Notes From The Potting Shed #1 with Tips& FAQ 's

I'm starting a new weekly gardening series. A post where I share what I am doing right now, this particular week in the garden, or with regards to gardening. Gardening tips and ideas for what you can be doing right now, regardless of gardening zone. I hope you will follow along with me on our journey to the summer garden.

At the end of each post, I will answer any questions that you have, that are asked of me on fb, on insta, on this blog, or through emails. Contact me any which way you like and find the answer in the following post. I recieved quite a few questions after the how to start from seed guide post last week, see the answers below.

This week, we are having a cold snap. We went from plus degrees and very little snow on the ground to very cold temps, 15 cm of snow and still falling. Yuck, lol. Not unexpected but still yucky.

So, without further ado, here is where my gardening is at this week..

Seeds - I am waiting on one last seed order to come in, my flower seeds from Floret. I have two packets coming, a mixed pastel package of zinnias and mixed seed dahlias. I will start the dahlias just as soon as the seeds arrive. More on that when the time comes.

My Stems order has arrived... so pretty!

All other orders have arrived, I am ready to roll. The Stems flower and tomato order just came (right to the door) the other day, with the prettiest flowery card and seed packages.

Tomatoes (indoor varieties only), eggplants, peppers, and onions growing nicely.

What I have growing right now...

(Started January 29 - Off the heat & transplanted into larger cells on Feb 23))

Red and Yellow Globe (storage) onions

Morden Midget eggplant

Peppers - Hungarian Yellow Hot Wax, Jalapeno, Purple Marconi, King Crimson

These guys are in a bright south facing window, no lights. I turn the tray a couple times a day. I will feed them with some liquid seaweed this week.

The onions have had their first haircut already, will soon be ready for a second cut. When they are 4"to 6" tall, I trim them to 1" high.

The 'Tall Utah' celery is still in the original cell, also started on January 29th. I will transplant them next week as it looks like most all have true leaves. If you read my seed starting guide, you know that I multi sow to save space on both the heating mat and in the window sill. I will keep some and share the rest with family members. We all like to grow and eat celery.

Potato onions are coming up nicely.

On the heating pad waiting for germination (sown Feb 23rd)

Rosa Bianca & Listada di Gandia eggplants - (2nd batch, 1st ones did not germinate)

Potato onions -had to get these when I heard about them! A perennial multiplying onion. 50% of these are up today, one week later.

Lorient Multiplier onions - may be a shallot, might be a potato onion, the possibilities are exciting. 50% are up today.

What I will be starting from seed this weekend ...

Snapdragons

Echinacea

We are still 12 weeks out from last frost in central Alberta, and 9 weeks out in Nanaimo. Even if we count on an earlier planting time, there is no need to rush to rush things along.

If you stagger your sowings according to the weeds before frost, you won't be as apt to run out of room in the window sill, on the heating pad, or in the house.

These can all still be started now, if you have not yet done so.

The patio table out early last spring, with a string of solar lights. .

Other things on my to do list...

I have been dreaming about pulling out the patio furniture and starting to clean and organise the greenhouse. Get it ready for the seedlings to go in, and to pot up dahlia tubers in 2 gallon pots for a headstart. This needs to wait till the next snow melt, of course, but is on my agenda just as soon as I can get in there.

I've had these solar lights out winter and summer since last spring and they are still going strong. They light up just as nicely now as they did when they were first put outside. Gihly recommend the solar lights if you do not have a plug in handy. I also really like these elongated solar lights, 40 bulbs in 32 feet! I think I need these.

We will also prune the apple tree on any nice day in the next week or two. March is the perfect time to prune, while they are still dormant.

*As an Amazon affiliate, if you purchase an item from one of these links, I make a teeny bit of money to support my blog. It does not cost you a penny more than it would if you went to the item on your own, without my link. Huge thanks : )

My hoophouse bed planted up in late February, early March.

For my West Coast & Island peeps...

If I were still on the island (zone 7), I would be direct sowing both peas and sweet peas out in the raised beds on any nice, sunny, warm day this month. I would also toss out a little bit of dill seed into a bed. I sow dill here and there, a bit at a time throughout late winter and early spring, for a succession crop.

I would also be sowing lettuce, mustards, green onions/scallions, spinach, and radishes in my hoophouse. Some of these new potato onions would also go in there ; )

Pruning of fruit trees, shrubs, and roses, too. Here is my last early March Ramblings post from the island, a list of all the tasks. Happy gardening, friends.

FAQ'S

Here are some answers to the questions I received after the seed starting guide went out.

Question - Do you recommend bottom watering?

Tanja - I only use bottom watering when doing the initial soaking of the soil, before I sow my seeds as it really makes the soil very wet and can lead to fungal disease.

After sowing, I use a spray bottle to mist the soil so the seeds do not get dislodged, start floating around on top of the soil. Then, I use a watering can with a small spout to water the seedlings so I can direct the water where I need it. Bottom watering will soak the soil too much, fill the cell with water, which may cause damping off.

Question - Why do you recommend Promix HP or Sunshine #4 rather than a seeding starting soil mix?

Tanja - Seed Starting Mixes use very fine peat which I find holds the water better, but therefore is also more prone to damping off disease. I was taught years ago to use a very porous mix (HP=high porosity) so the seeds can easily grow and spread roots, the roots have more air space and so are less apt to have any kind of fungal issues.

Question - What do you think about the soils with moisture beads?

Tanja - Other than the fact that they are not organic in any way, shape, or form, plants also do not like them. I trialed a hanging basket with the beads and one without, both on the same shepherd's hook... the one without was double the size of the one with the beads. Definitely not for tender little seedlings.

The same goes for putting a diaper underneath the potting soil in a pot or basket. Never.

Question - When do you start your cucumbers and squash? I have seen that many have started theirs already.

Tanja - I have also noticed that on some of the fb gardening pages. Yikes! I would suspect that they will have to throw those plants away as both cukes and squash germinate very quickly, grow very fast, and do not like transplanting. The best time to prestart them would be 3 weeks before you want to plant them outside. That way they will not stall out. Do not disturb the roots, push out of pot, drop in a hole, tuck it in.

I do not prestart either one as they do not transplant well. Instead, I wait till the soil is warm so that they take off quickly. If it is warm enough to plant out your tomatoes, it is warm enough to direct sow your cucumbers and squash seeds.

The zinnias I ordered from Stems Flower Seeds!

Check out these lovely zinnias that I ordered from Stems. My colours are pastel pinks and peaches this year, with a bit of white. My neighbour and I used to always get toghether and decide our colours for the year so that I could order in the correct coloured basket stuffers. I really miss that! If you want to talk about all things gardening, give me a shout ; )

Thank you all for your questions, I look forward to getting more of them! Let me know how you are making out and what your concerns are. I hope you enjoy this new series of what to do now .

Happy Gardening ~ Tanja