Seedling Status

While we're on the topic of propagation, I'll let you know how things are going with my seedlings. In this post, I had sent out a cry for help to Country Mouse because I'd sowed some annual wildflower seeds, and some of them had grown just a tad too enthusiastically. Country Mouse came to the rescue with potting soil and more 4 inch pots, and on Christmas Day, we spend some time taking some of the overstuffed pots apart. Quite a few seedlings survived.



In fact, even the thinned out pots were looking a bit crowded. What to do?



I decided the day had come to experiment with putting some in the ground. Wanting to hedge my bets, I left about half of the seedlings in their pots, crowded or not. The other half I tried to separate just a bit and stuck them in the ground. For a few, I managed to get all the potting soil in. The others will just have to deal with the clay.



Three days later, about 20% have been eaten by someone. Slugs maybe? The rest are hanging in there, but I'm a little worried that it's getting wetter and wetter. Will the seedlings make it? Will they flower and bring stunning spring color (and tasty nectar and pollen) to the garden? Or will the experiment fail, and Town Mouse regret she ever posted about those seedlings.

Stay tuned. I'll try for an update once a month.

Comments

With so many seedlings you can experiment as much as you want. Good luck, Mrs. Mouse!
Christine said…
If the rain doesn't wash them away, it will help their roots develop. I'm sure they'll thank you for your efforts. My Clarkias reseeded themselves all squished and crowded in the garden and they're nearly a foot tall already! The slugs got most of my Lupines, though. Good luck!
Anonymous said…
Let's hope they make it, good luck, we'll all be waiting for the results.
Liz said…
Wow, that's a serious amount of seedlings!

Fantastic that you're able to get seeds growing so early, let alone actually put them in the ground, it'll be a while yet before we can here!
Chloe m said…
Ha. that is funny. I will enjoy hearing about them whether there is success or not. I think they look good. Maybe the thing that ate them was helping you to thin?
Rosey