Sondermann's Secret Gardens Nursery

09/07/2025

05/16/2023

PLANTS I GENERALLY HAVE IN STOCK: These are in my regular inventory and usually in stock. Please contact me if you are interested in any of the plants listed and I will check my present inventory for size and price.

FIGS: Black Mission, Brown Turkey, Chicago Hardy, Conadria, Kathleen’s Black, Little Ruby. LSU Purple, Magnolia, Marie Bari, Olympian, Panache Tiger, Strawberry Verte`, Violette du Bordeaux, White Marseilles
HEUCHERA Purple Palace
BLUEBERRY: Blue Crop, Duke, Pink Lemonade,
EGYPTIAN WALKING ONIONS
SPIREA Gold Flame, Little Princess
SEDUM Munstead, Autumn Joy,
ROSEMARY Arp
TULSI Rama
HOSTA: Blue Angel, Guacamole, Krossa Regal, Hadspen Blue, Kabitan, Mouse Ears,
DAY LILY: Stella D’Oro, Stella Supreme. Pardon Me, Frans Hals
FERNS
AJUGA
ELDERBERRY
ASTILBE: Purple Candles, Vision Pink,
WEIGELA Variegated Florida
HOUSE PLANTS:
SPIDER PLANTS
SNAKE PLANTS

PLANTS I GENERALLY HAVE IN STOCK: These are in my regular inventory and usually in stock. Please contact me if you are interested in any of the plants listed and I will check my present inventory for size and price.

FIGS: Black Mission, Brown Turkey, Chicago Hardy, Conadria, Kathleen’s Black, Little Ruby. LSU Purple, Magnolia, Marie Bari, Olympian, Panache Tiger, Strawberry Verte`, Violette du Bordeaux, White Marseilles
HEUCHERA Purple Palace
BLUEBERRY: Blue Crop, Duke, Pink Lemonade,
EGYPTIAN WALKING ONIONS
SPIREA Gold Flame, Little Princess
SEDUM Munstead, Autumn Joy,
ROSEMARY Arp
TULSI Rama
HOSTA: Blue Angel, Guacamole, Krossa Regal, Hadspen Blue, Kabitan, Mouse Ears,
DAY LILY: Stella D’Oro, Stella Supreme. Pardon Me, Frans Hals
FERNS
AJUGA
ELDERBERRY
ASTILBE: Purple Candles, Vision Pink,
WEIGELA Variegated Florida
HOUSE PLANTS:
SPIDER PLANTS
SNAKE PLANTS

PLANTS I GENERALLY HAVE IN STOCK: These are in my regular inventory and usually in stock. Please contact me if you are interested in any of the plants listed and I will check my present inventory for size and price.

FIGS: Black Mission, Brown Turkey, Chicago Hardy, Conadria, Kathleen’s Black, Little Ruby. LSU Purple, Magnolia, Marie Bari, Olympian, Panache Tiger, Strawberry Verte`, Violette du Bordeaux, White Marseilles
HEUCHERA Purple Palace
BLUEBERRY: Blue Crop, Duke, Pink Lemonade,
EGYPTIAN WALKING ONIONS
SPIREA Gold Flame, Little Princess
SEDUM Munstead, Autumn Joy,
ROSEMARY Arp
TULSI Rama
HOSTA: Blue Angel, Guacamole, Krossa Regal, Hadspen Blue, Kabitan, Mouse Ears,
DAY LILY: Stella D’Oro, Stella Supreme. Pardon Me, Frans Hals
FERNS
AJUGA
ELDERBERRY
ASTILBE: Purple Candles, Vision Pink,
WEIGELA Variegated Florida
HOUSE PLANTS:
SPIDER PLANTS
SNAKE PLANTS

PLANTS I GENERALLY HAVE IN STOCK: These are in my regular inventory and usually in stock. Please contact me if you are interested in any of the plants listed and I will check my present inventory for size and price.

