really have the need for them. in the veggie garden I start the radishes, beans and carrots from seed, but just planted in the ground, I don't start them early.

[NariaDreaming]

Feb 5, 2015 9:01:34 GMT -5 rubysi said:

4furrypaws we need to get our seeds ordered. The dh has found an heirloom seed site and is like a kid in a candy store. I think he has 40 different item selected. We are planning on canning more this year too summer is nice and busy for me.

Thank you for reminding me! I need to round up all my old seeds and see if any still germinate.

We'll be augmenting whatever we currently have with an order from Annie's Heirlooms.

[menrandes]

I would love to start from seeds, but I haven't had much luck with it in the past so usually we end up with seedlings. I saved seeds from last year though, so I need to make a go of it again! This year we will be doing tomatoes (a variety), zucchini, yellow squash, spaghetti squash, pumpkin, cucumbers, bell peppers, a variety of hot peppers, a variety of lettuce, and beans. I would like to have flowers in the front, but that might have to wait because it starts to get pretty pricey!

[rosetyler72]

rubysi - your greenhouse is adorable! Also, that hammock makes me want to climb in and read for hours instead of going to work.

My new yard is about the size of a postage stamp but we will do our best to build a few raised beds for planting. I'm thinking tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplant, squash, and some herbs.

Those of you that start from seeds, when do you start them? I've only done it a few times, with varying success.

[ProfessorChaos]

Last year was the first year we did a major seed starting enterprise indoors (see other post), but I've always done tons of direct sow--greens, peas, beans, beets, zucchini, scallions, etc. If you want to really drool over heirlooms, request a catalog from these folks:
www.rareseeds.com/
They're AMAZING.
We also order a lot from Pinetree (http://www.superseeds.com/) because I like their smaller, cheaper seed packets.

[rubysi]

Feb 5, 2015 10:56:03 GMT -5 rosetyler72 said:

rubysi - your greenhouse is adorable! Also, that hammock makes me want to climb in and read for hours instead of going to work.

My new yard is about the size of a postage stamp but we will do our best to build a few raised beds for planting. I'm thinking tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplant, squash, and some herbs.

Those of you that start from seeds, when do you start them? I've only done it a few times, with varying success.

In the past we start the strawberry seeds this time of year and the rest we plant in ground or containers after the first frost. That is about April 1st in my neck of the woods.

This year we are hoping to start more from seed so we will be spending the next few weeks getting those ready. We are also hoping to sell the extra when they are ready. Kind of a starts yard sale.

[rubysi]

Feb 5, 2015 11:43:23 GMT -5 ProfessorChaos said:

Last year was the first year we did a major seed starting enterprise indoors (see other post), but I've always done tons of direct sow--greens, peas, beans, beets, zucchini, scallions, etc. If you want to really drool over heirlooms, request a catalog from these folks:
www.rareseeds.com/
They're AMAZING.
We also order a lot from Pinetree (http://www.superseeds.com/) because I like their smaller, cheaper seed packets.

I just got this in the mail today it is awesome!

[agpjt413]

OMIGOSH!! Your green house is too cute!! We have a shed that we've been using as a make-shift greenhouse to winter over our tropical plants. We typically start beans, okra, melons from seed. We'll buy tomato plants and like NariaDreaming, we'll have a ton of different varieties. And like mlal78, we freeze them for later use in lieu of canned. (side note re: tomatoes, anyone like the Heirloom Cherokee purple ones?! I love those, beefsteaks and German Johnsons, which we started planting about 4 years ago).

In whiskey barrels we do potatoes (red pontiacs, yukon and blue), some herbs, blueberries, pink blueberries (which totally mess w/ your head b/c they're pink!), kale, cabbage, carrots, radicchio, Swiss chard, I think that's it. Then in the actual garden we've got the tomatoes, beans (about 5-6 variety), melons, broccoli, cauliflower and we have some wildflowers we planted from seed towards the back for some color.

In the yard, we have several bulbs that come up (tulips, dahlias, etc) and we like to plant some annuals for color as well. We also have several azaleas and a couple of winter Daphnes. The tropical plants that are in the shed are brought out around the second week of April and placed around our two back patios. There's probably about 30 pots including a grapefruit tree, lemon tree, kefir lime plant and half a dozen Jasmine varieties. Oh and MH has 32 rose bushes/trees. If I tote the water from the rain barrels...it takes me about 2 solid hours to water everything - I'm usually listening to my iPod when doing this LOL!!

ETA: Forgot to add that we have raspberries and blackberries in the garden as well.

Eta2: (lol!) Forgot squash and zucchini! This past year we had zucchini coming out of our ears!! I was making so many loaves of zucchini bread!!

[olenka]

I've gotten out of starting plants from seed indoors because it's just a lot of work. Mostly I just direct seed outdoors when the time is ideal for that particular vegetable or flower. I always do tomatoes from seedlings now.

Generally I have a few types of potatoes and tomatoes, garlic, onions, beets, carrots, kale, mixed greens, nasturtiums, sunflowers, and some other random stuff. We have a bunch of blueberry bushes and strawberry plants too.

Cannabis is legal to grow in my state as of July 1. Maybe I'll give that a whirl this year, just because I can.

[rubysi]

Feb 6, 2015 1:09:33 GMT -5 olenka said:

I've gotten out of starting plants from seed indoors because it's just a lot of work. Mostly I just direct seed outdoors when the time is ideal for that particular vegetable or flower. I always do tomatoes from seedlings now.

Generally I have a few types of potatoes and tomatoes, garlic, onions, beets, carrots, kale, mixed greens, nasturtiums, sunflowers, and some other random stuff. We have a bunch of blueberry bushes and strawberry plants too.

