The Rural Voice, 2000-04, Page 51i
Gardening
and annuals have been creeping back
into our gardens. It started with
baskets and patio planters. You
repotted these each year. What better
plant to use than annuals. But the
colours have become more and more
electric and the foliage of new varieties
cannot be resisted. If you don't have
planters, fear not. You can put these
new annuals in your perennial border.
Most annuals can be sown right in
the garden. Mark the site carefully. For
those of you who want that little bit of
an edge and are ready to try starting
them indoors, April is the month to
begin.
One of the most common errors in
starting annual seeds is to get going too
soon in the season. The seed catalogues
arrive and your order is in your lap by
February and then you are too fired -up
to wait a few more weeks. The end
result is long leggy seedlings that have
a hard time surviving the transition to
the garden.
Read the seed packets carefully.
Most annuals take about 21 to 30 days
indoors before being ready to set out.
The deciding factor will be the length
of time it takes to germinate. The seed
packets will tell you length of time for
germination, how deep to plant the
seeds, correct temperature and moisture
requirements. Teamed up with a porous
sterile soil you have all the makings for
growing new annuals for your garden.
Just a quick word on the soil. You
can use a garden soil that you bring in
and warm up but it will bring with it a
number of organisms that can cause
damping off. The key is porous soil.
You want the air and water to reach the
seeds. You can add a bit of sand to
make it more porous or vermiculite to
help retain moisture evenly. If you add
peat moss you have to consider that it
will add a certain amount of acidity to
the soil.
Containers can be picked up
anywhere. You can use traditional pots
of either clay or plastic; consider clay
as it holds the moisture better and is
easier to water from the bottom up.
There are those wonderful Jiffy pots
and seed cubes as well as a wide
assortment of seed starting kits on the
market today. Don't forget to look in
your cupboards for egg cartons (it'
styrofoam punch a hole in the bottom),
pgg shells, margarine tubs, yogurt
containers and so on. All you need is a
container three inches deep and a few
holes punched into the bottom to offer
some drainage.
Some seeds like verbena, pansy, and
larkspur need a three to five-day
darkness for germination where others,
like impatiens and begonias, you can
scatter on the top of the soil. Tenting
or covering with a light plastic or glass
lid will help retain humidity but keep a
close eye on your seedlings that they
get enough air circulation to avoid
rotting. This endeavor will give you
wonderful results.
Some of the newest varieties and
brightest colour combinations in
annuals are available by seed long
before you see them in the nursery.
Take the step and try starting some
seeds this month. There is nothing as
exciting as watching those new leaves
unfurl and the pleasure grows with the
season.0
Rhea Hamilton -Seeger and her
husband raise two children at their
home near Auburn. She is a skilled
cook and gardener.
lrSomerville
Seedlings
Your Ontario Source
for quality
SPRING HAS SPRUNG
IN THE GREENHOUSE
They are filling up fast with the
area's largest selection of annuals.
geraniums. hanging baskets, etc.
Lots of new colours & varieties
including proven winners
and the "Wanes"!
We have
everything you
need for
spring
planting including perennials
& ground covers
Ted's Tasty Tomatoes Ready Soorn
TE -EM FARM
R. R. #1 Bayfield
482-3020
Seedlings and Transplants
Conifer, Deciduous, and Wildlife Species
Grown from local seed sources
Reserve your seedlings for Spring 2000 NOWT
A division of
Somerville Nurseries Inc.
P.O. Box 70, Alliston
Ontario L9R 1T9
Tel: 705-435-6258 Email: infoetreeseedlings.com
Fax: 705-435-4230 Website: www.treeseedlings.com
APRIL 2000 47