Showing posts with label poppy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label poppy. Show all posts

Sunday, March 30, 2008

Larkspur, Cornflower, and Poppies Started in Elegant Back of Garage Cutting Garden

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It's time to sow seeds in my garden like a sailor on shore leave with just days to live. But, when exactly? The backs of seed packets are vague and often offer little guidance, so below is a bit more guidance gleaned from the internet.

With afternoon temperatures near 48, a new garden bed behind the garage was prepared. Gone are a bunch of hostas that were mere placeholders last season until a better idea was hatched. That idea now is a cutting garden. Larkspur, poppies, and cornflower were sown today as soil temperatures were around 38, but, at that temperature, germination could still be weeks away.

Cleome
When: After last frost when ground is warm, although one site from Virginia Tech suggested late fall or early spring.
That's Neat: Needs oscillating temperatures of at least ten degrees. Germination is best with 80 degree days and 70 degree nights. Light is necessary for germination.
Sources: Garden Guide, Floridata, Plant Files, Virginia Tech, How Stuff Works, Goldsmith Seeds

Bachelor Button / Cornflower
When: 1 to 2 weeks before last frost.
Sources: Dave's Garden, Garden Guide, Virginia Tech Weed ID Guide

Corn Poppy "American Legion" Papaver rhoeas
When: As soon as soil can be worked.
Light: Full sun to partial shade.
Sources: Ovm-Seed, Dave's Garden, Taunton, Gardening Tips, Suite 101, Texas A & M, Michigan State,Iowa State, Purdue University (fantastic guide to all sorts of flowers), UC Riverside

Celosia Cristata / Celosia argentea "Pampas Plume"
When: Outdoors, when soil temp is about 60 F and all risk of frost has passed.
Sources: Texas A & M, Purdue University, U. of Md., Yankee Harvest, UVM

Larkspur Consolida ajacis
When: As soon as soil can be worked.
Light: Sun to partial shade
That's interesting: Poisonous if ingested, yet the genus, consolida, is a reference to its medicinal ability to heal wounds.
Sources: Garden Guide, U. Maryland, Texas A & M, U. Maryland, Colorado St., Brooklyn Botanic, Calendula and Concrete, Gardener's Network

Zinnia Zinnia elegans
When: After the danger of frost has passed and soil sufficiently warmed.
Sources: Virginia Tech, University of Kentucky, Iowa State, U. Wisconsin, U. Florida

Nasturtium Trapaeolum majus
When: After all danger of frost has passed.
That's neat: An aphid magnet, it's a good decoy to plant in vegetable gardens. Fully edible with a taste akin to watercress.
Sources: U. Kentucky, U. Wisconsin, Garden Guide, Texas A&M

General Sources
Seeds of Change, Seed Database from Hort Net