Re: question time if you all don't mind
- Subject: Re: question time if you all don't mind
- From: "Marge Talt" m*@hort.net
- Date: Fri, 15 Nov 2002 21:22:11 -0500
What kind of plants are you planning on starting? Annuals?
Perennials?
Seems to me it's the plant that will dictate when you need to start
seeds. Warm germinating annuals, who require warm weather to grow
should not be started now, I think. They would need several pottings
on if they weren't to end up stunted; most of them do not thrive if
they receive set backs once in growth.
If perennials, then, depending on the species, you could start seed
now. Most perennials are slower growing than annuals and you would
end up with larger plants. Again, you would have to pot them on at
least once and maybe twice before sale...that is labor, potting mix
and pots that need to be considered.
If the plants are normally hardy outdoors in your climate, they would
need to be hardened off in a cold frame or similar before being sold.
If you sell plants straight out of a heated greenhouse to people who
will go home and plant them in the garden, those little plants won't
make it in very good shape, if at all.
Even if you're selling annuals, they would still need to be hardened
off before sale, IMO.
That's my take, anyway. FWIW
Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@hort.net
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> From: Donna <justme@prairieinet.net>
>
> Since there seems to be many nursery owners and knowledgeable
gardeners
> on this list... Question time if you all don't mind.
>
> A thought was proposed at our last wild ones meeting. (non-profit
native
> plant group) We use a greenhouse to start many of the plants for
the
> annual sale and have always waited to start the seeds. This years
> thought was to start them now so they will be larger plants in late
> April, rather than the small to plug plants we have sold in the
past.
> Some discussion of whether the plants would be too leggy by doing
this.
> Another comment was the survival rate of a larger plant going out
to our
> cold weather at that time of the year. We are in zone 5, IL- IN
area.
> For some unknown to me reason, everyone around here wants to buy
plants
> at that time of year, and most get stunted by the cold weather.
(Last
> frost day is end of May here, well most years anyways)
>
>
> Thoughts anyone?
>
> Donna
> IL, Zone 5
>
>
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