Miniature Hosta’s are very popular these days . I have a whole collection of them, but I working my way into more mini’s now . When will the passion for Hosta’s stop?

Meet  Mini Peanut

White Center 4″ long by 2 3/4″ wide; dark green margin that sometimes streaks into the creamy yellow to white center; heavily corrugated; ovate blade shape

Grows 6″ high by 18″ wide

In mid July-August purple flowers will put on a show..

Hosta Peanut has a medium growth rate.

Would work great in small spaces, containers, fairy gardens,etc

Buy Garden Seed Here Now on My Gardening Website

Picket Fence Greenhouse will be selecting unique and unusual seeds along with the old stand bys.

You can be assured shopping here is safe and protects your privacy at all times.

We are confident you will love what you see and feel free to contact us in providing other seeds of interest.

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You can shop any time of the day , the link is provided here and to the left of this page.

Best Regards,

Diane Mumm

Picket Fence Greenhouse

This was my first year for this grass the Pennisetum Mountain Ruby Grass, and I tell ya it was such a dramatic ornamental showoff in the garden and also in containers.

One thing I really noticed was it’s ability to catch my eye every time I walked outdoors.

With it’s erect arching tall habit and it’s green colored blades and pinkish- purple plumes I was loving the beauty it brought to the gardens. Plumes from summer to fall and leave for winter interest if you can.

I watched this grass as the wind blew and as the sun shined on it’s plumes I was very pleased how it made such a statement in the garden.

Mountain Ruby Grass can handle hot conditions we were extremely warm this season and it did fine, and can grow in full sun conditions.

Do not mistake this grass for other ruby grasses, it is easily recognized as another species.

My thoughts are look for this grass next season, you will absolutely love it.

Pennisetum Mountain Ruby Grass is a taller grass reaching heights 30-48 inches.

Grows as a annual in most cases except in zones 9-11 , Hardy to 30 degree weather,  but that didn’t stop me I love all types of ornamental grasses being annual or perennial.

So plant as a landscape grass or as a thriller in containers. You will adore this one!

Planting indoors some snapdragons, Salvia and Amaranthus autumns touch , all which germinated really well.

July Garden Update- Tomatoes-Peppers-Potatoes-Kohlrabi, Plus a little tour of the little greenhouse lots of flowers and hanging basket to show ya.

The big greenhouse is now empty , all plants left are placed in my smaller greenhouse. What is left is succulents, green plants such as ferns, caladiums, mandevillas , etc.

Succulents will be wintered indoors when our weather gets colder, the rest well I hope I can find homes for them. Succulents such as agave,echeveria,kalanchoe, are a joy to keep indoors all winter . This helps winter pass by .

The perennial yard now has a shade structure that will aid in shading the plants from heat and sun during the summer months. I love it and it appears to work quite well. It is a 40 % shade made very well with 2″ metal poles.

The flowers are blooming extremely well . Flowers such as marigolds, vinca, rudbeckia goldstrum black eyed susan,garden phlox, hibiscus, and I am really enjoying the ornamental grasses.

Love being outdoors in the months where I can really enjoy the beauty around me. Never take it for granted !

Happy Gardening,
Diane

Today’s video is more on growing from seed indoors.

How to Grow From Seed , Malabar Spinach Vine- Flowers: Morning Glory Vine-Dahlia -Verbena all indoors.

In this video I am planting herbs from seed. Basil seems to be a very popular herb that many use now for cooking purposes. Cinnamon,lemon,lime basil are all easy to grow and smell wonderful.

Planting herbs indoors to get a head start is a smart thing to do, you can also grow some herbs indoors year around if you choose.

How to plant herbs is not as hard as you may think, very easy as shown in the video.

Planting a herb garden can be done inside or outside, probably will do better outside.

Wherever you grow indoors you will have fungus gnats , sticky traps work well for these tiny little insects as shown in the video.

Herbs do wonderful in containers or pots, I like to have a few growing indoors but you can also grow in pots outdoors . A good way to keep them contained and free of weeds.

