The Zen Of Seed Germinating Fran Sorin

For us gardeners, the process of seed germination is quite magical. It starts for me each January, when my garden is covered with snow and working in the yard feels like a distant memory. My mailbox is deluged with seed catalogs, and I dreamily flip through about a dozen to see what's in store for me. Envisioning what the seeds from each packet will become, I see the colors, smell the scents and touch the leaves. I dog-ear pages with specimens that catch my eye. I feel extravagant as I begin to tally up the cost of all of my orders. But then I remind myself that the cost per plant is so minuscule that it would be criminal not to buy them.
Once the seeds arrive, the preparation begins. First, wash and sanitize all containers (a dab of bleach in soapy water does the trick). Separate the seed packets into piles based on the time needed to reach maturity, whether they are early or late sowers, and whether you plan to sow the seeds directly outside or get a head start by sowing indoors in early spring. (If you sow them indoors, then take them out to the garden as fledgling plants -- usually four to eight weeks later, after any chance of frost has passed -- the blooms will appear weeks or even months earlier.)
Annuals that are easily sown directly in the ground:
Basil, cosmos, cleome, hyacinth beans, larkspur, marigold, morning glory, nasturtium, pole beans, poppies, sunflowers, sweet alyssum, sweet pea, peas
Annuals to start indoors:
Calendula, celosia, cucumbers, eggplant, globe amaranth, marigolds, nicotiana, peppers, pumpkins, salvia, tithonia, tomatoes, zinnias, zucchini
Easy perennials to grow from seed:
Chrysanthemum, columbine, coneflower, foxglove, gaillardia, helenium, hollyhock, linaria, lysimachia, oriental poppies, salvia, Shasta daisy, verbascum
If you have a window with a true southern exposure, you can successfully germinate sun-loving seeds such as cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, cosmos and sunflowers. Just move the seeds away from the windows at night or put newspaper between the window and the seeds to ward off the cold. To maintain high humidity, either cover the container with a plastic bag or use the clear plastic domes sold with sowing flats.
You also can rig up a germinating room using fluorescent lights. A few years ago, I bought 12 fluorescent lighting fixtures, each 4 feet long. I attached them to 2-by-4-inch pieces of wood that are about 8 feet long and hung from chains; that way, the height of the lighting unit can be adjusted as the seeds turn into seedlings and, eventually, plants. This system gives the seeds the optimal 14 to 16 hours of light per day. Keep the lights 2 inches above the pre-germinated seeds, and when they become seedlings, raise the lights to 4 inches. I set up this system in my basement, but you can use any room in the house.
Buy a premade sowing medium. The package will be labeled "seed starting mix" and will be a composite of vermiculite, peat moss and perlite. Fill the containers to the top with sowing mix, tamp it down to compress the feather-like texture, and then add more sowing mix to bring it to the top again.
The number of seeds you plant in each container depends on their size. With large seeds such as sunflowers and sweet peas, I limit myself to three or four to a 2-by-2-inch container; with tiny poppy and nicotiana seeds, I allow up to 100 per pot. Simply press larger seeds into the soil until they're slightly covered; sprinkle smaller seeds on top of the soil. Then water the containers from the bottom and cover with a plastic dome or bag to conserve humidity.
At its essence, the Zen of germinating seeds is about taking delight in all of the rituals of selecting, ordering, preparing, planting, tending and then waiting. When all the seeds are sown, I pause and give thanks. It reminds me of when I used to tuck my children under the covers and feel that all was good and right in my world.
Soon I see that what was a dormant seed has nuzzled its way through the earth and sprouted into a green stem with two leaves ready to unfurl, and I'm filled with joy and awe. No matter how many years I do it, I always have an emotional response to this life-affirming process.

http://fransorin.com/book/ Check out Fran Sorin's book.

Buy Plants On-Line

Experienced gardeners buy plants online or shop for garden gear by mail order for three reasons:
-Greater selection of mail order plants, seeds, bulbs and garden products.-The convenience of armchair shopping.-Garden plants and goods shipped right to your door.

