Everlasting daisies have become the first plants I’ve potted after starting to grow them from seed.
I planted the seeds in humidity pods on February 19.
They germinated in a flash, with buds clearly visible within a week.
They were starting to grow too big for the pods, so I decided to move to the next stage of the challenge to grow Aussie plants, which was transplanting in larger pots.
I had 15 pods of everlasting seedlings to transfer, so I prepared the bigger pots for them using the recyclable pots I bought from the local Daiso.
I filled the bottom of the pots with perlite for drainage, and added a layer of peat moss.
I then filled the rest of the pots with soil especially for Australian native plants.
This is sandier and drier than the normal soils I have used before, so I hope it helps in the growing process.
Transplanting the seedlings was, of course, more difficult than I had expected it to be.
The humidity pod kits come with tools that are crafted to enable forming holes for planting and digging the seedlings out of their individual pods.
It took a while to learn the processes involved and this trial and error probably killed off a few plants.
I also removed some of the weaker looking seeds in the individual pods to enable to stronger pods to grow.
Eventually, I potted all the plants, some of them well, others terribly clumsily.
The seedlings had been exposed to constant light since they were planted.
For the first time in their lives, these babies would now see the dark.
I left them in the back office overnight.
When I woke this morning, it was wet and windy, so the regular ride was put off, and attention diverted to the everlastings.
I gently carried them to the outside hothouse, where I will keep them for the next few weeks, by which time I hope they will establish firm root systems that will enable them to be planted. I hope to be able to give some away to friends. I watered them with a misty spray from the garden hose.
I planted a separate set of golden everlastings a week after this batch, and they have started to germinate, too, so I should be repeating this process, too.
Of the many varieties of seed I planted, the only other seeds that have budded so far have been some of the desert peas. These are strikingly beautiful flowers, so it would be wonderful if they work.
Otherwise, I am fearful. I expect too much, too quickly! Germination takes time, and I need to realize that. And the seeds may not germinate, even though they are in pods with constant lighting and sometimes warmth. It’s all a fun process, though.
