Many greenhouse growers use their greenhouses for a short period during the warmer months of the year, but there are a small percentage of us that grow year round!

This month by month outline will share what tasks may need to be done year round.

Keeping in mind that I garden in Alberta Canada, (zone3) the outdoor growing season is from mid to the end of May until the hard frosts take my gardens in mid to late September or early October.  If your climate is a bit milder than mine, you can adjust your greenhouse schedule to suit your climate.

This schedule is made for a plan to plant outdoors in Mid to late May.

In June, the greenhouse looks very different that it has all year!  Things have been planted in the ground, and the greenhouse becomes a lot less populated by our garden plants.  Most (if not all) of our veggie and annual seedlings as well as our summer hardy potted plant, hanging baskets and tender shrubs have been relocated to their summer locations and we can make room for other things growing on in our greenhouses!

In June, I do the following tasks in my greenhouse:

*  The heat has been switched to OFF this month.  Now is a good time to do any maintenance or repairs to the heating system.

*Shading is now a MUST for any plants that have been let or recently relocated to the greenhouse.  The sun is hot and the days are getting longer.   Our seedlings and tender plants need protection from the damaging rays of a hot sun.  Did you know that plants can get sun burned too?

*HOW DO I KNOW IF MY PLANTS HAVE BEEN SCORCHED BY THE SUN?  see Sun Scorch in the glossary…(click  for shortcut) “the G Lingo”

*Ventilation is a very critical element this month.  Temperatures are getting high and we need to keep this under control on the warm days.  Open vents manually or have them open automatically (depending on your venting system installed in the greenhouse)  in the mornings and have them closed in the evening if the night temperatures are cooler.  If the night temperatures remain warm, leaving the vents open is not an issue. The regimen you use to open and close vents will depend on the climate you live in.

*  Making sure to water regularly any plants that you keep in the greenhouse over the warm summer months.  Watering more often is essential in June than in previous months.

*  I keep tropical houseplants in my greenhouse over the warm summer months.  June is the month when I move them all back into the greenhouse as the annual crop has been moved outside and there is plenty of room for them now.

* My greenhouse gets a thorough spring cleaning, and a new “look” in June…as after I spray and clean everything, I stack all staging and move in the tropical houseplants. I add a small seating area to the inside of my greenhouse at this time.

*Damping down the greenhouse and all the fixtures is a daily task that I do every morning or early afternoon.   Not only will damping down moisten and cool the air in the greenhouse, but it will also discourage red spider mites and other pests that enjoy warm dry conditions and may threaten plants.

*  “Cleanliness is next to Godliness”.  This old adage is a great rule of thumb to follow.     After the big move outdoors, the greenhouse is practically empty.  This for me, offers a great opportunity to completely clean the inside and all the staging etc.

I remove everything from the the inside of the greenhouse, and pressure wash floors, walls, and windows, doors and ceilings.

*Sweep and clean away any discarded plants, dead leaves and spilled soil at this time.   Wash any any dirty pots and generally clean any and all staging and equipment that needs it.  Keeping the greenhouse clean will discourage insects and other menacing pests from setting up home.

*  Stock or re-stock the greenhouse supplies such as soil, plant foods, tags etc..

*Take time to relax and enjoy the plants and the scenery inside your greenhouse.

*  Don’t forget to update your garden journals!!!!   Start taking photos of plantings and things in the gardens…this will help you to remember the things you do and do not like for future reference.

I will see you again in July with more greenhouse tasks!

What tasks do you do for  the month of June  in your greenhouse?

Until next time….Happy gardening!

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

www.tootsietime.com

Many greenhouse growers use their greenhouses for a short period during the warmer months of the year, but there are a small percentage of us that grow year round!

This month by month outline will share what tasks may need to be done year round.

Keeping in mind that I garden in Alberta Canada, (zone3) the outdoor growing season is from mid to the end of May until the hard frosts take my gardens in mid to late September or early October.  If your climate is a bit milder than mine, you can adjust your greenhouse schedule to suit your climate.

This schedule is made for a plan to plant outdoors in Mid to late May.

With the spring season almost right on top of us this month, we must be aware of the warmer temperatures and big fluctuations in temps outside with the weather.

My Greenhouse in March is LOADED to capacity with trays of sown seed, seedlings and some established plants.  It is a very exciting time.

*sow most of the seeds that will be the spring crop of annuals this month if they are not already sown.

* make sure all the air vents are working correctly,  fan systems are  operating properly and the thermostat is accurate.  Proper ventilation will be important on warmer sunny days.

*continue to keep the heating system in working mode.  March can be tricky as there is still the cold night temps…as well as warmer daytime highs.

*the seedlings have more than likely popped up in number…so watering systems must be operational…or in my case…the water containers must remain at full.