FIGS: Black Mission, Brown Turkey, Chicago Hardy, Conadria, Kathleen’s Black, Little Ruby. LSU Purple, Magnolia, Marie Bari, Olympian, Panache Tiger, Strawberry Verte`, Violette du Bordeaux, White Marseilles
HEUCHERA Purple Palace
BLUEBERRY: Blue Crop, Duke, Pink Lemonade,
EGYPTIAN WALKING ONIONS
SPIREA Gold Flame, Little Princess
SEDUM Munstead, Autumn Joy,
ROSEMARY Arp
TULSI Rama
HOSTA: Blue Angel, Guacamole, Krossa Regal, Hadspen Blue, Kabitan, Mouse Ears,
DAY LILY: Stella D’Oro, Stella Supreme. Pardon Me, Frans Hals
FERNS
AJUGA
ELDERBERRY
ASTILBE: Purple Candles, Vision Pink,
WEIGELA Variegated Florida
HOUSE PLANTS:
SPIDER PLANTS
SNAKE PLANTS

PLANTS I GENERALLY HAVE IN STOCK: These are in my regular inventory and usually in stock. Please contact me if you are interested in any of the plants listed and I will check my present inventory for size and price.

FIGS: Black Mission, Brown Turkey, Chicago Hardy, Conadria, Kathleen’s Black, Little Ruby. LSU Purple, Magnolia, Marie Bari, Olympian, Panache Tiger, Strawberry Verte`, Violette du Bordeaux, White Marseilles
HEUCHERA Purple Palace
BLUEBERRY: Blue Crop, Duke, Pink Lemonade,
EGYPTIAN WALKING ONIONS
SPIREA Gold Flame, Little Princess
SEDUM Munstead, Autumn Joy,
ROSEMARY Arp
TULSI Rama
HOSTA: Blue Angel, Guacamole, Krossa Regal, Hadspen Blue, Kabitan, Mouse Ears,
DAY LILY: Stella D’Oro, Stella Supreme. Pardon Me, Frans Hals
FERNS
AJUGA
ELDERBERRY
ASTILBE: Purple Candles, Vision Pink,
WEIGELA Variegated Florida
HOUSE PLANTS:
SPIDER PLANTS
SNAKE PLANTS

PLANTS I GENERALLY HAVE IN STOCK: These are in my regular inventory and usually in stock. Please contact me if you are interested in any of the plants listed and I will check my present inventory for size and price.

07/27/2020

GETTING READY FOR LATE SEASON PLANTING!

I am really looking forward to my Fall garden! The tomatoes will finish, making way for peas, cucumbers, and spinach on the poles, with lettuce, squash, fennel, and leeks around the bottom of the 4’ x 8’ raised bed. The Earth Boxes will hold mini Bok Choy, Tatsoi, radishes and beets. The Egyptian Walking Onions have their own huge pot. The strawberries will be moved to their own bed and that square will be filled with one huge Georgia collard, mustard and kohlrabi. I still need to find a place for the dill! And the carrots will go into large pots. I can’t wait to get these into the soil!

It will be a few weeks for the plants to be ready to sell, but I am sowing as fast as I can. The seeds are being succession planted, so if you want any particular cultivar, let me know and I will sow more. For now, quantities are limited. I only have room for a few cell packs of each. Please do Google each of these for more information.

Watch for my ads of these Fall garden favorites, ready to plant in your own gardens:

ALLIUM QUATRO -- Like chives with a hint of garlic! Not only are the stalks edible, but you can harvest all parts of this plant. The ball-shaped flowers are tasty in salads and long lasting in a vase, standing tall over the foliage from July to October. They are twice the size of other chives, 12” the first year and up to 24” after that. Perennial plants that come back for years. An outstanding addition to the vegetable garden or the patio.

BASIL DOLCE FRESCA -- AAS Winner 2015 -- Tidy plant with an abundance of savory leaves that can be used in any dish calling for basil with the large sweetly spicy leaves of an Italian basil. Growing into a 12” to 14” mound, it is quick to rally after a snipping, growing well in a container or in the ground. It will be ready to harvest in about 40 days.

BEET AVALANCHE – A white beet without that ‘earthy’ flavor. It is ready to harvest in about 50 days. The tops can be added to salads in the meantime. They are resistant to leaf spot, frost hardy, and boast a rich, sweet flavor.

BEET BULL'S BLOOD – Certified Organic A deep red beet grown for its leaves as much as its roots! Harvest in 35 days for baby leaves, 60 days for roots. Famous for its mild, dark leaves, usually harvested young for salad mix before the roots have even matured. Flattened round roots, but the leaves are the real attraction - their reddish-purple color comes out most strongly in cool weather.

