CLBlakey You have to be careful PAD (plant aquisition disorder) is as contagious and potentially more expensive. It has recently been linked to chlorophyll so anytime you touch a plant you are in jeopardy of getting it. It is so common a new reality show is coming out on it this year, it is going to follow Hoarders.

Freezengirl Since it appears you have both CSD and PAD I will forward your name to makers of the reality show mentioned above. I believe they are paying subjects with plants and/or seeds.

I have to run now a voice in my head is telling me I didn't sow enough zinnia............

Oh dear......I was under the impression that we ALL suffer from these afflictions and that we came here for support and enabling! I am so disappointed! :) Oh well, it sure serves as a way to break up the long, drawn out winter we seem to be experiencing! :)

Love you people!

Ginny

A few years ago there may have been an attempt to pass on CSD to me but for what ever reason it did not take. It started out fine but quickly grew weak and died. My conditions must be poor for it to take. I will be helping on of my friends with her first transplants of the season something about moving them to larger vessels before she can let them go I am afraid she will be adding something to them that might cause PAD. I hear that the onset of the fullness of this condition is not fully seen until later in the year so I have time to find a vaccine. I have not fully understood how it is transmitted though. Ginny sorry to hear you have both afflictions you may want to strengthen the walls of your home just in case the roof starts looking like a place to put your new acquisitions. You all have me a bit nervous as I have been thinking about trying seeds again.............................

Finally, a diagnosis! I've always known it was something... Hmmm, Chronic Seed Distemper and Plant Acquisition Disease. Just wait until the nurseries open, SouthCountryGuy - then you'll find out that many of us are afflicted with "plants that leap into our carts", like roses that wrap their thorny canes around us, that sort of thing. What can we do but bring them home? They WANT us! They NEED us! And how about those of us who are Plant Rescuers. We scout around box stores and rescue plants from mistreatment, and at times we have to perform Intensive Revival Treatments.

I recently read on an old thread someone referring to gardening as a "hobby". They have no clue. It's a way of life!

The first step is admitting it!!!

I feel for you honalee. Our winter has been incredibly mild. It is +20 right now... a bit out of the norm for certain.

This place is as much support as a nightclub is to an alcoholic and that much of an enabler as well.

Btw, if you put tinfoil in your underpants it helps shield the voices from telling you to sow or buy plants. Try it, it really works!!!!!

I just realized I sowed too many uproar Zinnia throwing the balance with the Benary's Giant Scarlet off. *sigh* guess I have to plant more scarlet to get the balance back.........

CLBlakey, denial doesn't change diagnosis.

marciaz3, see above. The tinfoil also works when going to the nursery it is best a double layer then. One layer shields the voices and the other the plants ability to use telekinetic and clairvoyant powers.

BTW has anyone else had issues with Gazania coming up? Or is it really slow?

I think I have found the cause of my CSD and PAD resistance OZE I have a very severe case of it and have been trying to rid myself of it for the last 9 years it even causes tears some times I would gladly take a case of CSD or PAD instead. Old Zone Envy is hard to overcome to the point of almost being paralyzed. Though this forum may not be helpful to those with CSD or PAD it is helping with the OZE slowly but surely I will overcome and see fruit again. Thanks to all who push the zones and have good results I see hope in my future. 5/6 is hard to overcome.

My gazania came up in two days, so not slow.

Hey, who's denying these conditions? I embrace them (like an Aiel embraces pain) (Cindy will understand. LOL).

thanks marciaz3 I thought I heard it was fast. Did you have it on heat mats?

No, just sitting in a window. I haven't looked at it today, but will tomorrow. Yesterday there were about three or four of them that had come up.

The kindergartens' pansies have sprouted already. The kids were really excited about it. Of course, not all of them did, and some of the kids are a little worried!

Lol marciaz3, that is why I am worried as the gazania was my 3yr daughters seed and her younger sisters mesembryanthemum has come up....might have to get new seed incase lol.

My mesenbryanthemum are all up too - checked this morning. What kind do you have? I've had 'Gelato Red' in the past but it's so tiny! I made sure the ones i ordered are the taller ones. I'm thinking of combining them with the gazania in a cedar trough planter that i have.

