Gardening and Gardens

Start your flower garden now by planting seeds inside during the winter.  Here are 5 tips! The wind is howling outside and the calendar is telling me it's almost February. To me, this is the perfect time to start some seeds indoors! Honestly, this task helps me get through the last bit of winter. Taking the time to figure out the germination needs of each seed, the relaxing sensation as soil is spread over the seed trays and lesson in patience as we wait until the first little sprout appears. It may not be for everyone, but it certainly is for me! And if you are like me, but need a little refresher, I've got you covered. Here are top 5 things to get your flower bed started now: 1. Buy seeds By now, you may have already received a few seed catalogs in the mail. Some of my favorites are: Johnny's Seed , Burpee , Select Seeds , Hudson Valley Seed Company , and The Gardeners Workshop . If you haven't received any, you can look them up online and order directly from their we...

With March temperatures in the upper 40s and low 50s around here, I know spring isn't far away. So, let the seed starting begin! I'm using a 72-cell tray that sits on top of a water soaked mat with a drip tray beneath to keep the cells moist. I've planted: Sweet Pea, String Bean, Morning Glory, Moonflower, Wildflower mix, Columbine, Basil, Parsley and an annual Black-Eyed Susan mix My kids are loving watching the sprouts grow taller every day. As the sprouts grew, I moved some of the vines into bigger pots: On the left are the Morning Glory plants. On the right near the window are the Moonflower and String Bean plants. In the foreground on the right I am growing geraniums and impatiens by stem cuttings. Everything is growing pretty well so far, but I still have a while to go before I can plant them outside. Hopefully by then I'll have many strong and healthy plants to enjoy!