BOK CHOY HEDOU TINY– A perfectly miniature bok choy! This little cutie grows only 3” to 5” tall. It is ready to harvest for stir fries, soups, salads or quick snacking in just 25 days. White bases on deep green leaves. Wonderful!

COLLARDS GEORGIA -- HEIRLOOM. A southern favorite that is high in calcium. Ready to pick in 65 days. Rich in flavor, texture, and nutrition, collard greens are essential to traditional southern cooking, lending flavorful heft to stew, minestrone, and stuffing. Enjoy steamed, braised, or stir-fried. The mild cabbage-like flavor of the tender leaves improves with a light frost. This is a big plant, growing 24” to 36” tall!

CUCUMBER GHERKING -- A small Gherkin type cucumber, great for pickles or for fresh eating. They are prolific and resistant to mildew. Best picked at about 4.5”. Strong, vigorous vines that spread 4-6’ and that produce good yields of dark green pickles.

DILL FERNLEAF -- A self-sowing annual herb, great with fish, in breads or for pickling. This is a dwarf variety, growing to 24” tall. It can be harvested as foliage in about 40 days, or left to go to seed for drying. This is a host plant for Swallowtail butterflies, so plant a little extra for them!

FENNEL ANTARES -- AAS Winner! This fabulous herb doubles as a vegetable (the white bulb is sweet and absolutely delicious) and triples as an ornamental (the ferny foliage is splendid in the garden, container, and indoor arrangements. During their caterpillar stage, Swallowtail Butterflies rely on fennel as a food source, and if you are willing to let them do a bit of chewing, the butterflies will reward you with their beautiful presence in your garden! These versatile plants grow to about 18” and can be harvested in 60 days.
KOHLRABI EARLY PURPLE VIENNA Certified Organic -- HEIRLOOM A cold hardy variety from 1860. Delicious cabbage like bulbs, deep purple outside and white and crisp inside, grow above ground. Leaves are eaten like kale and white-fleshed bulbs are eaten like broccoli. Plants grow to 18" tall. Harvest bulbs when tennis-ball sized. Peel and remove all tough and woody parts before slicing and cooking.

L -- HEIRLOOM. Burpee-bred heirloom is touted as the sweetest bibb lettuce of all. Classic variety produces soft, dark-green bunched rosettes with creamy yellow interiors. Favored for just-right sweetness and tender texture. Early to mature, slow bolting. Performs best in cooler temperatures.

LETTUCE BURPEE BIBB -- HEIRLOOM. Burpee-bred heirloom is touted as the sweetest bibb lettuce of all. Classic variety produces soft, dark-green bunched rosettes with creamy yellow interiors. Favored for just-right sweetness and tender texture. Early to mature, slow bolting. Performs best in cooler temperatures.

LETTUCE RED WING MIX-- All red formula mix with a blend of the best brilliant red and red splashed specialty types

MUSTARD RED GIANT -- Red Giant is a brilliant maroon with deep green midribs, so showy you may just have to plant two crops -- one in the veggie patch and one along the walkway or in your annual border! You will be picking baby greens in 20 days or you can let the plant mature to 40 days and 16”. Great in a salad or to snack on while you w**d. Even the yellow flowers are delicious!

OREGANO CLEOPATRA -- AAS Winner 2015 -- Pretty silver gray foliage makes this an herb that will be appreciated for its ornamental value as well as its flavor. Unique from Greek and Italian oreganos, Cleopatra has a mildly spicy, pepperminty flavor perfect in Mediterranean dishes, soups, and sauces. This compact, trailing plant produces a high yield of leaves that are wonderful as a dried spice when fresh isn’t an option. I will grow only 3” to 5” tall but can spread up to 18” wide. With transplants, you can harvest in 30 days. Great in containers!

PEA MAMMOTH MELTING SUGAR SNOW PEA -- HEIRLOOM Among the largest available snow peas, these 4-5" long pods are produced on 4' tall plants that require a trellis. They are high-yielding, sweet and tender, pod and all, and are ready in about 70 days. It is an old and highly regarded heirloom pea!

