One thing that I did learn this summer is that you don't plant Nasturtiums in June. In fact lots of my fellow gardeners gently advised me of this after my last post about Nasturtiums. In fact I appreciate the advise and hope to try another hanging basket with the Nasturtiums in December. This new knowledge has lead me to invoke a new garden rule here at the Sandpit.
Be it decreed that - Only BONEHEADS plant Nasturtiums in the Summer -everyone knows that they like cool weather. Amen...
Just after I told my last Nasturtium plant in the hanging basket this rule it immediately keeled over dead. I figure it had just been holding out for confirmation before suffering heatstroke.
The demise of the last Nash was a clear signal to try something different in the now vacant hanging basket. So I figure that a basket with Marigolds might work with the hot Summer conditions. Besides I have lots of old Marigold seeds that I have saved and collected in the past that need to be started.
I made up some small seed starter pots from using old newspaper to start the seeds in. I had read this somewhere and decided to test it out. You make the small newspaper pots by rolling about a half page of newspaper folded on itself twice around a old paper towel cylinder and tucking in the bottom. Then pull the tube out and you have a small starter pot . Add a little starter mix and the seeds then soak from the bottom with water in a tray. Simple!
Here are the Marigolds in the newspaper pots one week later.
I have to admit that the newspaper starter pots worked really well to germinate the seeds in. Apparently using my local paper for the pots added a large amount of Manure to the sprouts.
Just my observation.
Anyway, I stuck a bunch of the sprouts in the vacant hanging basket soil. Before planting them you rip off the bottom of the newspaper pot and the newspaper sides protruding above the soil.
This was easy to do because the paper is wet and pulls apart easily.
You can leave the rest of the newspaper in the soil as it will decompose quickly and add itself as compost.
Here is the new hanging basket full of Marigold sprouts after adding the new seed starts.
If they all grow they will have to be thinned out but I figured to use one of my other hard earned garden rules . Plant two hope for one.
Well that' s the latest poop from the Sandpit in a nut shell.
August being the hot month that it is it is a great time just to kick back with a cold drink and watch the sky.
Here are some massive clouds forming up over the Everglades being lifted by the heat.
Neat huh.
So instead of doing any real work in the garden until September I can use my free August Excuse .
"It's to friggin' hot to work outside".
---Sanddune---
Sanddune....I was thinking about you, and then you posted.
ReplyDeleteI have a question. Is there a miniature avocado tree available/or grown?
Jim
**** "It's to friggin' hot to work outside". ****
ReplyDeleteI totally agree. I'll be so glad when this heat and humidity are a month or so behind us and we can enjoy the cooler temps.
I've got a lot of marigold seeds to plant too.
FlowerLady
Jim,
ReplyDeleteThere most likly is but I would check with a nursery in your area to find out what will grow there. There are lots of different types with different tastes. Your local nursery should be able to give you some good advice.
Flowerlady,
I seem to have lots of envelopes full of old Marigold seeds. It is a good time to clean some out. A lot of the envelopes contain old Marigold seedheads of unknown age so I don't know if they are still viable. Another experiment I guess.
sanddune - I agree that it's been too hot to do much outside. I have used the newspaper pots for my veggie seeds and they work great. Our local paper works well too :)
ReplyDeleteSanddune, your observations of the local paper creating fantastic compost is well noted; I concure!
ReplyDeleteRegarding the marigolds, I don't mean to be a Debbie Downer, but personally, I've never had success with marigolds. They're supposed to be some wonderfully heat tolerant bloom, but they simple shrivel when they set root on my soil. Vinca, on the other hand...can't be killed. Gotta love it!!
Love your skywatch and the drink I assume your sipping!! Here's to cooler days!
NanaK,
ReplyDeleteThe newspaper pots worked suprisingly well to sprout the new seeds. And it is a fact that most Florida newspapers contain lots of manure just waiting to be utilized in our gardens.
Kimberly,
I guess that I save Marigold seeds because they are sposed to repel nematodes or that they are so easy to collect. They don't grow that well here either but are usually ok for a few blooms. They will occupy the hanging basket until it gets cooler and I can try the Nasturtiums again. Most of the marigolds that I saw around here were planted by the city here in beds. They would rip them out and replace them every month or so. It was a big waste them constantly replacing flower plants. They have since wised up.