learning curve

well i seem to have drowned or overheated the little buggers...none of my seedlign came up and the mornign glories which were sprouted ahead of time seem to have turned into mush instead. Sigh. Not sure it's 100% my fault as some of my student workers may have overwatered but still...I feel like that was such a waste. But not a wasted learning op.

So - let's do it again! Once more into the breach. With feeling! LOL And no plastic. And misting instead.

On another note - will be going to Northfield on Tuesday to pick up 2 flats. Wow. I'm kind of excited as to what this might mean....flats as in 375 plants each. Impatiens and Dusty Miller. No clue how many of these plants will survive until May when we sell them as a fundraiser for the greenhouse. But - that is the fun part. More learning. This is so much fun and kinda like DIY horticulture/botany school.

weeks' end

2/19/05

• Note: I am repotting some things without leaving room at the top for watering. RSt was annoyed.
• "Pearly Gates" Morning Glory x8 (after 72hrs seed soak in warm water)
• Larkspur x6 (after soak with moist towel in jar for a few hrs)
• Fuzzy green/white plant is neither Dusty Miller nor A*sia (?) as JK thought. It flowered in Wed (2/17) I think with a daisy like flower (16 petals) and a creamy peachy color. Very nice. Must see if we can grow up something similar for plant sale to go with the impatiens. Having second thoughts about the Splish Splash mix. Will be hard to coordinate a 2nd plant with it but maybe that's ok, especially if the 2nd main seller is foliage based and not floral. Dusty Miller might be good too. I wish they had pachysandra. But they don't.
• Had a civil, even intellectually respectful email convo with BS today re: a free frig, jumping spiders in the greenhouse (I wonder if my interest in these beneficial predators warmed his little entymologist's heart finally), sugar ants (if that's what they are - also beneficals apparently), and Nicotiana. He wants some of the later - but bc of the pests they attract. Ick. I am not too keen on this as I only just now seem to have the pests somewhat under control. We shall see - maybe I will grow them up and give them to him to grow in his own lab. JK was quite nervous upon hearing this news - his orchids are like his babies. Though he is so young himself, that the analogy is an odd one. I wonder what he will do out in the world when he graduates...

2/18/05

• Repotted and divided Bird of Paradise - with peat/perlite/vermiculite/minimal soil mix
• Coleus; Sweet Basil under plastic at home

Seedlings and such...

Tomato seedlings started by Jeremy B-P with some extra planted for us. Transplanted to pots in mid January.

Late January: given Morning Glory "Blue Star" by Dane (3+" tall by 2/15)

Planted 2/9/05: Golden Purslane, Love-Lies-Bleeding Amaranth, Nigella (Love-In-A-Mist), Peach Leaf Campanula (seedlings germinated: 2/11, 2/11,,)

Planted 2/11/05: Morning Glory "Flying Saucers" x6 (2/14,,,,)

Planted 2/15/05: herbs (list to be updated later today), Narcissus bulbs x22 and 1 Amaryllis bulb.

Repotted Oyster Lily (Tradescantia spathacea) and divided. Will collect spent pods and let seed pods dry out to try seed propagation.