Starting Seeds

With 6 weeks until our last frost date, and plenty of warm, sunny weather, the clock is counting down to get the garden started. Our seeds are well on their way, with the first signs of spring life appearing.

My first crop of seedlings just popped up over the last couple weeks.  These are greenhouse babies, as one of the perks of working in the horticulture business is you can always find some free space for your own projects. 


In years past I have stuck to only starting herb seeds. The things I use most in the kitchen: parsley, basil, and chives I choose to grow from seed so I never run out of herbs to cut. This year, however, Ive gone a little seed crazy (initially as a way to save money, now I just want to experiment with what I can grow). In the greenhouse, Ive started my usual herbs: Sweet Basil, Genovese Basil, Parsley, and Dill. But, I also added a flat of veggies: Bush beans, Pickling Cucumbers, and Jalapenos.  Everything seems to be up and growing, their cotyledons (seed leaves) just unfurling show signs of the first real leaves. 

 

 Two flats was the limit of my greenhouse space, and wanting more I decided to try a type of grow box at home. In this flat I started a mixture of some interesting veggies and perennials. When we went to visit Jesse Israel and Sons Nursery in Asheville, NC I could not help grab a few seed from their huge collection. I'm most excited about the tomatoes, an heirloom 'Black Krim' variety from Russia that is supposed to have a unique salty taste. Also at the Nursery in Asheville, I grabbed this great topper for about 1 buck, which fits a standard flat, and in a sunny location its working its magic. No sprouts in these yet, although its been about 10 days. I attribute the delay to the luke-warm temps and rain we've had latley, but they still have plunty of time to build up that energy and sprout.

And then this is where I got a little seed crazy. Watching the birds start their spring courtship made me think of sunflowers. We always have a feeder full of sunflower seeds that the birds devour. I just couldn't resist these mammoth sunflowers. I'm a sucker for anything tall in the garden. Plus I've actually never used a jiffy seed starter. I figured its worth a shot as they are so popular, and the windowsill version was only about 3 bucks.


"Adopt the pace of nature:  
her secret is patience." 

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

In The Pines

"If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden."  ~Frances Hodgson Burnett

This is obviously not from the garden, but it is my Longleaf Pine research site, the Harris Tract near Holly Springs, NC.  It was a beautiful warm day, but windy with a storm rolling through, and I just had to share. I always feel lucky to work in such a beautiful place, minus the blackberry thickets.

"A few minutes ago every tree was excited, bowing to the roaring storm, waving, swirling, tossing their branches in glorious enthusiasm like worship." ~John Muir

Familiar Sights

Its officially March, and the Variegated Winter Daphne is in full bloom and spreading its intoxicating scent throughout the garden. I always forget what it smells like until I get the first whiff of it in the spring, but somehow that's what makes it so special.

Otherwise this post is pretty much just pictures... but makes a great opportunity to note that you can click on any of the images to see the higher resolution image in another window.

'Winter Hazel' Corylopsis

Crocus vernus 'Jeanne d'Arc'

'Endless Summer' Hydrangea

Camellia japonica 'Crimson Candles'

'Bradford' Pear beginning to open

Narcissus

'Reeves' Spirea leafed out and setting buds to bloom

Brian shot this one of a frog in the stream behind our house

 
"Flowers... are a proud assertion that a ray of beauty outvalues all the utilities of the world."  ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Early Bulbs

The calender seems to think that Spring does not start until March 20th this year, but the bulbs in the garden think differently. Although it has been a snowy winter, the temperatures have stayed a higher then normal, especially in the last few weeks. The warm sunny weather seems to have shaken the bulbs from their winter slumber and are poking their heads up throughout the garden.

Crocus tommasinianus 'Claret'

The Dutch Crocus are always the first spring blooms in our garden. We planted a small meadow of these tiny bulbs at the back of our property between the gnarled roots of a mature Tulip Tree. The past few days colorful cupped flowers were pushed above the grass-like foliage in a show of color that can be seen glowing from our porch, over 100 feet away.

Crocus tommasinianus 'Ruby Giant'

Crocus vernus 'Jeanne d'Arc'

Lilly

Narcissus

Allium giganteum

Daylilies

Other old favorites are showing themselves as well. I forget how fast spring arrives once the warm weather begins. What was only a nub pushing through the soil is now, like in the case of our Allium, opening to greet the sun and expanded to almost a foot tall. The Narcissus, a mid-season blooming variety that was here when we bought the house, was just budded yesterday when I took this picture, but it is now almost open. 

Its hard to deny the signs of Spring are everywhere. We are even having our first thunderstorm in months. This time of year I can't wait to get home every day and stroll around the garden to see how much things have grown. Even the sight of buds uncurling gets be excited for the months ahead. After the long days of winter, the garden is waking up.

"Look at us, said the violets blooming at her feet, all last winter we slept in the seeming death but at the right time God awakened us, and here we are to comfort you."  ~Edward Payson Rod