* it is about the time of year we begin to use fertilizer to feed established plants in the greenhouse, as well as on the seedlings.  (be sure not to water seedlings with fertilizer until they have their second set of true leaves, and to ensure that the solution is not too strong- we wouldn’t want to burn our babies!)

* more sunny days mean more need for some sort of shade.  For me this means hanging some fabric that will filter the sunlight.  This will help ensure that the seedlings do not get burnt.

*inspecting the greenhouse plants for pests such as aphids, spider mites and others…is a must this month.    If you find some treat immediately.

*watch for damping off disease in your seedlings…

*thin out some of the young plants that are sprouting up in your plant trays.  Too many will cause issues and disease and threaten your entire crop.

*start any seeds that are left to be sown.  There isn’t much time left before the spring plant!

*make sure you write the date that you sow seeds on the package that they came in for future reference and store empty seed packets in a waterproof container.

*continue to keep the greenhouse tidy and organized.  It is filling up quickly now and regular cleaning is necessary.

*update your garden Journal regularly

* make sure that you have someone on standby to water your greenhouse if you are away from home.

*because heavy wet snow can fall in the month of March, make sure you or someone else is always ready to pull down snow that my fall and accumulate on the roof…we would not want to see your greenhouse fall down!

*you might consider starting some of your spring bulbs in the greenhouse this month to be transplanted into the garden in the months to come!

I will see you again in April with more greenhouse tasks!

What tasks did you do for  the month of March in your greenhouse?

Until next time….Happy gardening!

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

Hellooooooo! and WELCOME to Tootsie Tip #3!

I hope you guys are ready to get your Tootsie Tip of the day! This is a good one….and one that I have had several requests to write.

Now that we are seeing signs of life in the greenhouse, it is time to start making plans for what we will do with all the little plants, where we will put them and how they will be arranged!

LETS PLAN A FLOWER BED!!!!

Yea, I know. There is three feet of snow, layers of ice and no end in sight of the nasty ugly cold weather here. How the heck am I going to teach you about gardening when I could be building an igloo? Easy.

Now that we are seeing signs of life in the greenhouse, it is time to start making plans for what we will do with all the little plants, where we will put them and how they will be arranged!

Come with me.

First I want to tell you a little story.

When we first moved into the house that I am in now, I had a HUGE chalkboard that I had purchased for the kids at a garage sale. I intended to hang it on the fence for them to color on while they were playing in the yard over the warmer months. It was fall already so I had it stored in the garage for the winter. All winter long I would go out to the garage and “map” my future yard plans on this big board. When we moved here there were no flower beds…just grass and an enormous vegetable garden…(which my dog pooped all over in the winter…therefore…no veggies..but that’s a whole other story…hee hee)

I had a wonderfully detailed diagram of all the things I would be doing and building and getting done.  It was fabulous, loaded with details…but two things were wrong…One…the snoopy woman next door thought I was some sort of mental patient for spending so much time playing with my kid’s chalkboard (she never bothered to ask what I was doing when she was spying on me through the garage window). The second….My kids erased it!

My son was 4 at that time, and thought he would take a quick turn one day…and it was GONE!!!!

yea….I cried. (they “chalked” it up to hormones- I was 8 months pregnant)

But I learned two things…one curtains for the garage could NOT wait..and second…use pen and paper!

Now back to the lesson.

First of all you need to grab a couple of things.

1. pen ( or pencil) and paper (grid paper helps)

2. crayons

3. ruler

4. a few photos of your last year gardens if possible

5. an idea or list of what type of flowers you would like to use.

Next…

Draw yourself a “map” of your yard to scale….I include sidewalks and structures, existing trees etc.

Keep in mind that I do not have a lot of perennial plants in my gardens and therefore this post does not address much of that. You can use perennials instead of annuals, but you will need to plan ahead for their mature size of the future. Annuals are much smaller, and will not mind being a little crowded.

Draw any of the existing perennial plants into the sketch before you begin to add to the map.

Planning for a flower bed that is up against a wall is much like planning seating to a show. You want to make sure that all of your plants are arranged in a proper height pattern. If you put the taller ones in front of the shorter ones you will not be able to appreciate their foliage or their blooms.

By drawing out a map of the bed, you can not only plan what types of plants you will be using, but how many and where you want them to go: do you want them in straight line rows, or would you like to “mix” it up a bit by adding some variation to the flow of the bed?

Will you plant in singles or will you be planting in “drifts”?

What color arrangement?

Will your colors be random or planned?

For the sake of proper instruction, I am going to show you how to plan for two different types of flower beds.

The first will be a bed that backs onto a structure such as a building or a fence. The plants MUST be arranged from the tallest plants at the back to the shortest at the front. If this rule is not observed, the shorter plants will not be seen.

