Gardening type people-help.

[golfgal]

DS17 graduates from high school this June. I want so put in a lot of flowers around the yard and deck for his party. I was thinking about starting them from seed since I need a LOT of flowers for the various brackets we have for hanging pots, etc. around the yard. The people we bought our house from were HUGE gardeners, we are just trying not to mess up what they have in place.

So, the question is, what do I do, how do I do this? We have a corner window in our kitchen with a large area where I can put the pots that will get good mid-day and afternoon sun shine. I can also load up the area around our whirlpool tub if needed. What's the next step ...

Do I just get some dirt and those cardboard planter things and stick some seeds in them?

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Why would you want to torture yourself this way? Just wait till they go on sale.

.....Speaking as a landscaper, who has worked in nurseries and greenhouses before.

 

[golfgal]

Why would you want to torture yourself this way? Just wait till they go on sale.

.....Speaking as a landscaper, who has worked in nurseries and greenhouses before.

Because they don't go on a real sale here until late June at the earliest and to buy what I need will be over $500 at least. I usually spend about $250 for just the basics I get every year and I need a lot more then that this year.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Because they don't go on a real sale here until late June at the earliest and to buy what I need will be over $500 at least. I usually spend about $250 for just the basics I get every year and I need a lot more then that this year.

How many flats do you buy every year and what do you buy?

 

[golfgal]

How many flats do you buy every year and what do you buy?

Um, I don't know exactly--generally I buy 4 hanging baskets, two for the front, 2 for the back and enough flowers of various types (I don't always buy the same thing) for 2 planters in the front, 2 on the deck and 3 around the yard.

To get what I want for the party I will need enough for 16 hanging baskets, 3 rings around the bases of trees in the back yard, some low blooming plants for the planter around our mail box, another planter that I don't usually plant anything in that is about 2'x20' and then some fill in plants here and there around the landscaping--so maybe a dozen or more plants for that-on top of what I normally buy.

 

[AlleyKat]

DS17 graduates from high school this June. I want so put in a lot of flowers around the yard and deck for his party. I was thinking about starting them from seed since I need a LOT of flowers for the various brackets we have for hanging pots, etc. around the yard. The people we bought our house from were HUGE gardeners, we are just trying not to mess up what they have in place.

So, the question is, what do I do, how do I do this? We have a corner window in our kitchen with a large area where I can put the pots that will get good mid-day and afternoon sun shine. I can also load up the area around our whirlpool tub if needed. What's the next step ...

Do I just get some dirt and those cardboard planter things and stick some seeds in them?

As a prolific gardener, I find the above question innocently cute. I'll pm you soon with suggestions and advice.

Why would you want to torture yourself this way? Just wait till they go on sale.

.....Speaking as a landscaper, who has worked in nurseries and greenhouses before.

My thoughts exactly!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Um, I don't know exactly--generally I buy 4 hanging baskets, two for the front, 2 for the back and enough flowers of various types (I don't always buy the same thing) for 2 planters in the front, 2 on the deck and 3 around the yard.

To get what I want for the party I will need enough for 16 hanging baskets, 3 rings around the bases of trees in the back yard, some low blooming plants for the planter around our mail box, another planter that I don't usually plant anything in that is about 2'x20' and then some fill in plants here and there around the landscaping--so maybe a dozen or more plants for that-on top of what I normally buy.

OK, first off you can make your own pots and hanging baskets from buying flats of flowers. Did you save any of the hanging baskets or did you toss them? Garage sales in the spring are great places to get hanging baskets and pots.

Secondly, you are not going to get "the look" you want by June planting from seed. There is a reason why gardeners buy annuals. You have to
force them early and they are annoying but that is beside the point.

You can certainly give it a go. But it sounds like you do not have adequate space for that many plants. And if you do it, you need to do it soon.

 

[golfgal]

OK, first off you can make your own pots and hanging baskets from buying flats of flowers. Did you save any of the hanging baskets or did you toss them? Garage sales in the spring are great places to get hanging baskets and pots.

