After a bit of trial and experiments we have added a few new flowers to our Honey Bee Mix which you can find on the front page of the web site: www.flowersoul.com . The additions are: Chinese House (Colinsia Heterphyllia) and Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias Tuberosa). The price will most likely go up a little because of the Asclepia (the seed pod is mostly made up of “parachutes” which require a specialize machine to harvest). Both of these seem to do a good job attracting the bees. Another one was Oregano but we haven’t made the decision to add it yet as it is not a flower even though it does bloom. Mine in the yard are constantly covered with bees. Here in Oregon the honey producers are seeing an upswing in Honey Bees so perhaps we are winning (or helping them )win the survival struggle!!!! Watch the web page, I will be adding a few organic herbs for next spring.
Watch for 2 new individual color Zinnias, Ca Giants. Dark Red & White. In germ testing now.
STARTING SEED INDOORS
Starting seed indoors is a good way to get a jump start on the season. Some plants do not transplant well (poppies for one) so they are not good candidates for this but others will do quite well. Be sure to harden the plants off before transplanting them to the garden.
Use a good seed starter soil mixture ; Loose (operative word) sterile mixture of loam, peat moss, and sand. The goal is germination, not growth so the soil need not be to rich but does need to be loose. Commercial mixes are soooo easy to use!
Moisten the soil mixture and place your seed in the pots planting them very sparsely. Do not plant them too thickly (1/8in or more apart). Barely cover them. Some very small seeds need only to be pressed into the soil. Water, not drown the seeds, misting is a good option or placing the posts in a shallow pan of water will insure that the seeds don’t just float. Cover the pots with glass or plastic wrap to keep it moist and a drying out may kill all your efforts. Place in an area that can be maintained at about 72degrees 24hours/day. Keep an eye on the pots and watch for fungus which occurs because of too much water or not enough air circulation. (I never said it was care free!!!!)
When you have sprouted apprx 90% of the seeds remove the glass/plastic covering and allow for air circulation ( a small fan is helpful, not directly on the plants) . Continue to keep the soil moist but do not over water or float the plants. Temperature can now be 55-60 at night. Keeping them too warm will cause them to grow too fast. The seedlings don’t need as much heat to grow as they do to germinate. Transplant outdoors as soon as possible to avoid letting them get leggy. Harden them off and transplant them on a cloudy day or in the evening.
STARTING HERBS INDOORS
Herbs can be tricky but very rewarding. Who doesn’t like fresh basil on home grown tomatoes? Herbs can be started indoors for those too impatient to wait or for those cooler climates with shorter growing seasons.
The number one rule: Don’t plant too thickly! Plant seeds in pots prepared with humus rich soil. Keep moist but not wet. After seedlings are well above the ground they can be transplanted into larger pots. Herbs like bright light so the best exposure will give you the best results. Basil in particular can be kept in pots outdoors all summer and brought back in for winter use. Be sure to harden the plants before placing them outside or transplanting them into the garden.
Helping seeds with hard coats germinate: Lupin, Sweet Pea, Morning Glory etc……
Seeds that have hard coats will typically not germinate unless they are physically altered to allow water into the embryo. Nature takes care of this with enzymes and microbes but in a planned garden Mother Nature can use a little help. There are 2 basic methods: Scarification and Stratification.
Scarification is just as it sounds. “Scar” the outside surface. Take a shard knife or blade and “knick” the outside of the seed being careful not to go too deep. Coarse grain sandpaper will also work. A alternate method is to drop the seed in just below boiling temp water and let cool 24 hours before planting.
Statification or cool moist treatment involves a process of weakening the seed coat by having it literally expand and contract as happens in the freeze/thaw process. Place seed in a plastic bag with some damp peat moss. Some water should be visible at the bottom of the bag. Refrigerate (32-40 F) for a minimum of 2 weeks. Seed can be checked periodically after that. Once you see signs of germination the seeds must be planted promptly as they do not store well in this state.
http://www.wimp.com/melodygarden/
