my_secret_garden
Cool Member
Posts: 88
Joined: Sun Apr 30, 2006 11:09 am
Location: Clinton IA, Zone 5a
Contact: Yahoo Messenger

Looking ahead towards fall, I have some questions...

This is my first year really getting involved in gardening and I am looking ahead towards fall and need some tips and pointers.

I purchased one of those seed starter boxes with the "green house" top on it to start some seeds in this year. My question about that is what kinds of things can I start indoors and when should I start them? Should I aim to start them in the starters and then move them into larger containers when they get bigger or should I time it to try to plant them directly outside from the starter cells? I have never done that before but would like to get some of my own things started this year to save money by not buying bedding plants. Can I start vegetables indoors too or are they best started outside? Do I need to purchase lights for my plants and what kind of enironment do I need to start my plants in? Warm and damp? Warm and dry?

Also, what kinds of things should I be planning to do in my yard at the end of the summer? Should I bring hanging baskets inside for the winter? In my baskets and pots I mostly have moss roses, dianthus, and fuchsia. I was told that I should dig up my gladioli and bring them inside and replant in the spring but other than that I don't know what to do with my yard. Are there things I can or should plant or do before fall to get my yard prepped for next year? Any advice or discussion would be great! Thanks so much. :)

my_secret_garden
Cool Member
Posts: 88
Joined: Sun Apr 30, 2006 11:09 am
Location: Clinton IA, Zone 5a
Contact: Yahoo Messenger

Oh, PS, I have a couple of hostas that are "flowering" and have seeds on them. Can I gather these and dry them to plant in other spots next year? And if I have any leftover seed packets from this year or I purchase some will they be safe to use next year or will they not produce? Thanks!

opabinia51
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 4659
Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2004 5:58 pm
Location: Victoria, BC

You can certainly try planting the seeds next year. ..

I would plant them in pots first and then transplant the seedlings for better results. People tend to have better results planting in sterile soil but, I always plant in a mixture of unsterilized potting soil, mushroom manure and screened compost with pretty good results. And the seedlings get to grow up with an influx of healthy soil flora and fauna and are that better prepared for the real world when they get out there.

I don't know what the shelf life on Hosta seeds is but, generally seeds are good for between 1 and 5 years. Most larger seeds for the former number time and smaller seeds for the latter time.



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