Good for you starting your daughters young! We just did vegetable gardening when our kids were young and they didn't do much in the garden - except for the middle son, who took the kids' package of seeds from Stokes (i think it was) and just tossed the whole thing into a bed. He had great plants that summer - carrots inbetween tomatoes, etc.! And a huge sunflower that we brought to the fall fair and that got a lot of looks from people as my husband carried it in. He finally told one guy, "We're growing them for pulp." LOLOL

Oh thank heavens!!! Now my husband can put a name to my weird behavior, and not just look at me sideways. My petunias are on the third planting, first two were from some traded seed, third store bought but not exactly what I wanted, will have to do this year. Annual stocks are slow this year and so is my thymophillia, (shooting star) I used to have no problem growing it but have had limited success the last couple of year, will have to figure out what I'm doing wrong. Maybe today I will get the peppers potted up. Weather went from +18 on Tuesday to -10 today. I know it's cause I just started calving. Cheryl

Going to play DR at my friends greenhouse today learning to do transplants wearing gloves so I don't touch the green stuff and accidentally catch PAD, ...................learning to embrace pain is a long process but it does make you stronger. May the seeds be with you!

The ones she picked was 'livingstone daisy mix'.

That is a great story. I haven't done veggies since moving to this property but hope to next year when I clear a little more land. My girls love their flowers! Last year I let them play with one that I deadheaded everyday.

I wore the tinfoil today and it stopped most urges to buy more seed. I highly suggest everyone try's it.

Again, oh dear........ You mean to tell me that I could have saved an exorbitant amount of time, money, and guilt just by purchasing a roll of foil at the Dollar Store? Boy, it's a good thing I didn't go into that Dollar Store! :)

Ginny

bdgardener, Oh my, calving sounds painful *grin*. Next year we should trade petunia seeds. They are one of my favourite and I always buy too many.

CLBlakey i suggest using tinfoil as well. Think of it like a Trojan commercial, you just can't be too safe!

honalee, yeah the foil is amazing. It also saves you money when shopping for other things as it seems to fold and poke you in areas of the crotch that are just uncomfortable. I guess this is partially by design to take your mind off of flowers. Other bonus is you have less laundry.

I'm having trouble making a diagnosis. I think I have CSD under control...only have a few seeds started. Okay, don't count the many packages of tomato seeds I've yet to start. But I'm only planning to germinate a few of each: I'm positive about that. I've learned my lesson in that regard. Plus, I've discovered that tomato seeds stay viable for years, so I can keep the seed that's left over.

I don't think I suffer from PAD, but that may be aided by my zone. Apparently nothing grows here, at least according to plant labels. I don't have OZE, since I've always lived here, but plain old ZE is a chronic condition of course.

My issue seems to be PD, or propagation disorder. I seem to be farming geraniums...have a bunch potted up, but feel compelled to take more cuttings. And then there are the coleus cuttings. I have them rooting in containers all over the place. I seem to have a reluctance to throw out any living thing. Not sure how the tin foil will help as I don't have to leave the house for this condition to flare up.

And don't get me started on my fall affliction, where I suffer from some kind of separation anxiety and can't let anything just die a natural death. Oh no, I must take more cuttings and bring in everything in sight. I really am sick.

Dang !! I forgot my gloves and didn't use tinfoil as suggested however I am getting good at transplants did over 1500 in 4 hours and I think I only lost 1 or 2 patients time will tell. This type of therapy could really help with my OZE but I am truly worried about PAD it could be bad this year. Especially after doing so many transplants. She would like me to do some more once my shoulders get better who knew being a plant Dr. would be so hard.

North - Cutting is a terrible thing please be careful

Welcome to my world! I am working on acronyms from the next alphabet!

Cindy, you wanna see my eaves troughs! And these are the ones that are on the house for the purpose they were made for! Sunflowers, maples, millet, you name it growing out of them!

SCG, I think I'll just put the foil on my head. That way it doesn't interfere with my garden yoga. :)

Ginny

Ginny I knew your roof had another purpose other than keeping you and your doggies dry.

