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Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Getting Down and Dirty.

Today I am linking to A Southern Daydreamer for Outdoor Wednesday.
I wonder if this post counts...I am not exactly Outdoors...but what I am doing will be...
I loaded the seed cells...
Got the packages of seed ready to dig into...These are the colors I am planting this year.
Trailrider sent me some Loufa seeds, an elephant ear or two and a couple of other things...I am sad to say that only the loufa seeds look promising at this point..the cold weather froze the rest and all but the elephant ears have been thrown away due to death...Thank You Trailrider...I am so excited to see these growing here...I bet I will be the ONLY one in this area....
Here's the Elephant ears...Lets just keep our fingers crossed...K?
I ripped into the Geranium seeds first. For those that missed the post I did last year on this...here is a close up of some coated seeds...they are not this pretty without the coating...they are brown...sort of resembling mouse droppings...These ones are a pretty shade of gold.
I use a seed spoon to plant these and most other seeds with. I have two of them. Each end of the spoon has a small cup ...
Here is a close up of the end...I use these to move the seeds around. The larger ends hold larger seeds...and the smaller ones...well you get the idea.
Here's some shots of the other size ends. They are not very big...

After I got all ready...I took the seed cells...the seeds and the spoon...and placed one seed in the center of each cell...see them? They are the teeny yellow things...lol
Once the seeds were placed...I covered them lightly with about 1/8th of an inch of soil.
I just sprinkle it on lightly,
and gently smooth it out...not pushing hard on the soil at all...just leveling it out...and not leaving too much on top of the seeds.
I then make my label out of the cut up mini blind.
Never eat the yellow snow...OR DRINK THE YELLOW WATER!!! lol
This water has been treated with an anti-fungal chemical. It will prevent the young geranium seedlings from damping off. (a soil born fungal disease that will rot the young plants at the stem)
It smells awful...and is very corrosive.
Place the seed packs in the pre-mixed water solution...(note the garbage bag....so neatly cut!) I will trim it off and clean it up another time...ha ha..
I planted all my seeds...
and had a little time...so I prepared trays for the next few weeks planting...did a few trays of 9 pack cells,
and a few trays of 4-pack cells...I will need hundreds more, but didn't have time to do it all in one day. Next time...
After all....I did get what I wanted to do finished out here...I planted just a little over 330 Geraniums today.
I don't have much to plant now for a couple of weeks...then it will be a few more types of flower seeds to share...the weeks to come...will bring all sorts of greenhouse adventures and dirt therapy for us here in blog land!
Spring is coming!!!! I just know it is!!!
Have you entered the giveaway I am hosting yet??? If you need to know how...click here!
I can't wait to see who wins...The draw is going to be made on Friday evening at around 8 pm. Saturday will have a post to announce the winner!!!
I will see you all next time!!! Have a great Wednesday!!! To visit some of the other participants of Outdoor Wednesday...click on the logo above to get there!



40 comments:

The Muse said...

we are all dreaming...and hope that we too will soon be touching spring soil!
share with us Tootsie... we love it!

Unknown said...

HI Tootsie
Can't wait to see them grow!

Darla said...

I love it when you show us exactly what you are doing with the seeds. What did you treat the water with and does it really make a difference? Inquiring minds want to know!

Hootin Anni said...

...and I thought I LOVED GARDENING....I don't do this, I buy 'em at the nursery. LOL

You do good work...amazing.


My Wednesday post..."Alligators in the Sewer?" is published...come see if you have a bit of time today. I'd love your visit.
HERE

Darla said...

Well, I spent even MORE time browsing the CSN stores for your give-a-way. I really like Globes and haven't had one in quite a while. There are about 4 that I truly love so I couldn't just list one here.

trash talk said...

350...really? Well, girl you're nails still look wonderful!
I wish I had your passion!
Debbie

bj said...

O my...you do indeed plant in huge numbers. 350 of any flower is wonderful but 350 geraniums is pure heaven. My favorite flower!!
Looking forward to all you teach us. We have such a water shortage out here in West Texas that I've not planted any thing new in my tiny garden for awhile. Our water is too precious to even water the lawn very much. I did do a little container gardening last summer and that worked pretty well.

xo bj

La Petite Gallery said...

I AM SO DUMB! I have bought those little seed trays, always wondered how they get the tiny seed so centered. Then when I water them I lost half the seeds..THANK YOU
THANK YOU --I will start again. I'll bless your seeds and pray they grow.

Yvonne

GardenOfDaisies said...

I love geraniums! Wish I lived close enough to buy a few from you.

Mary | Deep South Dish said...

I am convinced that I really need a greenhouse.

Happy week!

Barbara said...