SQUASH DELICATA CANDYSTICK DESSERT WINTER SQUASH -- Certified Organic Larger and sweeter than other delicatas, 2-3 lb. fruits have orange-tan skin with green stripes. Very sweet, dry flesh, bred to be a squash that you can serve up for dessert, with flavor “reminiscent of Medjool dates!” Extremely thick flesh and delicious rich flavor. Harvest in about 90 days when flesh cannot be pierced with a fingernail. A light frost enhances sugar cotent.

SQUASH GELBER ENGLISCHER CUSTARD -- A real cutie! This is a patty pan type with a muffin top and bright yellow orange coloration. It is ready to eat in 40 to 60 days. Best consumed small. Fast growing, prolific and rambling. These guys need a lot of space! Can be eaten raw, baked, grilled or sautéed.

SPINACH GIGANTE D'INVERNO -- This European heirloom, originally from Italy, produces large, broad, deep green leaves well into the fall and winter months. The English name is Giant of Winter. Growing 48” tall and ready to pick in about 55 days.

TATSOI -- A highly nutritious Asian green with superb mild flavor. A member of the brassica family, it’s super sweet and easy to love, with a mild and refreshing flavor. The low-growing rosettes are comprised of tiny, glossy spoon-shaped leaves that boast crisp and juicy mouth-feel. This gourmet green is known as one of the richest sources of vitamin C and it is chock-a-block full of other incredible vitamins, minerals, and health-promoting compounds! Its glossy and tender leaves pack 2 times as much vitamin C as that of an orange and twice as much calcium as an equal serving of milk. Harvest 25 days from planting out.

06/08/2020

BUY DAD A FIG! Chicago Hardy Fig Plants 1st year plants $12 each

South Huntington

I AM IN FULL COMPLIANCE WITH THE NY STATE and SUFFOLK COUNTY DIRECTIVES FOR NURSERY SALES. I AM LICENSED AND INSPECTED.

We respect social distancing and schedule only one appointment at a time.
Chicago Hardy Fig Trees! One of the hardiest figs available! These are fast growing tough plants for pot culture (to overwinter in a basement or garage, any place cool and dark) and they can be planted outside once they get a stronger stem (and will survive to -20* when properly wrapped). They will begin to produce fruit in a year or two and will make attractive patio plants right away. Four to six hours of sun will keep them happy. Self-fertile so you only need one, but fig plants are addictive, so buy a couple! I provide an instruction sheet with each purchase. Sing out if you are interested! All plants and sales outside in the fresh air!

02/05/2020

HOW GOOD IS YOUR SOIL?

Nothing will dictate the health and vigor of your garden as much as the quality of your soil!

We gardeners all know and love PEAT MOSS. It is a wonderful soil amendment in ground and in containers. It lightens heavy soils, thereby reducing compaction, which makes it easier for roots to pe*****te. It retains nutrients and water up to several times its weight, making it excellent for seed starting applications. It is a component of almost all bagged soiless planting mediums for a reason. And the cost is not prohibitive. It is also a high acid medium, making it perfect for blueberries, camelias, and many other acid-loving plants.

But here’s the rub: we are being told that it is a rapidly declining resource that is not being replaced as quickly as it is being harvested. The peat bogs take many years – hundreds or even thousands --to develop and they tell us that we are using it up at an alarming rate. Right? Well, it’s a controversy that is often cluttered with misinformation and missing the facts. Peat bogs in many areas of the world are, indeed, declining due to over harvesting. Ireland has ceased altogether the harvesting of its bogs. However, most of our peat comes from Canada, where, according to the Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss Association (a 2015 study), the amount of peat moss harvested from Canadian peatlands every year is nearly 60 times less than the total annual accumulation of new peat moss: less than 0.03%. Whether you choose to use it or you decide not to is a matter of personal choice. There are possible alternatives, but they may not be as environmentally sound as they are presented to be.