(HEY…I AM A GARDENER…NOT AN ARTIST!!!!! excuse the wonderful drawing and printing please)

The second is one that is free standing in the middle of your garden. This one is planted in rounds. Start in the middle with your tallest flowers and plants and work your way out. You can work in drifts of plants and colors or in straight circles. The preference is yours to decide.

The diagram below is of a bed up against a structure that has been arranged with geraniums, snap dragons and some marigolds. Dusty miller has been used to accent the corners and either pansy or portulaca are used as a border for the entire bed. Each square on the grid paper is used to represent 6 inches of soil in the bed.

This is an example of planting in drifts, and straight lines.

The snapdragons are carefully arranged at the back of the bed in because they are a tall plant. The geraniums are in the middle in a grouping in order to accentuate their prolific blooming and vibrant colors. Pansy and portulaca are short plants and therefore are placed in front of the marigolds which are also clumped together for high color impact. Adding the Dusty miller to the corners in a diamond shape, will pull the eye to them as well as allow the color of the other blooming flowers to pop off of the soft silver of their leaves.

Planning a bed on paper leaves you room to change your mind over and over again. It also can help you to estimate how many plants of each type you may need to purchase.

If you are going to plan for color schemes, it is possible to try out different combinations by using the crayons that you brought to the table and marking the different colors on the letters you used to “legend” your map. You could also use color to define the different plants, instead of the letters of the alphabet.

The possibilities are endless.

Another way to plan for your gardens is to use photographs. If you had the forethought to take some photos in the fall just before the snow fell and the annuals have been removed, you could print the photos off onto regular paper and draw directly onto the actual bed! Using photos of your gardens from the previous season, will also help you to remember what you did and did not like about the plantings that you had that year, and either add or delete to your taste!

I can read my maps with ease…but am not able to read a road map to save my life!
Have fun with your planning and get creative!  If you have any questions…or need some help…you know where to find me!

I know I am not perfect, and if I have confused you…I am happy to try to unravel what ever I may have wound! lol

Until next time….happy gardening!

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

Window boxes are among the containers that every gardener dreams of having.

This one hung on the front of my house. It faces North.

There are  unlimited options for planting a window box, and this can be daunting for many people. When I first started to plant pots and containers, I was overwhelmed with all the different things that the garden books and the garden centers offered for such a task.

ALL I WANTED WAS A WINDOW BOX!

How HARD can that be?

I am here to tell you that it does not have to be a tough choice or a high maintenance project!

You simply need to make a few decisions.

First, you will need to decide WHERE you plan to put the window box in your garden. Will you be placing it on the fence?  On the side of your house? On the patio?  Will it be in the sun or the shade?  Do you wish for it to have flowing/trailing plants or just upright and tidy- or both?  Do you want loads of glorious color or just foliage…..

Once you know where and how big your window box will be, you will need to plan for the things you will need to have in order to make your plan a reality!

If you don’t already have a window box you will need to purchase one and the appropriate brackets to hold it.
There are several different types of window box available to us.  The only prerequisite is your decorative preferences!

There are the wire ones that you will need to add a liner to in order to keep the soil from falling out. These are very decorative and can be found in almost any style, size,and price range.
I have used this system before. I purchased a pretty wire window hanger, and added one of the moss-type liners to it. I did not use anything else in it but the liner, and was very disappointed. Not only did I need to replace the liner the following year (and they are not cheap), but the whole container garden did not do well at all! The soil would leach out and run down the side of my building every time I watered. I also had to water much more often , as the liner is all natural, and it allowed the soil to become very dry very quickly. (much like a clay pot versus a plastic pot does) It did not retain much moisture for the reserve that the plants needed during the warmest parts of the day.

This issue called for some serious Tootsie Thought. I mulled it over during the winter months, and this is the solution I came up with:

I took my wire window box, and put the new (and rather hard to find -not to mention over priced) window box liner inside it. Next I added a small kitchen garbage bag. I simply opened a garbage bag, and positioned it the same way I would if I were putting it into a garbage can. It did not fit perfectly, but that’s okay, as no one would see it anyways. I filled the open bag with potting soil, and proceeded to plant my annuals into it. Once the planting was done and enough soil packed into the bag to fill the liner…I watered the whole thing. After I watered, I took a pencil and poked a few holes in the bottom, and  a couple on the sides. Just stab through the basket liner into the plastic bag to allow for proper drainage. This will solve the issue of over watering the pot, but will not allow the whole thing to dry out as quickly. After all the planting, watering and drainage hole creation, trim your bag with a pair of scissors. Tuck in the last bits of plastic that may be showing and you are done!

The photo below shows the finished project!

Once the window box has matured, you will never know that the plastic bag is there! You can use any color of bag-even clear-or perhaps a grocery bag….just so long as it is a piece of plastic that will help retain the necessary moisture! It’s just that simple!