Better selection is really the best reason to buy plants online. Many mail order companies concentrate on particular plants and offer you much more choice.
For example, an online rose specialist will offer scores of varieties and types of roses, while your local garden center can only afford to stock perhaps a dozen or so.
Few garden centers are big enough to stock a fraction of what's available, so web suppliers or mail order catalogues help you find plants and garden products that may difficult to find locally.
Other advantages of shopping online
Many garden suppliers and growers have now have excellent websites to help you buy plants online and find general garden merchandise too.
But when you buy plants online, how do you tell who's legit and who's trying to pawn off miserable scraps of greenery on unwary gardeners?
If the deal is too good to be true, remember the old saying: You get what you pay for. If you see strident headlines promoting sweepstakes, you've got to wonder what they're really selling.
Buy plants online -Gardening stores on the web
Gardens Alive: Offers a variety of environmentally responsible products for your garden and lawn, from sprays and fertilizers to garden gear. Ships to US addresses, including Alaska, but not Hawaii.
Gardener's Supply Company: Offers a wealth of tools and supplies for gardeners, from seed-starting to watering, fertilizing and weeding, even garden furniture and sheds. Good garden tips too. Ships to US only.
Roses from Jackson & Perkins: Discover unusual and new roses. Also offers perennials, bulbs and garden gifts. Ships roses and perennials at the best time for planting in your area. US only, including Alaska and Hawaii.
Smith & Hawken: Offers stylish quality in garden tools, outdoor accents, garden decor, furnishing, indoor gardening goods, house plants and gifts. US only.
Gurney's - Save $20 off $40 Order: Seeds, plants and growing supplies. Ships to US, but not Alaska, Hawaii.
Richters Herbs: This Canadian company offers an excellent variety of culinary and other herb plants and seeds. They ship around the world and pride themselves on delivering herb plants to your door safely. I've often ordered plants from them and have been happy with their healthy green condition, even after shipping. Ships to Canada and US. All plant shipments to US are government inspected and come with a phytosanitary certificate free-of-charge.
Before you hit the send button, check your order

Bare-root daylilyready for planting
Be sure to order early to avoid "sold out" notices. Because seeds and planting stock are produced at least a season in advance, quantities are often limited, so it pays to order early.
If you don't want substitutions, state this clearly on your order form. Many mail-order companies will substitute a similar item for a sold-out product. Usually there's a box to check if you prefer no substitutions.
Read and understand the company's guarantee policy. Most suppliers have a date by which you must a notify them about problems or plant failures to get your money back.
Read the fine print. When shopping or buying plants online, check the size of plants shipped. It's discouraging to pay top dollar for something that comes in a tiny pot.
Keep a record of orders and shipping dates. You don't want to order same tulip bulbs twice because you misplaced the original order.

By Yvonne Cunnington
To read more great tips and to check out Ms. Cunningtons book;
http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/index.html

Get a Jump on Spring!

Hard to believe, but Spring is not that far away. You need to get ready. Landscape Vision can help.

Even if your lawn is covered in snow, with Landscape Vision you can still get started on designing your Spring gardens.

Our software allows you to draw a green lawn right over the snow. Drag and Drop plants and outdoor living products onto your lawns and patios. See what Spring can bring now, in the dead of Winter!

Get a jump on Spring!

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Growing Green By Melinda Myers

Recycle your cut Christmas tree, greens and wreaths in the landscape. Use trees as shelter for birds or windbreaks for tender plants such as rhododendron and boxwood. Or remove the branches and spread them, wreaths and garland over bulb plantings and perennials for winter mulch.

Melinda Myers Bio

BIO
Melinda Myers, best known for her gardener friendly and practical approach to gardening, has more than 25 years of horticulture experience in both hands-on and instructional settings. She has a bachelor’s degree in horticulture from The Ohio State University and a master’s degree in horticulture from University of Wisconsin-Madison, is a certified arborist, and was a horticulture instructor with tenure at Milwaukee Area Technical College.
Outside the classroom, Melinda shares her expertise through a variety of media outlets. She has written 19 books, including Can’t Miss Small Space Gardening, the Birds & Blooms’ Ultimate Gardening Guide, and Jackson and Perkins’ Beautiful Roses Made Easy: Midwestern Edition.

She hosts “Great Lakes Gardener,” seen on PBS stations throughout the United States, and “Melinda’s Garden Moments”, which air on network television stations throughout the country. She also appears regularly as a guest expert on various national and local television and radio shows. She writes the twice monthly “Gardeners’ Questions” newspaper column and is a contributing editor and columnist for Birds & Blooms and Backyard Living magazines. Melinda has also written articles for Better Homes and Gardens and Fine Gardening magazines.