You might try COCONUT COIR instead. It is a natural fiber extracted from the husk of the coconut and is readily replaceable. For some applications, it is a good substitute for peat moss. Coir can be used to amend soil, start seeds, pot up plants, or mix with other materials, just like peat moss. It wets easily and absorbs up to ten times its weight and holds on to the moisture,. (Peat holds 20%). It also holds onto subsurface oxygen, like peat, even when wet. It is not as attractive to borrowing insects, it minimizes pathogens, and it is antifungal. However, it is pH neutral, not acidic like peat moss. This matters to plants that prefer an acid soil, like blueberries, which would need additional supplements. For bedding purposes, mixed into ground soil, it is probably fine. However, it requires constant feeding with a high calcium-magnesium supplement. Especially in containers, plants will need amendments since they are totally dependent on the medium in which they are potted, Coir also tends to have a high salt content because it is grown in saltwater areas.

How about environmental considerations? Peat is trucked in from Canada. Coir is grown in tropical locations, processed with chemicals, that end up in local ground water, by low income workers who suffer from respiratory issues due to the dust in processing. It must then be transported here, which requires much more fuel and leaves a much greater environmental footprint than peat. It is pricey even in the small quantities made available. Again, whether you use it or not is matter of choice.

ANIMAL MANURES have been used for ages to amend soil. They are a wonderful addition to garden beds if they have been aged for at least a year. Chickens, cows, horses, rabbits - all herbivores - will produce prodigious quantities of droppings useful for our purposes. They must be aged, however, or they will heat up as they decay and literally burn plant roots. Another consideration is whether the animal is being treated with antibiotics or hormones. Know your source! Unless you can be sure the manure is drug free, bagged manure may be a better choice. Properly aged animal manures will smell fresh and crumble like good soil. Don’t use the droppings of dogs, cats and any other meat eaters.

PERLITE is expanded volcanic glass. It has a high water content so it pops like popcorn when heated. It is pH neutral, non-toxic, doesn’t break down readily, allows for good drainage and aerates the soil. It is a common additive to bagged seeds starter and potting mixes, and is reasonably cost efficient in bulk. Buy the biggest bag you can find.

VERMICULITE is also made from expanded minerals but is quite different from Perlite. It holds water, and like Perlite, will not break down. It is enduring, odorless, non-toxic and sterile. It absorbs more water than Perlite, so it is better for plants that need more moisture. You can buy it in bulk and it is reasonably priced and available in several sized bags.

What is the best thing you can do for your soil? In a word: COMPOST. Aged leaves, stems, branches, vegetable food scraps, egg shells, black-and-white newspaper, corrugated cardboard, grass clippings -- any and all plant based organic materials (excluding meat and the droppings of meat eaters) that have been piled up, kept damp and allowed to age for a season or two will break down into beautiful, dark, clean, earthy smelling material (known as black gold) that will improve your soil, add micronutrients and attract earthworms. All good! Adding a 2” layer every spring to garden beds, vegetable gardens, and all planting areas is, hands down, the best way to improve your soil. Make your own or buy it in. It’s well worth the price!\

There are, of course, many other amendments available. There are mineral powders like Azomite, top soils (good for growing inground, but too slow draining for containers), and any number of other materials for the gardener willing to read up on the subject. I urge everyone to research these amendments There is a great amount of information available on the Internet and in other published sources. There’s more to soil than just dirt!


Read more at Gardening Know How: What Is Vermiculite: Tips On Using Vermiculite Growing Medium https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/vermiculite-growing-medium.htm
References: http://www.sungro.com/about-us/sustainable-peat-moss/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvYZdxVipAo&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR3TTcGBvkPX7pID69K1dOVcPiLsIT9WA9LARR3B0eOCJ-pXvUKB7z6uEHw

plants require soil aeration, nutrition and water to thrive. If your garden soil is lacking in any of these, there is something that you can add to improve soil structure vermiculite. What is vermiculite and how is using vermiculite beneficial? Click here for more info.

