Monday, April 19, 2010

Starting Seeds

This year, we're diving into the world of seed starting for the first time. I suppose you could count my impetuous decision to stick a zucchini seed in the asparagus patch "just to see what would happen—probably nothing" as my first, but I don't know—it was so ridiculously easy that I surely can't count it, can I?

So far my expertise has lied with transplanting and I do well with it for the most part. But we really want to be able to grow things from seed ourselves; for one thing it is much, much cheaper. And for another thing, I enjoy a challenge and want to see how successful I can be at it! So far six out of eight of our winter sowing has produced seedlings, so that is exciting. But I also want to have success with indoor growing, too.

C. and I seem to have different approaches to seed starting. I have more of a carefree attitude about it, whereas he would prefer to read up on it and do things by the book. So he scoffs as I plant some rare white habanero seeds without the benefit of a heating pad and stick them on the windowsill with little greenhouses made of Ziploc baggies in which I've punched small holes. So, only time will tell how things will pan out. I hope that I am right and that I'll be seeing tiny seedlings in the next few weeks. I'd like to think, "Well, they're living things; they'll grow!" A bit na¨i;ve, I know. But you never know, right?

Today we planted some lettuce seeds in a window box container that we're keeping on the kitchen counter—some Crisp Mint and Rossimo that we got from Seed Savers. We figure, the conditions are just about right for lettuce in our house, and hopefully they'll get sufficient light. We'd love to be able to munch on fresh greens year-round, that is for sure. I also planted the aforementioned white habanero seeds that I bought from Azure Dandelion, whom I discovered on Etsy and who seems very kind. I also tried some of her Accordion tomato seeds, plus Joe's Round pepper from Seed Savers.

They're all sitting in a row on the sill. I'm waiting for stuff to start happening.

In other news, we have strawberry blossoms! And more violets! And ferns!

2 comments:

  1. You are adventurous! I started from seed for two years running with nominal success, but I think it was because I set myself up in the basement, with tables & grow lights, but no water source. I'm lazy and was never diligent enough to carry water to the basement as often as the plants required. Sounds like you've got a better set-up. Good luck!

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  2. Well, Jim, the more I get into gardening, the more self-sufficient I'd like to be. Being able to grow from seed and learning how to save seeds from now on will save us a lot of money in the future -- and it's really fun and makes me feel accomplished. Who knows how well anything will turn out, but I won't give up easily... I will keep trying! :)

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