I got my first seeds of the year started tonight. Peppers (sweet red ones and jalapenos) and eggplant (two types: 'fairy tale' and 'kumari sri lanka'), as well as some herbs including parsley, basil, spearmint, lemon balm, and thyme. I always do my indoor gardening on the dining room table, so now the dining room smells like earth (and I love it). In case you're curious about the crumbly beige stuff in the centre of each pot, it's vermiculite which has really good aeration properties and water holding capacity, providing an ideal environment for the seeds to sprout and their first tiny roots to easily move through. It probably isn't necessary, but I followed this tip from the Square Foot Gardening method (which I also refer to for plant spacing), and it seemed to work really well last year. So now they are on the radiator, warming up and getting ready to germinate. You can rest assured that the moment a shoot pokes through I will photograph it and share it here. One of the best things about starting plants inside from seed (aside from having so many more options of varieties to choose from) is that you get to watch the whole process of their early growth in such an intimate way. It is so satisfying and so fascinating (to me, anyways) and I'll be taking you all along with me through the process - whether you like it or not;)
I admire your dedication. I'm such a flake. I always think about how it would be nice to have a garden, but then it's July and I'm like, oh yeah, I forgot. Good luck with these guys! When you're eating your delicious peppers you can post a picture and be all "In your face, AB!"
ReplyDeleteOh! I was supposed to go to a local greenhouse yesterday to pick up some organic seeds, but my plans didn't pull through. Now I really regret it! Starting a vegetable garden from seed is the way to go.
ReplyDeleteHow about I share my peppers with you? (if they grow this year - last year they were dismal because of the terrible weather)
ReplyDeleteIt's definitely a lot of work. But gardening is easy to get obsessed with, which helps. Unlike most things in my life, it doesn't take a lot of discipline for me to put the effort into it. I just wish I had more free time for it.