Seeds

I had to do a little thinning and transplanting to give my seeds some room.  I am not sure if I received some inferior impatiens seed (Wild Thing) or if it was something that I did.  Whatever happened, germination was only about a third of what it was supposed to be.  All of the other seeds produced 100% germination.

Impatiens Wild Thing

Petunia Silver Tidal Wave

Zinnia Zahara Highlight

Zinnia Zahara Double Orange

La Bella Snapdragons on the left and Amaranthus on the right

I didn't get very fancy this year with the veggie garden, radishes, onion sets, slow bolting spinach, two types of lettuce and italian and curley parsley.  All of the cold crop vegetables can be planted now for optimum harvest.

The radishes are up but the lettuce and spinach are so small they are not photo worthy yet.

I ordered two new tomato cages from Gardeners Supply for my Beefsteak tomatoes.  These cages are supposed to handle the heaviest - I've heard this before!

Another important seed activity will be my lawn.  I don't have much of it, but what I have in the back garden doesn't look so good - spots of snow mold.  Many of the patches are small and I will leave them to fill in on their own, but the larger ones need some help, pulling out the dead grass, some topsoil, starter fertilizer, a little seed and some peat moss to hide from the birds.  We are supposed to get rain and warmer temperatures for the next several days so this should help with germination.

Snow mold is a problem when lawns go into dormancy having been fertilized late with lush growth and of course heavy snow does not help.

A landscaper told me that I didn't even need to get this fancy, just rough up the dead grass and drop in some seed.  I have done both this year so it will be interesting to see which is the most successful.

My bareroot roses arrived from California, soaked them overnight and put them in last weekend.  I have had very good luck with product from Garden Valley Ranch.  I am expecting some perennials from another California company Digging Dog Nursery, Brunnera, Hellebores and Phlomis.

Of course, I can't end this post without some eye candy to look at around the garden, not much yet but better than a winter landscape.

My only Hellebore for now, some on order.  I had so many at my last home so I am anxious to add some each year.

Striped Scilla

Early Sensation

Blooming a full two weeks later than those on the south side of house