Results of Winter Sowing

This blog is the closest thing I have to a gardening journal.   Way back in February, as I have done for years now, I sowed most of the seeds I had collected.  I never got around to posting.

 In April, they began to germinate.  I never posted.

Most years, I end up planting a few of the plugs out into the yard...then other chores started to take precedence...then the heat of summer sets in--not ideal for planting.  Normally, in the fall, I end up planting the stunted plugs.

This year, I had hoped to get them planted out in the yard when there is plenty of rain predicted.  This week's forecast was supposed to be three days of rain...but then that changed.  Rain is still coming, but not as originally predicted--and my schedule didn't allow for getting things planted in the meadow--BUT, today, I did take the time to do something I have not done in years past.  I potted them up to larger sized pots.  This is what nurseries do.  I am hopeful that, even if I do wait until fall, the plants should be much more robust.

I condensed them...but, I am still hoping to divide each pot into four or five plants when I do put them in the ground.

It's an improvement.

Seeds Germinated, Growing, and Identified

It has been a while since I've posted about the wildflower seeds I planted late winter. I've not done much with them except water them on occasion. Today I weeded out a couple weeds. I realized that I recognized a lot of the young plants, so I decided to take some pictures, label them, and post them here.

Seeds Germinated and Growing

I have been taking more pictures and doing more things, but I've been lax in posting. This is what my wildflower seedlings look like now. Pretty soon I'll have to divide them. I may pot them up into individual pots or, probably, just plant them in the ground.

Seeds Germinating

As I posted earlier, I finally planted the wildflower seeds I'd collected from my yard last fall. I was concerned that they didn't have the required cold dormancy and moist stratification needed for some to germinate. I'm happy to show the results of my sowing.

Taking the easy way out, I planted several varieties together--my theory is that they will all be growing in the same conditions in the meadow. Most are perennials with only one annual (Erigeron sp.), if memory serves. The annual will bloom this year and can help mark the place of the perennials.

Here are the pictures I took as they began to germinate: