Spring Gardening March 12, 2016

Spring is here!  Time to start the new planting season. :)

Dividing the Dahlia tubers

Dahlia tubers

This year I planted my dahlia tubers on March 12. They had sprouted long this white eyes just like they always do when I check them in the rubber maid tub in the laundry room. That location is not the ideal as it is far too warm and encourages the dahlia tubers to sprout too soon. 

I spread newspaper on the floor in the laundry room,  cut most of the long shoots off and then divided the tubers. I cut off or pulled off any dried up parts. Next I planted the best tubers in fresh potting soil (Miracle Grow soil).  (I had washed most of the pots in the laundry room sink the previous day.)

I now have: 3 pots Firebird dahlias, 2 large, 1 small. (Two pots to plant out in the yard and one for on the deck.)

2 pots of red "Thompson" Dahlias, 1 large, 1 small

2 pots of Mystery Day purple and white Dahlias

1 pot unknown ( Most likely Firebirds; they had the most surviving tubers.)

Dahlia Tubers have been planted

March 17  I planted Tomato seeds, Squash seeds, English cucumber seeds and red peppers today. (Thanks go out to my Helpful Husband who washed dozens of 4  to 6 inch pots on the deck with the hose.)

Tomatoes: Early Girls

Lemon Boys

Tumblers

Patio Tomatoes

Purple Russians

Squashes: Spaghetti and Kabochas

Tomato seeds have sprouted March 23/ 2016

March 23rd The small pots of tomatoes and squashes have all germinated. 

 Dahlias were all sprouting and growing well.

The English cucumber seeds have not germinated, nor the Red Peppers or zucchinis.  Will have to buy some bedding plants, I guess.

March 24  all the pots were moved from the living room into the greenhouse.

Dahlias March 23/ 2016

April 1, 2016 

We ate a butternut squash on Easter weekend and I saved some of the seeds. I planted them in a pot today and put it in the greenhouse. 

I  planted some Blue poppy seeds today as well, (Meconopsis Baileyi) from Butchard gardens, Victoria BC, which were a gift from a friend.  It seems these seeds are pretty tricky to grow. Most poppy seeds need light to germinate (unlike most seeds) but this variety needs darkness and cool temperatures. They can take up to 25 days to germinate! Patience is required! They are currently in a pot in the dark crawl space under the stairs, the coolest place in the house, (which also contains our wine, coffee pods and our preserves. )

That same day I also planted Zinnia seeds and Morning Glories seeds from packages on April 1st. The zinnias are up already but no sign of any action from the Morning Glories yet.