Tootsie, Well girl, you certainly do plan ahead and now I know your secret to your very lovely flowers in the spring and summer.

Can't wait to see them later.

Barbara

Bonnie said...

What a fun post. I'm dreaming of a greenhouse.

Anonymous said...

You never cease to amaze, you are always showing us new ideas about gardening,love it!

The JR said...

Wow, lots of flowers, lots of work. Tootsie you are a super woman!

Yikes, $11.95 for 50 seeds!!!

Marsha said...

I just love that you start your own seeds! I wish I had the time and space to do it but then I wouldn't have all those fun excursions to all the area nurseries to see what is new and fun and exciting too. Can't wait to see the fruits of your labors next spring!

Chubskulit Rose said...

Very informative!

Frosty Outdoors

Andrea said...

WOW...I can't wait to see these seeds as they grow into the beauty intended!!

Hugs and prayers,
andrea

Stacey said...

Jealous, jealous, jealous! When I'm at the nursery this spring spending mucho money, you'll be pulling your plants out of the greenhouse. You go girl!

Millie said...

My goodness! So many geraniums! Looking forward to spring...

Maureen said...

Light at the end of the tunnel! Spring! Thanks for the tip on damping off. I had problems last year so I'll have to nip it in the bud this year.

onlymehere said...

You're amazing, over 300 planted?! No wonder your gardens are so beautiful. I learn so much from you! Cindy

9405018--Pat said...

Can't wait I really want a greenhouse now...thanks for sharing...Love your blog...Pat H

Unknown said...

Tootsie you are soooooooooo truly amazing with your drive and ambition for gardening. I wish I had just a pinch of it.

artis1111 said...

I want to know the total flowers you are planting this year!!!!LOL Kathy

Justine said...

OMG, each seed packet is more than $11? Holy crapola! Okay, why do they coat the seeds? I really want to know, but they sure do look pretty!

It'd be really neat if you got the elephant ears growing way up there. We have them wild down here!

Yikes, if that liquid is corrosive, how come it doesn't affect the plastic trays? Or would it just be corrosive to flesh? Eeks!

Justine :o )

Debbie said...

I just found your blog and I am in garden heaven. I have a small greenhouse and want, want, want one that you can actually stand up in and don't have to heat the ole outside world with. But until I do I hope you don't mind that I stalk - no I mean visit your site!!

Light and Voices said...

Getting those seeds planted took time and a lot of effort on your part. I wish you luck with the garden. What lovely flowers it will have. I will anxiously await seeing these bloom.
Joyce M

Julie said...

This is amazing. I don't know if I would ever have the strength to do all you do!!!

Kathy said...

An incredible process! Your garden was sooooo beautiful!
xoxo...Kathy

CiNdEe's GaRdEn said...

That is going to be so fun to watch them grow(-: Those are small seeds!
I tried to grow dichondra seeds one time...(-:

Jill said...

Girl... you never stop... you just keep going and going and planting and planting..

ShEEE WOMAN... that's who u r!

cindy said...

Wow! Where do you get your energy? That's awesome that you have all that planting done already. Cant wait to see them grow!

Bren Haas said...

YOU GO GIRL.... you are truly a lady on a mission. It is amazing how orginized you are with your planting. YOU can tell you have done this many times.
Thanks for sharing your experience with me on the web. YOU are truly inspiring!
((HUGS)) from snow covered BGgarden
http://www.facebook.com/BGgarden

Betty said...

I can almost smell the dirt! I can't wait for you to share things as they grow! It is so cold here today and to think just last night I sat drinking a cup of hot chocolate and thinking how beautiful the snow looked and how peaceful I felt, now where did that mood go! lol

Darla said...

Oh my gosh, have you looked at the Oriental rugs at CSN Stores? Beautiful...(another entry) LOL

siteseer said...

Do you keep and use all 350 plants? I've always been impressed with your flowers... now I can see why they are so fabulous! I did a few from seeds eons ago and they didn't do the transition well. I'll have to check back and find out the secret to that.

Teresa~ Gardening with Soule said...

Wow that's alot of gerraniums. Loufa seeds. I never realized (or thought about it) that loufa comes from plants we can grow. I thought it was some sort of undersea type of plant or organism like a sponge. (duh!) I was reading about them on another blog. I am so excited to get some. What a great plant. It's so nice to have spring in mind. Can't wait.

Brenda Pruitt said...

You've been one busy girl! Can't wait for spring.
Brenda

Nishant said...

Can't wait to see them grow!

Work from home India

Alberta said...

Aren't you the busy beaver getting all those planted before the end of January! I traditionally wait until February to start my seeds...so that's next week! I love my day when I get to play in the dirt!
I hope you have 100% germination!!!