I plant many herbs as herbs are becoming more popular it seems, some other herbs I like to grow and are easy to grow are, lavender,dill,sweet basil. I also grow Rosemary but this herb can take a long time to mature and germinate but well worth the effort.

Growing from seed is not only rewarding but offers you a past time in the winter months and gives you valuable plants to use in your everyday life.

Cinnamon Basil

Lime Basil

Let’s learn How to Grow from Seed Today!

Also Check Out When to Plant Your Seeds

Growing from seed is so much fun, very rewarding and is one of the best things you can do for you and your family.

Growing and planting seeds indoors can help  the winter months fly by. Growing any type of plant from seed can be a rewarding practice too!

During the long winter months I like to grow from seed : herbs, kale, peppers, and lettuce etc. All in which are easy to maintain and grow indoors.

Starting seeds indoors is something anyone can do , but first make sure and do some research , there will be some trial and error we all go through this and it is ongoing.

What are you growing from seed this year? I’d love to hear about it.. comment below..

Below I have a  have a detailed article on Seed Starting everything I have learned in my many years of growing from  seed . Please note: I realize there is many methods that are used for growing from seed, I am sharing how I do mine. Use this info as a guideline and find what works best for you.

More videos coming weekly! so make sure to bookmark this page. Tip: if you have trouble viewing videos click Pause let them load then watch clear through, viewing streaming video will depend on your bandwidth you have.

More Growing From Seed On Youtube

How to Grow Thunbergia Black Eyed Susan Vine From Seed
Planting From Seed Unique Morning Glory Vines

Growing Your Own Seed Indoors – Seed Starting Equipment

Join Me Still Crazy Over Growing From Seed

Part 1 Growing from Seed Starting Begins Greenhouse 2011

Part 2 Growing from Seed Starting Begins Greenhouse 2011

How to Grow from Seed When Planting Lemon Basil, Kale and Lettuce

More Seed Packets Arrived- Growing from Seed Continues

More Growing From Seed On Youtube

GROWING FROM SEED HELP

Also Check Out When to Plant Your Seeds

Spring starts early at my house indoors , usually in January of each year I begin sowing  a few seeds. This time of year is much  needed as the weather outside is cold and snowy .  Finding some relief from the long waited Spring season can  require some patience .

A good way to get through those months is to have something growing green indoors. Many grow year around despite the season just because growing your own seed can be such a joy and rewarding experience.

I find it quite gratifying to grow a little bitty seed into a beautiful plant. Everyone should do this at least once in their life time. You may find out you love growing from seed.

I have been growing from seed many years now, and hopefully by sharing some tips with you  this may or may not give you the growing from seed bug. The choice is really  yours to make. I have found  different ways to grow seed better and keep learning every year.

What is needed to get started ? Well,  I will run down  my list of what I use and some alternatives too so you can decide what works best for your budget. You need these components to grow from seed.

There is lots to adsorb here  with this article, please don’t be intimidated as all this information will help you greatly if you are new to seed starting.

Seeds

Choose what you want to grow , find your seeds either locally or online. There is so many great online sources to choose from. Decide if you want to grow Heirloom ,  organic seeds or choose from many other seed alternatives. This is a matter of preference!

Don’t know when to Start Your Seeds Indoors , this will help click here.

Warmth

When I first started growing seed just for personal use I used to let my seed germinate in a warm  heated room , top of a fridge you name it . I guess it worked somewhat but honestly the best way to grow and germinate  seeds faster and more productively is investing in a heating germinating mat. This is by far one of the best investments I ever made, germination is more even,  and lot  more seeds germinate when  using a heating mat. No question I would definitely recommend the investment.

Many reliable sources online for heating mats, you must decide on how big and how much you plan on growing from seed,  this will dictate the size to start with.

My heat mats have a thermostat which is set on 70-75 F  degrees at all times.