North, and I thought you had enough issues just living in Manitoba! We really do have some 'special' people on the far north forum *grin*

CLB, I would be careful. I have a very good feeling your so called 'friend' is exploiting you due to your condition. Next thing you know is your going to be working for free or even worse plants!

Here is my sprouts with their seeds on Easter.

I just looked at the map at it now lists me at 5a, so maybe not considered 'far north' anymore. Then again that is a matter of perspective :) . 'twas my first time ever zooming in. I am scared. It means I can expand my perennials even more.........

The voices are getting very loud now............

We won't kick you off the forum - we'll just ZE you! You're a very valuable acquisition for this forum with all your diagnoses and remedies.... Uh huh. Really!

And you do have a couple of cute little girls there! :)

SCG- I volunteered she has been suffering with CSD for years only this winter it got out of control and her 12x14 greenhouse was too small there was a rupture and now there is this football field sized monstrosity that is pulling her from real life. I was afraid of loosing her to the abyss. As a true friend I could not watch this without lending a hand. Hubby says a few plants might be nice but ............we will see I am a produce girl and there are not many flowers that I would eat. (rolls fingers together slyly) but she did mention tomatoes..........................................I think I should invest in some of that tin foil

Marciaz3 I hated having to put my girls out there but I think I needed them to get the majority votes. :)

CLB, I don't want to sound rude or such but give you an analogy so you can better understand where you stand. It would be like your friend buying 25 cases of whiskey. A good friend wouldn't want her to drink that all by herself incase something happens. So you, as reluctantly as you wish to believe, help her out when you can. I am sure the picture is forming LOL!

You need to grow some Amarathus Caudatus. Seeds and leaves are great for munching! Nasturtium and poppies (papaver somniferum) also come to mind for flowers (or parts of) you can eat. If you need some poppy seeds I know just were to get them, seriously :)

I have poppies but I think they are best sown in the spring here I tried fall sowing but without much success. I have eaten pansies but I have such limited space I have to be very particular in what I plant. I am in process of trying bale gardening as the ground here is full clay and full of quack grass I tore out the whole garden and planted fruit trees instead. It is this time of year that my OZE flares up I would have tomato weeds by now in Kamloops. I really hope bale gardening is the key for me if so then things will change I have even had to replace a number of trees that haven't done well here. I am hoping my cherry makes it. Water is also expensive here I have 2 rain barrels it helps but with our wind still not enough to keep plants from dying everything dries up so fast. I guess what you say is true I am a plantaholic and have been longing for a fix

Hehe CLBlakey.... my brother is in Kamloops...OZE for me... I am between Cranbrook and Fernie, in a banana belt.

As per water are you on a well or city or equiv.?

Depending on how dang north you are I might be able to bring you a truck load of composted bark in trade for a load of old cow turds. The bark will dramatically help you with clay issues and help hold moisture.

I have thousands of papaver somniferum seeds if anyone would like. They grow about 3' tall and are in about 4 colours. Stunning when blooming. They only last a fortnight or so, so I suggest sowing a few fortnights in a row.

I forgot to wear tinfoil when going to town to drop my kids off with the grandparents for the weekend...YAY!!!...i broke down and got more zinnia seeds and one more Dahlia..

I wonder if I can make a mortgage payment with cut flowers?

city water I so hate meters but on the other hand hubby works for the water co. so it pays the bills. I will try the multiple sowings. I was thinking you were somewhere near Cranbrook I collected pine cones and baby's breath when I visited a friend a few years ago. No access to cow turds they don't even let you have rabbits here not even for a pet. We moved north of Grande Prairie after the 2003 fires took out the mill my hubby worked at. I so miss my fruit trees. I tried bales of wood chips in the garden for 5 years didn't touch it. That is why I am trying bale gardening. I'll wave to your brother when I drive through on my way to Vancouver. I think if you have enough land you could make your mortgage payments with flowers.

CLB, yes we have a pile of baby's breath and pine cones here. If anyone wants any please let me know I will send for postage.

My area is called Baynes lake. It is really weird because less than a 20 minute drive east or west takes you a full 2 hardiness zones down.