(above: sweet potato and lobelia)

Now…what exactly will you be wanting to plant in these window boxes?

(above:  a window box planted with swedish ivy that has been set onto a saw horse…gone wild!)

A window box can be placed anywhere. The style or type does not matter a bit. It is the plants you put into that window box that will determine your over all outcome.
If you are planting in a very sunny location, and want some plants that enjoy hot summer days….perhaps considering portulaca as the edging all the way around would be practical. Portulaca is a drought resistant and very heat/sun loving plant. Marigolds, petunias, short snap dragons, Osteospermum and Dwarf Dahlias are nice choices for window boxes. Wave petunias  or Bacopa will flow over the edges and cause a nice hanging display….the plants available in your local garden center will help determine this.

This one hangs on the door under the sunroom….it has lobelia, Trailing Geranium….

Full sun!  Gerber Daisys…

Same box…different look…..Geranium and wave petunia.

These have cheap plastic window boxes inside the wooden frame…full sun/part shade….

(above : Swedish Ivy and lobelia mixed with Geraniums)

If you are planting in a partly shaded location, lobelia, alyssum, bacopa, impatiens, snap dragon, Gerber daisy, and nicotana are nice to use. They thrive in a little cooler conditions, but will also do well in sunny locations.

Plants in partly shaded locations do not need as much watering as do those in the hot summer sun. The one below is in my shadier area…on the kid’s play set.

This one hangs across from the other on the side of the garage…again…no liner at all…just plastic grocery bag….Pansy and Lobelia

Same planter…different year…the one below has Calibrachoa and Swedish ivy.

So you see…with a little planning and some creative thought…a window box is a thing of simple beauty!

What do you plant in a window box?

If you would like to share some of your window box photos…click over to the Growing 4 Seasons Facebook page and leave a photo there!  We would love to see!

Until Next time…Happy Gardening!

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

Many greenhouse growers use their greenhouses for a short period during the warmer months of the year, but there are a small percentage of us that grow year round! This month by month outline will share what tasks may need to be done year round. Keeping in mind that I garden in Alberta Canada, (zone3) the outdoor growing season is from mid to the end of May until the hard frosts take my gardens in mid to late September or early October.  If your climate is a bit milder than mine, you can adjust your greenhouse schedule to suit your climate.  This schedule is made for a plan to plant outdoors in Mid to late May.

In February, in my greenhouse I do the following tasks:

BRRRRRR!  IT IS COLD OUTSIDE MY GREENHOUSE IN FEBRUARY!

*receive and sort my seed orders by type of plant, and when they will need to be sowed.  (a seed bin is a good idea.  I use a plastic one that has a lid that locks closed

*purchase permanent marker to label all plants as soon they are sown- do not trust your memory not to fail you!  This is a busy time, and things can get mixed up very easily

*make sure to update the greenhouse journal

*continue to fill containers, pots and seed cells with soil in order to be prepared to sow

*Plant the Geraniums and any other seed that needs extra time to mature before planting outdoors

*maintain water levels in my water cans

*inspect remaining plants that were wintered in the greenhouse again to ensure no pests have hatched or arrived to threaten the tiny seedlings you are about to produce

* ensure that the greenhouse remains clean and organized…cleanliness is next to godliness in the greenhouse!

* maintain no less than 10C in the greenhouse and keep the air circulating to avoid disease or fungus!  The temperatures in Alberta are often in the –30C or less range…heating is a necessity!

* prepare for extra heat sources if necessary (February can be a COLD month in Alberta)

* prepare for labels (I cut up cheap mini-blinds for this)

*prepare liners for the trays (they sometimes leak and when watering from below, you do not want to lose your water.  I use plastic garbage bags cut to size)

*watch our newly planted seeds start to sprout up!

I will see you again in March with more greenhouse tasks!

Do you have a greenhouse journal of some sort?  What tasks did you do for February in your greenhouse?

Until next time….Happy gardening!

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

Many greenhouse growers use their greenhouses for a short period during the warmer months of the year, but there are a small percentage of us that grow year round! This month by month outline will share what tasks may need to be done year round. Keeping in mind that I garden in a harsh climate in Alberta Canada, (zone3) the outdoor growing season is from mid to the end of May until the hard frosts take my gardens in mid to late September or early October.  If your climate is a bit milder than mine, you can adjust your greenhouse schedule to suit your climate.  This schedule is made for a plan to plant outdoors in Mid to late May.

January is the start of a whole new year!  It is a good month to take a look at what you have growing in your greenhouse, take inventory of your supplies, and begin to plan for the coming summer months.   In the cooler climates, the greenhouse will already have been insulated and inspected for the cold temps of the winter, but  this is a good time to take a quick look to make sure that all the equipment, heaters, fans, and thermometers are in good working order.  It is a great time to begin to plan for your gardens for the upcoming garden season!

