Recipe For Blooms

Geranium Blooms!!!



Oh ya…kids…it’s time…yep..time to GET YOUR PLANT ON!!!
LETS GET SOME DIRT IN OUR HAIR!   WOO HOO!  
Yes…I am a little excited…but hey…it’s planting time…what do you expect?   IT’S PLANTING TIME!  :) 
Okay…ahem…I am going to pull myself together here…and stop celebrating for a few minutes…so I can help you guys get YOUR plant on!   It’s a simple recipe really…



You will need a few little supplies…I use the items above quite regularly.   Included in this photo are:
~Plastic garden markers (made out of an inexpensive mini blind that I cut up)
~Chamomile Tea bag
~Stainless Steel Widger (helps to move soil and seeds)
~Seed spoons
~tweezers
~scissors
~permanent marker



~Geranium Seeds!!!



~soil and pots!!!  
Lets get busy!
!!!!!!!!   WAIT   !!!!!!!!
Now, before we continue here, I think it is important to discuss my choice of planting medium.  I have had a lot of questions regarding what I use to plant in, and I think it is about time, I answer this question once and for all…don’t you?  


I like to use Sunshine professional growing mixes!   There are many different mixes…and there is always one that is just perfect for your planting needs!   I have used Pro Mix 3 and Pro Mix 4 for YEARS now and I have never been disappointed in this product.

 To visit the website for more information and to see what else this company has to offer, click on the highlighted words or the photos above…and you will be taken straight to their site!
Okay…I feel much better now…so lets get back to business….



Geraniums are vulnerable to damping off …and I like to take some precautions to try to prevent this disease from becoming a problem in my greenhouse.   At one time I used a chemical product, but have learned a more environmentally friendly way to manage this issue.  I use chamomile tea!     I haven’t had any trouble with Damping off since…so it must be effective!
I use a plastic greenhouse tray, add a plastic liner (as some of them are getting old and have a few little leaks)   I fill the tray with water and put a tea bag in there to steep…



(I also steep a full garbage can of chamomile tea in the greenhouse for watering purposes for a few weeks) 



Next we need to make a little dimple in the soil to put out seed into…I use the tip of my marker to do this…it’s the perfect size.



Remember…not too deep…just be gentle!  Now that we have our little dimple made…it’s time for SEEDS!



Using the seed spoon or tweezers, place one tiny seed into the dimple you just made in the pot!



There it is!



Lightly cover that tiny seed with some of the growing medium and you are almost ready to grow!



If you are like me, you like to know what color everything is going to be.   I label each pot with the color of the geranium that is planted in it.  I use the cut up mini blinds and my permanent marker to tag each pot with the bloom color!



All tagged and sown…ready for some water!



Once I have sown and labeled each pot, I like to let them absorb some of the tea steeped water from the bottom.  The chamomile tea will help to prevent damping off disease, and soaking in from the bottom will prevent our little seeds from being moved from their new little homes.   Once the soil is evenly moistened…I move them back into their growing trays and wait. 
…and wait.
…and wait.
…and wait.   I can’t even explain why I love to grow from seed so much…anyone who knows me knows I am NOT a patient Tootsie…and it seems there is a LOT of waiting involved in this hobby doesn’t there?  well…it’s worth it.
You will need to repeat the entire process again and again and again until all your Geranium seeds are sown…




I planted 200 Geraniums of various colors today…How many do you plant?  Do you have a favorite color?

Well that’s it for me today…

Until Next Time…Happy Gardening!

*)*)*) Trials of life can either make us or break us - it's our attitude that makes the difference.

(¯`v´¯)
`*.¸.*´Glenda/Tootsie
¸.•´¸.•*¨) ¸.•*¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•´ .•´ ¸¸.•¨¯`•.
www.tootsietime.com
 

Fertilizer Friday/ Flaunt Your Flowers July 20/12

HAPPY FRIDAY AGAIN!!!! I am SO glad to see you!
Friday is a BIG day for us here at Tootsie Time…(ok, just me…there is no one else here…lol) It’s a big deal because it means it’s PARTY TIME!!!! Fertilizer Friday is the day of the week than an ELITE group of gardeners from all around the world get together, snap photos, link up and Flaunt Their Flowers!!!
If you are new to Tootsie Time and Fertilizer Friday, I just know you are asking yourself…”How do I join?”
Well…it’s easy really. Here’s all you need to know to become a part of this great group of gardeners, bloggers and friends:
If it is spring or summer where you live, you need to snap a few photos of what you have growing, blooming or just love to look at that is of the plant variety…if it is winter where you live, you may post past favorite photos…or indoor plants…whatever you like. The only criteria is that it is a plant or something growing! You do not need to use fertilizer to participate in this party, but if you do, this is the reminder to fertilize weekly! All I ask is that: Your post must include the logo above and/or a link to Tootsie Time, or the linky will be deleted.
So....I would like to invite each and every one of you to join in and share your photos...

My little trip was nice…just not long enough…ha ha! I may have another little trip coming up in the next week or two…so that will fun…

I returned home to a yard overgrown and loaded with weeds…what a mess!!! I have been busy trying to get things under control, and making a few little changes to some areas…I will share them as I accomplish something. My yard is in a sad state so I am not sharing it this week . Instead…today I am flaunting…my greenhouse.

It was a mess…a total disgrace.

I had neglected it for too long. There is junk all over the place…and a tree is actually growing up between the floor boards…yes…I said a tree.

…we had to cut this tree down to put the greenhouse up…and now…it wants it’s spot back! Not only is it unwanted…but it is loaded with bugs…so it has got to go! I cut it out as best I could…

I then turned my attention to the plants that are in dire need of re-potting…and finished that up.

I needed to take all the dead leaves off of the whole lot, and trim them all nice and neat.

After several hours of working in my favorite place in the world…I gave everyone a nice big drink of water…

…and stood back to admire my beautiful plants!

See!!! No more tree!!! For now anyways…ha ha.

I just love days when it is not too hot outside and I can spend some time in my greenhouse. Today was a rainy day…Perfect for this Toots to play inside!

Everything seems to be doing nicely in the greenhouse this year.

I made a few to give away…

…but for the most part…this plant population is MINE!!! ha ha!

This is the end of my flaunt for the week. Now it is your turn…bring it on! I will do my best to get around and visit all of the great flaunting gardens this week…and try to catch up on what I have missed out on the last bit!

What are you waiting for??? Get flaunting!

I wish all of you hugs and smiles, and safe and happy weekend plans! Thank you all so much for dropping in today, and to those that faithfully link in to this party…and who are patient while waiting for me to finally visit you…THANK YOU!

Until Next Time….Happy Gardening!

*)*)*) to my three ever so special winks: as you travel through your lives…remember a little kindness goes a long way. “Kind hearts are the garden, kind thoughts are the root, kind words are the blossoms, kind deeds are the fruit.”

(¯`v´¯)
`*.¸.*´Glenda/Tootsie
¸.•´¸.•*¨) ¸.•*¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•´ .•´ ¸¸.•¨¯`•.
www.tootsietime.com