Seed flats' first bloom

This one really jumped the gun. It's Commelina dianthifolia, a new-to-me zone 7+ perennial (i.e. annual here) that "very often flower[s] in first year from seed," according to the seed packet. Make that "flowers in first quarter from seed," because I started these seeds in early March. We're still getting hard frosts nightly, so I'm loath to set these out in the garden just yet, but it's clearly time to get these out from under the lights and start daytime hardening off. This plant is in the spiderwort family, and the flowers are like a miniature Tradescantia (...and I do mean miniature; the blossom's about half the size of a Nemesia blossom). Given the size, and given that each bloom lasts for only one day (hence one of the plant's common names, dayflower), these will have to be massed for impact, so into a container they will go. Although tender for this region, these plants will grow tubers, which can be lifted, stored and re-upped for future seasons, like dahlias.

Comments

[avril]

There is nothing more exhilirating than watching a seed turn to something green for your garden. We are still having hard frosts as well (zone 5a) so I have only set out the lettuces and poppies. I am going to plant the vegetable garden this year by the moon calendar, or at least make an effort to do so. Have you read up on this? Fascinating stuff!

[Chan S.]

Avril - We're zone 5a too. I'm seeing fingernail sized growth from the lettuces I planted a month ago, and the peas are ramping up (a couple of inches at this point). I'm intrigued by the concept of planting by the moon, but am so much of a procrastinator in the garden that I know I would always miss the golden window that the calendar recommends. Let me know how your moon calendar planting goes!