In January I prepare my greenhouse by:

*making sure the greenhouse is well insulated, and that all drafts are plugged.  Take extra care to look  especially round the doors, eaves and vents.

* make sure all snow is removed from the roof as soon as it falls, to not only ease the pressure on the roof, but to allow more light to enter the growing area.

*set up my water system.  I do not have running water in my greenhouse, therefore I use large clean garbage cans.  I clean and fill my water cans, so that they are ready for the upcoming months, and that I have a water supply for the rest of winter.

* keep garden hose on hand for the filling of the cans, so that it is not frozen.

*purchase several bales of potting soil

* on a “warm” day, I  prune and/or re-pot and then bring all the tropical houseplants that I house over the fall and early winter months into the house to make room for the upcoming spring plants.

*order seeds for the upcoming spring crop

* remove all dead leaves from plants that are remaining in the greenhouse, prune and/or re-pot.

* clean and tidy up the greenhouse- including washing the walls/windows and all shelving

*spray for pests (If necessary I will use a mild insecticide to make sure the environment is ‘clean’ for the young seedlings to come

*test the heat, thermostat, thermometers and fan system.

*plan for extra/supplemental heat sources if necessary.  The temps can fall rapidly and harsh cold is common in Alberta in the winter months.  -37C  is not uncommon.

Set Up Shelving In January

*set up the shelving (staging) in the greenhouse

*begin to fill pots and line trays for the seeds to be sown in

*it is a good idea to begin a greenhouse journal, either by hand or on your computer to track your activities for future reference, and for the planning/scheduling stages

* start to get excited for the spring seeds to arrive and get plans made for the gardens this year.

What greenhouse tasks do you do in your area in the first month of the year?

I will see you again in February!

Until then, Happy Gardening!

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

Okay kids!!!!  Today we are going to plant a pot or two together!  Lets get started…

When you plant a container garden for your patio do you fill your pot with dirt? Do you leave the plants lots of room? Water every few days? Well if you answered yes to one or all of these questions….you desperately need my help. The information I am about to relay to you is such that I got about 20 years ago while cutting classes in college. I was sitting home watching T.V. and hanging out, flipping channels, when a show caught my eye. It was the first season of Martha Stewart’s television show. I believe it was called Martha Stewart Living or something like that. It is the only episode I ever watched of any Martha Stewart show, and it is on one of those things I can say I learned and use a lot in my gardening life. I am now happy to pass this little secret or two on to my friends.

Yes even back in my early twenties I was a very passionate plant fanatic. I was known to cut classes to go plant shopping…I LOVED skipping school for any reason, but well, you know….   Now…. Stop picturing me skipping school, and get back on topic here! *)When planting annuals there is one major thing you need to remember. They are called ANNUALS, because they die after a short period of time. Therefore they do not have a lot of time to get done what needs to be done. That’s where you come in. You are the hands that will make it happen for these tiny short lived plants.  They are already fast growing…we are just going to give them the ideal conditions to make them grow (and maybe even a touch quicker)

White Alyssum

The first thing you will need to choose is a pot. In this case I will use both a hanging basket, and a patio pot. My patio pot is 17 inches in diameter, and the hanging basket is 10 inches in diameter.

I keep any soil that is not sealed in a bag, in a garbage can with a lid that fits tightly.
This keeps any unwanted bugs from making a house out of my soil.

The scoop is a chicken feed scoop. It is larger than the average shovel, and makes life a lot easier.
In the case of the hanging basket, you will need to purchase a bag of potting soil. There are brands that boast that they are made specifically for this type of planting. I am not going to say that they are wrong, but I will say that I have never bothered with it. I just use regular potting soil.

Fill your pot about 4 inches from the top of the pot with your soil of choice.

I would not recommend you using dirt from your garden. Regular soil tends to become hardened after a couple of watering’s, and may not offer enough nutrients in such a small quantity. Potting soil also offers ingredients that will hold the water you give your plant for a little longer than the run of the mill dirt your garden offers.
Once your pot has been filled to the 4 inch level, you need to choose your plants. I use several plants per pot. It may be tempting to use one or two and call it finished. This will work, and may be pretty, but it will not be as full or large as if you use several. In my hanging baskets or 2007, I used 7 wave petunias per pot. I could have used more, but these plants are very aggressive growers and did not require more.
In my 2008 pots I used 5 wave petunias, 5 trailing lobelia, and 5 alyssum plants. WOW that seems like a lot doesn’t it? Well, here is the reason. Some of the fillers may not live, and some will not be as large as others.

