You know what this means, right? It's indoor seed-starting time in my area. I've got my empty cells, seeds, potting soil, and master list of what I plant, how much, and when.
Once the seeds are planted, I need a way to tell which are which. Some seedlings look an awful lot like others. And sometimes, they require different spacing when going out into the garden. So I took an empty plastic milk jug and cut it into strips, using ordinary kitchen scissors. Sharpies work great on this plastic surface. I made a mistake on one and could not rub off the name. So, I'm pretty certain these plant labels will fare well with watering. Free plant labels. Woo hoo!
My flat of early season veggies is seeded, labeled and under lights. Now it's a matter of waiting for sprouts to grow.
I'll start a second flat of different veggies, flowers and herbs in another 10 days. I have indoor capacity under lights for 4 flats altogether. And every year I use every last spot for seeds.
How about you? Will you be starting some seeds indoors any time soon?
Yes, I will! Hopefully in the next day or two. I'm really running behind for my growing area, but my schoolwork is taking up so much of my time these days. My seed trays are mostly filled, so it's just a matter of the planting (and perhaps filling more).
ReplyDeleteCat
Hi Cat,
DeleteI didn't realize you were taking classes. What are you studying? Wishing you well with your schoolwork! I took classes later in life and found it challenging to do everything else plus the coursework. Sometimes, "regular life" stuff had to be simplified, done in phases, and generally worked around the classes.
Good luck getting your seed trays planted.
Hi, Lili,
DeleteThis semester is just pre-requisites and retaking Biochemistry as I've been out of college so very long (there is an 8-year "expiration date" on Biochemistry!). My goal is to start on my Master's in Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine in October.
You're right; it IS a challenge! We are having lots of very simple (not always super frugal) meals at the moment. My husband is a huge help (and cheerleader), thankfully. The reading alone seems to take me a ridiculous amount of time, but I'm hoping it will be worthwhile in the long run.
Cat
Hi Cat,
Deleteyour proposed studies sound exciting! Wishing you success as you proceed.
I live in southern Maine and can't plant seeds inside until about mid-March. I am looking forward to it so much. The thrill of seeing plants coming up is a joy to me every single year.
ReplyDeleteHi Judy,
DeleteOh, I agree. Watching the seeds come up is so exciting! It's so amazing to me that one night, I can check the flats and see nothing but seemingly lifeless dirt. Then the very next morning, a whole bunch of seeds have sprouted. This happened with the cabbage and Brussel sprouts this last night. Love to see it!
Have fun with the planning part right now, Judy!
Now that we no longer have cats, maybe I will try starting seeds again. I will have to figure out a good area to do that in. My FIL uses the same kind of plant tags. :)
ReplyDeleteMy first thought when I read this was, "No, I have cats". :)
DeleteHi Live and Learn,
DeleteDo you have any thoughts, yet, as to what seeds you would start indoors?
Just giving that plastic milk jug one last use (to make plant tags) before adding to the recycling bin.
Hi Kris,
DeleteWith cats, I think you would have to have a dedicated room just for seed starting, a room that the cats were not allowed to go in. And that could be something of a challenge to enforce. But your husband did build that cold frame and that is a help to getting vegetables going early.
For those with cats (we are "down" to five), before we started putting the shelves in the spare room, we had to have them in a corner of the dining room. We use one of those shelving units that comes with a plastic greenhouse cover, purchased about 25 years ago. We quickly learned those don't hold up to Oklahoma wind, so just use the shelves themselves. To keep cats out, my husband rigged some of the green plastic temporary construction fencing, zip tied on three sides. We would clip the fourth side shut with little clips, clothespins, or whatever we had onhand that would work. Just throwing this out there as an idea in case it could help any of you.
DeleteCat
Thanks for the idea, Cat. We have a smaller house and don't have dedicated dining room space--a separate dining room would be a great space, if we had one. It sounds like you have a great solution for your situation. :)
Delete"Dining room" makes it sound grand, but it's really just a small space off the kitchen with room for a table only, no other furniture. (Our kitchen has no room for a table.) So it was really cramped with that shelf in there, but I was determined to squeeze it in. Hope you can find a spot that works for you.
DeleteCat
We started a small garden this year. Just a raised bed of Tatsoi (spinach variety), another bed of collards, a row of kale, Chinese spinach vines (malabar) along a garden fence, mustard greens in some large pots, Chinese parsley in flower beds in the front of our property, green onions, basil and some wild tomatoes. Fortunately this year, we are having ample rain, and we augmented our soil with moisture retaining coconut coir, which is sold at Lowes and Home Depot. We started a compost area that will hopefully be useful later. We use chemical fertilizers but no pesticides. This year, we are using a mesh fabric to keep insects out of the raised bed, and bird netting doubled over on the other vegetables.
ReplyDeleteWe're focusing our growing efforts on green leafy vegetables to provide much needed calcium in our diet. My husband was diagnosed with severe osteoporosis, typical of a 90 yo according to his doctor. I have long suspected he had bone loss issues because he lost height in his early forties and have been on omeprazole for GERD for decades. He refused to take calcium supplements fearing increased risk of clogged arteries but now it's the case of lesser of two evils. Increasing calcium in our diet is the best way, which is why we started a garden again. The hardest part is keeping our vegetables away from our dog's business lol
It's relatively easy to garden in Hawaii. No need to plan when to plant. However, our small lot size is probably why most of us don't garden. In fact, we personally don't know anyone else who gardens, though vegetable prices are very expensive here. My DIL said too much insects, our neighbor said she'd rather grow succulents. I guess the thinking is why grow when you can just buy. But there is nothing more satisfying and joyous than eating freshly picked garden vegetables.
Have a wonderful day!!
Laura
Hi Laura,
DeleteI'm sorry for the reason you've started your garden again, your husband's osteoporosis. I hope the increase in calcium through foods will stabilize his situation. At least using foods for needed minerals is a delicious type of treatment. And eating your own home-grown vegetables will be far more tasty and as you said, satisfying, than buying vegetables that may have been picked many days earlier. I also find that our family eats more vegetables than we would if I only bought produce.
Have you ever watched informational films or documentaries on how WW2 affected diet and health for England? English citizens needed to eat more garden-grown produce to make up their caloric needs due to other foods on ration. And the end result was they were healthier in general by the end of the war.
May you small garden bless yours and your husband's health, Laura.
Thank you always for your kind comments. I read your comment to my husband and he smiled and was deeply touched saying you are very nice.
DeleteI heard about the unintended positive results of WWII rationing. Maybe I'm confused but I think these might have been called Victory Gardens? Being frugal in general yields many positive unintended consequences.
Laura