Cannabis is legal to grow in my state as of July 1. Maybe I'll give that a whirl this year, just because I can.

Does that mean you are in Oregon?

[olenka]

Feb 6, 2015 8:02:46 GMT -5 rubysi said:

Feb 6, 2015 1:09:33 GMT -5 olenka said:

I've gotten out of starting plants from seed indoors because it's just a lot of work. Mostly I just direct seed outdoors when the time is ideal for that particular vegetable or flower. I always do tomatoes from seedlings now.

Generally I have a few types of potatoes and tomatoes, garlic, onions, beets, carrots, kale, mixed greens, nasturtiums, sunflowers, and some other random stuff. We have a bunch of blueberry bushes and strawberry plants too.

Cannabis is legal to grow in my state as of July 1. Maybe I'll give that a whirl this year, just because I can.

Does that mean you are in Oregon?

Yes, I live in Portland.

[towerclimberswife]

Hey All!

I start things from seed and from starts from a local farm. We had okay success last year with starting with seeds, but our spring was soooooo cold I got my stuff in way late, so we didn't get any peppers and all my tomatoes died. Boo!

This year we're planting 39 different varieties of vegetables. I'll supplement with starts if anything doesn't take.

[amiee]

I do mostly seeds but sometimes starts... actually I need to try and get my seeds started the next week or so. I plant cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, zuchinni and some herbs every year. Others vary with what I feel like planting and find seeds for. I started with a little flower bed in the front, then extended it by the side of the house and a spot in the back. Last year we made a separate circle garden. Last year I had peas, corn, beans, cabbage, and yellow squash as well. I also have one lil grape plant that for the first time made some grapes. Need to plan what I'm going to grow this year and well ( I try to rotate them as much as I can) and get seeds started.


I love your green house- I have nothing like that, but hope to have something one day!

[BJ Dealer]

Feb 5, 2015 11:43:23 GMT -5 ProfessorChaos said:

Last year was the first year we did a major seed starting enterprise indoors (see other post), but I've always done tons of direct sow--greens, peas, beans, beets, zucchini, scallions, etc. If you want to really drool over heirlooms, request a catalog from these folks:
www.rareseeds.com/
They're AMAZING.
We also order a lot from Pinetree (http://www.superseeds.com/) because I like their smaller, cheaper seed packets.

Thanks for recommending Pinetree!  I just ordered 20 different kinds of seeds to try out this year!  I like that, as you said, they're smaller, cheaper packets.  Perfect for me as a beginner!    

[dontstopbelievin]

Feb 11, 2015 4:34:51 GMT -5 BJ Dealer said:

Feb 5, 2015 11:43:23 GMT -5 ProfessorChaos said:

Last year was the first year we did a major seed starting enterprise indoors (see other post), but I've always done tons of direct sow--greens, peas, beans, beets, zucchini, scallions, etc. If you want to really drool over heirlooms, request a catalog from these folks:
www.rareseeds.com/
They're AMAZING.
We also order a lot from Pinetree (http://www.superseeds.com/) because I like their smaller, cheaper seed packets.

Thanks for recommending Pinetree!  I just ordered 20 different kinds of seeds to try out this year!  I like that, as you said, they're smaller, cheaper packets.  Perfect for me as a beginner!    

I just placed an order with them as well. Will you all teach me how to garden now? :-)

[rubysi]

We have some noticeable growth from Mondays planting. Woo hoo

[bonzo2012]

Hi all! I love that there's a gardening board here.

In the past we did container gardening on our balcony, and this is the first year we've had a yard to actually plant things in the ground. I may have gone a little overboard ordering seeds...I'm just so excited to have space to grow! We're planning on putting in an apple tree and a pear tree, as well as raspberry and blueberry bushes. As for veggies, we'll be growing pole beans, beets, bell peppers, tomatoes (cherry and large), eggplants, lettuce, spinach, pumpkins, melon, corn, radishes, and a bunch of herbs. For most of these ill be trying to start from seeds, though if it gets to transplant time and I havent had luck then we will buy starts.

[amiee]

For anyone needing to look up their frost dates to decide when to start seeds:

www.moongardencalendar.com/mgc/index.cfm/apps/FrostDates

[4furrypaws]

rubysi This Saturday is Ace's 20% off sale. I'll be going and getting my seed starting supplies. So hopefully in the next few weeks I can have little sprout picts to share as well!!

[BJ Dealer]

I can't wait to see sprout pics 4furrypaws! I'll be starting mine next week, I think.

[4furrypaws]

OMYGosh...I went to Lowes to buy grow lamps. Got the fixtures and the correct bulbs. Get home and open the light fixture boxes...SHIT BALLS...they are the kind you hard wire in. Bugger!

So, going online to order the ones that plug in today.

Bugger!

Good news though...I bought a crap ton of Heirloom seeds this weekend and all my little peet pods!

[amiee]

Feb 23, 2015 8:42:24 GMT -5 4furrypaws said:

OMYGosh...I went to Lowes to buy grow lamps. Got the fixtures and the correct bulbs. Get home and open the light fixture boxes...SHIT BALLS...they are the kind you hard wire in. Bugger!

So, going online to order the ones that plug in today.

Bugger!

Good news though...I bought a crap ton of Heirloom seeds this weekend and all my little peet pods!

Sounds like something I would do.

[4furrypaws]

I just posted a pict of my set up on the other thread but here it is again!! I'm so excited!!!! Eeeeee!

[4furrypaws]

renegadewhit


Baahahahhahaaa!!!!!

[KayVeeKay]

I'll pop in to say that I have my starter peat moss things hydrated, but got distracted by LO before I could plant yesterday. I'm afraid to plant too early since this is when I planted last year and then we got a late April frost, which killed everything.