When planting annuals, or any plant for that matter, you need to remember that a plant has leaves, stems, blooms, and roots. The plants will concentrate on establishing their root systems before they will begin to show any progress on top. Once they are root bound and “comfy” in their pots, they will begin to grow. After all they are full down below the soil, so they have no where to go but up! So stuff those plants into that pot, add a little soil if necessary to make sure that the roots are not being exposed to the air, and firm lightly to make sure there are no air pockets in the soil.
In the case of the pots I am using for this issue….I used 6 wave petunia, and 20 alyssum for the large 17 inch pot, and 8 pansy, and 12 alyssum for the 10 inch pot.
Once you have finished stuffing the pot, you should water. I suggest watering with a liquid plant food. This fertilizer will not only help your plant to overcome the planting shock quicker, it will give them a kick in the roots to encourage vigorous growth. Water well, and place in a nice shady location for the first day or two. High heat and full sun will end up making them wilt and  will set them back a bit. For an annual, even a few days is critical growing time. Once the plant has bounced back from the planting, you can place in the chosen area or home in your garden. Water daily, and use your plant food weekly.

Fertilizer for plants is like chocolate for us. It goes straight to work. It makes things grow. In the plants case it makes the roots and the foliage and flowering more vigorous. In the case of me and the chocolate…it goes straight to my rump and makes it grow too! Ha ha… Did I just say that?

Now…lets get on to bigger pots.

If you are like me…I am protective of my pots and if there is a storm coming, I like to move them to a more sheltered location. If I fill my pots with nothing but soil, I would not be able to easily move them. Wet soil is HEAVY, and lets face it…none of us are iron men and women. (and if you are….kudos)

What I like to do is use large chunks of Styrofoam. I save all the packing from items that we purchased over the last several years. I have also been known to use a small garbage bag filled with empty pop cans, or an old pot inverted to fill the pot some before I add the soil. There are chunks of foam in my stash that have been used again and again for about 12 years!  I have received much criticism about this for years now.  People screaming that it is not ‘green’ for me to use the stryo…well what could be greener than me re-using it again for years and keeping it out of a landfill?  Just sayin’,  let’s get back to our pot…

I like to fill my pot at least 1/2 way with the “spacer” material, before I use my soil. Again use potting soil, and fill to at least 4 inches below the rim. You will want to poke the soil in to the filler a little so as to ensure that there are not any air pockets in your pot. I tend to poke around to make sure that all the little crevices are filled in and that the soil is not falling in anymore before I move to the next step.

Choose your plants. In my large patio pots I used 1 dracena spike (optional) 3 geraniums, 6 wave petunias and lobelia and alyssum to fill it in between the others. I tend to fill my baskets super full. Once you have added your plants, and are satisfied with the arrangement, top fill to leave about 2 inches from the rim. Water with your fertilizer solution, set aside (in the shade) to recover…and voila! You have a successful patio pot.

Watering your pots daily is a must. They are more prone to dry out than the gardens we plant. Pots are smaller, and not as deep. We have also just filled those shallow pots to the brim with plants. Water generously and choose one day of each week that you will use as your fertilizing day. I use Feeding Fridays, or Fertilizer Fridays. Something like that is easy to remember. I will also be making a post one day each week to remind you to feed your gardens both ground and potted.

I certainly hope this has helped take the mystery out of planting a container garden. If you should have any questions….absolutely leave them for me to answer…if I can.  Coming up soon, is a post about window box plantings…stay tuned!

Until next time…happy gardening!

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

Yes -you read that right…I said harvesting the annuals!  Sounds strange to say that doesn’t it?  Most people associate harvesting with veggies and grains!  I…being a flower fanatic, harvest annuals!
Before I begin I would like to say that all of the flowers I am sharing today are from seed in my own greenhouse.  They are not brand name flowers…they are the run of the mill plants.  There are no copyrights on any of my seeded plants.

I also do not grow my seeds to sell.  They are grown for my enjoyment only.

Many of the brand name plants are genetically altered to be sterile.  This means they are not meant to produce seed, and it is illegal to propagate for any purpose.  Keeping all of this in mind….lets get to the harvesting!

PART ONE…..GATHERING SEED FROM PETUNIA PLANTS
Well Ladies and Gents….it is that time again….yes…FALL is getting ready to be upon us. This means it is time to start looking towards the spring that will follow a very LONG winter.
I have had a few comments that have included requests for information about gathering our own seeds…so these posts focus on getting our gardens ready for the cold and long and dreary winter months that are not going to stay away, simply because we don’t like them!
I know from my own experiences of trying to figure out how to harvest, when to harvest and what to look for is not an easy thing to simply google and find out. Much of this information about gathering seed has been discovered by chance…but it works-well for me anyways!
It is not uncommon for my neighbors to come home and find me in the flower beds looking for seeds from my plants. I have found many different seeds simply by looking for them! I thought it would be a nice thing if I shared my accidental discoveries with some of my gardening friends!
I will split this post into several parts simply because there will be lots of photos to share the visual of what I am trying to tell you..
Lets begin the harvest!
First and foremost…you will want to get yourself some containers ready for the harvest. I use small tins with clear lids that I got at a garden center…but have also been known to use small baby food jars, old pill bottles etc…anything that is not totally air tight, (can have small holes punched in the lid) or too large.