Soil

Choosing the type of soil can be pretty critical  part in your success. The best soil is a soil less peat and vermiculite soil, a soil that is said to be used for germinating seeds,  and I’ll tell you why. You want a soil that is light , free of disease causing problems ,  a soil that can grow a seed a a little amount of time without that seed dying off because of a soil was too heavy.  You do not want to keep your new seedlings in a wet heavy soil.

Trays and Pots

There is so many different pots and trays that you can use to grow seeds.  You can use  peat pots, eggshell cartons, plastic trays, homemade paper pots, recycle your plastic containers,  anything that can hold some soil will usually work granted it is a safe container. Make sure your container is clean .

Lighting

Lighting is essential and having good lighting is important from day 1 of the seed germinating.  I have seen many light structures , but what I know works and has worked for several years is the 4ft shop lights everyone probably has in their home right now. These are relatively  inexpensive way to get started.  You want to however use 40 watt bulbs that at least have 3000 lumen’s or more. I use the cool lights I have also heard to use one cool and one warm bulb.

You will need an area or shelves  to hang your lights. Make sure this is in a cooler part of your home, seedlings  kept cooler after germination stay stout and grow much better , this also prevents leggy plants.

Put your  lights are on a timer, where they are on 16hrs, and 8 hrs off each day. The timer is something that works automatically so definitely is a must when using lights.

Other Equipment or Materials

Sprayer Mister , you will definitely want one as  you get going growing. This is gentle on the seed and helps to not over water  your newly planted seed and also your  newly germinated seedlings.

Labels, you will need to label all your trays , pots , flats , this is a step you do not want to forget. You can make your own labels or they are available to purchase online .

Journal, you want to have a journal to log down dates you planted  your seeds, this way you can adjust if you need to the next year. I use a journal religiously without it I would be in deep trouble.

Fan, great for air movement.

When do I Plant Seeds,  How, Light or Darkness

You want to check the package  as to when to start  your seed.  Count back the weeks the package states  from your last frost date in your area zone  and  this should get you pretty  close, however you will also find you may have adjust the dates  from time to time.

It will also state on the package how deep to plant, if in doubt go online and research it, you can find almost all information online.

Some seeds like light for germination some do better in darkness.

Light for Germination Seeds:   cover very lightly  with soil , or some say do not cover at all,  and provide a shop light  over the seeds.

Darkness for Germination Seeds: cover the seed with soil and place a tray over the seeds.

TLC  and Tips

1)      Sowing small seed can be very difficult , what I find works great is get yourself some fine clean sand , mix a little sand with the fine seed then take a spoon and scatter in your flat or pots. This technique works great!

2)      After your seed germinates I place the trays under the lights right away and place the lights as close as I can get them to the seedlings, this will help keep them from getting leggy.. We want to achieve stout plants if we can, doesn’t always work cause some seeds are more stretchy than others.

3)      Keep your seedlings  in a cooler area . There will be a big difference in the look of your plant  if you are growing them in a warm area you will have  stretchy, leggier plants. The coolest area in your home will work best that is if you have that available.

4)      Check your newly seeded seeds a couple times a day, you do not want  the soil to dry out before the seeds have a chance to germinate.

5)      Do not over water I think this is and can be the  hardest area when growing from seed. You do not want to have damping off root diseases as you will lose your seedlings.

6)      As your seedlings grow adjust the light fixture up , I usually do around 2 inches away from the seedling once it gets growing, but as it first germinates the light is as close as I can get it to the seedlings.

7)      Air  circulation is important in your growing area once the seedlings start growing , use a fan to keep air moving , not directly on the plants but adjust it so at least you feel air moving around the seedlings.

This  has a few benefits: Air movement can help prevent disease problems, keeps your plants from being over wet. Helps to make your seedling stronger ,  can harden off your plants if done correctly.

Placing the fan directly on the plants can work for a short period of time , but what if this fan dries them out to quickly and you come home to dry out seedlings this could be very devastating to say the least. Seedlings  do not handle dryness for very long, so pay close attention to air circulation .

