Thursday, February 28, 2008

Sowing Seeds

Lilly was here beside me a few minutes ago licking and cleaning her baby. She loves her stuffed animals and just like a child she drags them all out and her favorite place to leave them, for some strange reason, is on the stairs.

I played in the dirt today! So desperate was I to feel the dirt, that I didn't even wear gloves. Nope, I was barehanded and it felt wonderful, (usually I wear surgical gloves for this task)! The only thing missing was the outdoors. It isn't exactly the same gardening in the kitchen, but it was fun none-the-less.

I did get the impatiens into larger containers today. There were 26 of them. I decided that I would go ahead and sow a few more of the seeds for indoor growing. I sowed two packets of the purple wave petunias, blue flax, balloon flower, bee balm, pansy, foxglove 'Candy Mountain', rudbeckia 'Irish eyes', scabiosa, and blanketflower.

I also sowed some grasses: Feathertop, Hare's Tail Grass and Fountain grass.

I prepared eight more gallon containers for my winter sowing. Numbers 17-24 contain:

17 Alyssum
18 & 19 Gazania
20 & 23 Larkspur
21 Milkweed
22 Hollyhock
24 Ipomopsis Hummingbird mix

It was fun planting and preparing for spring, even though we have snow in the forecast AGAIN tonight.

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

Robin..that is a lot of planting. I'm so impressed. Your baby has the sweetest expression. I truly believe you are grateful for everything in your little world. It is always nice to come here and hear your comments.

Kristi said...

She is adorable she is like a younger version of our Golden.

I am impressed with all of your winter sowing. It's going to be amazing with all of those different colors.

Lisa at Greenbow said...

Robin, I am thinking about you as the Barehanded Contessa now. :)

Your seed starting almost, I say almost, makes me want to try. Just seeing those seed packets gets my heart stirring.

I can't wait to see the results of the winter sowing. I think that might be my niche next winter. Something to look forward to.

Frances, said...

Robin, you are ambitious with all those winter seeds! Do you have a place to grow them on once started? That is always my problem, so they go outside before they should and many perish. This year will be different, however since I will be writing about it. Maybe that will prevent the too early shove out the door. Thanks for being an inspiration!

Frances at Faire Garden

Carol Michel said...

What a sweet looking dog. Don't take her doll away from her!

You are quite the seed sower. I am only sowing seeds for vegetables this year, plus a few perennials. I'll start on it some this weekend and next.

And it doesn't appear we got a bunch of snow. The weatherman were wrong again!

I always plant barehanded,
Carol, May Dreams Gardens

Meems said...

Robin: Does everyone in the north start their garden inside like you've done with your amazing array of seeds, pots and variety? I am SO impressed! I wasn't blogging last year at this time so I am learning oodles now about how other gardeners manage this time of year. It is even more fun with all the posts about sowing. My Florida garden spreads its own impatiens and they pop up everywhere (especially in winter) so to see them in your peat pots is inspiring.

Everytime I see Lilly it reminds me of the Golden we had when my children growing up. They are the BEST! Don't have one now since hubby and I like to pick and go whenever we feel like it...

The Diva said...

Oh how fun. Your seed list is daunting. I don't know where I would put them all. Happy gardening even if it is indoors.~~Dee

Unknown said...

What a happy post--just what I needed this morning! It's sunny and COLD here, which is fine by me, but it's supposed to snow and then rain tomorrow. So like you, my dirt-playing is indoors. I'm seeding some catgrass for the rampaging catchildren today.

Anonymous said...

I haven't tried perennials from seed. Is it better to sow inside, or if you're in a Zone 8 area, as I am in East Texas, could I get away with sowing them outside after last freeze?

Melanie Chopay said...

Robin, your Lily is adorable! Calie does the same thing, she drags around her "babies" all over the house. She's snuck into my daughters room and adopted them one by one by sneaking them down stairs and first hiding them under the dining room table :-)

You picked some cool seeds! I'm going seed shopping in the next few days, can't wait!

Rosemarie said...

I'm interested in seeing your indoor garden evolve because I haven't yet tried to do anything like this. I'm excited to learn!

Bev said...

Lily is just TOO cute! I love to see pictures of her and your kitty(s).

Anonymous said...

It sounds like you had a good time. Digging in the dirt is always fun, even if it's in the kitchen.

beckie said...

Robin, good for you. You are not going to let the loooong winter get you down. I can't believe you are planting rudbeckia! Mine self seeds so much that I have to pull it out by the handfuls or it completely takes over. But each to his own. Good luck with all the seedlings.

Anonymous said...

Robin, you tease! When I first started reading this post I was getting jealous of picturing you out in the garden!

Well, I must confess I am a little bit behind in starting seeds but soon the weather will allow all of us to be outside. You have a nice head start.

Good gardening!

Victoria Williams said...

I'm so jealous, your impatiens have germinated. That's great. I think I'll have to give up on mine. :-(

Anonymous said...

Your little plants look so healthy? Do you use a grow light or natural light?

I will start a few things next month, but planting is a long ways away here. This afternoon, I have been visiting blog south of me, and getting jealous.

m.e. said...

Robin, I saw some nice buds in that first picture of your feathered-friend. Take heart... Spring is just around the corner and soon you will be digging in the sunshine!

Robin's Nesting Place said...

Anna, I do have so much to be thankful for and I'm also easily amused.

Hi, notsocrafty, I can't wait to plant the colorful flowers around the perimeter of the yard.

Lisa,that's so funny. I sure hope the winter sowing is successful.

Frances, I have two ventilated shelving units with grow lights. Hopefully I'll have enough room for everything.

Carol, those weather people can't seem to get it right this year, can they? I'm glad they were wrong though.

meems, I did this is in Alabama too. I like the challenge of growing things from seed. It is also more economical. I personally don't know of anyone else here who does it. Most people just get what they want from garden centers .

Dee, thankfully I have plenty of places for flowers.

Jodi, I don't mind cold and sunny, it's those gray dreary days that get me too. Glad your able to keep busy to help pass the time.

Brenda, most of the seed packets I have say that they can be sown outside after all danger of frost is passed. Starting inside just gives a head start.

Thanks, Melanie. I'll be checking to see what seeds you get.

kate said...

Lily is beautiful - I like her stuffed animal too. It's funny how our dogs like to carry around and then leave their stuffed animals in the same places (perfect for tripping over by humans usually!)

It looks as if you put in a lot of different seeds. What fun it will be to see them sprout and grow!