karen and other annual lovers.. check out these zinnas and nastritrums........

[tinkster]

I am so exctied about these two plants.. karens are so beautiful I just got to have them.. check out some of these neat varities I found. 

Karen.. .. all the professionsal say that if you water and fertilize nastritrums that you get big bushy but not flowers.. they live on total neglict BUT I think they should see your pictures and they might change there advice!

The nastritrums are  strawberry cream, carribean crush and the zennia is red spider... I think they are so neat.. and they even have BLUE nastritrums...

Karen if your withholding any more beautiful pictures we should have already seen.. shame on you

tinkster

[bunny56lbc]

I like that Red Spider Zinna 
Strawberries & Cream Nastritrums are very nice too...one of my favorites ....
I raised Night & Day Nastritums last year , they were pretty too.

bonnie

[tinkster]

you sent me one last year. .not sure what kind it was.. beautiful yellow.  It did wonderful for a while... then I think the heat was just to overwhelming here last year.  I think it was a vinning type maybe???  anyway I cant wait to do more!

tinkster

[bunny56lbc]

It probley was a vineing kind,tink...sorry I cannot remember that far back...
I plan on putting more out this year too .

bonnie

[marla]

I have grown Nastursums every year since I've owned a home, played with all sorts of colors. Always get great blooms, I'm bad at fertalizing anything, it has to be able to survive on its own.   They make great border plants, and window/flower box plants.  And BONUS they are edible, looks nicer then parsley on a plate.

[barb]

Those are beautiful!  I've been meaning to plant some in the garden along our driveway, it slopes and is very dry there in the hot sun.  My daylilies there always get so dried up and sickly by the end of summer despite my watering, I need something that will tolerate dry heat.

[Indiana Karen]

Wow, Tink, those are pretty!!!!!!!!!!!!

I haven't looked at any seed yet this year, in fact the packages of Nasturtiums I planted last year were old seed that had been around a while.  I had always thought that it was too hot and dry in our area to plant nasturtiums, you hardly ever see them around here, but mine did great.  I didn't realize you weren't supposed to fertilize them.  I think mine bloomed good because I constantly picked little bouquets to bring in the house and take to my mom.  I kept little short vases of them in bathrooms.  I had so many different colors.  I did notice that the ones shaded by our deck umbrella didn't bloom very well.

I have found that you can't go by how tall the seed packets say, when it comes to zinnias.  I had some that were supposed to be petite (I think 8-10" tall), I planted them in front of the bigger ones and they outgrew the bigger ones.  I had one zinnia that had over 70 blooms on it.  I can't believe I didn't take more pictures. 

Isn't it fun to dream about all this stuff in February.

Karen

[Bonnie]

Fussy plants are not for me.......I'll never forget a few years ago when I was posting more on one of Gardenwebs plant forums and someone made the remark about their neighbor and their "tacky" zinnia's that they planted every year..may not be a rare annual but I've always loved them. Very reliable, easy to grow and rewards you with load of blooms!

[purplepshn2004]

Joy,

I just bought me three packets of seeds (Burpee Signature) from Lowes:  Zinnia (fruit smoothie), Nasturtium (papaya cream) and Echinacea (purple and white coneflowers).  Can't wait to get them planted - they are all so pretty!  I had zinnia's years ago and forgot all about them.  I have never tried the nasturtium's (they look very pretty).  Before we moved from SD to AL, I had purple coneflowers by my pond and in my flower bed out front, they were very pretty and had great strong stems!

I also bought a very large and beautiful Boston Fern for $8.97 and a tray each of 6 pansies and violas (purples and whites). 

Now, I just need to figure out where to plant, put them all.

I also started a bunch of mixed marigold seeds in an old wheelbarrow I got of of freecycle.

Oh, and yeah, the other day off I freecycle, we went and dug up a bunch of palm tree seedlings (I think I got about 70), some type of fern tree, a plant - can't remember the name, a bush I guess, lady said it gets flowers in the fall, and a couple cactus plants (babies that were growing under a giant one (don't know the name of it either).  I hope they grow well, they are all in pots for now.  Have to figure out where to plant them all too.  I'm ready for spring and I love plants!  If I had it my way, I wouldn't have a lawn at all, just flower gardens/ponds!

Oh, Oh...I also started several bulbs in the house, tulips, iris's, crocus and narcissus's.  They are almost all up and looking like they are doing very well!  They are all Holland Bulbs.

Well enough rambling, just thought I would share, and I'm excited as you are!

Take care!

Tonya




 

[tinkster]

tonya.. my family says I am to easily excitable when I was buying seeds some seeds yesterday.  But at this time of the year your so anxious!  I envy yall that have a much longer season than we do.. right now seems no end to this miserable cold/warm/extremely windy , winter.  I am finding half of my plants have heaved out of the ground

tinkster

[purplepshn2004]

Joy,

I know what you mean about getting excited over plants!  If I had enough money, I'd buy them all, !!!

My problem right now is, we are living in the trailer we are buying, but waiting to hopefully buy the 2.5 acres next to the lot we are renting.  So my prediciment is, I hate to plant all these lovelys in the ground, cuz if we get the other property, I'd have to dig them all up, leave them, or they would get ruined moving our trailer.  I guess for now, until I know more, I will be just planting in pots, etc., so I can take them with me.

The weather has been wierd here, its hot one day, then cold and stormy the next.  Doesn't seem to be able to make up it's mind.  I know spring is coming though, the birds are singing and I'm getting itchy to be outside and watch my fish and see my pond plants start to grow again.  Although some of them had signs of life all winter, I want to see more.

Your friend,

Tonya

[Holldoll]

I love nastritrums! I just planted some CA wildflower seeds and threw in some extra poppies, but this weekend I'm going to plant some nastritums over the top of my retaining wall so they will fall down the front.  I just planted some alyssum as well. 

[karen J]

Tinkster & Karen, thank you for the pictures. I forgot to plant Nasturtiums and Zinnias last year, and their presence was sorely missed. Especially in July.

I read somewhere that Nasturtium buds make better capers than capers! I've been wanting to try that, but if you pick off all the buds then you get no no flowers.