When will Spring arrive in New Jersey?

Category: My Chester Gardens | Posted: Fri Mar 16, 2007 7:57 pm

This is my first EVER Blog! So, here goes!

Earlier this week I was cleaning beds and pruning in 70 degree weather. Alas, today it is SNOWING and I am sitting at my computer reading about gardens and looking at pictures of clematis and dreaming about what my gardens will look like in June when my friend comes to visit from Florida.

I got a little crazy and ordered some clematis seeds today. Last Fall, I saved a lovely seed head from my favorite Clematis Helios Tangutica. The little seed head lived all Winter long on my kitchen windowsill in a tiny cobalt blue vase, just sitting looking beautiful until a couple of weeks ago when I got the idea of planting the seeds to see if they would grow. I put a few in a damp paper towel and placed them in a ziplock bag. To my amazement, they germinated. I put the seeds in a starter kit/greenhouse and now I have 24 little plants with their second set of leaves. I am so proud!

The clematis in my garden has already started to break out leaf buds. I pruned them anyway. I have many different clematis and look for new varieties each Spring. Besides Helios, another of my favorites is Rooguchi- Integrifolia Group. It flowers in my poolside bed all Summer and til frost gets the best of it.

This year I am searching for the clematis Lady Bird Johnson. I will get a plant instead of seeds. I am not so brave after all!

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Comments

toni wrote on Fri Mar 16, 2007 8:11 pm:

Hi Irisann, welcome to the Stew. Glad to see you have started your blog, they are fun and addictive as you will soon find out.

Please post an intro of yourself in the Welcome to Gardenstew forum so we can all get to know each other.

Gardenstew wrote on Fri Mar 16, 2007 8:50 pm:

Nice first blog entry Irisann! You sound like you like Clematis a lot. I don't blame you :)

Good luck with your new blog.

eileen wrote on Fri Mar 16, 2007 9:47 pm:

24 little plants - well done!!! It's a lovely moment when seedlings push up through the soil isn't it?!! I hope each and every one survives for you and that you find 'Lady Bird Johnson' soon.

Really looking forward to getting to know you.

irisann wrote on Sat Mar 17, 2007 12:32 am:

Soon, my little seedlings will go it alone in pots of their own. I will keep you all posted on their progress as soon as I figure out how to post my photos for you. Still dreaming about Lady Bird. She is sold out at my usual source.

Gardenstew wrote on Sat Mar 17, 2007 12:57 am:

Irisann there is a topic here that will help you to post photos to your blog
http://www.gardenstew.com/about4115.html

zuzu's petals wrote on Sat Mar 17, 2007 1:15 am:

Well done with those Clemmie babies, irisann.

I haven't ever tried to start any of the seed that mine set each year,
but I have transplanted a few little sprouts that self-sowed.
None of those have bloomed yet, so I don't know if they are true to variety
or if the bees were creative.

glendann wrote on Sat Mar 17, 2007 5:31 am:

Hello irisann from Central Texas.I'm glad you join the Stew and You will get the hang of everything soon.Sorry to hear its snowing again .
I have a terrible time getting Clemmies to grow here in Texas .I am going to try again.