Paper envelopes work well too. Just make sure your seeds are completely dry before you seal up your container…and DON’T FORGET to label each container!
Petunia plants have very small seeds. Their seed pods resemble bloom buds at first, but with a little patience you will see some very tell tale signs that there are indeed seeds inside that little mouth.

There’s some…do you see them? Lets get a closer look..

In the upper right side of the above photo you will see two greener seed pods…those are just beginning to develop. Should you disturb the pod, the seed will not ripen and therefore will not germinate the following spring.
Lets get a closer look at one that is ready for harvest…

You can see how tiny the seeds are…there are a few sticking to the sides of the protective petals. Petunias are “sticky” plants. If you have ever touched one, you will understand. This is a feature Mother Nature added to them, to help keep the tiny seeds from all blowing away immediately upon opening.

When the seed pod is ready to “dump” it’s seeds, and you will know this because the seeds inside will be very black. The outer shell of the pod will be partially open and a golden yellow color… Carefully take the pod off of the plant, pull back the sticky petals, and gently squeeze or shake the seeds out into a container. There will be hundreds of seeds in each tiny pod, so be prepared!

I only shook the pod a little bit so as to show you the size of the tiny little seeds… there are hundreds more waiting for me to collect on my plants!

Now that we have collected our seeds in our containers…now what?

You will need to make sure your seeds are stored in a cool and fairly dark area…make sure your containers are not air tight, as the seeds may still contain a little moisture, and produce mold..ick.

Keep in mind that you will not be guaranteed the same exact plant that you took the seeds off of. Many of the petunias and other annual plants on the market today are HYBRIDS. This means that they took two separate plants to make the plant you have in front of you. They do this to create new varieties and colors. The seeds of a wave petunia…will not be wave petunia plants next year…so keep in mind that you may get some surprises when you harvest your own seed.

How do I know this? Well… when my children were still to small to “pump” on the swing set…I used to spend endless hours laying on the grass in front of the swings pushing them. Of course I had a flower bed beside the swing set…lol…and one day I looked over at the petunias, and thought to myself…”great…what the heck kind of bugs are all over the petunias now?” Upon further investigation, I made this most interesting discovery…shared it with anyone who would listen…and the rest is history.

(part 2) Taking seed from Malva, Lavatera, Marigold….and Spider Plant?

Next, we will look at the Malva, Lavatera and the Marigold. These three flowers are prolific bloomers in my gardens, and produce easily the seeds that will become the plants of the future.

Once again, get your containers ready. For these three plants, you will be able to gather lots and lots, and the seeds are a little larger than that of the Petunias that we harvested together yesterday. I suggest a paper bag for these to start with. Marigold, Malva, and Lavatera will also require you to put a little effort into separating the seeds from the plant, so putting them into a paper bag, will not only buy you some space, but will buy you a little time.

Grab three bags, and label them. You can decorate them later…come on…lets go looking!

Look! There is a seed pod…or as I like to call it a Lavatera Button! Wait…don’t pick that one yet..it is not ready. It’s still green! Lets keep looking…

This one is looking a little better…the seeds are dark. I usually like to wait until the “button” itself turns a light brown/beige color. I have had an easier time getting the seeds out, and they have germinated much easier for me when I have waited. But…since there are not any that are that ready yet…we will have to pretend…

Pop that little button off the plant, and take the “wrapper” off…inside you will see that little ring of brown… those are the seeds! rubbing them in your hand a little will separate them and voila! you have a few seeds for next year!

This is a whole bunch of Malva going to seed. Now..here’s some little info tid bits….Malva and Lavatera are from the same family, they have the same type of seed pods. Therefore, they can be treated the same way. Make sure the seeds are good and dry before you remove them from the paper bag and put them into a jar….also keep in mind, that although Lavatera will re-seed itself sometimes…Malva will ALWAYS re-seed. I did not plant any into my garden this year….and I have hundreds of them growing all over the place..!

These are volunteers…and I can’t say I mind too much, but do they have to hog the front of the bed when they are the tallest plants? Yes…you can see where I used the weed wacker to cut them back a little! lol If I don’t pick every one of those buttons off…or cut the plant back, those plants will be multiplying before my eyes next spring!

