Starting seeds...asparagus and impatiens

The itch to grow things hit hard this weekend.  I busted out my seeds and the 2012 Farmer's Almanac.  Last frost in our area is scheduled for April 6.  That puts this weekend 12 weeks out.  Now, this will only be my third year of gardening, but I have learned some important truths about starting seeds and transplanting...

1. Transplanting is traumatic and very tough on plants.  Most vegetables do better if you wait until it gets warmer and sow the seeds directly into the garden.
2. There are some plants that need that headstart in the greenhouse, and some that are just too hard to germinate directly in the garden.  Those are the ones you start early.
3. Starting seeds in the greenhouse is a lot of fun for me.

So I made a schedule of when I'm going to start various seeds.  This weekend it was time to moisten some asparagus and impatiens seeds.  The flower seeds came from end-of-season pods that some of my father's impatiens had produced.  It's my first time starting both of these plants.  Fingers crossed.

I filled containers with seed starting mix, soak them thoroughly, place seeds, flick a little of the mix over them, and seal them up with plastic wrap.  I'll wait until I see green inside to unwrap them.  The impatiens seed is so tiny I used a moistened toothpick to place them.

Last year Angelia planted burgundy sunflowers.  They were gorgeous, and we saved the seeds.  Weeks ago, I jabbed some in a pot to see if they would germinate, and this is where they are right now.  We have tons of these seeds.  The packet of a dozen or so seeds that she bought was expensive.  Now we'll always have these flowers.  They will definitely be in the garden this year.