seedlings

I have a feeling that Spring will be here early this year.  We have had very little snow this Winter (I didn't mind because I couldn't ski in it anyways) and it seems to be warming up nicely.  Our growing season is fairly short here- mid May through early October. Starting seeds indoors is the best way to get a jump on our garden.

(See last year's garden in all its glory.)

Planning our garden always involves effort on my part to remain realistic, I am rarely successful. When Spring finally rolls around, I tend to have big BIG ideas for growing food.  With a new babe to tend soon, I'm just not sure how much time I can devote to tending a garden at the same time. I am aiming to keep it small. At the same time, I love the thought of eating our own home grown food all winter long. So, I am trying to grow only what we can pickle, preserve, freeze or can.

The benefit of planting year after year is that you learn stuff. Here is what I've learned about starting seeds inside.

*Dirt matters.  I once thought it made sense to start my seeds in actual dirt from the garden.  That way they wouldn't be shocked when I moved them outside.  Wrong.  It is just too heavy for those little seeds to sprout.  Seed starting potting mix is best. It is very light and fluffy. (I actually pour water into the bag of mix to moisten the soil before filling up my pots- otherwise you'll inhale it.)

*Pots matter.  I've tried those little pellets for starting seeds and my plants outgrew them too quickly.  I've tried making newspaper rolls for pots- they rotted and deteriorated before it wast time to move them outdoors. I've tried yogurt and sour cream containers, but they don't drain well. My seedlings grow for 3 1/2 months indoors before going outside to their garden boxes.  I need pots that hold their shape and allow enough room for growth.  I have had the best success with store-bought pots that were a minimum of 3-5" in diameter (bigger for tomatoes).

*Watering matters. I have found the best way to water these delicate little seeds is from the bottom.  Watering from the top tends to wash the seeds out.  I buy those black trays to set my pots in (I've used a cookie sheet in a pinch) and just keep a an inch or so of water in the bottom of the tray.  Once the seedlings are up and looking sturdy, I water from the top as usual.

*Temperature matters: In years past I have just used some wooded shelves or a baker"s rack to house all my plants while they grow.  They sit near my southern facing sliding glass door.  This year, I splurged on a little indoor greenhouse of sorts.  Wow! What a difference.  Already my seeds are up and looking great.  Must be that warmer temperature that they are basking in.

*Time matters: After nursing these little plants for 3 or more months, it is a great tragedy to send them outside too early. I've learned this the hard way.  One year I lost all my cucumbers because I wasn't patient enough to wait another week. It pays to take an extra week or so and harden them off outside before planting them in the ground.  I usually send mine outside on the deck during the day (and bring them in at night) for a week. Depending on how they look, the next week they are outside full time- then the following week they go in the ground.  It is a gradual process.

Hooray for dirt under our fingernails, earthy smells inside, and tiny little emerging plants.