But sometimes things change. For example, this arrived in the mail the other day:
Leaving me with a mixed feeling of excitement and anxiety, in approximately equal parts. I am trying to decide the best method for stratification, so I will be searching your blogs for tips.
Leading to the purchase of a few items...
And then 3 Edinburgh Dahlias, just beacause. I rememeber seeing them in some of your blogs last fall (Lona? Catherine?) and falling for them. I have NO IDEA how to grow them, so any advice would be appreciated.
I hit the jackpot finding these great pots when out shopping at a discount houseware shop the other day. I think they will be lovely for a childs potted vegetable garden (patio tomatoes, strawberries and maybe green onions, chives or parsley).
Another great gardening find today was the 2010 plant list catalogue from my local centre, which I am mulling over with a fine toothed comb. My want list for this year has already grown considerably. Cool Splash Dwarf Honeysuckle (Diervilla sessilifolia 'LPDC Podaras') is a gorgeous white/green variegated shrub, and I have been impressed with pictures of Incrediball Hydrangea, but the description of 'Big blooms emerge lime green, change to pure white and mature to green' has my heart racing, since I love both green and white blooms. Now where am I going to put them all?
It feels like gardening season is starting, albeit slowly. Probably 10 weeks or so til it's time to plant annuals, but I have a bag of Sunshine Mix ready & waiting ( I swear these have become much heavier over the years!)
Happy Gardening, or at least Garden planning!
Ohhhh, Rebecca, looks like somesone has been busy!!!
ReplyDeleteThe meconopsis, not a clue, but the dahlias are easy. You can go two ways, I like to start them in gallon pots, now, and then they are actively growing when you plant them out Victoria day weekend. This way the flower way earlier then if you just plant them directly into the soil. I better get my but in gear and get some dahlias of my own.
Have you been on Blotanical since the picks came back up?
Hi Rebecca, Like Deborah I pot up dahlias early inside, so I can enjoy their showy flowers right through the growing season. Best of luck with meconopsis - I tried and failed once, so I'll follow your blog for tips!
ReplyDeleteHi Deborah, Thanks so much for the Dahlia information, I have no idea where to put bulbs and seedlings indoors to keep them safe from kids & pets, I'll try to come up with something. I wasn't aware that Blotanical was back up and running, I'll head over and try to get caught up on picks. :)
ReplyDeleteHi Cyndy, Good to know. I'm going to try and keep a thick skin with the meconopsis, and not get too upset if they fail miserably.
Do you guys then plant the Dahlias into the ground and lift for the winter?
Definitely good luck with the meconopsis. I had a couple from seedlings twice, once directly in the garden from fresh seed, the other time two plants from a whole package seeded. They do best from fresh seed and are very slow growing. Kylee at Our Little Acre is trying wintersowing them, so watch her blog to see if she has success. They're a huge diva, and if they don't like your climate, they will NOT prosper.
ReplyDeleteHi Rebecca. Wow what pretty pots. Oh, you are going to love your Edinburgh Dahlias. They are so pretty.The sunshine and warmer temps are getting everyone in the mood for gardening now.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful weekend!
Hi Jodi,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your post, I was hoping you'd chime in! I was hoping you'd have some magic info on how to get them to germinate, I'll try 4-5 freeze/thaw cycles and we'll see what happens. I'll order some plants soon too, but it will be fun to get these going. And I'll start some cosmos, thunbergia & nemophila instead of just direct sowing.
Hi Lona, Thanks for your great message. Your lovely posts on container gardening are a part of the reason I've been looking at pots more closely as of late. Do you stake your big dahlias?
Hi Rebecca, I am so excited for you! I haven't tried growing anything from seed yet, but your seeds would inspire anyone. I know Lois Hole had great luck with them here in Alberta the first time she tried them if that gives you hope! I can't wait to see how you make out with these.
ReplyDeleteI too am thinking of the Incrediball - sounds fantastic, although I haven't heard of anyone who has tried it yet as it is so new.
Love the pots. I am going to do some tomatoes in a pot with my little guy this summer, and strawberries sound like a great idea.
Spring is here and it is all good! :-)
Hi Ms S, I refer to the Lois Hole books for EVERYTHING. I plan to order some sheldonii and maybe grandis from them this year. I think Incrediball will work better for me than Limelight, it's a smaller sized shrub and I love Limelight when green, but not as much when pink, I wish the panicles were smaller, but you can't have everything. I'm glad you like my pots, I bought them at Jysk, they had a very nice selection of 3 pot sets. :)
ReplyDeleteRebecca girl my goodness YOU got me all excited for you too ! I also don't do seeds "indoors" but I have a package of those amazing blue poppies just to sprinkle and not care if they do or if they don't (REALLY .. I MEAN IT !! LOL)
ReplyDeleteI love your trio of pots and your bulbs are so pretty .. what gardener would not be seduced I ask you ?
Today I might get in the garden and start lifting the leaf litter on the beds .. then bits and pieces of green will peek out : )
Ahhhhhh ! almost Spring ?? wink wink
Rebecca, the dahlias need to be stacked, and a big and tall stake. I had dahlias over 6 feet tall, there should be a height indicator on the package. The stems are hollow, so they break really easily. You do dig them up in the fall, and atore them inside over the winter, but I am to lazy to store them, besides I always want a different colour the next year!
ReplyDeleteHey Joy, Glad to get you excited too! The warm weather makes such a difference, doesn't it? Have fun lifting leaf cover, it's amazing how much green there still is under it all. I will also try to adopt a 'I don't care if you germinate/grow' approach, but it will be hard ;).
ReplyDeleteHi Deborah, Thanks for the info, I think these are ~1m, so not the super tall, but I will stake them since it is windy here (although they will be fairly sheltered). I'll see how they do before deciding on storing, I may just treat them as annuals.
I thought the pots are lovely, a set of three sizes. That calls for some creative choice of plants and arrangements. ~ bangchik
ReplyDeleteWow you are getting ready for spring! I don't know a thing about meconopsis, but I hope you have great success!
ReplyDeleteI start my dahlias outside after the last chance of frost and have always had good luck with them that way. Just be sure to put a stake near them when you plant them so you don't accidentally poke the tuber later on if they need staking, which some occasionally do. And the slugs love the new growth so you need to put some type of bait around them too, there are pet/child safe types that I use. Otherwise they are easy :)
Love the pots too, very cute!
Hi Bangchik, thanks for your message, I hope to come up with something pleasing.
ReplyDeleteHi Catherine, our season isn't nearly as long as yours, so they may not have time to bloom well if started outdoors. I will stake them early on, & put slug bait out. Thanks for the tips! :)