Hi, all! I haven't posted here this summer, but I've been reading yours. I've had nothing to add yet.
All my seedlings I started this spring are doing well. Unfortunately, I am just getting ready to plant them out to their new garden home tomorrow. They will have their own dedicated bed. I know it is late, but I've had no option.
A question please....I plan to mulch them after they go dormant with shredded leaves...if that is what I should do, anyway. I am looking for suggestions on the best way to winter them over. Should I use leaves? How deep should I cover them? When do I remove the heavy mulch in the spring? Or do I? Is there anything I need to watch out for thru the winter?
Thanks for any input. I really got some nice seedlings this year from all the seeds I got here. I 'm really looking forward to seeing those blooms next year!
Mulch?
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- Posts: 3517
- Joined: Jan 25, 2007 12:51 pm
- Location: kansas, usa zone 5b
Mulch?
Charla
Latitude 38.57N; Longitude -94.89W (Elev. 886 ft.)
Latitude 38.57N; Longitude -94.89W (Elev. 886 ft.)
- notmartha
- Posts: 1058
- Joined: Mar 04, 2002 8:00 pm
- USDA Zone: 6a
- Location: bay city michigan
- Contact:
Re: Mulch?
i use to cover my dl's with straw and i buried them completely
Now i just leave them uncovered and PRAY that they all make it
Im sure if you cover the seedlings with leaves maybe 4-6 inches you should be ok
I uncover them early spring-they are pretty darn tough!
good luck and i hope they are all BEAUTIFUL when they bloom!
i have a frig full of seeds and some are sprouted!!!
Now i just leave them uncovered and PRAY that they all make it
Im sure if you cover the seedlings with leaves maybe 4-6 inches you should be ok
I uncover them early spring-they are pretty darn tough!
good luck and i hope they are all BEAUTIFUL when they bloom!
i have a frig full of seeds and some are sprouted!!!
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- Posts: 3517
- Joined: Jan 25, 2007 12:51 pm
- Location: kansas, usa zone 5b
Re: Mulch?
Thanks, notmartha!
Do you start your seeds inside during the winter?
You say you mulched with straw. I do have straw - Do you think that would that be better? The daylily seedling bed is not close to the house so the way it looks isn't as important. When I used straw in my vegetable beds I always had trouble with weed seeds and wheat/oats seeds sprouting. Have you had that problem? I thought leaves might be better since they wouldn't have much weed seed content.
I'm totally open to suggestions...I just really want these seedlings to make it.
Do you start your seeds inside during the winter?
You say you mulched with straw. I do have straw - Do you think that would that be better? The daylily seedling bed is not close to the house so the way it looks isn't as important. When I used straw in my vegetable beds I always had trouble with weed seeds and wheat/oats seeds sprouting. Have you had that problem? I thought leaves might be better since they wouldn't have much weed seed content.
I'm totally open to suggestions...I just really want these seedlings to make it.
Charla
Latitude 38.57N; Longitude -94.89W (Elev. 886 ft.)
Latitude 38.57N; Longitude -94.89W (Elev. 886 ft.)
- notmartha
- Posts: 1058
- Joined: Mar 04, 2002 8:00 pm
- USDA Zone: 6a
- Location: bay city michigan
- Contact:
Re: Mulch?
the very reason i quit using the straw was all the new weeds i had
so i took the chance and gave up the straw-now days they only have there
dead fans for mulch and any leaves that blow out there
mine are away from the house too-go with the leaves!!!!
i also have started lots of seeds over the winter but im going to try to hold off till spring(some have sprouted)and keep
them all in the frig!!!
good luck!!!
dori
so i took the chance and gave up the straw-now days they only have there
dead fans for mulch and any leaves that blow out there
mine are away from the house too-go with the leaves!!!!
i also have started lots of seeds over the winter but im going to try to hold off till spring(some have sprouted)and keep
them all in the frig!!!
good luck!!!
dori
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- Posts: 3517
- Joined: Jan 25, 2007 12:51 pm
- Location: kansas, usa zone 5b
Re: Mulch?
Thanks, Dori!
Leaves it is, then!!!!
Good luck holding your seeds till spring...
Leaves it is, then!!!!
Good luck holding your seeds till spring...
Charla
Latitude 38.57N; Longitude -94.89W (Elev. 886 ft.)
Latitude 38.57N; Longitude -94.89W (Elev. 886 ft.)
Re: Mulch?
I'm not sure why but I've never had a problem with weeds in straw. May be they need to be aged? I collect straw bales after Halloween and store them over winter. Aren't the seeds removed during thrashing? Birds gobble up a lot of exposed seeds when they're fresh and a few sprout in the fall but they're long gone when I use them in the Spring for mulch.
Evergreen boughs make a loose airy protection too. Think recycled Christmas trees.
Evergreen boughs make a loose airy protection too. Think recycled Christmas trees.
Re: Mulch?
I mulch between plants with shredded leaves every fall, try to avoid covering crown.
I never remove the leaf mulch either, by June it is all gone anyway.
I also try to use a wood chip mulch as much as I can, good for about 3 years.
Ed B
I never remove the leaf mulch either, by June it is all gone anyway.
I also try to use a wood chip mulch as much as I can, good for about 3 years.
Ed B