Alyssum P H N
Cruciferae:  Lobularia maritima procumbens
Easter Bonnet Alyssum, 2000
Easter Bonnet Alyssum, 2000
2012
March 30: I sowed 9 cells with Royal Carpet and 9 cells with Aphrodite improved, that I got from Thompson and Morgan this year.
July 1: All seedlings died. The Aphrodite seedlings were always weaker than the others.
 

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2007
May 8: I sowed a line in the south semi-circular bed.
June 24: No sprouts.
 
2006
March 28: I started 18 cells of Navy Blue. I put them in the basement to germinate.
April 2: A few sprouts.
May 21: I set out 15 plants.
August 1: The flowers have stopped but I am hoping that the irrigation system will bring them back. There are new flower stalks on the plants.
 
2005
April 2:  I planted 18 cells with a few Navy Blue seeds in each cell.
19:  Thinned.
May 28:  I set them out.
June 2:  I set the extras along the west side of the house.
July 27:  Most of the plants in their main bed are hidden by the nasturtiums.
September:  When I cleared the nasturtiums away, most of the alyssums were gone, shaded out by the nasturtiums.
 
2004
March 15:  I started Navy Blue seeds in 9 cells.
20:  Sprouts.
27:  I started 9 more cells.
April 24:  Some are starting to flower.
May 18:  In the morning I set out 17 plants around the semicircular bed, 1 plant left over.   They are all flowering.   Disaster!   I looked in the evening to discover that they have been totally devastated by flea beetles, which have eaten multitudinous holes in the leaves and caused the plants to lie dead on the ground.   I sprinkled with rose dust, but it is too late for most of them.   I can only hope they come back.   Checking 20 minutes later I saw that the rose dust drove the beetles away.
29:  3 survived.
July 5:  The survivors are flowering prettily again.
August 24:  And still are.   Perhaps our rainy summer has been good for them.
 
2003
March 1:  I seeded 9 cells with the Navy Blue variety.
17:  I thinned them down to 2 plants per cell.
25:  I divided them into 18 cells, one plant each.
April 19:  One plant is flowering.
May 8:  I set out all 18 plants.   They are all but one in flower.
July 5:  Alive, but looking very dried out.   I suspect the bed is too dry for them.   The petunias near them are much smaller than the ones in the main garden.
August 31:  There have been no flowers for a long time, and about half the plants have died from drought.
 
2002
February 27:  I ordered a package of alyssum, Navy Blue, 426, $1.50, from Stokes.
March 27:  I started 36 of those seeds in a 9-pak. They are in finely screened peat moss that I boiled, which is on soil mix, and are upstairs.
31:  7 sprouts.
April 7:  I put more seeds on the 2 empty cells, and covered them with a sand-peat-vermiculite mix. There are more than 7 sprouts now.
21:  Separated and transplanted, giving 18 plants.
May 28:  I set out my plants.
June 8:  Doing well.   First flowers.
July 24:  Still in flower, but the flower stems are long and sparse with petals.
August 2:  I cut them back to induce new blossoms.
September 7:  There were very few new blossoms.
 
2000
March 1: I planted 18 cells, using seeds from 1996 and 1998. I sprinkled the seeds on the surface, then pressed down.
3: A few sprouts are visible.
18: I transplanted some seedlings to fill the 3 empty cells. There are 38 seedlings.
April 21: First flowers.
May 17: I transferred them to the garden. Many of the seedlings had died. I have no idea why, but the soil in many cells was soggy when I planted them. Maybe I need better drainage in my starter soil.
29: I bought 4 plants of Royal Carpet variety at a stand.
June 1: I set them out.
July 16: I bought 9 more plants from Wal-Mart, Easter Bonnet mixed, for 25 cents, and set them out.
August 7: The original plants are slowing down, and most of the new ones have died.
September 12: They are all in full flower again!
October 4: Frost last night does not seem to have affected them. They are still flowering beautifully.
 
1998
March 2: Seeded 2 9-paks, 3 seeds per cell.
4: Sprouting visibly.
21: Thinned to 1 per cell. Good germination.
April 24: Starting to flower.
June 1: Fine in garden.
 
1997
March 18: 3 6-paks started.
20: Those under lights are doing much better than those by a window.
29: Doing fine.
May 3: 12 plants set out.
24: 6 more plants set out. The early-out plants have not progressed.
~August 1: Dead headed.
December 18: They put on a good show.
 
1996
June 20: I set out some plants from the nearby stand and some of mine too.
September 4: In flower beautifully for a while now.