lblanchard: (swannfountain)
lblanchard ([personal profile] lblanchard) wrote2016-04-08 09:32 am

Thyme's Up!

My five-year-old thyme seeds are still remarkably viable and I'm enjoying the benefits of a heating pad for my seedling trays -- the seeds I sowed on Sunday were up on Thursday. Sage and peppers aren't moving quite so fast, but sage is touchy; the peppers are old and don't quite have the same shelf life. I have a string of dried ones downstairs. If I don't see movement from these seeds in the next week I may pop one of those peppers and plant those seeds.

I harvested a ripe fruit from one of my Schlumbergeras last week -- a no-name Madisto look-alike crossed with one of Dragonclaw's siblings. They're slower to germinate (2-3 weeks) but I have hopes.

Yesterday I finally sowed those Leontopodium -- Farrer calls them flannel-flower but most people call them Edelweiss. I've had the seeds since 2014, but they've been in a sealed foil packet in the fridge and the seed is so fine that the packet said to mix it with sand (which I did). Next up, I suppose: making a hypertufa trough to hold them if I get good germination. I have two of the three ingredients and am hoping I can get Portland cement in smaller than 100-lb sacks.

The Swiss seed vendor Samen Mauser certainly packages things nicely -- the packet included a little plant stake.

Edelweiss seed packet

[identity profile] pondhopper.livejournal.com 2016-04-08 02:56 pm (UTC)(link)
That is one lovely packet of seeds! Good luck!

[identity profile] lblanchard.livejournal.com 2016-04-09 02:28 am (UTC)(link)
Thanks. Take care of yourself. I haven't commented on your recent posting, but it has made me thoughtful.

[identity profile] pondhopper.livejournal.com 2016-04-09 03:07 pm (UTC)(link)
Thanks for reading, Laura. Words are impossible sometimes and thank you for letting me know you were there. I am 63 and Lynda is not yet 60...my heart hurts.

[identity profile] chakolate.livejournal.com 2016-04-09 02:38 am (UTC)(link)
Did you ever see the Night Gallery episode "Green Fingers"? The old woman who was so good at growing things that even the stakes she planted to hold up her tomatoes sprouted?

Sometimes your posts remind me of that episode. Just sayin'.

[identity profile] lblanchard.livejournal.com 2016-04-09 01:50 pm (UTC)(link)
I'm not really that great of a gardener. I focus on the beauty of the blooms so you won't see how ratty the overall plant is.