Stuff

I went through my blog all the way to the first postings of last year and boy! is it different this year!
Last year by this time, we were seeing temperatures in the high 40’s. Today’s high is expected to be in the high 30’s.

• I sowed my first batch of seeds this past Sunday –February 21.

• I am a tiny bit more knowledgeable about my veggies this year than I was last year by this time.

• My dog is one year older and a tiny bit less spastic, although she still eats anything I put outside whether it was meant to be eaten or not.

• I have most of what I need for the garden already so I can concentrate on growing things and not on growing my inventory of gardening tools.

• And most importantly, I am more confident in my ability to make my veggies grow and fruit.

It was nice to look at some of the photos in my blog from last year and see what all this work is all about. There will be tomatoes, there will be peppers. Also, it was good to read about all the headaches I suffered last year to bring me down from my pre-season gardening cloud. Blame this ignorant bliss on the seed catalogs. Right now, before any plants are growing, all I have are the beautiful pictures of the vegetables and flowers grown by some mystical Master Gardener at Thompson & Morgan, or other such magical place. Surely they don’t ever have to contend with raging winds, driving rain, murderous hail, uninvited hungry beasties of wing or fur and all manner of crawling critters.
No matter. I will do this again this year.

SEED SOURCES
I buy my seed locally anywhere they sell it. On the web, I buy from 2 or 3 places. This year I ordered seeds from:

Thompson & Morgan
Seeds Trust
Reimer Seeds

Locally, I bought seeds from:

Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
Ferry-Morse
Plantation Products (American Seed and NK Lawn and Garden)

Last, I actually saved seeds from last year although only from a couple of pepper plants.

SEEDLING UPDATE
My Tomatillo Mexican Husk sprouted yesterday, Tuesday February 23, two days after sowing!
Also, one of my gourd plants germinated as well. I moved them under lights.
This morning, I had a number of Siberian tomatoes starting to come up.

Let’s do this!

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Crisis!

I’ve gotten myself in a bit of a pickle. I have way too many seedlings coming up and not enough space under the lights. To complicate things, I am having a guy come and re-floor the downstairs space and that’s where I keep my seedlings, which means that I cannot go downstairs today or tomorrow to water the poor things. I fear I may lose some of them and that would break my heart.
I have lettuce growing now (Tom Tom mini head lettuce and Tin Tin little gem lettuce). I have a bunch of onions now. I have at least two strawberry plants sprouting. The Penstemons are finally germinating. I am going to have to think of something quick if I want to start my garden in March as I planned.
Also, seed potatoes are at the stores, as well as onions, garlic, strawberry roots, and blueberry bushes. It makes me giddy with anticipation!

Murder in the Garden

Every year since I began gardening – 6 years now, I do something that brings me great shame and heart ache.
Early in the year, when I do my sowing, I put several seeds in each pot or plug in order to ensure that I get at least one plant. However, it seems every year, more than one seed germinates in each pot or plug. If you grow plants from seed, you know this.
So, in order to allow one plant to survive and to mature, I am instructed by conventional wisdom to clip all seedlings except for the strongest one.
Every year, comes killing time, my chest fills with anguish. I feel dirty. This is the miracle of life people! These plants did their part. They came. That was our agreement. I provided life with the means to come forth and it did!
I think this contract we make with the Universe every planting season is the source of my shame. I feel I am betraying something when I “thin” the plants.
I wonder if anyone else feels this way. I wonder if some day I will grow callouses on my heart and I won’t feel a thing.
I wonder.