Additionally, she hosted “The Plant Doctor” radio program for over 20 years.
Melinda has written several other books, including My Wisconsin Garden: A Gardener’s Journal,
Month-by-Month Gardening in Wisconsin, Month-by-Month Gardening in the Prairielands, Minnesota Gardener’s Guide, The Minnesota Horticultural Society’s Month-by-Month Gardening in Minnesota, and The Perfect Lawn Midwest Series.

Her 13 years of experience at the University of Wisconsin Extension allowed Melinda to work with backyard, community, and master gardeners throughout Wisconsin. In addition, she began the Master Gardener Program in Milwaukee County. As Milwaukee’s Assistant City Forester, Melinda helped manage the city’s street trees, boulevards, and green spaces. She worked with the Young Adult Conservation Corps supervising crews that maintain University of Wisconsin Extension urban test gardens and provide trail repair and other conservation work. She serves as a horticulture consultant to numerous community and beautification groups.
For her work, community service and media presence, Melinda has received recognition and numerous awards, including the 2003 Garden Globe Award for radio talent and the Quill and Trowel Award for her television work, both from the Garden Writers Association. She has also received the Garden Communicator’s Award from the American Nursery and Landscape Association, the Gold Leaf Award for Arbor Day from the International Society of Arboriculture, the 2007 Perennial Plant Association Garden Media Award as well as the 2005 Honorary Life Membership Award from the Wisconsin Arborist Association.

For more information about gardening and Myers' books visit www.melindamyers.com.

Landscape Add Value to Your Property

Invest in landscaping

Landscaping your front yard can increase your property's value by up to 20 per cent.I divide home buyers/owners into three broad categories. This is simply done in order to help the buyer make appropriate landscaping decisions for their property.

Category one is the flipper.
The flipper has no intention of living in the house but is running a business. Curb appeal is what counts here and the installation of a small annual garden, with perhaps a few fragrant perennials; near the front door can do the job. Annuals allow you to pick plant colors that best suit the house.

Category two is the starter home.
You are buying your first home and plan to live there until you family gets too big for the house or you simply want to move on up. You can still work with annuals to provide seasonal color but want to give more thought to perennials and specimen plants. You can think about roses and lilacs, for example.

Category three is the permanent home.
You have no plans to move, period. Now you can get serious, annuals, perennials and specimen plants will all play their role and it all depends now on you. Are you a gardener and by that I mean to you enjoy spending time in the garden?

The first question you need to answer before beginning a front yard landscaping project is how long to you plan to live in this home?Is it a starter home? Are you looking for a quick resale or is there where you and your family will live permanently?

Next how much time do you have to maintain that garden? A poorly designed and cared for yard will not enhance your property and will certainly lose you points on curb appeal.The answers to these questions can determine your approach.If you are settling in for the long run then ask yourself this: How do we use the front yard? BBQs and other family and friends get-togethers usually take place out back. The back yard is where the children play. The front yard is frequently for display. It is the face you show the neighbors and others who drive and walk by.
If you are planning to sell, the front yard is what prospective buyers see first. First impressions are lasting impressions. What the buyers see as they drive up will influence how they view the interior.Create a good first impression.Now before you create your landscaping plan you need to decide the following: How much sun and shade does the yard receive. The answer will determine your plant choices. The right plant, right place philosophy is a good guide to successful landscaping.

How much time to you have for maintenance? Do you enjoy cutting the lawn? If not consider reducing the amount of space that you devote to lawn. Replace grass with a rock garden, shrubs or trees.

Do you want to have a different effect each spring and summer? Annuals allow you to change the look each year and provide color throughout the seasons.

Are you interested in a naturalized look? Then native plants are what you need. What grows where you live? Visit a local nursery and talk with the experts.

Is fragrance an element you wish to include? Many herbs add beauty and fragrance to your garden. A rose bush or two may be just what you need. Buy quality.How much time do you have to tend to the garden? If your free time is at a premium then low maintenance perennials may be the answer.

Landscaping is an invest and one that can pay sound returns no matter which category you belong in, so take the time and craft a plan that works for you now and in the future.

Landscaping can improve the value of your home. Landscape Vision design software can make landscaping easy. Our plant data base has won "Best Plant Data Base" several years in a row. The data base is sorted first by your plant hardiness zone, and then by your light type. We make finding the right plants for your property easy and fun.

Download our easy to use software now, get your property ready for spring.
http://www.landscapeyourvisions.com/