David, your australin tree fern (am i right? looks like one) will grow REALLY fast. Mine was that size about three years ago. The current fronds are five feet in length with about two feet of trunk. (so it covers an area ten feet in diameter --great for growing tender shade loving tropicals underneath like peace lily) And what's even better is that every new flush of leaves is larger than the first. I noticed this week that it is finally unfurling six new leaves all at the same time. We'll see how big these are.

Peonies.....you've got peonies?.......in California? They must be California grown, I thought peonies only grew in northern latitudes where they receive a winter of content.... When a plant, that should bloom, doesn't....then the first thing to do is STOP ALL FEEDING....NO MORE FERTILIZER. The idea of this is make the plant think---yes, plants think---that they are in distress and whaddya know....they begin to produce buds....in order to produce flowers..which then produces seeds.....and we know what a seed does. So stop any and all fertilizing until it does bloom. Plants stop blooming...or wont bloom, for many reasons. You have to figure out which ones causes yours to not bloom. Too much water; too much fertilizer; too little water; too high a temperature; too much sun; too little sun' tired out soil; too much shade; too cold at night; too warm at night;.....and it goes on and on. Sometimes too when a plant just refuses to bud and produce bloom, the first thing you might consider is to divide it.....as we do when perennials like lilies when they stop or bloom small or not as many. Usually, just dividing the plant makes the plant want to produce more. Since dividing is easy....make sure each division has at least two 'eyes' and make sure to plant no more than 2" below surface----otherwise, the plant may never bloom. Now, having said that....maybe that's where your trouble lies....its too deep in the ground. Bring it up....its easy too, just put a spade into the ground on the four sides....lifting a bit each and then finally lifting the entire plant out and plant it --at the correct depth--in its now home which you have prepared ahead of time. Water it well, then wait.

Starting your own plants from seed is one of the most rewarding gardening experiences, it can also save you a small fortune! Also, many species and varieties are simply unavailable unless you "grow-your-own". Choosing seeds is the first step, there are many reputable companies that offer catalogs, besides the fun of browsing through them, mail-order companies are generally good about dealing with any problems you might have. In buying seeds through retail outlets,it's a matter of "buyer beware" ,those 10/$1 seeds may not be such a bargain if they don't grow! Check the package for date,and complete growing instructions,a reputable seed company will also list the Latin name and germination percentage you can expect.If you've acquired seeds from GardenWeb swaps,or other seed sources ,ask for any info the grower can give! You can use most any container,as long as it will hold 3-4 " of growing medium and has drainage holes in the bottom. Flats with liners are nice,but "recycled" containers will do, if you're reusing containers, follow the cleaning instructions under "what is damping-off?". Seeds need a loose,porous,fine-textured medium, one that won't develop a "crust" on the surface that can interfere with emergence . "Potting soil" is an extremely variable product, many retail brands (especially the "bargain" types)will give disappointing results in seed-starting! A "soil-less" mix will make your growing experience much easier. Some common ingredients in soil-less mixes: Vermiculite, a heat-expanded rock, can be used alone or in combination for starting seeds. Milled sphagnum moss (NOT the same as peat moss unless it says"sphagnum peat")has the benefit of inhibiting damp-off fungus, mixed with vermiculite it is frequently used by professionals. Peat moss(sometimes called "Michigan peat" or "peat humus")a heavier,more difficult to wet and more variable product than sphagnum moss ,is common in retail mixes sold for starting seeds,often in combination with perlite or vermiculite,it's often(much!) cheaper than sphagnum-containing mixes but can be more difficult to handle,especially for the beginner. Don't start seeds too early,there's a wide variation in optimal indoor starting times,and unless you have lots of room,starting too early can be stressful,for you and your plants! You may want to consider starting perennials in summer for Fall planting,as many perennials don't bloom the first summer,to save room for annuals and veggies that really need a head start in temperate climates. Sowing seeds: Fill containers,allowing an inch or so from the top for easier watering, and moisten well. Allow excess water to drain, medium should be moist,not soggy. Press the medium down lightly to eliminate air pockets. For plants that don't mind ,or even benefit from transplanting, like tomatoes and lettuce,a number of seeds can be planted in larger containers and transplanted to individual pots when seedlings are large enough to handle. For those that dislike transplanting ,such as melons,or to save yourself time later on,plant 1-3 seeds in individual containers,snip off all but the strongest seedling with scissors. Sow the seeds on the surface,and cover with additional dry medium to the proper depth, a general rule is twice the diameter of the seed.Very tiny seeds,or those requiring light are surface-sown without covering. Mist the medium well and cover with clear plastic , a 13-gallon clear kitchen trash bag fits a standard flat perfectly(I buy the kind with the handles and tie them loosely)Don't put an enclosed container like this in direct sunlight!! A temperature of 65-75 degrees is suitable for the vast majority of common plants,but there are many exceptions,too many to list here! Check at least daily,and remove the plastic when seeds begin to sprout. Place under bright light ASAP! Seedlings need intense light to grow strong and stocky,fluorescent lights are your best bet (see "do I need special lights?") Position so that seedlings are 2-4" from lights, 14-16 hours a day. A timer will help automate the process. If space under lights is limited,you can try rotating them under lights in 12-hour shifts. Keep a close eye on them and adjust heights as needed. Containers enclosed in plastic should not require watering until seeds germinate,once plastic is removed monitor closely,seedlings should never be allowed to dry out completely,and should be kept moist until roots begin to penetrate the medium. Allow the medium to become dry 1/4-1/2" down before watering thereafter,to allow air into the medium and encourage roots to spread. If you've used a soilless mix, begin fertilizing 4-5 days after germination with a water-soluble 15-30-15(or similar ) fertilizer at half the recommended strength,and weekly thereafter. I've had good results with fish emulsion and seaweed extract at recommended rates,for those interested in growing organically. For growing on info see"OK my seeds are growing...?"

This is a pic of pepper seeds that were sowed into a germination mix. I really don't like germination mixes because they are too fine and dense, but I had run out of my normal sowing mix. Notice there is very little perlite and bark pieces. When I transplant these seedlings out, they will go into a much coarser mix. Here is a picture of what my normal SOWING mix looks like. Notice there is alot more perlite and bark pieces in the picture below. I typically will transplant these seedlings into Fafards 52 mix, my all-time favorite soilless mix. BUT, if your mix(in the white containers) looks like the mix below and is SOILLESS (meaning it only consists of peat, perlite, vermiculite, bark, and not REAL soil) then you should be OK. With that said, I think you need to get more soil into your containers. You are on the right track about sinking your seedlings during transplanting so they don't get leggy, but you need to provide them more soil to grow in AND provide a light source right above them or else they will get leggy real quick! Here is a picture of pepper seedlings recently transplanted into their own containers (the clear cups work indoors only, I tried experimenting with them one spring. I prefer transplanting into 9 or 18 oz. SOLO cups, I just didn't have a good picture to show). Notice how high the soil line is in the cup? That is what you should be shooting for. Let us know what type of mix your seedlings are in, and if it was me (and I was happy with my soil mix), I would pop those seedlings up and out and add more soil to the containers. Hope the pictures help :) p.s. I agree with the above poster, those domes should only be on for germinating seeds. If you have seedlings under them, get those domes off! -m