I have 5 acres and have thought a bit about it on a small scale. I paid for a good portion of my lights and seeds by growing 'unable' to obtain locally petunias for friends. Funny how much they offered to get what they want....yeahp PAD reeks havoc.

I wonder what you could make picking the wild baby's breath and selling it to florists. I used to work for a loans company and that is what one person did for a living. I packaged it in toilet paper rolls for transport and stored it in glycerin to keep it soft. It kept for months. It might not pay the mortgage every month but maybe a trip to Hawaii or Mexico each year.

This thread totally cracks me up, lol; thank you! :)

Curious as to what you all have for lights/greenhouses to house all the symptoms of these various illnesses. I'm quickly outgrowing my grow light setup (four shelves, six lights, 12 flat capacity).

So far I've started: two varieties of storage onion (over 200 seedlings), a bunch of leeks, some shallots, strawberries (first time from seed, they're huge already), pansies (chosen by our youngest kiddo), various herbs, five kinds of peppers (hot and sweet), celeriac (first time), celery, eggplant and seven varieties of tomato (most are a variety I'm trying to dehybridize, I'm planting F3 this year). More to come, of course, but my shelves are half full already (peppers and toms only planted yesterday, so not taking up space yet).

I've got CSD. Bad. I bought a packet of Valencia peanuts from Early's when we were in Saskatoon last week. Just to try as an experiment. *hangs head in shame*

My grow lights will be on 24hrs a day really quick, 12hr rotation on my flats, hoping weather warms up enough to get some into the unheated greenhouse under frost clothes. Cheryl

Baynes Lake, I know where you are, camp at Koocanusa with the inlaws. Would love to have your summer heat.

CLBlakey, I was thinking the same. I should talk to my mother she used to own a flower shop.

macky77 when one suffers from CSD there is absolutely no way to have enough room or lights to successfully house everything. Most people that have acute CSD end up planting so many they can't take care of them all properly so some die and others become leggy. Now a rationale person would plant less but someone suffering acute CSD sees this as a reason to sow even more. The more you sow the higher probability you will have more better plants, right?

What I have for lights is 2 8 bulb T5HO fixtures, 2 single bulb T5HO, 3 2 bulb T8/12 fixtures 'shop lights' and 2 CFL's. I am running all the fixtures except the CFL's which gives me a 16 flat capacity. My set-up is very basic right now consisting of a sheet of plywood as a shelf and 2x4's screwed to the ceiling with nails banged halfway in to hang my lights off of.

bdgardener, Yeahp you got the area and you can have the summer heat. We were over 30C for 6 weeks straight last year.

I have run out of tinfoil and have to head to the dollar store today. Wonder what the chances the bulbs and tubers will talk to me when I go by?

Well, that would explain why I had no qualms about sending two flats worth of lavender seedlings to work with hubby last season. He's got a lovely, large window in his office and they survived quite well until it was warm enough for the cold frames.

Gotta go... seven-year-old is shouting from the kitchen... something about "Why can't we grow oranges? I like oranges. Where do they grow oranges?"

Oh, gawd. Is it genetic as well as contageous?

Macky77 I am currently leading a global scientific study on the possibility of genetic predisposition to CSD and PAD. May we consider you and your family for test subjects? Most of our testing is barely invasive and side effects are often not permanent.

I actually made it past the bulbs, tubers and seeds today without buying anything....yay. Then again they were sold out of what I wanted.

The wife and I decided we were going to do a 70ft long wall of helianthus. Anyone have any favourite kinds or suggestions?

I have no idea what kind to plant but my thoughts went directly to beans as a companion plant you could do them in 10 ft sections scarlet runners (for the color) then regular pole beans or sweet peas then you could have a wall of flowers

'lo CLBlakey

Beans are an interesting idea. They would fill in nicely. Would you suggest a trellis for them I have never actually used flowering beans.

I have one mixed pack (40 seeds), 20 seeds of kong and 15 of titan helianthus. I was thinking of using some of the thousands of papaver somniferum seeds I have in multiple sowings to fill in,

SCG, you may indeed. My paternal grandfather was obsessed with vegetables and my paternal grandmother won awards for her rose garden. My father grew a bit of everything, but mostly flowers. Three of my aunts and one cousin keep gardens. One aunt is a Master Gardener, though she's family by marriage, so not useful for a genetic study. It's all definitely on the paternal side, though, and seemingly a dominant gene.