05/07/2019

Howdy, Fellow Gardeners! Another Spring is upon us!
I am SO itching to get out there and help my plants grow! I will have MANY healthy gorgeous plants to offer to my customers this season!
Some nice new additions will be the DICENTRA Bleeding Heart and Peonies in larger pots. Also, some HUGE double orange Brugmansias that have not yet bloomed for me but are strong and healthy. Not hardy here on the Island, but happy in pots that you can bring in for the winter.
NEW this year, in addition to the figs, I will have several other edibles! Three types of blueberries, Strawberry ‘Allstar,’ three types of Haskaps , also known as Honey Berries, two kinds of Basil, Berggarten Sage (the best culinary variety), and an edible Chrysanthemum called ‘Shungiku.’
As in years past, I will have a large assortment of perennials. These are in trade gallon pots, nice and full, and fed with a time release fertilizer which will get them through fall with no feeding on your part. I have ASTILBE in shades of pink; ACHILLEA yarrow ‘Love Parade,’ a tall sun perennial that will form a nice clump as time goes by; AJUGA repens, a low flowering perennial with blue blossoms; ‘Gold Flame’ SPIREA, a dependable shrub that fairly glows in part-to-full sun; DAY LILIES ‘Stella D’Oro, the long bloomer in bright yellow, and ‘Kwanzo,’ a double orange with loads of petals; SEDUM ‘Katschaticum,’ a low growing sun succulent with bright yellow blossoms; DICENTRA “Eximia,’ the fern-leafed bleeding heart; ferns Painted Fern, Lady Fern; blue Siberian Iris; and bearded iris in dark blue and pale lavender. I will also have HOSTAS in all colors and sizes, perfect for the shade, and HEUCHERAS, or coral bells, in deep bronze and purple. This is only a short list of the perennials!
And finally, I will be offering specialty annuals in 4” pots: MARIGOLDS ‘Fireball’ and ‘Strawberry Blond,’ both of which change color to look like several different plants, Marigold ‘Tiger Eye,’ a tall bushy variety that is very dependable and not eaten by slugs; Red Foliated Cotton; Salvias ‘Lighthouse Purple,’ and Reddy ‘White Surprise;’ Cerinthe ‘Kiwi;’ Coleus ‘Giant Exhibition,’ a mix of glorious colors; Oxalis Vulcanicola, a sweet little plant that blooms all summer and into the winter indoors; houseplants Angel Wing Begonia ( a really tall variety), Spider Plants and a few others.
All quantities are limited, so watch for my posts and give a holler if you see something you like. It’s going to be a beautiful summer!

05/25/2018

Well, it looks like this nasty winter is finally over -- and it's the end of May! Most of my plants are way behind, but they are starting to fill out. Email for an appointment to come and see. I have sedum, hostas, heucheras (some patented and hard to find at reasonable prices), daisies, salvia, Bath's Pink dianthus, ferns, Stella D'Oro daylilies, irises, and some very interesting unusual plants, like hyacith bean, vigna caracalla, Zagreb coreopsis, liatris, blue Siberian Iris and many others. Quantities are extremely limited at this point! Let me know when you want to come and see them! Most are trade gallons at $6.00 each! Email: [email protected]

04/18/2018

PAINTING POTS TO CHASE AWAY THE WINTER BLUES

Will this winter NEVER end? I’m so antsy to get out there and plant! The seeds have sprouted and now are getting too big, and that only make the wait longer. What can we do now -- like, actually, RIGHT NOW – to get this spring going?
WE CAN PAINT UP A FEW POTS!
With a clean plastic pot, a few bottles of acrylic paint, and a little imagination, you can create a real treasure. Make it to match a room or to match your home’s exterior. Make a set in different sizes. Make a set of tiny ones for herbs that match your kitchen décor and put them on a window sill. There are so many places that a customized pot will look spectacular!
Choose a clean plastic pot. You can even use an older pot as long as it’s cleaned up. If it is to be used outside, it doesn’t hurt to prime it with a clear spray primer, but I have pots that were painted without primer that have been outside for years with no damage. Once painted, the pot can also be sprayed with a clear sealer. Again, not necessary, but it gives the surface a nice, uniform shine. If you are painting a wooden object, I strongly recommend priming and lots of paint and finishing spray. The elements are really hard on wood!
If you need to divide up a space, painter’s tape is great to give you good clean lines. Be aware, though, that it may pull up the paint on areas that have been previously painted, especially if the paint is fresh. Even dry paint can pull away. The priming helps somewhat, but do be careful. If you think your design through before painting, you can plan to tape only on bare plastic. Or, just don’t worry about lines and paint away!
Acrylic paints from Michael’s or Hobby Lobby are fine. Even the cheapies will do the job. They also sell brushes in assorted sizes and types in big packs for around $10. With their 40% coupon, that’s a bargain. Remember to clean your brushes well with soap and water after you use them. Acrylic paint is plastic and will dry solid and ruin the brush if it isn’t washed out. Dish soap and water will do it. Also, try to keep the paint off clothes and other surfaces. The stuff is a bu**er to remove once it dries!
Want to get fancy? There are stencils, stampers, plastic stickers, sponges, markers, beads, glass baubles and Washi Tape that will really make your painted pots pop! Just know which products are only going to survive inside and with an occasional splash of water (like the Washi paper tapes). The paint will last for years outside in the elements if applied to a clean surface.
So! There you go! Pots, statuary, birdhouses, mailboxes, just about anything! Here are a few of the pots and other garden pieces I have painted. You’ll see I have a theme going. It is such fun!

