Temperatures are still too cold for setting out spring plants in Virginia, but spring is here and the nursery staff is busy. Seeds need to be sown, cuttings taken, and plugs planted. The new ellepots are living up to their claims; the greenhouse staff loves them because the plants are doing great in them and growing faster than they ever have. Now is a good time to start seeds inside, to be set outside later. Timing is everything as you do not want to start too early. Seedlings become stretched and thin when grown inside too long. During cool and cloudy days; fungus will grow on the seedlings; causing them to fall over, looking pinched at soil level. This is called damping off, and can be prevented by lightly covering the soil surface with spagnum moss. Just shake the spagnum over the soil, leaving a thin layer. This changes the soil surface Ph, eliminating fungus. This nursery had a retail outlet for 20 years; always I was amazed at how unwilling people are to grow their plants from seed. Space is no excuse, as I have germinated in a Coke bottle, and in a bathroom window, grew my little salad crop. So if you are reading this article, I recommend you grow at least one type of plant from seed this spring and grow it throughout the summer coming soon. Seed catalogs have all the information on how to germinate and grow each plant they offer. Choose an easy to grow plant and plan out its whole life cycle in your space; be it apartment or yard. Don't be afraid of killing anything, some of your plants may die, treat this as no big deal; it would have died sooner or later without your help. What is important is that you learn from mistakes, and try again. This is what gardening is all about and how any good gardener grows a beautiful garden. Only over time can you develop an understanding or feel for plants and how they grow. |
