Flower Plans Spring 2018 Who else is in..

[clkeiper]

I haven't thought much about it. I just hate seeing an empty structure for the season. I think it is a waste of growing space.

[FourOaks]

So, Zinnias, specifically the dwarfs. How many per pot? Im thinking about using 5 inch Azalea pots. Im thinking 5 or 6 to a pot? I think they prefer having a little room, so I dont want to over do it.

I havent decided for certain, but thinking of getting some 96 cells to start them in and transplant, vs. direct sowing.

[FourOaks]

Originally Posted by clkeiper

I haven't thought much about it. I just hate seeing an empty structure for the season. I think it is a waste of growing space.

Understandable. Any garden crops that you can grow there that would benefit, based on your climate?

[Cole_Robbie]

Originally Posted by FourOaks

So, Zinnias, specifically the dwarfs. How many per pot? Im thinking about using 5 inch Azalea pots. Im thinking 5 or 6 to a pot? I think they prefer having a little room, so I dont want to over do it.

I grow Short Stuff and Zinnitia dwarf zinnias one to a pot, usually trade-size gallon pots. Some other varieties might be smaller and lend themselves better to multiple plants per pot, but I'm happy with mine just one plant per pot.

Here's a pic, zinnias on the left, you can see the yellow one on the corner has slightly smaller flowers - that's a Zinnitia:

[FourOaks]

Originally Posted by Cole_Robbie

I grow Short Stuff and Zinnitia dwarf zinnias one to a pot, usually trade-size gallon pots. Some other varieties might be smaller and lend themselves better to multiple plants per pot, but I'm happy with mine just one plant per pot.

Here's a pic, zinnias on the left, you can see the yellow one on the corner has slightly smaller flowers - that's a Zinnitia:

Hmmmm.....

I have Thumbelina Zinnias. I was thinking that Dwarfs were single stem??

I guess not. I guess they branch out.

Excellent.


Nice display by the way.

[clkeiper]

I would lean towards veg. Crops if anything. I do farmers markets and it is far easier to get nice produce undercover.
Lettuce would be my first try. I hate picking dirty lettuce.

[FourOaks]

Not to beat a dead horse, but I dont know why I was thinking multiple Zs per container. I guess it helps when you read the description..

Description

(6-8”) Thumbelina Mix Zinnia features a unique, bushy, compact and extra dwarf habit with fully matured plants. A colorful mixture of 1-1/4” flower blooms.

[FourOaks]

Since we have been discussing Flowers for all seasons, heres another potential Fall offering

Cool Wave Pansies. I did not know these existed. These are pansies that are destined for hanging baskets. They were developed by the breeders of Wave Petunias. My understand, like regular pansies, they enjoy the cooler weather.

A perfect addition for fall sales.

https://parkseed.com/images/xxl/51488-pk-p1.jpg

[FourOaks]

Well, my list is getting longer.

Somehow I forgot about Geraniums for Spring and Summer. Heres an excellent pdf curtesy of Alabama A&M and Auburn on care and maintence.

http://faculty.caes.uga.edu/pthomas/...b/ANR-1106.pdf

According to them, Red is the overwhelmingly preferred color. White the least.

They are easy to care for, and if you dont sell them, just upgrade to a larger pot or basket. If I recall, they overwinter fairly easy, and you can take cuttings easily as well.

The last time I took some to market (couple years ago), they sold like hot cakes, in 4 inch pots (if I recall). I believe $5 each? I only had an 8 count or 12 count tray? I bought them on a whim from my wholesaler. I swiped a few out of the tray to plant in our Mailbox Planter.

I know last year a vendor had baskets, that sold VERY well.

[Cole_Robbie]

I did ok with my fall mums and Montauk (Nippon) Daisies, but not as well as I had hoped. Customers are simply less excited about buying fall flowers than they are spring flowers.

For late summer flowers, these Dahlias took a long time to grow, but lasted all summer in just a trade size gallon pot. The plant would bloom, then the blooms would die off, and then it would bloom again. I left one plant out in the frost. It looked dead when I brought it inside, but now I have green sprouts coming up out of the base of it.

https://www.harrisseeds.com/collecti...-harlequin-mix

Pic was taken in late October. This was my last spring flower left that still looked good:

[FourOaks]

Those are nice looking Cole.

Looking at Harris, they state 16 weeks. That is a lengthy period. Looks like they are similar to germinating and growing out of Pansies, in regards to needing cool temps and darkness.

And that actually brings up experiments that I have been running this season. I have a seed starting rack located in a "Mud Room" that has very little heat. The rack can accommodate 16 flats under lights. By simply placing painters plastic (drop cloth) over the rack, it completely changes the environment.

With out plastic, under the lights its right around 65 degrees. I currently have some tomato seedlings along with Stock and Eucalyptus there. Thats toward the bottom of the unit.

With plastic covering, under the lights, its about 78 and crazy humid. Thats the upper section. I have my pepper seedlings there, and the results are promising.

If you place the flats on top of the T8 Ballasts, under the plastic section, its closer to 85-90 degrees and nearly 100 % humidity.

I also have another rack, in a heated room.

This all came about because of needing different environments to start different seeds. I would much rather do this for as long as I can, then to heat a greenhouse.

[BigVanVader]

Has anyone tried Black eyed susan vine for HB's? I saw they have multiple colors now and figured they would be a great easy addition to my wave petunias and calibrachoa. https://www.harrisseeds.com/collecti...blushing-susie

[clkeiper]

Originally Posted by clkeiper

I run the injector for the whole season. on occasion I turn it off. I usually run 200ppm give or take a few... I don't measure with a scale.... usually ~ 1# to 5 gallon water and change fertilizers throughout the life cycle of the produce. I use Millers fertilizer for most of the vegetables.

and Jacks petunia (w/iron) food for the hanging baskets house for the whole season.

oh my. I need to make a correction here. I use 1 pound of fertilizer per 1 gallon of water and make a 5 gallon bucket at a time. I then inject that at 200 ppm. (DO NOT use this concentration for straight fertilizing. you will kill your plants. )

[My Foot Smells]

Originally Posted by clkeiper

oh my. I need to make a correction here. I use 1 pound of fertilizer per 1 gallon of water and make a 5 gallon bucket at a time. I then inject that at 200 ppm. (DO NOT use this concentration for straight fertilizing. you will kill your plants. )

As a consumer, I love the "drop & bloom" mixed containers. They have a variety of different flowers and work great in hanging baskets, pots, etc...

Just an fyi for market growers looking for a $ maker. Figure a lot of ppl are lazy like me and just want to chunk something in a pot and not buy a bunch of different to mix and match, etc...

[Cole_Robbie]

Speaking of flower plans, I am just about to pull the trigger on dahlia tubers and plant my high tunnel in them. I have read that the larger-bloomed varieties do much better under plastic, away from storms and wind.

https://www.edenbrothers.com/store/dahlia_bulbs.html?

I'm thinking I will try 3 mixes - the dinner plate, the giant bloom and the cactus. I literally rolled my pennies and the rest of my change, and I am going to use that money. I have heard the expression of 'rolling pennies to buy gas' as a metaphor for being broke. Perhaps rolling pennies to buy flowers to plant is one step above that.