Boston Flora

Tag: seed starting

  • Thursday, March 22, 7:00 pm – Starting Seeds Indoors

    Join the Massachusetts Horticultural Society on Thursday, March 22 at Elm Bank in Wellesley, beginning at 7 pm, for a talk by Gretel Anspach entitled Starting Seeds Indoors.  Get a jump on the season by starting your plants from seeds.  It’s cheaper than buying transplants, offers a much broader variety of plants, and can be quite addictive!  Gretel is a Lifetime Master Gardener and a trustee of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society.  Visit www.masshort.org to register to attend this free event.

  • Sunday, February 5, 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm – Starting Vegetable and Herb Seeds Indoors

    This Tower Hill Botanic Garden workshop, led by Christie Higginbottom on Sunday, February 5 from 1 – 4, will teach home gardeners how and when to start their favorite garden crops indoors. Topics covered include selecting and preparing supplies, seed sowing techniques, caring for developing seedlings, re-potting, and transplanting plants to the garden. Workshop participants will take home planted seed flats and handouts that include plans for a two-tiered plant table that can easily be constructed at home.  Then they can settle down to watch the Super Bowl that evening.  THBG member fee is $35, nonmembers $40.  For more information, and to register, visit www.towerhillbg.org.

  • Saturday, April 23, 9:00 am – 11:00 am – Grow Your Own Seedlings with Seed, Sow and Grow

    Start your warm season vegetables with Boston Natural Areas Network on Saturday, April 23, from 9 – 11 at City Natives, 30 Edgewater Drive in Mattapan.  Learn methods of sowing seeds and raising seedlings to produce fruit and vegetable starts for your own garden.  Registration is required – call 617-542-7696, or email info@bostonnatural.org. Image from gardenofeaden.blogspot.com.

  • Saturday, April 16, 9:00 am – 1:00 pm – Growing Plants from Seeds

    There’s nothing more satisfying to a gardener than growing plants from seeds. From annuals and perennials to trees and shrubs, success can be achieved if you understand what triggers germination. Expert propagator Jack Alexander will share techniques for starting various types of plants from seeds in this Saturday, April 16 class at the Dana Greenhouse Classroom at the Arnold Arboretum. Students will leave class with a selection of seeds raring to grow. Aftercare will be necessary. Level: Beginner. Fee: $55 nonmember. To register, contact Marc Devokaitis at 617-384-5209, or log on to www.arboretum.harvard.edu.

  • Saturday, February 19, 9:00 am – 12:00 noon – Indoor Seed Starting

    Mystified by the how-tos of seed starting, yet want to grow your own food, herbs and flowers? Come learn some easy, low-tech ways to get started at home this season. Priscilla Williams of Pumpkin Brook Organic Gardening will explore seed catalogs and how to order the greatest tasting and most vigorous varieties at the best value, then delve into timing, techniques and record keeping. Equipment selection and set-up of indoor light stands will also be discussed. Each participant will transplant seedlings to larger containers and take them home for further growth. She will take an organic approach to this topic, including troubleshooting.  The Tower Hill Botanic Garden class will take place Saturday, February 19, from 9 – 12 noon, and is priced at $35 for THBG members, and $40 for non-members.  To register, log on to www.towerhillbg.org.

  • Thursday, February 3, 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm – Grow Italian!

    Can you really grow traditional Italian vegetables, herbs, and flowers in New England?  Bill McKay, of Seeds from Italy, can answer with a resounding “Yes”! In his trial gardens in Winchester, Bill has tested many seeds and is now a distributor of more than 350 varieties of Italian seeds.  Come hear all about it on Thursday, February 3, from 7 – 9 at the Medford Public Library, 111 High Street in Medford, and bring your questions for Bill.  The program is sponsored by the Medford Garden Club, and is free and open to the public.  For more information, email sbcummer@msn.com.  Image courtesy of www.motherearthnews.com.

  • Saturday, February 27, 10:30 – 11:30 am – Seed Talk at Allandale Farm

    Planning is a critical component of getting a good yield from your garden.  Which varieties should you choose?  Which seeds do you start indoors and which do you sow directly?  What is organic seed?  What is open pollination?  Join the folks at Allandale Farm, 259 Allandale Road, Brookline, on Saturday, February 27 from 10:30 – 11:30 am for coffee and an in-depth discussion of seeding for your home garden.  You’ll hear about what to start when, successive planting strategies, good container vegetable varieties (especially important for city dwellers), and more.  The experts will share some of their favorite resources for seeds and talk about equipment, from bare bones to more involved set-ups.  Bring your questions and comments, and get started on your 2010 garden!  Free.  Email allandale@allandalefarm.com to sign up.  Thank you to www.bostonzest.com for the tip on the Allandale Farm website, www.allandalefarm.com.  Photo of John Lee  below courtesy of Boston.com.