8)      Germinate your seed usually around 70-75 F  degrees. Bottom heat works best for even germination.

9)       Use clean trays and pots free of soil pathogens as this can cause seedlings to quickly develop disease.

10)   Don’t be to hard on yourself if something does not work out, you will learn as you grow . Enjoy and have Fun!

I hope this has helped you in a big way today. Get Growing From Seed!

More Growing From Seed On Youtube

Also Check Out When to Plant Your Seeds

Diane Mumm

Picket Fence Greenhouse and Gardens

Nothing says Fall like Mums also called Chrysanthemum

Beautifully vibrant blooms form on cushions of mum plants usually in the fall months of the year.

When many plants being annual or perennial are wanting to go to bed , mums are just beginning to put on a show in your garden.

Mums come in array of colors and forms nowadays. They can grow to heights of 2-3 ft depending on the cultivar and the growing conditions and area.

Planting

Plant your mums in a sunny location in well drained soil . Mums can be planted either spring or fall months. Mums grow in zones 3-9 however make sure and buy the hardy mums especially for your zone area if you want them to come back every year. Some cultivars may vary so pay close attention to the type of mum you purchase.

Fertilizing

New planted mums can be fertilized every week if you choose. Established mums once a month . Do not fertilize after July.

Pinching

If you ever had trouble with your mums fall over or separating , one reason for this may be that they need pinched throughout the growing season. Pinching your mums 1-2 inches  is usually done at 3-4 week intervals up to the first week of July.. However there may be different requirements for certain cultivars.

Transplanting or Dividing

If you are noticing your mums overgrowing their space or getting crowded they need to be divided , usually around every 2-3 years is a good rule of thumb. Best time to do this is after they have bloomed during the fall season months.

General Care

Mums do not like to get dry ,especially newly planted mums, make sure you water them in your experiencing a dry spell in your area. This can be anytime Spring, Summer or Fall.

Mulching too is very important . Mums need to be mulched especially if you live in a cold climate. Do not cut back your mums after blooming the foliage will help protect the plant throughout the winter months, it aids in insulating the plants roots.

Another tip is Mums like good air circulation so try not to crowd when planting.

Oct 1, 2011 In full bud form

Few Days Later

More blossoms opening  just a few more days later

As you can see by these two bronze mums, they are changing in just a few days time

Perhaps my favorite color of Mums.

Here again the yellow mums, they are changing in just a few days time

Cushion blossoms and loaded with beauty!

Mums From Buds to Blooms

In Full Bloom Oct 13, 2011

Thanks for Stopping By today!

Purple Hyacinth Bean Vine- a beautiful flowering vine

Early this winter to late spring some seeds arrived in the mail , my facebook friend sent me some Purple Hyacinth Bean seeds to try . I was excited as I never have grown this vine before.

I started a few indoors which was a piece of cake very easy to start from seed and they also can be direct sowed..I placed a few in pots in the greenhouse and they grew wonderfully.

Purple Hyacinth Bean Vine is a vigorous fast growing vine climbing to heights of 10′ or more . Beautiful long blooming purple flowers and purple bean pods form along this vine making it a very inviting sight to see.

The purple clustered flowers resemble peas and bean blossoms. Bloom time is from mid summer to mid fall.

It is Oct 12, and mine are still blooming away in the garden as you can tell by these photos.

Not only beauty within the flowers and pods, the foliage is equally beautiful as they are heart shaped with purple veins running through them. A wonderful attribute!

They also are fragrant which attract bees , which then help aid in pollination. Butterflies and birds can get some enjoyment too out of this vine.

Plant in a sun area giving adequate moisture but not soggy.. If you are experiencing some drought make sure and give the vine a drink this helps produce flowers which then produce larger pods .

If you want to save the seed , allow the pod to completely dry on the vine you will know when the bean pod turns purple to brown in color. Once you pick them off the vine it will not hurt to let dry for say another week to just ensure they are dry . Then shell your pods , test for dryness again, you will know just from the sound of them hitting the container you put them in.

