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Old 04-12-2013, 03:36 PM
 
Location: Chapel Hill, N.C.
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I was coming back to add what newdaawn just said. Some flowers-especially annuals- don't transplant well so it is hard to find them in nurseries. Seeds are so much cheaper and reliable in this case.
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Old 04-12-2013, 03:46 PM
 
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I have nasturtiums as underplantings in the vegetable beds. Once Texas heat hits they die off.
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Old 04-12-2013, 06:02 PM
 
Location: Land of Free Johnson-Weld-2016
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I haven't ever seen portulaca at a garden center here, but I did get a packet of seeds. Actually, I used to call it "portulaca" LOL but I actually read the seed packet. Whoops.

I'm going to direct sow them when it gets warmer and see how they do. I've gotten into the habit of planting nasturtiums, but I don't remember ever seeing them in anyone's garden. Here, they've been blooming machines. I always file my seeds before planting them.

In MD, there are a lot of new developments which were put up in the past 20 or so years...and they all seem to have similar landscaping in the front. Maybe HOA's are responsible for the low variety of annuals. It seems the landscapers mostly plant the same flowers every year.

BTW Nita, I may have an explanation for another flower you've been missing: sweet peas. This is the second (and last) year I've tried to grow sweet peas...and NADA. Last year I nicked the seeds. This year I simply planted them and nothing came up yet again. Maybe they're just difficult to grow.
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Old 04-13-2013, 11:29 AM
 
Location: Bella Vista, Ark
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Well the sun is about out, the temps are heading toward the 60s about now, so I think I am about to plant the Nasturtiums and 4 o-clocks. I can put the herb plants into the planters as well if I have enough potting soil...Finally I think spring has sprung in NWA..

Kinkotoes: I guess we will have to live out the rest of our lives without Sweet peas.
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Old 04-14-2013, 12:27 PM
 
Location: Mostly in my head
19,855 posts, read 65,637,345 times
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I have bought portulacas in LA, MS, UT, and TX. But at local nurseries not the big box places.
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Old 04-14-2013, 03:28 PM
 
Location: near bears but at least no snakes
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I can't grow portulacas to save my soul! They live but the blooms just shrivel up and die and the plant does not thrive, it sort of shrinks. I tried them again last summer in a container and they did the same thing. I thought they were good for dry areas but it must just be too hot here or too dry. I'm right by the ocean and it gets hot and there is strong glare and bright sun. I'm going back to nasturtiums.
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Old 04-14-2013, 03:47 PM
 
Location: Bella Vista, Ark
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I did get out yesterday and planted, yes, Nasturtiums, and 4-oclocks. I also planted a couple of begonia plants, lemon balm and rosemary. Of course no April planting would be complete without putting up a couple of hanging plants on the front porch. The birds are ready to us them as homes for their babies.
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Old 04-15-2013, 06:17 AM
 
Location: Western Washington
8,003 posts, read 11,692,575 times
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I think that, as more people go back to gardening (which seems to be the case right now), we may see a few more of those flowers re-emerging. You know though, when it comes to flowers, a majority of the people will simply buy what's in the "big box" store nurseries, and in many of those stores, the variety is kind of limited.

I used to grow a huge variety of flowers from seeds, including portulaca, four o'clocks, salpiglossis, nasturtiums, cosmos, calendula, etc. You know though, as I've gotten older, and the price of seeds and other gardening supplies have gone up, I just don't plant the variety I used to plant. Thank goodness many of those plants reseed, because I can always steal babies from around the yard to plant elsewhere! LOL

My one regret for this year....and I may change my mind when I head to town today, is not buying sweetpeas...the old fashioned, strong smelling ones. OMG....really, is there anything more beautiful (looks and smell) than a big old bouquet of sweetpeas!
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Old 05-08-2013, 09:51 AM
 
Location: Bella Vista, Ark
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well I am pretty excited: my Nasturtiums are actually starting to pop their head up. I only have about 3 or 4 little leaves, but it is something. The 4 o'clocks which I have grown in the past haven't done a thing. Of course our weather has been so cold with nights still close to freezing until a few days ago, I can understand why they haven't done anything. I still have hopes. I will keep my eyes open. And, of course my hanging plant now has a mommy bird living in it, so I am guessing we will have babies soon, if they have not been born already.

Nita
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Old 05-08-2013, 01:09 PM
 
Location: near bears but at least no snakes
26,643 posts, read 28,489,044 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nmnita View Post
well I am pretty excited: my Nasturtiums are actually starting to pop their head up. I only have about 3 or 4 little leaves, but it is something. The 4 o'clocks which I have grown in the past haven't done a thing. Of course our weather has been so cold with nights still close to freezing until a few days ago, I can understand why they haven't done anything. I still have hopes. I will keep my eyes open. And, of course my hanging plant now has a mommy bird living in it, so I am guessing we will have babies soon, if they have not been born already.

Nita
Now THAT is exciting good news. Spring is a time of everything new, new baby birds, new little plants.

Well, my nasturtium seeds never came up. I soaked them for 24 hours and put them in a large pot, kept them moist but nothing. I think I'll dig one up and see what happened. Could be that they were old seeds from a few years ago. Some seeds can be kept for years, others not so. I'll just buy some more seeds as it is still early and there's enough time. This time I will soak them AND nick them although I've never had any trouble at all before.
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