Secondly, you are not going to get "the look" you want by June planting from seed. There is a reason why gardeners buy annuals. You have to
force them early and they are annoying but that is beside the point.

You can certainly give it a go. But it sounds like you do not have adequate space for that many plants. And if you do it, you need to do it soon.

I was planning on making the baskets which is why I need so many plants. I have most of the baskets I need from saving them from previous years. How long does it take for things like inpatients, petunias, etc. to start to flower. I have plenty of space to put a lot of plants if needed. The whole back side of our house is full of windows and is southern facing so I have 3 stories of windows to use as necessary.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Hmmm, right after Easter all the Easter flowers go on sale at stores like Walmart. I know that isn't the best gardening spot for pros but I like it for myself because pretty much everything I have will eventually die in the August sun. I tend to buy big containers with many plants in them and then pull individual plats out for individual planters. My stuff has to be pretty tough because while I love flowers I'm not big on devoting hours and hours to them AND they just have to be able to deal with the temp fluctuations of spring in the North East.

For the past few years I have focused on getting Pansies, and Geraniums. Both are hardy plants that can tolerate some neglect but still spring back to life and because of this they are plentiful as the earliest blooms offered to eager planters. In order to fill the pots I buy small amounts of less hardy plants and arrange them around my main plant in the flower boxes ect.... these can be pulled and replaced easily and inexpensively throughout the summer which I do. For this I tend to favor Mums in the spring and fall and Marigolds in the heat of the summer.

TO give you and idea on cost, last year I found some enormous Geraniums on sale at Walmart for $9 and Pansies for another $9. Their small marigolds run about $1 each. I was able to fully fill my 10 flower boxes and the barrel near my mailbox for about $60.

But, since seeds are so cheap why not give it a try. Since you are in a cold climate you'd probably have to start indoors, they'll need lots of light and warmth so the garage probably wouldn't work where you are. I suppose I'd tackle it by putting a bunch of cookie sheets on my kitchen table to keep the mess down and putting the flats in them. This way they could be moved if necessary. Good luck

 

[PixieTopaz]

Cosmos and zinnias are very easy to grow from seed

However the soil needs to be warm for the seed to germinate-and you're in Minnesota?

 

[golfgal]

Hmmm, right after Easter all the Easter flowers go on sale at stores like Walmart. I know that isn't the best gardening spot for pros but I like it for myself because pretty much everything I have will eventually die in the August sun. I tend to buy big containers with many plants in them and then pull individual plats out for individual planters. My stuff has to be pretty tough because while I love flowers I'm not big on devoting hours and hours to them AND they just have to be able to deal with the temp fluctuations of spring in the North East.

For the past few years I have focused on getting Pansies, and Geraniums. Both are hardy plants that can tolerate some neglect but still spring back to life and because of this they are plentiful as the earliest blooms offered to eager planters. In order to fill the pots I buy small amounts of less hardy plants and arrange them around my main plant in the flower boxes ect.... these can be pulled and replaced easily and inexpensively throughout the summer which I do. For this I tend to favor Mums in the spring and fall and Marigolds in the heat of the summer.

Not around here, most greenhouses/Walmart, etc. aren't even open then. Generally we can't even plant until late May because of frost.

 

[gina2000]

Seedlings that will go into the ground in late May should already be in peat pots under heat lamps 24 hours per day. It's an onerous task. My sister grows many of her vegetables from seed and it's a labor intensive proposition. Between peat pots, seeds, feeding, thinning, repotting, hardening them off, and lighting, she's in for a pretty penny and a ton of work. She calls it her therapy. We call it her $4.95/lb tomatoes.

If you buy flats, plant buckets and baskets yourself, I think you'll be about even. You'll also have the expertise of people who grow from seed and manage the growth successfully. A leggy plant is not a healthy plant. Yet, that's what you often get when you plant under heat lamps.