Let’s go look for some Marigold seeds…

Here we are! See the pod of seeds to the left above my hand? The dead bloom? yes…the dead bloom….it is full of seeds…the one in my hand, is the view from the front. Pluck it off…pull it apart, make sure you don’t keep the dry flower petals….

There they are! They remind me of the porcupine quills I used to see in my dog’s nose as a child here and there! lol…..Now put those in your bag or put the whole pod in now and sort it out later…It has been my experience, that when I decide to plant the marigold seeds, the darkest, and hardest ones are usually more viable…

Between the Malva and the Marigolds, we could have a full blown mess of volunteer flowers…maybe I should do that in the alley bed I want to make next year….

Now…I realize that this next plant is NOT an annual….and the flowers are not really the part of the plant that we like…but I have got a spider plant that does not produce BABIES….or offsets…it instead insists on going to seed! I am very proud of this plant. One day I came into the sun room and thought I was seeing poop from some unknown rodent.

After freaking out, and almost crying and putting the house up for sale….I realized that it was indeed the seeds of a houseplant! I was so excited. This more than validated that I knew what I was doing and did know one or two things about plants! Yea Me! (okay it was an accident…lol)

Okay…now that I have finished celebrating my success and beauty…did I say that? LOL….here is the photo of a spider plant seed pod…

Do you see the little buds? Those are not plantlets getting ready to sprout…those are indeed seeds! Lets look a little closer…

These are the seeds that are taken out of a mature and dry Spider Plant seed pod! woo hoo!

Now Spider plant seeds do not germinate quickly. The actually take their sweet old time! Most plants (that I seed) are up within 7-14 days…these babies take a little longer than that…so if you are lucky like I am to have a plant that will make seeds, cover gently, and keep warm and moist…and be patient…they will come….If you are not a plant freak like me, and do not really care if it is from a miracle seed….use the plantlets that the other plants will send out,..it is almost an instant addition to your plant collection….and much easier if I do say so myself!

(part 3) Taking seed from Pansy, Alyssum, Columbine, Portulaca, Snap Dragon and Sweet William AND Geranium)

Lets go for a walk. Got your seed containers? Are they labeled? Good….

Oh look….I think I see some pansy’s that are going to seed! Can you find the seed pod in the photo below?

There are several….but one in particular caught my eye….yes…the one at the center at the bottom of the photo….good eye! Lets take a closer look…

There it is….but this one is not ready. Pansy’s are a little different than some of the others that I showed you the last two days.

They have some very neat characteristics when they go to seed…

Cool isn’t it!?! I love the way the pod will open up and become a star shape. Those little light brown dots inside the petals of the seed pod are the seeds! This one is not full anymore…the seeds must have already jumped out. But…we can take what we have here and put them in our container. ….and keep hunting.

On my way to another pansy plant…I happened upon a pot with some Alyssum….we can’t miss those seeds!

Do you see all the little dry looking white dots on the plant? yes…those are the seeds! I don’t usually collect the Alyssum seeds…they are cheap and plentiful in the garden center each spring, but you never know!..

What else can we find to show you…..hmmmm…

Okay, here’s one for those that love perennials! This is a columbine and she has some pods just waiting to be plucked!

I grabbed the seed pod on the tip of its stem….

And dumped it out! ta-da!!!!!

No…those are not mouse poop! Those above in my hand are the seeds of a Colmbine plant!

NEXT!!!!

The pods on this Portulaca (above) are not ready to burst yet. When they are they will look similar to those of the Petunia that we harvested the other day…The seeds are a tiny bit bigger….but very much the same drill for the harvest!

Check out the Snap Dragons! There are going to be Lots of seeds on those…

A closer view to show you what I see….those little pods all along the stem, will dry and the top where you see the little “string” will open up….then you can pour the dark seeds into your containers…Mine are not quite ready to harvest….

Lets go look at the Sweet Williams.

Yes sir! Those are definitely ready to pick. See the little cup? That little cup is just loaded with seeds for us to pour into our

containers! …

It is a little blurry…but you get the idea..

Now…Last but not Least….the seeds of a Geranium…..

Check out the fuzz on that plant!

Do you see those fuzzy things? yes…those are the seeds of a geranium. But…the fuzz is not the seed…

The little brown rice shaped thing attached to the fuzz…is the seed!

Thanks for walking with me, and keeping me company during the fall Harvest in my garden.

I do grow many different plants, but do not harvest the seeds of them all. It is not worth the time or the effort for some of the different ones. If my Morning Glory had survived, I would have been able to show you those…they look like tiny little grapes….but that is a story for next year.

I also do not harvest seed from anything that I have purchased.  Many times a hybrid plant will not produce what you want it to the next year from seed…and I don’t like surprises!
So there you have it…I am exhausted…how about you? Thanks for reading this LONG Post. Did I teach ya anything?
Thanks for joining me…!  Until next time…Happy Growing!

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