Each bean pod can have anywhere from 3-5 beans which is really wonderful when you are saving and sharing them with others.

I don’t believe I have ever seen a more beautiful unique seed , the seed is black and has a white marking on the edge of the seed itself.

Purple Hyacinth Bean Vine is considered a annual but when you save your seed or if you let it self seed itself you will have them for years to come.

One thing to note is the seed is poisonous if ingested, so take care around pets and children.

Overall I am giving this vine a thumbs up.  Very happy with it’s overall performance in the garden and the greenhouse too!

Diane’s 200th Video – Time For A Garden Seed Giveaway Contest

Watch the video for Details

1 winner Contest ends Dec 5th Week

July 2011 tour in the greenhouse @ Picket Fence Greenhouse in Iowa.

What is left and just showing all the beautiful plants still thriving in our heat .

We are hot hot hot but the greenhouse plants are still doing ok thanks to tarps we put up for shade.

My thoughts this morning are of sharing with you the start of growing from seed , from seed to maturity. I then came up with Journey of a Seed which will become a series of plants from seed to fully grown plants. I hope you enjoy!

(Above) Thunbergia Seeds getting ready to sow

How does a seed start it’s journey and then grows into seedlings from there are transplanted  either  in the ground or larger pot to then take off on it’s beautiful journey of growing into a beautiful plant.

I will take you on their journey from seed to a beautiful grown plant.

Hope to inspire and show you , you can grow from seed and begin on this fun journey.

Thunbergia seedlings – Black Eyed Susan Vine

Thunbergia seedlings – Black Eyed Susan Vine- Look at these large seedlings, grown beautifully and soon to be transplanted so they can expand their roots into a larger more inviting plant.

Fully grown orange thunbergia vine- As you can see it is one of those vines that has a mind of it’s own and just takes off when given the right environment , care and nurturing.

Today we are planting from seed indoors johnny jump up viola pansies, evolution salvia and color pride coleus.

All the above are very popular bedding plants that many still grow in their garden beds.

In this video I also am sharing a plant I found at another greenhouse , one in fact I have never had before and am pretty excited to share with you today .

Johnny Jump Up Pansies

Evolution Salvia

Color Pride Coleus

It is July lets see how the vegetable garden is doing.

I try and grow a few veggies every year, cause I love fresh vegetables.

Plus always love to add a little bit of animal fun to my videos. They follow me everywhere!

Kennebec Pototoes

Grape Juliet Tomatoes

Green Beans

First Garden Harvest

More Growing From Seed Plus Update on My Cuttings..

Indoor growing in March 2011 plus fun plants I am growing from cuttings..

Still growing from seed in this video I am growing more flower seeds, the melampodium, celosia, and moss rose, plus sharing my propagated cuttings I am growing indoors.

There is nothing like growing your own plants indoors and created your own plants from cuttings, very fun to try and achieve if they grow and flourish indoors.

Frittonia – here is the plants from cuttings. These actually take a little bit of time to develop into larger plants.

Here is my goldfish plants that I created from cuttings. They are in a 3.5×4 inch pot and are doing well.. They will remain indoors all winter and placed outdoors in the greenhouse next spring. By far one of my favorite new plants I have grown from cuttings.

This is a quick update to see how the morning glory and black eyed susan vine seedlings are doing.

It is March 2011 and all is well in my basement indoors growing these vines from seed.

These vines are easy to grow and can be started indoors earlier to get a head start, they can also be direct sowed but sometimes you may not always have as much success.

I soak the seeds of the morning glories overnight to help aid in germination.

As you watch in the video the plants are doing well and some have been direct sowed in 6pks.

If you have any questions please feel free to post below I’d love to help in anyway.

Shown here is the cardinal climber vine , hummingbirds love this vine .

How to Grow Peppers Indoors

Pepper Plants growing indoors and doing quite well as shown, this was a fun experiment indoors.

Growing impatiens from seed indoors-  Envoy Series

Cherry Star-Wine-Lavender-Peach Butterfly