"Did you set this grape flat in the middle of nowhere where the snow can fall on plastic and might make plastic touch the soil or you set this under some protection?" ---When I winter sown the seeds, I set them outside without protection when they are in the grape flat. But we don't have much snow here, the snow came few time and melted in couple of days. But tons of rain. And at night always below zero before April. When I saw the sprout came out, I removed them to a shelter area, but still outdoor in the cold. Just because we have so much rain here, almost every day. Every few days I put them out of the shelter area to get some rain. "you mentioned no covers on garbage can containers, are these containers set in some type of protection? " The garbage can container are not under any shelter, and I just transplanted some of the seedlings from the grape flat to the container as the permanent home. And other seedlings transplanted onto the ground. No two time transplanting for the same seedling. Right now in the gabage can container, the veggies might be too crowed. But I always can pull out couple of them and just eat the younger and tender crop. And leave the others to grow bigger. Here is a link that might be useful: Winter Sowing

Thanks for your comments. Canterbury Bell ws 2008 or 2009 If I don't let these plants set seed they will sometimes live three years Delphinium 'Guardian Blue' ws 5-3-08 Had only a small bloom first year which may be because I left it in a small pot until late in the year. Geranium 'Splish Splash' ws 5-6-08 Digitalis 'Candy Mountain' ws 10-25-08 biennial, though like Canterbury Bells may live three years if deadheaded. Lychnis 'Dusky Salmon' ws 4-1-10 undecided if I will keep this plant or not Penstemon strictus Rocky Mountain ws 3-1-08 I planted three small plants last year and now it is one big clump which will be divided when the weather cools. Lupine 'Tutti Fruitii' ws 4-9-09 Neil, mine did not bloom the first year either. I see two seedlings at the base of these plants that are staying very small and will need to be moved this fall.

Wonderful pics, love the dianthus, poppies, foxglove and lots more. You have created a wonderful cottage effect. Silverkelt

Hmm, now I wonder if I either labeled the seeds wrong that I sent you or some of the pods crossed with the another one. OR, if the plant is really, really stressed, then the blooms and colors may be off. The lace hole pattern on the leaves of that pink one looks a lot like japanese beetle work. They do like the dahlias. That's why they have some 4 o'clocks in pots near them. The beetles are leaving my dahlias alone, having a nice time on some of the 4 o'clock leaves and dying cause those leaves are poison to them. No, I'm not crying about it either. If the insect is stupid enough to eat the leaves that are poison to them, well, tis not my fault they are that dumb. The fireworks only grow about 12 inches, so the height is correct and the leaves look the same and so does the color of the leaves. See how some of the other buds look when they open, might look better than that one, which honestly, isn't that bad a color combo, but the petals need to open more. Start talking to the plant and tell it to behave and open blooms properly. Between your side of the country and mine, along with everywhere else, everything is growing poorly or strange. My garden beds look so sad this year, I could cry. Even the zinnias are pathetic this year. Thanks karen, I think they are really beautiful too. Fran