Hi macky77

That is great news! pm me your address and I will have the guys stop by for a somewhat painless spinal tap. Hopefully we won't have to do the more invasive tests. Mine didn't hurt very much at all and I got a stutter that I am growing fond of.

Now to head out and pinch plants back :)

I was thinking the beans would use the sunflowers for the trellis and by the by all beans flower if you want actual beans just some have white flowers some have red.

CLB, so true they all flower, I just never thought to use them for decorative purposes. Also never considered the beans using the sunflower as a trellis...interesting...

I failed.
I decided to start the tomatoes today. I have about 11 different types. But I couldn't restrict myself to just 2 seeds of each. I mean, how do I know how many will germinate? So I planted extra. (I can hear you all snickering)
Now I will be faced with being ruthless if they all come up. What are the chances of that.
I'm blaming Ginny. I think she's the one who sent me to the Heritage Seed site. They have such lovely descriptions of their selections. I couldn't resist. Then the evil people sent me a free seed packet. As if I need more.

LMHO! Apparently the condition has morphed into a thoughtborne one! You are a goner, Marie! And Terra Edibles is just as bad! I think I need another freezer!

Fun thread! So nice to see everyone having fun while we wait for spring.......maybe......

SCG, I have 60 different varieties of sunflowers should you be interested in some seed.......a few are dwarf varieties. :) And really fun colors! I like to share my maladies. :)

Ginny

Marie, I think I may have been the one who sent you to Heritage. I'll gladly take the blame if I was :)

Yes, their descriptions make you want to order them all, and since I met the owner at a Seedy Saturday a few years ago, it makes it even more fun to order from them.

I managed to keep myself under control and only put 3 seeds (sometimes 4) in each pot. I'm hoping to end up with only about 50 healthy plants. I wonder if I should plant a few more just for good measure :)

Lynn

I better hope it takes me more than a year to get my garden soil up to snuff. I can't imagine what shape I will be in if I had both annuals and veggies going...... although the wife wants to try those upside down tomato things.

Ginny, I would absolutely love some seeds, then again how can I say no! How about you surprise me. I have kong, titan and allmix from Mr. fothergills. i will send you some papaver somniferum in trade. I also have lots of mixed marigold (not smart enough to seperate last year) you could mass plant. Also have a few seeds left over from this year I could send a list if you wanted.

I have the itch to plant out so bad I might start next weekend with some titan sunflowers. I was told not to start them but couldn't listen and in 3 days they have outgrown the 72 cell tray and I feel will outgrow the 2" pots they are in by the weekend LOL!

SCG, I sent you the sunflower list but can send you the whole list if you like. You clearly don't know that you are talking to a pro. I have made CSD an art form! :) I don't need any more seeds, for sure but I can send you what ever you would like.
Send me an email and I will send you my list. :)

Ginny

gardenofangels200@shaw.ca

honalee

LOL! I love speaking with well enabled addicts . I will send you an email on the sunflower seeds. Thanks again.

If anyone else would like some papaver somniferum (poppy) seeds please contact me. They are quite striking. I have 3 colours (mix) but you can sort the seeds by color if you wish.

Oh Lynn, I think you're right about it being you who sent me to the Heritage Seed site. Hopefully I have some terrific tomatoes this summer. I noticed the seed count in the packages is quite generous also.
Some of the varieties I'm trying are the cherry type, so I don't want a lot of plants of those. That was why I only wanted two seeds. But...as I said, it's hard to believe that every tiny seed will grow.

I'm at a stand still, potted up the peppers but the tomatoes don't quite need it yet. I wander down to the basement give them a little shot of love and long for the day when I wander around the yard with my big silver bowl and decide what meat to cook with my plate full of veggies. Now I look out the window to the foot of snow we received last night and wonder what happened to the plus 19 degrees we had two weeks ago. Maybe if I plant some herbs it will get me over this funk and I think I can take another sweet potato cutting. Come on spring. C