02/24/2018

ALMOST TIME TO START YOUR SEEDS!

Today is 2/24/2018. If you’re anything like me, you are dying for Spring! The weather this last week has been so unseasonably warm that it gives us a false sense of the warmer temperatures to come, but it’s still winter! Most seed packets will tell you when to plant indoors. Just be very careful about planting too soon! We are now at about 7 weeks from our last frost date, which is April 15. Unless you have an indoor light set-up or a heated greenhouse, any seeds started now will be leggy and pale before April. Remember that we are germinating our plants indoors, not growing them indoors! It is far better to wait an extra week or two past the recommended planting date on the seed pack than to plant too early.

So, what do you need to start seeds indoors? First, fresh seed. Older seeds may still germinate, but less reliably than fresh ones. You can put a few into a damp paper towel in a baggie on your counter top for a few days to see if they show signs of germinating. Indoor seed growing space is so limited, you don’t want to waste it on duds.

Second, you need sterile seed starting medium. You can pick up a bag at Lowes or Home Depot, or just about anywhere that sells garden supplies. Never, ever, use garden soil! You want a soilless medium designed for seed starting. Garden soil is full of pathogens and it doesn’t drain well at all. Your seedlings will damp off.

Third, you need clean containers. I reuse old cell packs, cleaned and soaked in a weak bleach solution for about an hour or, even better, washed clear plastic containers from grocery produce or baked goods. Punch holes in the bottom, fill them with your fresh potting mix, dampen it, and plant your seeds at the recommended depth. Tiny seeds can be just pressed into the surface of the mix. Cover the container with plastic wrap or the plastic cover that came with the container and set it on a tray. Open it up every day or so for to let in fresh air, but you want the keep the humidity high. Some seeds need light to germinate, some need dark. Most need warmth, so, again, read your seed packet. Some need to be cool.

If you do have access to indoor florescent lighting, like a shop light or one of those germination light set-ups, and you have the room, you can go for it when the packet tells you to sow. Keep the plants as close to the lights as possible without them burning (about 3” or so), adjusting the height of the light (or the plants) as they grow. They need about 14 to 16 hours of light a day, and a period of darkness as well. Keep the soil moist but not soggy, and keep the air moving if you can. It strengthens the stems and prevents mold.
IF you are growing them on window sill, avoid direct sun. It’s too hot and too bright. Turn the trays every day so that the seedlings don’t reach in one direction and get leggy. Never let them dry out.

Once your babies are up, keep them damp, but not wet. Remove the covering over a few days, so that they adjust to lower humidity. Bottom watering is best, so add water to a flat container and sit the seed trays in for a while until the top of the planting medium is damp. Don’t leave them sitting in water.

OK, so now your babies are starting to look like the plants they are! Once the weather warms up to about 60* to 65* during the day, put them out in a shaded, protected area for about an hour. This is called hardening off. Bring them in at night. Every day, leave them out an hour or so longer, until they have gotten used to the outside. Never put them right into the sun, because they are just too fragile, and they will dehydrate and wilt instantly. Keep an eye on them for signs of stress and bring them in if they appear to be suffering. A cellar stairwell is a good place to start, or in a shady area under a tree. Once they have been accustomed to the outside, you can leave them out as long as temperatures don’t go below 60* at night. Gradually put them into the sun, again an hour or two at a time, being watchful for any signs of stress. They are only babies!

Once they are thoroughly hardened off and accustomed to the real world, you can plant them in their final spot. Keep them well watered for the first few weeks.

You now have beautiful plants that you have raised from seed!