Cut flower garden

[Phaedra]

Dahlias are ..

. so ..

. rewarding .

Steve, do you plan to grow any new variety this year?

 

[digitS']

Probably not, Phaedra.

The dahlias are "in the mix" these days instead of being in a separate garden of their own. Over the seasons, we went for the decorative types but couldn't segregate them by variety except in a small way. Winter storage confusion was a special problem. This resulted in the loss of some appreciated varieties and then ... discontinued selection of those commercially offered!

Shipping of tubers is expensive and relying on the big box stores and garden centers to have appealing selections, keeps a rein on our enthusiasm . It's best not to even open a dahlia catalog. Overwhelming Appeal!

DW likes both bright sunny and sunset colors. I'm more off in strong, deep colors. This helps temper our purchases. It's really easy to lose control, I know so well!

Fortunately, fortunately this climate and soil are fairly good for dahlias. Not the best, but good. Our storage is looonng but adequate, or nearly so.

Steve

 

[Phaedra]

Part of the snapdragons I grew from seeds this year. After overwintering chili plants, I would try to overwinter snapdragons this year, so next year, I can have some ready plants right after winter.

Also, it seems snapdragons are hardier after fully developed. This won't be achieved if we plan them as annuals.

 

[Branching Out]

I love snapdragons too. They seem to volunteer in my garden, always showing up in the driest, leanest, most horrid patch of soil that you can imagine. Have any of you had the same experience? I am considering just sprinkling a package of seed over a scrubby patch, to see if the snapdragon seeds will be happy and put down roots.

 

[digitS']

If I was to go NW less than 200 miles (~300 kilometers), I could say that I was in your "watershed," @Branching Out .

However, with snapdragons, such things are not a snap. So, they are lucky to survive our winter and need some kind of protection. It works for the mature plants at times if they are close to a building. I'm not sure if allowing them to reseed would work. Something that can reseed is petunias - which was a surprise to me.

Rosalee had a mixed veggie and ornamental garden. She was the elderly neighbor once living close by. Her petunias were no longer bright after I-don't-know how many generations but they returned and returned, surprising me.

Something else that was surprising to me was that impatiens were noted by a gardening magazine as "America's most popular." Here, the flowers have a tendency to shrivel up in the arid climate and yet, my uncle, about those same 200 miles to the south, had beautiful impatiens in the shade of a large tree ... up the hill from his place near the Snake River were cacti. Oooo , I'm really drifting here! But, I feel the environment of flowers and people, even those long gone.

Steve

 

[Phaedra]

I love snapdragons too. They seem to volunteer in my garden, always showing up in the driest, leanest, most horrid patch of soil that you can imagine. Have any of you had the same experience? I am considering just sprinkling a package of seed over a scrubby patch, to see if the snapdragon seeds will be happy and put down roots.

It's no harm in trying direct sow, but the tiny seedlings might have more difficulties competing with other plants or surviving the changing weather in spring. I planted them in the same beds for two years, but I didn't see any self-seeded ones yet.

 

[Branching Out]

Something that can reseed is petunias - which was a surprise to me.

Something else that was surprising to me was that impatiens were noted by a gardening magazine as "America's most popular." Here, the flowers have a tendency to shrivel up in the arid climate and yet, my uncle, about those same 200 miles to the south, had beautiful impatiens in the shade of a large tree

Last spring we had petunias volunteering too, in hanging basket containers from the previous summer; that was a surprise. I was able to dig them up and transplant them in the garden.

And after many years of wilting, shrivelling plants I grew the most remarkable Impatience last summer, a variety called Xtreme Lilac from Swallowtail Seeds. They were heat tolerant, something I have never seen before. I do not recall them wilting even once, despite a hot, dry summer. They do have fairly high irrigation needs and they like shade, so I am not growing them again this year--- but if I did the Xtreme series would be my preference. Also, I found a reference online regarding a hack for getting the Impatience seeds to germinate, and by following the instructions my germination rate was close to 100%. I have not been able to relocate that entry online, but this is from my notes:
'Do not cover seed—no vermiculite, nothing. First, provide warm temperatures of 23-25C and very bright light for 24-48 hours, to break dormancy. Then after two days of warmth and very bright light, dust the tops of the block with fine vermiculite and exclude light until germination. Should sprout in 7-21 days.'
Turns out these seeds need darkness to germinate-- but first they need a couple of days of exceptionally bright light to break dormancy. A south-west facing window did the trick for me. Fascinating!

 

[Phaedra]

Lisianthus, yes, they grow pretty slowly. However, they are not extremely slow compared with others. The germination rate is lower, no doubt.

Snapdragons, I have nearly 35 seedlings now.

Sweet peas - there are five varieties.

15 Ranunculus tubers are all sending roots and shoots; very nice!

The Freesia bulbs and Echinacea are also doing well. I do expect a splendid summer!

 

[Branching Out]

Phaedra, the first photo of tiny seedlings do not resemble the lisianthus that I have grown. Are those your lizzies? I am growing them for only the second time, and mine have flat, shiny, hairless pointed leaves that resemble those of a very small succulent. New leaves always seem to arrive in pairs opposite each other, at least at the beginning. My lisianthus were each seeds of the Echo series; they grow so slowly that even after three months they are only a little over 1cm wide. In this photo they are the little guys in the small black 6-cells. The second photo was last spring's miniscule seedlings on the day I bumped them up, which was at about the two month mark. For the first 6 weeks or so I use a lighted magnifying glass to inspect the seedlings.

 

[Phaedra]

Phaedra, the first photo of tiny seedlings do not resemble the lisianthus that I have grown. Are those your lizzies? I am growing them for only the second time, and mine have flat, shiny, hairless pointed leaves that resemble those of a very small succulent. New leaves always seem to arrive in pairs opposite each other, at least at the beginning. My lisianthus were each seeds of the Echo series; they grow so slowly that even after three months they are only a little over 1cm wide. In this photo they are the little guys in the small black 6-cells. The second photo was last spring's miniscule seedlings on the day I bumped them up, which was at about the two month mark. For the first 6 weeks or so I use a lighted magnifying glass to inspect the seedlings.

Thanks, I also felt a bit weird because the seedlings look a bit like Pansy. Anyway, it's pretty difficult to find seeds here in Germany. Those I have sowed so far were bought from eBay, and buying from eBay is always risky. I just got one variety from the Netherlands, but they didn't germinate. Last weekend, I tried again and got a few more varieties from two European suppliers. Hopefully, these new varieties can provide more opportunities.