Seattle Flowers

We know it doesn't rain all the time in Seattle, contrary to popular myth, but we do have our share of overcast days. The closer to the coast you live, the less sun it seems you have to work with. Fog rolls in often off the water, making the days much gloomier than they are elsewhere. This makes flower growing, both indoors and out, a challenge.

We aren't totally without sun, of course. The fog tends to clear out for at least part of the day, so take advantage of this fact by placing garden beds where they get southern exposure. Indoors, favor the southern windows for growing plants. South facing locations tend to get a good dose of sunlight regardless of the time of day. The second best choice is a west facing area, since the fog has usually cleared out by afternoon.

Second, grow plants that can survive in medium light conditions, especially indoors or in areas without a southern exposure. These plants usually only need four or five hours of sunlight to thrive, but they will do just fine with all day sunlight from an overcast sky. Begonias, impatiens and most foliage plants fall into this category.

Finally, if you just must grow light-loving flowers, like African violets, grow them under lights. Grow lights can make up for otherwise poor window light. For this same reason, start summer vegetables indoors under lights. This way they grow to productive size before you transplant them out to the garden, where our cloudy skies would otherwise slow down blooming.

This is an odd time of year. Warm, spring-like temperatures one day, freezing temperatures and snow the next. If you're like me you may be tempted to plant a few seedlings for spring flowers on the nice days, but they'll die during the next cold snap. A simple cold frame allows you to grow your seeds and ensures they'll survive long enough to flower.

Cold frames are nothing more than a simple box with a clear glass or plastic lid. The box and lid protects the plants during cold weather. The glass also acts like a solar collector on sunny days, heating up the interior of the box and creating a greenhouse environment.

I recommend placing a thermometer in your cold frame if it doesn't come equipped with one. Even when the temperatures are cool, the interior of the box can get quite hot and kill the plants if the sun is out. If the t inside begins o climb above 80, crack the lid open and provide some ventilation.

If the temperatures get really cold and below freezing, throw a blanket or bundle of straw on top the box. This provides insulation and keeps the heat in. Just make sure you remove the covering before it gets warm again. You can even get a cold frame with an automatic vent opener. The box lid raises as the temperatures rise inside automatically, so your tender young plants are provided with a constant temperature as they grow and reach maturity inside.

I've been craving fresh vegetables and greens this last week. Not that flavorless stuff shipped from who knows where in the grocery store, but real, flavorful garden food. Unfortunately it's still a bit early for anything fresh from the garden outdoors, but I picked up a bag of sprouting seeds and resolved to fix my dilemma.

You don't need a fancy sprouter to grow edible sprouts at home. A regular mason jar or any glass jar works well. If you are using a mason jar, all you need is the metal ring portion of the lid. For a reused jar, such as mayo container, toss the lid.

Place a tablespoon of sprouting seeds in the jar then fill the jar up with warm water. Lay a piece of mesh fabric or cheesecloth on top the jar opening and secure it with the canning jar ring or a rubber band. Set it in a dark cabinet and wait eight hours or overnight – whichever is easier.

In the morning, pour the water out of the jar, through the mesh so the seeds don't go down the drain. Add more water to the jar once a day. Shake up the sprouts then immediately pour the water out. Continue doing this until the sprouts are ½ to 2 inches long. Rinse a final time, serve and enjoy.

Will a rhododendron thrive in that bare corner of your lawn? What is eating the roses? Does the soil need anything done to it to grow prize winning tomatoes? The answers are as varied as the selections in the spring seed catalog, but there is a readily available source that has all the answers plus even more resources to keep your flower beds happy, your lawns green and the myriad of pests in the emerald city at bay.

The Master Gardener Program

Based out of Washington State University extension office, the King County Master Gardeners are part of a nationwide network of trained gardening and horticulture volunteers available to help the community with everything plant related. Master Gardeners volunteer their time and expertise to answer your gardening questions. Even if you can't stop by the extension office, you can send photographs in for pest or disease identification or to ID that flower growing in your border beds. Many services are free of charge, which makes this an even better resource.

Ongoing Education

The King County chapter provides community outreach in the way of classes and training. The Bellevue demonstration garden is just one example of this outreach. Learn to compost, grow the perfect clematis vine or how to utilize drip irrigation in your vegetable bed. The gardens are available to tour or you can take one of the many year-round classes offered.

A Family Affair

The Master Gardener volunteers may have a full schedule of classes and services aimed at adults, but children and families can also benefit. MG teaching kits are available for teaching environmental sciences in schools or for your children's community group, free of charge. These cover worm composting, insects, and seeds and flowers – with 12 separate kits available in all. The program also runs events and classes especially for children throughout the year.