NEIGHBORHOOD GARDEN FOR MARCH 27, 2004

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I HAVE SEEDS LEFT OVER FROM LAST YEAR.  HOW LONG WILL THEY KEEP AND HOW DO I TELL IF THEY ARE STILL GOOD?

BY GEORGE EDGAR

          Most vegetable and flower seeds may be kept over from year to year.  After one year the germination rate will decrease depending upon the kind of seed, and where and how they were stored. Seeds store best when dry and in moisture proof containers at low temperatures.  Glass jars with air tight caps are best.  Plastic containers are ok but not as air tight.  Store at temperatures between 35 and 50 degrees.  NebGuide G80-503 gives information on how long vegetable seeds can usually be stored under ideal conditions.  Table #2 in the NebGuide gives information on the preferred germination (soil) temperature and the number of days usually required to germinate.

          Before using these seeds be sure and check germination rate.  To test seeds, place a counted number of seeds between sheets of paper towels and moisten.   Put in a plastic bag or container so seeds do not dry out.  Hold at a temperature between 65  to 75 degrees.  Remove and count the number of seeds that germinate over one to three weeks.  Seeds with low germination (50% or less) may be used but sow at higher rates than usual.

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HOW DO I GROW TOMATOES FROM SEED?

BY GLADYS JEURINK

          Tomato seeds can be planted inside any time now if you have a South window for them to grow in or a fluorescent light. Do not use garden soil or you are likely to get damping off.  Dampen the seed starter soil before you plant the seeds and barely cover them. I like to put 1 or 2 seeds in a 3 inch pot.   If both come up I either cut one off or move one to another pot. The seeds will germinate faster if the pots are in a warm spot (70 degrees or higher) such as on top of the refrigerator or water heater. After they come up, place in the sunny window or under lights.  I put the plants directly under the lights a minimum of 2 or 3 inches above the leaves, or very close to a South window pane.  Tomatoes demand bright light or they get tall and spindly and fall over.   Incandescent bulbs do not work well as they give off too much heat if placed close enough to do any good.

          When you are ready to plant outside, don’t leave them out all day at first but gradually lengthen the time each day.  You may want to put them out in a shady place first then gradually into full sun. This is called “hardening off”.  When I must put them out full time I put a wood shingle stuck in the ground on the South side of each plant for about a week

*************************************************************I HAVE AN AMARYLIS BULB FROM Christmas.  What do I do with it now so it will bloom next year?

BY GLADYS JEURINK

          By now your plant probably has some large strap like leaves.  It will take about 4 leaves to produce a bloom next winter.  Put the plant in a light window, water it with your other plants and give it a weak fertilizer weekly.  (One-fourth solution of a water soluble fertilizer such as Miracle-Gro or Schultz works fine until planted outside.) Do not over water as bulb is very subject to rot. When all danger of frost is over it can be planted outside.  If it is in a pot the whole thing can be set out in a sunny or slightly shady area.  If the pot is small or the bulb has been in the same pot for several years, I take the bulb out and plant it directly in the garden.  Fertilize at planting with bone meal or Osmocote. When outside the plants are heavy feeders.

 

          In the fall I let the first light frost hit my plants to get them ready for a minimum 6 to 8 week nap.  Put the pots on their side on the patio to dry out cut off the foliage, and then the pots can be put in a cool place, and wait.  If the plant is out in the soil, dig it with roots intact, let the plant dry out and the leaves turn brown. Take the dry leaves off and put the bulb in a container until its mandatory rest is finished.  The container can be a pot, or a box with peat moss or sawdust.  Do not water until the plants starts growing again and then just enough to dampen the soil occasionally.  Do not fertilize until the flower is done blooming.

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I did not get all my tulip and daffodil bulbs planted last fall.  What should I do with them now?

BY GEORGE EDGAR

 

          First, check to make sure the bulbs are ok and not starting to rot.  If the bulbs are soft or mushy put them in the compost.  If the bulbs are hard and firm, and have been kept cold (below 45 degrees) for a minimum of 10 to 12 weeks without freezing, you can put them in a pot and force them to bloom inside.  If they are firm but have not been kept that cold, put in the ground 7 inches to 9 inches deep.  Fertilize with bone meal worked into the bottom of the hole.  Water and fertilize and keep the leaves growing as long as possible.  They may not bloom the first year but will do better in the ground than in the basement until fall.

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          For more information about any of the above topics send a self addressed stamped envelope (SASE) to Lancaster County Extension Office at 444 Cherrycreek Road, Lincoln, NE 68528-1507 and ask for one of the following NebGuides or NebFacts: NebGuide #80-503 (Vegetable Garden Seed Storage and Germination Requirements; NebGuide #G496 (Tomatoes in the Home Garden); NebFact #NF43 (Blossom End Rot in Tomatoes); NebGuide # G188 (Amaryllis Culture); NebGuide #G428 (Spring Flowering Bulbs); and/or #G867 (Forcing Spring Flowering Bulbs).

NebGuides but not NebFacts are available on the internet.  Go to ianrhome.unl.edu/search and type in the name of the plant, or the subject, or the number of the publication.

Copyright 2004